Pentagon: $200B for Iran. 4,500 More Marines to Mid-East.

Summary

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Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Episode Title: Pentagon: $200B for Iran. 4,500 More Marines to Mid-East
Date: March 20, 2026
Host: Paul Rieckhoff

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Episode Overview

In this solo episode, Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the latest developments in America’s expanding involvement in Iran and the broader Middle East. Rieckhoff discusses the Pentagon’s unprecedented $200 billion funding request for the Iran war, the deployment of thousands more U.S. Marines, and the lack of congressional authorization. He delves into the political, military, and human consequences—especially for veterans—and calls for true accountability and vigilance from the public. Rieckhoff also spotlights dissenting voices, the media’s role, and what these events mean for U.S. democracy and the independent political movement.

The episode blends urgent foreign policy analysis with the energy of March Madness basketball season, closing with reflections on culture, politics, and the independent spirit.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Major Military Escalation: Troops & Money to the Middle East

• $200 Billion War Budget Request

  • The Pentagon is asking Congress for $200 billion to fund the Iran war, despite no congressional approval for such a war and resounding opposition from the American public (04:30).
  • Quote: “$200 billion for a war in Iran that has not been approved by Congress and is overwhelmingly not supported by the American people. This is a line in the sand. This is a moment to say, hell no.” (05:00, Paul Rieckhoff)

• Deployment of Troops

  • The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deploying rapidly toward the Middle East, potentially replacing and/or overlapping with the 31st MEU, which just arrived (01:30; 06:40).
  • “The bottom line? More troops into the Middle East, more money into the Middle East, more danger in the Middle East. And most of America is still against it.” (01:48, Rieckhoff)

2. Accountability, Veterans, & The True Cost of War

• Veterans’ Care Overlooked

  • Traumatic brain injuries now make up 70% of U.S. wounded in Iran—each costing over $1M to treat (06:15).
  • “If you’re going to request money to cover the cost of war, make it the full cost. Not just the Department of Defense, but also the Department of Veterans Affairs.” (07:10, Rieckhoff)

• Repeating Past Mistakes

  • Rieckhoff draws parallels to the lack of preparation for veteran needs after Iraq/Afghanistan, insisting lessons must be learned “so maybe we can get ahead of the curve this time…” (07:35).

3. Media Manipulation & Lack of Diverse Voices

• Press Manipulation & Propaganda

  • Acting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth restricts press access, only taking questions from sympathetic, hyper-partisan media (13:44).
  • Quote: “He continues to pick on right wing, supportive, sympathetic media that’s willing to perpetuate his propaganda. He’s not calling on the AP, CNN, even Fox, or NBC.” (14:20, Rieckhoff)

• Use of Religion in Official Statements

  • Hegseth’s press briefings blend appeals to Christianity with policy, alienating service members and citizens of other faiths, especially during Eid (17:10).
  • Quote: “His use of religion, his preferred type of religion, is unprecedented, unacceptable and deeply, deeply un-American.” (17:10, Rieckhoff)

4. Dissent Within the Ranks & Growing Opposition

• Voices Breaking Republican Ranks

  • Former national security team member Joe Kent criticizes the administration's Iran policy, saying there was no imminent threat; highlights personal conscience after decades of war (22:16-23:47).
  • Joe Kent (22:16): “This would be more challenging to explain had... the Secretary of State, the President, and the Speaker of the House not come out and said... the Israelis were about to [attack Iran]... So that takes away the argument that there was an imminent threat.”
  • Kent is facing investigation for allegedly leaking classified information—Rieckhoff suggests the administration is retaliating against dissent (24:39).

• Polling: Americans Oppose the Iran War

  • New Economist poll: only 17% “strongly support” the war; 42% “strongly oppose,” 13% “somewhat oppose.” Widespread, bipartisan opposition (25:43).

• Veteran & Podcast Voices:

  • Navy SEAL and popular host Sean Ryan joins the outcry, highlighting the administration’s broken promises on ending wars (26:43-27:36).
  • Sean Ryan (27:32): “The entire world is worried that we're going to go into World War Three… here for good reason.”

5. Democracy at Risk: Troops in D.C. & Election Interference

• National Guard in D.C. Until 2029

  • Pentagon plans to station National Guard troops in Washington through Trump’s term, threatening normal democratic process and the November 2026 election (29:10).
  • Rieckhoff: “This is not normal. This is not acceptable, especially through the election in November this year.” (30:10)

• On Trump and Global Militarism

  • Trump is “all gas, no brakes”—expanding U.S. force, now with hints of possible new interventions in Colombia and elsewhere (31:47).
  • Quote: “He can do anything he wants with the most powerful military the world has ever seen. And nothing is stopping him.” (31:58, Rieckhoff)

6. Culture, Politics, & Independent Movement

• Political Parties in Decline

  • Only 27% of Americans identify as Republicans, 27% as Democrats, while 45% are now independent. (36:10)
  • Quote: “We are the people's champions. We are not moving the needle. We are the needle.” (36:55, Rieckhoff)

• Call to Action for Independents

  • Efforts to close primaries in states like Alabama threaten independent power; Rieckhoff urges listeners to fight for open primaries and independent political leadership (37:41).

• Tributes & Culture

  • Chuck Norris (1939–2026) is remembered as an icon of toughness, but the truly “tough” are frontline workers, service members, and families (38:03).
  • Cesar Chavez sexual abuse revelations spark debate about renaming public assets (37:00).

7. March Madness—America’s Unifying Spirit

• Parallel to National “Madness”
  • Rieckhoff draws a parallel between March Madness (the basketball tournament) and the current “March Madness” in U.S. foreign policy (04:07, 39:53).
  • Celebrates underdog story of High Point University’s upset over Wisconsin—a reminder of hope and unity even in chaotic times (39:52).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Pentagon Budget:
  • “This is a moment for people to come together, ask hard questions and demand accountability.” (05:08, Rieckhoff)
• On Religious Appeals from SecDef:
  • “His use of religion... is really, really dangerous. Our troops and citizens come from every religion and none.” (17:14, Rieckhoff)
• On Joe Kent’s Resignation:
  • “After serving 20 years... seeing how our country had been lied to and brought down the wrong path in those wars... I said, hey, I in good conscience can't do this...” (22:52, Joe Kent)
• On Biden/Trump War Promise Contrast:
  • “Every single one of these things is a complete lie.” (27:19, Sean Ryan)
• On the Independent Movement:
  • “We are the hope, the hope that is the oxygen of democracy.” (41:45, Rieckhoff)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:30 – Troops deploying to Middle East, overview of escalations
• 04:30 – Pentagon's $200B budget request for the Iran war, significance
• 06:15 – Cost and impact of traumatic brain injuries among troops
• 13:44 – Media manipulation at Defense press briefings
• 16:03 – Religious language and the risks in leadership
• 22:16 – Joe Kent dissents, explaining the lack of imminent threat
• 25:43 – National polling: overwhelming opposition to Iran war
• 26:43 – Sean Ryan counters Trump admin’s war narrative
• 29:10 – National Guard in D.C. till 2029; impact on elections
• 31:47 – New interventions hinted in Colombia and beyond
• 36:10 – American political identification trends
• 37:41 – Alabama’s effort to close primaries
• 38:03 – Tribute to Chuck Norris on his passing
• 39:52 – High Point University: March Madness Cinderella story

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Style & Tone

Rieckhoff’s delivery is passionate, urgent, irreverent, and unapologetically independent. He appeals across the political spectrum, lampooning both parties, calling out propagandists, lauding veteran dissent, and leveraging pop culture as both lens and unifying force. His message: stay vigilant, question everything, demand accountability, and refuse to accept “forever wars”—especially when the cost is being hidden from the public.

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Conclusion & Calls to Action

• Demand Congressional Accountability: Insist on full transparency and a congressional vote before any more funding or escalation in Iran.
• Support Veterans: Advocate for early, adequate funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs in parallel with military budgets.
• Defend Independent Politics: Resist efforts to close party primaries and support independent candidates and organizations.
• Reject Propaganda: Question official narratives, especially from partisan outlets or officials manipulating the press and playing to a narrow base.
• Participate: Join the Independent Americans community, share the episode, and get involved in efforts to end “forever wars.”
• Celebrate Unity: Use March Madness and moments of national togetherness to remember what unites us and to resist division.

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Upcoming:

• Special interview with Mick Foley (WWF/WWE Hall of Famer) on courage, kindness, and America’s future (previewed at 02:47, 39:15).

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“Stay vigilant, my friends, because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. And know you’re not alone in your vigilance—we are all vigilant, and we’re all in this together.” (42:15, Paul Rieckhoff)

Transcript

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[Paul Rykoff]

So this means a task force of 4,500 sailors and marines is expected to head across the Pacific, maybe replacing the 31st MEU in the Middle East. The 31st MEU was dispatched about a week ago and is closing on the region. Now they might overlap. Each MEU contains an infantry battalion landing team of about 800 marines with aviation and logistical support. So the bottom line? More troops into the Middle east, more money into the Middle east, more danger in the Middle east. And most of America is still against it.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Foreign.

[Paul Rykoff]

Welcome to Independent Americans. Welcome to episode four seven zero. I am your host Paul Reikoff. It is Friday, March 20th, and I'm coming to you from New York City, USA. And the weather is getting better. It's getting better. And it's the first day of spring. Here it is. Spring is finally here. Damn, did we earn it? Winter's going out with a hell of a fight. But spring is now finally Here. Which means tomorrow is my mom's birthday. Happy birthday to my mom. And today's artist is Curtis Blow. Because they're playing basketball, right? It is basketball time. It is March Madness. Curtis Blow, the legendary artist. I'm dropping my basketball. These are the breaks from 1980. If you don't know that song. But basketball, the legendary song was released in 1984 on his fourth album called Ego Trip. If you don't know. According to Blow, the idea for the song came from his girlfriend who he later married, who told him, you need to make a song about basketball. It's the number one sport for African Americans, and nobody has done it yet. He did it and he created an iconic song. 25 famous basketball players are mentioned in the song. The. When the music video was done, they had a $25,000 budget and blow wanted to include NBA footage, but they said no, they would only give him photos, still photos of Michael Ray Richardson, one NBA player. But the video did include cameos by hip hop groups the Fat Boys and Houdini. Curtis Blow went strong to the house, strong to the hole, strong to the lane. And I will today, too, and I'm going to bring you the five eyes. I bring you in every show, our starting five, our fab five, if you will. Integrity, independence, information, inspiration and impact. Blowing up your bracket and trying to keep you ahead of the curve. Just me today, no guest, but tomorrow we have an all star hall of Famer. The great WWE wrestler and American patriot, Mick Foley will be on this show for an extended exclusive conversation. I'll have it for you tomorrow, a special weekend episode. Tune in to listen or definitely watch that. It's just me and Mick for about an hour. We talk about his really brave new video. We tell WWE stories. He talks about Trump and Reggie Jackson and all kinds of other stuff that's coming tomorrow. But today it's just me and you. I'm holding it down in the paint, so let's tip it off and stay vigilant. All right. March Madness is here, which is absolutely fantastic. In my view, it is the single best sporting event in the world every year. It is an epic conversation, Excitement, Cinderella stories, and it's really, really an incredible time of unity in America. People are talking about brackets and rooting for their team. So March Madness is here, unfortunately, on an epic level. Another kind of March Madness is here for the world, too. Iran and much more. We're going to talk about that. And this week is the anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. So happy birthday. Iraq War. We Got you a present. A whole new debacle of a never ending war to keep you company. So now you and Vietnam, you're not going to be alone up there in the history books of worst foreign policy disasters in American history. Happy birthday. Iraq war. We got you a whole new war. Because March is a chaotic time. March Madness is here. But it's not just basketball. We have a very, very different kind of March Madness. And that is most definitely our top topic. All right. Iran, the overflow, the carnage, the controversy, all of it is our number one top topic. And I want to lead off with something that you should have seen coming. Here it comes. Breaking news. The Pentagon is asking for $200 billion to fund the Iran war. That's right. Pete Hegseth announced it yesterday. The White House is going to submit to Congress a proposal which is already getting tremendous resistance. $200 billion for a war in Iran that has not been approved by Congress and is overwhelmingly not supported by the American people. This is a line in the sand. This is a moment to say, hell no. This is a moment to push back on Trump's not just war in Iran, but forever. Wars without accountability. Congress is supposed to declare war. They haven't done that. But they're supposed to control the purse. This is a moment for people to come together, ask hard questions and demand accountability. So I would tell you, if you're a Republican, Democrat, and especially an independent on this budget request, tell them hell no, because they should have come to you before they declared war. We'll get into why that's so troubling about what could be to come in a minute. But also there is now information. Steve Banon from ABC News is reporting important related information about the cost. Traumatic brain injuries now make up at least 70% of all US wounded in the war with Iran. TBIs were one of the signature injuries of the post 911 wars when I served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Severely debilitating. Also extremely expensive. Each TBI could be well over a million dollars. But the Pentagon is requesting $200 billion for the war in Iran. So here's my question. Why aren't they also requesting the billions that will be required at the Department of Veterans affairs to care for all the veterans coming home from from that war? Think about it. Haven't we learned this lesson from the last time? If you're going to request money to cover the cost of war, make it the full cost. Not just the Department of Defense, but also the Department of Veterans Affairs. We had to work for over a decade to get the VA budget to where it finally needed to be to respond to the Iraq and Afghanistan war a decade after they started the Iraq and Afghanistan war. So maybe we can get ahead of the curve this time and start talking about the VA budget now. It's another reason we can all stay vigilant. All right. And the reason why you need to focus on this is because there's more breaking news. Here comes some more troops. Dan Lamoth at the Washington Post can confirm that the deployment of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group is now moving toward the Middle East. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit from California has sped up to occur within days. So this means a task force of 4,500 sailors and marines is expected to head across the Pacific, maybe replacing the 31st MU in the Middle East. The 31st MU was dispatched about a week ago and is closing on the region now. They might overlap. Each MEU contains an infantry battalion landing team of about 800 marines with aviation and logistical support. So the bottom line, more troops into the Middle east, more money into the Middle east, more danger in the Middle east, and most of America is still against it. Meanwhile, the combat continues throughout the region. Rockets, drones, tons of US Military strikes. Keep your thoughts and prayers around our service members, especially who did not sign up for this war. But they are being pulled into it. They're going to execute their job as best as they can, and that includes our incredible pilots.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

And.

[Paul Rykoff]

And now there are reports that an F35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing on a regional air base after flying a combat mission in Iran. The aircraft landed safely and the pilot is in stable condition. The incident is under investigation. Now, the F35 is supposed to be stealth. The F35 is not supposed to get shot down. The F35 isn't supposed to land hard and have a pilot in stable condition. But this is an area where you need to ask the hard questions. Pay attention to the casualty figures. Not just those killed, but those wounded, which we know now number over 200. And also ask yourself, how many of them are severely wounded? How many are going to come home in wheelchairs or without limbs or with debilitating traumatic brain injury? These are the hard questions we have to ask. And it's another way we can all stay vigilant. All right. I have been staying vigilant, trying to repair my voice. It's getting better. Thank you to all of you who've sent your home remedies and other stuff. Thank you to all our friends in Ukraine because they are continuing to fight a good fight. They're continuing to offer their support despite the fact that Trump continues to deny it and resist it. Today is day 1488 of Russia's full scale invasion of of Ukraine and Ukraine continues to offer drone resources, which I will continue to flag. We need more drone defenses. We need more drone production. If you haven't heard my episode with Nolan Peterson from a couple weeks ago, go back and check it out. It is one of our best because the threats at home continue. There is now reporting, exclusive reporting from the Washington Post that says drones were over a base where Hegseth and Rubio live. Yes, lockdowns over U.S. bases and a global security alert underscore the concerns that Iranian retaliation could extend to the US Soil. This is something I have flagged for you for months now. It is a legitimate threat and there will be overflow. We are not safer. We are not safe. And our troops in the region are being hit on a regular and we could be hit here at home because as we've remained distracted and divided and over committed, our enemies are celebrating.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Our enemies are celebrating.

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[Paul Rykoff]

All right. Our enemies are also celebrating because Hegseth likes to wage war on the press much more ferociously than on Putin or even North Korea or anyone else. He likes to attack Harvard as often as he attacks isis, and he continues his war on the press. And our friend Dan Lamoth at the Washington Post, a regular guest on this show. I wanted to highlight something that I think we should know when Hegseth's been doing these press conferences, which are still kind of a charade he only calls on certain people and he's not calling on traditional press people. He's not calling on the journalists with integrity and experience and nonpartisanship. Here's what Dan noted that the press, the questions in yesterday's press conference went to one real America's Voice news. Ever heard of them? Just the news. Real Clear Politics, Daily Caller and Gateway pundit and one or two that are less clear. But Hegseth continues to pick on right wing, supportive, sympathetic media that's willing to perpetuate his propaganda. He's not calling on the ap, he's not calling on cnn. He's not calling on Fox and he's also not calling on NBC. Excuse me. Which has some news related to Pete Hegseth. Pete Hegseth has said over the last couple days that family after family of service members killed have urged the administration to not stop until the job is done. But the father of one of those members said, he never said that. He said, I can't speak for other families, but when he spoke to me, that was not something we talked about. Because Hegseth likes to manipulate the truth. He likes to tell his stories and attack anyone who's on the other side. And as a reminder, if you're new here, I'm not going to call him the Secretary of War because it's still the Department of Defense. It's not really the Department of War. Congress has to change that. And he's in my opinion, the most disqualified and disgraceful member of the secretary we've ever had. And I call him the acting Secretary of Culture because he is always, most of all, waging not a war against our enemies, but against the culture, against the woke, against the liberals. And there's an example almost every single day, and I saw one yesterday that made me say, holy smokes, literally. Play this clip, Chris, and we are

[Pete Hegseth]

winning on our terms, following our objectives. My 13 year old son popped into my office last night while I was editing these remarks. He asked about the war and the families I met at Dover. And I looked at him and I said, they died for you, son. So that your generation doesn't have to deal with a nuclear Iran. It's the truth. And they did. So to the families who said, finish this. We will. And I say the same to every American who wants peace through strength. May Almighty God continue to bless our troops in this fight. And again to the American people, please pray for them every day on bended knee with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ, to the Troops, keep going and Godspeed.

[Paul Rykoff]

So the ending. Holy smokes, literally. His use of religion, his preferred type of religion, is unprecedented, unacceptable and deeply, deeply un American. Think about this as today is the celebration of Eid, as many of our friends around the globe recognize and celebrate Eid. They don't all follow Jesus like Trump and Hegseth do. This use of religion, his type of religion is really, really dangerous. Our troops and citizens come across, come from every religion and none, not just his. And they deserve and expect leadership that understands and respects that now and always. He's the acting Secretary of Culture. War on a mission. For Trump and his own personal vision of Jesus, everything and everyone else, including our troops and national security is secondary. It's dangerous, it's unprofessional, it's unbecoming of the office, per usual. And it's another reason we all, especially around all things involving Hegseth, need to stay vigilant. All right, again I've said this. Hegseth is unraveling and being revealed daily. We can all see it and so can our enemies. It's bad for our security, it's bad for our troops, and it's making us all less safe. So don't buy the propaganda. Don't suck down the spin. We are not winning, we are not safer. And he keeps trying to spin it otherwise and as always, attack the messengers. Check this out.

[Pete Hegseth]

I stand here today speaking to you, the American people. Not through filters, not through reporters, not through cable news spin. A dishonest and anti Trump press will stop at nothing. We know this at this point to downplay progress, amplify every cost and call into question every step. Sadly, TDS is in their DNA. They want President Trump to fail. But you, the American people, know better.

[Paul Rykoff]

So he attacks the media every day. He loves to beat up on the media and the wokesters. It's an important time to remember that there are not enough combat veterans in the media. Editors, reporters, tv, radio, podcast, show hosts. There are very few and few in the proper Pentagon press corps. Hegseth knows this. He was one of the few in the industry himself for a long time. And he wants you to think and he talks and acts like nobody in the press is a veteran. Nobody's been to or covered combat. It's part of his I am the only tough guy and patriot in the room shtick. It's something I will expect him to bang on soon. But remember, there are a number of reporters who are veterans and there are plenty of great non veteran reporters. But times of war, especially Underscore why we do need more veterans in key media leadership positions and calling them out on their bullshit. And key media positions, not just reporters, but media executives, people who control programming and the heads of media companies. We need those veterans who understand combat and who can challenge Hegseth most effectively. Because Hegseth is bad and embarrassing, and he has our enemies celebrated. All right, it's not just Hegset that embarrasses us daily. It's really all of them. Right? And especially Trump. Every day there's a new way he embarrasses us. And yesterday he picked a pretty unique one. Check this out. Why didn't you tell us allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before attacking Iran? So we are very confused about we jumping into seaws. One thing you don't want to signal, you know, when we go in, we

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

went in very hard and we didn't

[Paul Rykoff]

tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?

[Paul Rykoff]

Okay, Right. So why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor? The absurdity and national embarrassment never ends. The look on the Japanese prime minister's face is just perplexed, like the rest of the world. But it is absurd, it is embarrassing, it is unacceptable, and it is making more enemies for us around the world, more than we can kill. That's why our enemies are celebrating. And not only does the war on the press continue, the war in the press continues. And there's a whole new flank now led by Joe Kent, who's left the national security team under the Trump administration. He's left answering to Tulsi Gabbard. And now he is out there. He talked to Tucker Carlson. He is going full bore on opposing the Iran war. And here's a clip. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation. How did you reach that conclusion?

[Joe Kent]

I think this is. This is key. I mean, this would be more challenging to explain had the Secretary of State, the President, and the speaker of House. The House not come out and said that we conducted this attack at this time because the Israelis were about to do so. So that takes away the argument that there was an imminent threat, as in Iran was planning to attack us immediately. That just simply did not exist.

[Paul Rykoff]

May I ask you to. All right. And he's going even further. This decision to follow your conscience.

[Joe Kent]

Give us a little backstory.

[Paul Rykoff]

How did that happen?

[Joe Kent]

Without getting too much into detail, I just did a long form podcast with with Tucker, kind of laid out the entire politics of the issue. But look, after serving 20 years, mostly deployed to the Middle east, fighting the wars over there and just seeing how our country had been lied to and brought down the wrong path in the, in those wars and that we were getting sucked into another one and that the American people didn't have the full story and our country did not have a vital national interest in this current fight, I said, hey, I in good conscience can't do this because that was a promise I made to myself probably 20 plus years ago when I was deployed to Iraq. Once I realized after my first couple deployments that we weren't there for the reasons that our government told us we were there for, I said, if it's ever my turn, if I'm ever an adult in this situation, I ever have a position of responsibility, I will not in good conscience send young men and women off to die on foreign battlefields.

[Paul Rykoff]

He's now calling on people to actually oppose Iran war. This is very important because he can talk to the MAGA base. He can talk to and move Republicans. And as we mentioned earlier, they are also trying to get a $200 billion bill through to pay for the rest of the war. Joe Kent, I would welcome you on this show. We don't always agree on everything, but I think we agree on many things right now. And I welcome you to come on here and talk to me on this show. Don't just talk to the right wingers like Tucker Carlson. Come talk to me and come talk to others because I want to hear what you have to say and so do many other Americans. And I think you may be breaking a seal. You may be breaking a seal and others may courageously follow you. So it's no surprise that they are sicking the FBI after him. Shelby Talbot was among others who reported that Joe Kent is now under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information. She's being told that the investigation predates his departure. I'll bet you they're predating a lot of things right now. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the upside down world we're in right now. Yeah. Marjorie Taylor Greene, I'll invite you on this show. Let's. You seem to have awoken yourself. I would love to have you on the show. But she wrote before she wrote. So the Trump administration is going to put Joe Kent in jail before anyone on the Epstein list or anyone from Obama's Russiagate or anyone from COVID tyranny. That's the part where she loses me. She says under Trump, I guess Gold Star husband and deployed 11 times can join Tita Peters. Gold Star mom in prison. All right, there's a lot in there because it's Marjorie Taylor Greene. But she is right about the fact that people who are opposing the administration like Joe Kent may go to jail before anybody around him for Epstein. And this is part of why the war is so unpopular, more unpopular by the day. There's new polls confirming it from the economists that the polls are showing no support and that it's not changing. So March 13 to 16, do Americans support or oppose the the war with Iran? Now only 17% strongly support and only 16% somewhat support. So think about that. Only 17% strongly support this war. Opposed 42% strongly, 13% somewhat and 11% not sure. Now, the important point to note is that people generally only get really involved around things they strongly support are opposed. Only 17% of the entire country strongly supposes supports this war in Iran as they now ask for $200 billion more that's going to war in Iran instead of to education, hospitals, dying kids, troops of tbi. The country doesn't like this no matter where you come from. And it's expanding. More and more folks are speaking out and popular right wing podcaster and Navy Seal veteran Sean Ryan is the latest to wake up and see the truth. I'm going to play a clip.

[Sean Ryan]

Here's what they said on the campaign trail. Trump adviser Stephen Miller on X. Liz Cheney is Kamala's top advisor. Liz wants to invade the whole Middle East. Kamala Equals World War 3. Trump equals peace. Tulsi Gabbard October 28, 2020 4. A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote for Dick Cheney in a vote for war, war and more war. A vote for Donald Trump is a vote to end wars, not start them. Pete Hegseth December 2025 speech. Our department will not be distracted by democracy building, interventionism, undefined wars and regime change. Every single one of these things is a complete lie.

[Paul Rykoff]

Don't forget, during the Biden administration, Trump said this president is going to drive us out into war because he doesn't know how to negotiate.

[Sean Ryan]

Well, here we are.

[Paul Rykoff]

Here we are.

[Sean Ryan]

The entire world is worried that we're going to go into World War three

[Paul Rykoff]

here for good reason. Now I welcome Sean Ryan on this show. Be happy to join him on his because I think veterans especially are going to unite around the idea of no more forever wars. It's another area where veterans especially can be powerful and maybe can be unified and inspire the rest of the country to be unified. In every crisis there's an opportunity and the opportunity now is for people of all political backgrounds, from Marjorie Taylor Greene to AOC to come together and stay vigilant. Remember something important. And I'm going to take us below the radar. Below the radar always, but should be central. They don't want free and fair elections. Trump does not want free and fair elections. He knows if there are free and fair elections, the Republicans may lose. I don't know if it's a given they may lose because the Democrats are very unpopular, too. They may lose. If they lose, he'll likely be impeached, potentially put in prison. And he doesn't want that to happen. So never forget, never have a failure of imagination that he will try to pull any trick he can to stop the election. Remember, he didn't want to leave last time. To assume he'll leave now without a fight, without doing dirty tricks, is dangerous at best. And there's news the Pentagon now plans to keep the national guard in Washington, D.C. into 2029. Two officials are telling ABC News the Pentagon is planning to maintain the presence in Washington, D.C. until January 20, 2029, through the rest of Trump's term, according to U.S. officials. Of course they do. But this is not normal. This is not acceptable, especially through the election in November this year. This is not normal, not acceptable. And the most important story is still and until further notice that Trump can do anything he wants with the most powerful military the world has ever seen. And nothing is stopping him. And it's not just in Iran. It's everywhere, including Colombia. Now, Chris may have to come up with some new music for what country is next, but there's breaking news from the New York Times that U.S. prosecutors are going to investigate Colombia's president, who is a one time Trump foe. The Justice Department is examining whether President Gustavo Petro of Colombia has ties to drug traffickers. President Trump, who has frequently wielded criminal inquiries as a cudgel against his rivals and enemies, has harshly criticized him, calling him a sick man. Trump telegraphs his punches. So add Columbia to your radar. Maybe next after Cuba, but it's definitely on Trump's vision board for 2026. I've said this many times. If you're new here, welcome to the introduction. 2025 was about dominating America. 2026 is about dominating the Western Hemisphere. He's all gas, no brakes, nothing is stopping him. And he doesn't care about polling. Congress should at least do a War Powers act vote now on Cuba and maybe make it a package deal and do Colombia too, because Colombia is now on notice. Colombia is now on the vision board, Colombia could be the next country that Trump deploys military assets into, like he did a couple of weeks ago and nobody noticed. And two, Ecuador. Remember that? Nobody knows that happened. One of many countries he continues to send troops into to strike after alleged narco terrorists as his forever war continues and his expansion across the Western hemisphere continues. So watch Colombia. Maybe for once Congress can get ahead of a new country in Trump's forever war. And they don't normally do it, but I'm going to say it. Come on, Congress. Please stay vigilant. All right, if you want to stay vigilant and you want to get involved some action, you may have watched Ms. Now's Deadline White House with me and Miles Taylor, or you heard the announcement, you heard our show yesterday. If you didn't, please go back and check it out. But independent veterans America and I are proud to be teaming up with the courageous miles taylor in defiance.org to support independent leaders who will demand no more forever wars. Maybe that'll include Sean Ryan, maybe that'll include Joe Kent, maybe they're independents. But we want to support a new wave of leaders to answer the call and serve again. It's time to enter the political battlefield. We've got the fighters. They've got the fuel. So I want to thank our friends again at Defiance. We'll link to it in the show notes. We want to support independent veterans who will meet this moment and defend our democracy and do what Congress has failed to do. We're all in this together and this on this Friday, take some action. Join our campaign to end forever wars and support veterans. It's linked in the show notes. You can donate, you can spread the word, you can recruit veterans. We're looking for them all across this country. I'm going to talk to Mick Foley tomorrow. I'm going to try to recruit him. Stay tuned for that. But this is a moment for everybody to unite. From Trump loyalists to Mamdani socialists and everything in between, we want you. The flare is up. Enter this battlefield, this basketball court of chaos that is our March Madness. But we need you now to stay vigilant. All right? If you're not angry, you're not paying attention, especially now. And that is rippling across our country as ICE continues to do the same. Mark Wayne Mullen this week was a spectacular example of how Trump wants more of the same. And we should vote against it. You should vote against it. You should push back. Contact your members of Congress. If you didn't hear my earlier episodes about Mark Wayne Mullen definitely check that out. Excuse me. It's part of why I'm losing my voice. But Trump is all gas, no breaks. Nothing is slowing him down. And we all need to be focused on it and stay focused, of course, on the Epstein piece, which I don't think is a diversion. I think it's really important. But it is friction for Trump. That's why he wants to continue to go forward despite Epstein, despite popularity. He is all gas, no breaks. But there are politics that we still need to focus on because Epstein isn't the only scandal. If you didn't hear, this week, the New York Times had a bombshell investigation showing that Cesar Chavez sexually abused young girls. A terrible story. Dolores Huerta also disclosed for the first time that Chavez raped her. This is a really important story because it's rippling across our society. Cesar Chavez has been elevated and amplified and revered for a long time. This is really important information. Survivors have been very brave. But there's also a national security piece that I want to pull out. Dan Lamoth was, I think, the first person to note there's a Navy angle. A cargo ship is named the USNS Cesar Chavez. So there are a lot of things across this country right now that are named after Chavez that are going to have to be renamed. It's going to require unity. It's going to require Democrats and Republicans, and it's going to require all of us to meet the moment, support survivors and stay vigilant. All right? In politics, the Republicans are gone, the Democrats are gone. That's why only 27% of this country supports them. 27% of Americans are Republicans, 27% are Democrats. If you're new here, you're going to learn this. 45% of all Americans are independent and unaffiliated. More and more by the day, 10,000 people are leaving the Democrat and Republican Party every single week. We are the people's champions. We are not moving the needle. We are the needle. And the system is punching back. I'm always going to focus on issues around our independent politics and around the system, which will include help from our friends at open primaries. Shout out to John Updike, Jeremy, and the team over there who have something to note for us today that the closed primary debate is heating up in Alabama. Open primaries gives us updates and I'll give them to you. And I'm going to share this. With the midterms approaching, partisan insiders in Alabama are once again raising the specter of closing the state's primary elections. An Alabama House committee today or Tuesday approved a bill that would do just that. This is way below your radar. HB541, sponsored by Representative Ernie Yarborough, a Republican from Trinity, would require existing registered voters to declare a party affiliation at the polls for primaries held in January of 2027. Voters who want to vote in a different primary party would have to change their affiliation within 60 days of the election. Alabama, like many southern states, most of them, employs a combination of nonpartisan voter registration and open primaries. Every voter gets to pick a party ballot in the primary. The states with super majority control of one party that for. For the states that have one party majority, that makes regular accusations of tampering common. Never mind the fact that there are no official party members as far as the state's concerned. Not to mention, no, not to mention no evidence. But the legislative session is near its end and there's a decent chance the bill won't make it through both chambers. But closed primary bills have met similar ends in the past sessions. Open primaries is working with several partners in Alabama and have for a number of years and will keep us posted. But look, don't let them close your primaries. Public funds are going to public resources, public schools, public election workers for private primaries. Both parties are fighting back against independence because they know how powerful we are and they know that we can threaten their status quo. That's why we all, independent or Democrat or Republican around this issue especially, need to stay vigilant. All right, I'm always gonna hit on culture. There's really important cultural news. Chuck Norris has died. Chuck Norris, who everybody knows NBC is reporting the square Jordan martial artist and Hollywood action hero who became a symbol of American masculinity, most of all through Walker, Texas Ranger and was a popular Internet. Internet Mean has died. He was 86 years old. Look, Chuck Norris was just a fixture on our landscape. Walker, Texas Ranger, his martial arts fights, I think, against Bruce Lee. I will always salute an American icon and ask us to remember the good parts of Chuck Norris and remember and recognize the bad. But it's a good reminder of what toughness really looks like. Chuck Norris defines toughness for many people, sometimes in a fake way. But real tough people are not just cowboys and sheriffs and karate people. They're the men and women who every day sacrifice for our country and sacrifice for their families and put in the work. And tomorrow I'm gonna have a really good conversation with one of the toughest guys I know, the guy who played mankind, the guy who played a hero to many of us in the ring and Out. The great Mick Foley is going to join us and talk about why kindness is one of the toughest things you can be. And another way we can all look to the future and stay vigilant.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Stay vigilant.

[Paul Rykoff]

Stay vigilant. All right, let's talk sports. It's Friday. Big news. March Madness. It's absolutely excellent, and I want to share with you my pool. Here's who I got in the Final Four. I'm not going out on too much of a limb, but I got Duke and number two, Houston, from the one side. I've got Arizona and Michigan from the other side. I've been impressed by Duke all year. I think Michigan. You just got to watch Michigan. My son has got Michigan, but I can't pick them over Arizona. I've seen Arizona. They're amazing. But I'm going with the Boozer Brothers and Duke. I know it's not an unpopular pick, but I've seen them all year. I think they're clicking. I think they're unified. They have the Duke culture, and I think this is their year. So I'm going with Duke to win it all. Who you got? Who you got? Who you got? Sound off. Hit me on Social, send me a note, and I will help us all stay track, say tracking on. On March Madness, which I think is just the greatest sporting event of the year, but it's a time to be together, at least for a weekend or a couple of weeks. We can all unify and stay vigilant. All right. If you're new here, I always try to end with something good. And today I got something good.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Something good.

[Paul Rykoff]

My something good is March Madness, and here's why. Because it is the most exciting sporting event annually in the world, but also because it's about Cinderellas. It's about the upstarts, the team that nobody saw coming. And this year, so far, it is number 12 seed, High Point. High Point that none of us have probably ever heard of until this week, out of North Carolina is the number 12 seed, and they upset number five seed, Wisconsin. They are right now Cinderella. There may be others, but Cinderella is born, and it is High Point University. And not just them, but the grittiness, the toughness, the excitement, all these communities around the country that are so excited for their teams, from Nebraska to here in New York and St. John's let's go, St. John's it is a fun time, and it is a way to remember that there are still a lot of good things about America. And one good thing that's broadcasting to the world on behalf of all of us. This year is and right now is March Madness. And it's definitely something good.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Something good.

[Paul Rykoff]

All right. It's been a long week, but an important week. I'm going to keep bringing it every day. Tomorrow, Mick Foley, please tune in, spread the word. Tell your friends. It will be fantastic. Also next week, some big guests. We got Admiral James Stravides, brilliant strategic mind will be here. And also General Mark Hertling, another really brilliant and important leader on military issues. We'll talk about his new book. And I got some other announcements coming up soon. Henry Rollins is coming back. Just the icon, the genius, the amazing human being that is. Henry Rollins will be back. So will Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat from California will be back soon. So will Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska. I want Republicans, Democrats and more independents. We are daily, every day. We're going to keep bringing it. So follow us wherever you're listening or watching. If you're on YouTube, especially, hit that subscribe button and share it with anybody you know who is a fan of March Madness. Share it with anybody you know who's a fan of Mick Foley. Share with anybody you know who's a fan of democracy and especially independent Media. Go to IndependentAmericans US. You can join our Patreon community. Shout out to all of our patrons who help us make this content possible. Be sure to subscribe and invite others because America might be divided, but more and more by the day, we are unifying around March Madness, around our opposition to ice around springtime. Here at Independent Americans, we're working to change that division and add light to contrast to heat, especially of so many of the political shows that are out there. So if you're among the now 45% of Americans who are independent and growing, this is your show. Our independent movement is hope for the future. It's the hope that you feel in March Madness. It's the hope you're going to feel next week at opening day in Major League baseball country over party people, over politics, light over heat, busting up that status quo, just like High Point, busting your bracket and fueling a new movement that spans all across our society. And that movement is growing. And we are the hope, the hope that is the oxygen of democracy. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please share it far and wide. Invite others to declare their independence, especially from the corporate, partisan and not independent media. Stay vigilant, my friends, because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. No, you're not alone in your vigilance. We are all vigilant and we're all in this together. I'm your host, Paul Rykoff. Thank you for tuning into Independent Americans. Check back tomorrow for Mick Foley. He will be here. Until then, happy Friday. Happy birthday, Mom. I love you. You've probably listened to every episode from the beginning. And I am so grateful for you and and all that you've done and all you've taught me and all you do for the world. You are an inspiration for me and you've showed me how to be a helper. So happy birthday to my mom. Send my mom happy birthday wishes, everybody. Enjoy March Madness. And until next time, stay vigilant.

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

Stay Vigilant tells me the left and right Are dreams For those without a clue and when you wait it's time

[Paul Rykoff]

to grow and it's not cool to

[Chorus/Background Vocalist]

believe in school but if I can say one thing I've seen the truth Children of the revolution and the good trouble they can bring he says the red and blue are dead and independent is an attitude an island in the sea of rhetoric and I can probably go he tells me the left and right Our dreams for those without a clue and when you wait it's time

[Paul Rykoff]

to grow Power by Righteous Media.