Trump’s Slush Fund Standoff & Blanche's Epstein Problem. Cornyn Unleashed - GOP Breaks Over Iran.

Summary

Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Episode: Trump’s Slush Fund Standoff & Blanche's Epstein Problem. Cornyn Unleashed - GOP Breaks Over Iran.
Date: August 2, 2026
Host: Paul Rieckhoff
Podcast: Independent Americans (Righteous Media | Bleav)

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Episode Overview

This special episode of Independent Americans is a dynamic breakdown and media highlight reel capturing the most urgent political flashpoints of the moment: growing Republican dissent against Trump’s Iran policy, the standoff over Trump’s controversial “slush fund,” and new controversy swirling around Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche’s handling of the Epstein files. Paul Rieckhoff gathers expert voices—most notably Margaret Donovan, former Army JAG and fellow independent—as well as political insiders and survivors to untangle the threads of political and moral crisis gripping both parties, while highlighting the legacy of real-life heroes like Yeoman Wilder.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unfolding Iran Crisis & Congressional War Powers

[03:22–10:41]

• Escalation and Public Backlash: The episode opens with the latest U.S. and Saudi attacks on Iranian proxies, rapidly widening an unpopular war. The host spotlights Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and Congress’s lack of oversight.
• Constitutional Context: Margaret Donovan reiterates that "war is not meant to be started in the United States by a single person" [04:53]. She traces the Founders’ intent behind vesting war powers in Congress and calls out the “runaway train” of executive-driven conflict.
  • Quote: “That scenario is precisely, precisely what the framers wanted to avoid... they settled on 'declare' specifically because they realized that war, as we're seeing, is a runaway train.” — Margaret Donovan [05:14]
• Republican Shift: Paul Rieckhoff notes a surge in Senate Republicans opposing Trump, driven by abysmal polling: “He’s at historic lows, I think around 35%. And among independents, it’s 24%. That’s a massive alarm bell for Republicans, which I think is starting to move.” [06:42]
• Political Courage: The episode details how constituent anger is forcing the GOP to confront Trump and Iran policy, as reinforced by Rieckhoff: "They're finally standing up to him. They're finally breaking on Iran." [06:42]

2. Political Integrity—and Its Deficit

• Senator Lindsey Graham’s Rationale: Archival footage is played where the late Senator Graham lauds Trump’s war leadership, a perspective sharply at odds with public sentiment (only 33% approval of the war) [07:56–08:56].
• Cost of War: Donovan is blunt: “When you go to war, it costs you things, it costs you lives, it costs you resources. And we are going to see the effects of that for years, if not generations...” [08:56]
• Supporting Troops: She debunks the “support the troops by supporting the war” fallacy: “It is not, not supporting the troops to demand that there is a coherent plan.” [09:39]

3. Remembering Yeoman Wilder: Moral Heroism in Local America

[10:41–16:19]

• Background: The podcast pays tribute to the late Yeoman Wilder, the Harlem baseball coach who confronted ICE agents to protect immigrant players and who leaves a legacy of over 400 students earning college scholarships [12:01].
  • Quote: “Yeoman stood up against injustice... His family extended throughout the neighborhood, and his impact was felt far and wide. He was the glue that kept our family together.” — Wilder family statement [12:53]
• Community Impact & Legacy: Rieckhoff celebrates Wilder: “He showed with courage and integrity and community and real patriotism is all about... he built not just a generation of baseball players, but a generation of leaders who can follow his example...” [13:56]
• Memorable Moment: Rieckhoff frames Wilder as a “thunderbolt of courage and conscience in a time when we needed it...” and hopes for acknowledgment by city, state and national leaders [15:23].
  • Quote: “If you need some guts and you need some inspiration, think about Coach Yeoman Wilder.” — Paul Rieckhoff [16:32]

4. The Slush Fund, Cornyn’s Defection, and Blanche's Epstein Problem

[19:00–28:59]

• John Cornyn "Unleashed": Analysis of Senator Cornyn’s rare break from Trump over the controversial "slush fund” and Blanche’s nomination, highlighting potential votes against party lines.
  • Quote: “John Cornyn believes that the slush fund is wrong, and there’s no way in hell Grassley is calling this vote tomorrow if John Cornyn is a no.” — Gretchen [19:39]
• Blanche’s Epstein Controversy: Questions swirl over Blanche’s lack of transparency, refusal to sign court-required statements, and brusque, condescending meetings with Epstein survivors.
  • Quote: “It couldn’t be more obvious. And then he apparently wasn’t even nice in the particular meeting he was basically told to have.” — Gretchen [26:35]
  • Quote: “He actually said the words, ‘get to the point’ to us... we’ve been waiting to meet with him for nine months.” — Epstein survivor (via Nicole) [25:44]
• Senate Dynamics: Guest experts discuss what it means if Blanche remains acting Attorney General but cannot secure confirmation, underscoring a crisis of confidence and authority [23:37–24:54].
• GOP Reckoning: Rieckhoff notes that more Republicans might break with Trump as polling and public fatigue grow: “This is maybe the moment, the summer, where so many Republicans are going to get a spine and stand up to him...” [28:03]
  • Quote: “It would be great maybe if all senators could vote like they didn’t have to run for reelection. We’d have a totally different situation where people put integrity and honor in our national security ahead of all the other stuff.” — Paul Rieckhoff [22:05]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On War Powers:
  • “War is not meant to be started in the United States by a single person.” — Margaret Donovan [04:53]
  • “It's getting worse. I've called it a sucking chest wound.” — Paul Rieckhoff [06:42]
• On Political Cowardice and Courage:
  • “Obeying to authoritarianism, to authority that was out of line... pissing on the Constitution.” — Paul Rieckhoff [11:34]
• On Yeoman Wilder:
  • “He was like a thunderbolt of courage and conscience in a time when we needed it.” — Paul Rieckhoff [15:23]
  • “If you need some guts and you need some inspiration, think about Coach Yeoman Wilder.” — Paul Rieckhoff [16:32]
• On Senate Dissent:
  • “Hooray for John Cornyn. Right? Look at what it's like to have a senator who's truly independent, who's willing to buck the President, who's willing to buck his own party...” — Paul Rieckhoff [22:05]
  • “Maybe they think they can roll me. Can they roll you?” — Paul Rieckhoff, paraphrasing Cornyn [21:42]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Iran escalation, Trump and Congress: [03:22–06:42]
• Margaret Donovan on constitutional war powers: [04:53–06:28]
• Polling and GOP opposition: [06:42–07:45]
• Lindsey Graham & cost of war: [07:56–10:02]
• Yeoman Wilder tribute: [12:01–16:32]
• Cornyn standoff & Blanche controversy: [19:00–28:59]
• Survivors’ account of Blanche meeting: [25:44–26:35]
• GOP and public opinion tide turning: [28:03–28:59]

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Conclusion

Paul Rieckhoff and his guests examine a rare moment of Republican revolt, as John Cornyn and perhaps others stand up to Trump over both foreign policy and ethical abuses tied to the “slush fund” and Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche’s handling of the Epstein case. The episode places this political drama in the context of American constitutional design, the moral imperative for public servants to show courage, and the grassroots heroism of figures like Yeoman Wilder. While outrage grows over Trump’s policies and tactics, the episode ultimately calls for more leaders—inside and outside government—who meet the moment with integrity and conscience.

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If you missed the show, this summary gives you every major angle—constitutional stakes, frontline testimony, and the political battle lines shifting beneath both parties.

Transcript

[Paul Rykoff]

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[Nicole]

Hey guys, Lady Luck here. Are you going on any road trips this summer? I know I'm going to be going on a bunch of road trips and being that I'm going to be Passenger Princess, I Love playing on Spinquest.com Spinquest has all of my favorite slot games. Live blackjack, live craps.

[Host/Moderator]

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[Nicole]

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[Ryan]

Spinquest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[Paul Rykoff]

Every team, every topic, everywhere. This is believe they're finally breaking on Iran. They're going back to their districts this summer and they're hearing about how unpopular this war is because it is unauthorized. I would argue it's unconstitutional, but it's so deeply unpopular across every political background and now it's expanding. Hey guys. I am wrapping up a big week in Alabama as anybody should at Dairy Queen. Welcome back to Independent Americans. It's been a big week. It's been a wild week. There's been a lot in the news. Everything from my conversation with Governor JB Pritzker talking about the bears and open primaries and Trump calling them names, to my conversation with Todd Achilles who is now running neck and neck with Jim Risch as an independent in Idaho, to the Iran war, to mob dummy getting protested for coming to 911 events next month. A whole lot of stuff's happening, but August is here. Thank you for sticking with us. I've got a special media summary episode of Independent Americans. I was all over the TV this week because there was a lot to talk about, but here it is, a special weekend episode of Independent Americans. Please continue to subscribe, give us all the stars and share. Thank you for sticking with us. Our independent movement is growing. This show is growing. Every single episode. If you like what you hear, pass it along to a couple friends like you would Blizzard at Dairy Queen. But I gotta tell you, my favorite Snickers Blizzard. Nothing beats a Snickers Blizzard. I'm going to eat mine. Here's your special episode from this week of my media clips special independent Americans, stay vigilant. And next time I'll be coming to you from New York. But thank you to Alabama. Thank you to Space City. Thank you, Huntsville. Thank you, Trash Pandas. It's a big week down here. My boys are done with Space Camp. They're eating DQ and they're asleep for two weeks. Have a great weekend. Stay vigilant. Get yourself a blizzard.

[Host/Moderator]

Fears of a wider war in Iran are growing today as the United States and Saudi Arabia attacked Iranian proxies after a pause in fighting. New York Times is reporting this, quote, American and Saudi fighter jets attacked Iranian linked militias in Iraq on Tuesday and Iran fired missiles at military bases in Jordan and oil tankers. The latest strikes further widened the war in the Middle east, trying Iran allied groups in Iraq and Yemen and potentially Lebanon into the fighting. Their involvement raised the question of whether Iran could be encouraging its proxies to open additional fronts in a war that threatens to embroil more countries in the region. Donald Trump shows zero signs of a caring or b trying to quell the growing escalation, telling Fox News this, quote, we're going to beat the effing s out of them. We'll be hitting them hard. They're going to get a beating, end quote. Trump also said that Iran's attack on a military base in Jordan came as a complete surprise. The question remains how much longer the Republican Party will allow Trump and his administration to continue to operate and escalate this war without oversight from Congress. Let's bring into our coverage Margaret Donovan. She served in the US army and was a captain in the JAG Corps. Also joining us, Paul Reichoff. He's the host of the Independent Americans podcast and the founder and CEO of Independent Veterans of America. Margaret, the only thing that I'm sure polls worse than the war in Iran, which is currently polling at a 62% disapproval from the American people, is a

[Margaret Donovan]

widening war in the Middle east involving more countries. Yeah, I think one of the most fascinating things about what you just said, Nicole, is that this is the president just sort of musing as to whether or not he's going to expand the war. And I think this is just an important point to remember. And I know I beat this drum a lot and it's worth beating again. But war is not meant to be started in the United States by a single person. On February 28, the entire country woke up and learned that one man took us into war. That scenario is precisely, precisely what the framers wanted to avoid when they wrote The Constitution, they vested war powers. It is shared in between the legislative branch and the executive branch, but they specifically vested the power to declare war. And that verb declares, that was actually discussed at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. What verb should we use when we're talking about the power to start a war under our new republic? And they settled on declare specifically because they realized that war, as we're seeing, is a runaway train. It can cost you resources, it will cost you lives, and it is completely out of your control once it has begun. And so that is why in Article 1 of the Constitution, the power to declare war vests with Congress. Also the power to fund the military. Article, Article 2 puts, of course, the president as the commander in chief once we're there. But that allocation of powers in the Constitution reflects exactly the perils of when one person brings us into war. And I think that the war powers votes that we're seeing going on right now is an embodiment of we the people speaking for what they will and will not stand for through their elected representatives.

[Host/Moderator]

They will not abide. I mean, Paul, you always ask, you know, what are they doing about it? All Democrats, or almost all Democrats, are voting to stop this. And the news seems to be that increasingly Republicans are joining them.

[Paul Rykoff]

Yes, because it's getting worse. I've called it a sucking chest wound. And it just keeps pulling in more and more resources. Everything from our military resources to our economic strength to the lives of our sons and daughters, to now Trump's polls. I mean, he's at historic lows, I think around 35%, which is as low as he was around January 6th. And among independents, it's 24%. That's a massive alarm bell for Republicans, which I think is starting to move. Senate Republicans, they're finally standing up to him. They're finally breaking on Iran. They're going back to their districts this summer, and they're hearing about how unpopular this war is because it is unauthorized. I would argue it's unconstitutional. But it's so deeply unpopular across every political background, and now it's expanding. The Saudis are getting involved, the Egyptians are getting involved, and it's beyond our control. That's why I think the Saudis cut that nuke deal last week, because they want an insurance if Trump and America have to pull out. Because we know America doesn't have the stomach for long, protracted wars, but our presidents keep getting us into them.

[Host/Moderator]

Let me show you what Lindsey Graham said in footage that the Wall Street Journal obtained about how we got into the Iran War in Iran,

[Ryan]

he said, best thing I've ever done. He loves blowing stuff up. So, you know, there are a lot of people inside didn't want to do it. So I had my challenges. But President Trump, when he gets into the zone, he listens, asks good questions, you know, no tweeting. He has done nothing. He hadn't tweeted much at all. No drama. He's been a great wartime president. I said last, last night that Trump and Beebe are like Roosevelt and Churchill. I mean, they're the right two guys to confront this evil

[Host/Moderator]

again. The late Senator Lindsey Graham is free to his opinions and to sharing them, but the American people do not agree with that assessment. Just 33% approve of the war. And as Paul Rykoff said, the numbers among independents and Democrats are dramatically lower than that.

[Margaret Donovan]

Yeah, I mean, that's surprising. Lindsey Graham, of course, is a former JAG officer and I know many people that worked with him and found him very enjoyable to work with and had very nice things to say about him. But the fact of the matter is that when you go to war, it costs you things, it costs you lives, it costs you resources. And we are going to see the effects of that for years to come, if not generations to come in terms of our stockpile reductions. And, and there are Americans who are no longer with us because of what we've started. So, you know, I just. One more point I'd like to make. I hear a lot of chatter about, you know, you're not supporting the troops if you're not supporting this war. As a two time combat veteran, it is not, not supporting the troops to demand that there is a coherent plan. You are supporting the troops by saying that you don't want them sent aimlessly into a battle at a dangerous place without a thought out plan for how you're going to use them and use that precious resource. So, you know, I just certainly hope that the people are able to speak again through their elected representatives to stop this.

[Host/Moderator]

How does it land when a president is so erratic in their public famous?

[Margaret Donovan]

Well, it is certainly not good for stability and you can imagine how much that might undermine our authority to our enemies abroad. But I think speaking to people in the service, I think for the most part people who are on the ground still wearing the uniform, they are looking to their leaders within. And so there is some amount of blocking out politics in general when you're serving, particularly when you're serving overseas. So you just hope that there are enough good leaders left in the military to properly lead those still in uniform.

[Host/Moderator]

Margaret, thank you for being here, being part of this conversation. Paul sticks around for something really special and important to both of us. When we come back, remembering Yeoman Wilder. He's a beloved faith. What did the bystanders do?

[Paul Rykoff]

They were. I. I'm a New Yorker, bone on bone, and we're tough people here, but we. I saw cowards. And I hate to say that as somebody who loves the city.

[Host/Moderator]

That's okay. They're kids. Yeah. Tell me, tell me what, what did you want to see? And what, and what, What Disappoint,

[Paul Rykoff]

Obeying to authoritarianism, to authority that was

[Ryan]

out

[Paul Rykoff]

of line, pissing on the Constitution

[Margaret Donovan]

and

[Paul Rykoff]

became of an I don't care. I don't care.

[Host/Moderator]

Little over a year ago, we introduced you to that man. That is New York City baseball coach, local legend Yeoman Wilder. We met Yeoman after he protected some of his baseball players and informed them of their constitutional rights when ICE agents showed up at their practice and attempted to ask his players where they were from and where their parents were from. So we're terribly sad to tell you today that Yeoman Wilder passed away earlier this month. Yeoman founded the Harlem Youth Baseball Academy, which for more than two decades developed young baseball players both on and off the field in the New York City area. Yeoman Wilder is responsible for helping more than 400 young men earn college baseball scholarships, including developing multiple major league baseball players. His family describes him like this, quote, yeoman stood up against injustice and was a beloved brother, uncle, and brother in law to many. His family extended throughout the neighborhood, and his impact was felt far and wide. He was the glue that kept our family together and was always there to help any of us when he could. With Yeoman's death, the baseball community has lost an iconic and now famous coach and mentor. And this country has lost a patriot who used America's pastime to show what this country looks like at its best. For me, Yeoman was the first person, Paul, who I saw do something that the powerful people refused to do. In that first year of Trump's presidency, Yeoman stood up against ICE when law firms were capitulating, basically by the day when universities were cutting deals, basically by the week when Republicans were falling in line behind military troops in the streets of American cities, behind ICE raids that were sweeping up American citizens, behind detentions of young children at the Dilley Detention Center. And Yeoman Wilder stood up to ice.

[Paul Rykoff]

Yeah, Coach Gilman Wilder was a hero. And he led by example. He showed with courage and integrity and community and real patriotism is all about. He's a legend in New York City in the baseball community, and now his legend will grow around the country, and I hope around the world. As you know, my kids both play baseball in New York City, and it's a small community. And every baseball community was worried and continues to be worried about ice threats and something like this happening. But coach Yeoman Wilder stepped up and he showed his players what real leadership is all about. And he built not just a generation of baseball players, but a generation of leaders who can follow his example, who can lead heroically, who can meet this moment. And I think that's going to be his legacy is so many young men and women who were inspired by his example. We're going to step up because we're going to need more leaders in the days ahead. Mr. Rogers used to always say, look for the helpers. Coach Owen Wilder is an example of one of those helpers that ran in when others were running out.

[Host/Moderator]

I think he also highlighted in that interview two things. One, how most people weren't doing that. Like, these were kids, right? These were kids at practice. And he described New Yorkers who he said were tough people as being the most generous. I guess explanation is they were too afraid, too afraid to do anything. And I think he forced people to answer the question, what would you do? And I wonder if you had that reaction to him.

[Paul Rykoff]

I did. He was like a thunderbolt of courage and conscience in a time when we needed it. And that's why it went viral, because he was so real and so true. And, you know, I've had this conversation with the coaching community and all the sports my kids play in, basketball and football, and they've had to run scenarios. What do we do with ice cups? That's actually a scenario that sports programs have to think about, especially at a time when there are so many migrant kids who come to sports for community, for stability, for leadership, for safety. A lot of these, these programs provide vital childcare. And when I started targeting kids, they needed someone to step up. And coach Yeoman was like a real life superhero. And I hope the mayor recognizes him, the governor recognizes him, the president should, because he's the kind of leader we need to amplify and show as an example. Our young men, especially in this country, I think, are really starving for leadership that they can follow and they can look up to and coach. Youngman Wilder is that kind of leader that we want our kids to look like and be like.

[Host/Moderator]

I also think yeoman is sort of a test for who has courage in this moment, I mean, Major League Baseball should wrap their arms around Yeoman Wilder and support his program and support his players as well.

[Paul Rykoff]

Yeah, there it is. It's out there. Come on. Major League Baseball, Yankees, Mets, everybody in the Tri State area, especially this is a man whose legacy will inspire generations. We all have to do all we can to amplify it and remember that, you know, this is still the environment our kids are living in and we've got to protect our kids first. And that starts by showing courage in that moment and meeting the moment. And there'll be other moments that'll come. And if you need some guts and you need some inspiration, think about Coach Yeoman Wilder.

[Host/Moderator]

Paul Rykoff, thank you for sticking around for this conversation. One more break. We'll be right back.

[Paul Rykoff]

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[Nicole]

Everyone's here with me now. So, Gretchen, John Cornyn, okay, There were so many times when he would go along with Trump, and now he's saying, have you noticed? Have you noticed that I feel a freedom? Do you think he'll hold firm?

[Gretchen]

I do. I actually do. First of all, we've learned that people's word cannot be trusted, because the first thing that should be fire alarms for everyone is Todd Blanche sent under oath that it was dead, but it's apparently not, because he won't sign the papers. Number two, this is John Cornyn unleashed. Okay, John Cornyn believes that the slush fund is wrong, and there's no way in hell Grassley is calling this vote tomorrow if John Cornyn is a no. I've been before this Senate committee. They're not going to call a vote unless John Cornyn is a yes. And by the way, Thom Tillis is not completely a yes set either. But what's more upsetting to me than even talking about the slush fund is why are any of these senators saying it's okay to approve Todd Blanche simply because the Epstein files, like, suddenly that's all. Okay. Now, the way that he handled that this should be concerning to everybody.

[Nicole]

Among many things, the visit to Ghislaine Maxwell in prison when she was suddenly moved and the fact that half the documents still haven't been put out when they said they were gonna put them all out. I mean, Ryan, what does it say to you again? I guess back to the point of somebody being good for their word, which now we live in a world where it sadly matters much less than it used to. But you go under oath, you say it's dead, then it may not be dead, and now you won't sign the paper. What does it say? That he won't sign the paper.

[Ryan]

It's astonishing. And the same thing has actually occurred, not just in the Senate, but also in the courts. So a federal judge said to Todd Blanche and the Justice Department, give me in writing what you committed to in Congress. They said, no, his word in Congress should stand. Which is just unbelievable. Why wouldn't you just put it in writing? The court is asking for that to guarantee that the case is truly over, and then the court can dismiss the case, and that's even putting himself and the Justice Department at risk, because it's a judge who might sanction them for their behavior in the case that created the slush fund in the first place. Yet he won't do it. So there's something that's really hanging them up. Even as the. As Senator Cornyn said, it should be an easy ask.

[Nicole]

It should, because they said under oath. He said under oath that it was dead.

[Paul Rykoff]

Right.

[Nicole]

I mean, I'm just saying, hey, all you gotta do is say that you said what you said. Right? I mean, Paul, it does come, though, in the form of John Cornyn, who maybe, whatever it was I did, I say 41 days ago, you might not have expected him to be the face of this, but let me just play some more of the very defiant messages that Cornyn is unafraid to send the White House today.

[Ryan]

Maybe they think I'm just going to give up or, you know, go along, but they're mistaken.

[Paul Rykoff]

Why do you think they're not getting a message from you? Maybe they think they can roll me. Can they roll you?

[Nicole]

No. Do you think we'd be in this situation if. If Cornyn had won the primary and was running for the Senate seat instead of Ken Paxton in Texas?

[Paul Rykoff]

I hope we would be. Because integrity. I hope we would be.

[Ryan]

And I.

[Paul Rykoff]

Because integrity should still matter. And hooray for John Cornyn. Right? Look at what it's like to have a senator who's truly independent, who's willing to buck the President, who's willing to buck his own party, and a Republican senator at that. It would be great maybe if all senators could vote like they didn't have to run for reelection. We'd have a totally different situation where people put integrity and honor in our national security ahead of all the other stuff. And this weaponization fund is so deeply unpopular that, to Gretchen's point, I'm surprised more Republicans haven't broken with him on this. And Epstein, similarly, because the Republicans are in real trouble here as they continue to align with Trump, as his popularity continues to plummet, especially with independence. I think it's at like, 22% right now. But we need people who are willing to stand up and also send a message that you cannot pay people for attacking the government, which is what this weaponization fund is. It's not just about paying folks for what they've done. It's about giving people incentive for what they might do in the election upcoming. It's always about the circuit breaker of our elections that Trump is trying to slow down, stop meddle with, because he knows that's the check on his power that could be looming.

[Nicole]

So, Ryan, let's just play this out, okay? There could be a vote and corn and caves, and there's a vote tomorrow and there's some dancing that goes on. But if there isn't, okay, if this vote, the committee vote is delayed and the confirmation hearing on the floor goes all the way into the fall. Right. We're talking about now, you know, maybe second week of September, if everything goes well in that case. But Blanche is acting Attorney General right now. So what does that actually mean in practice if this is delayed?

[Ryan]

So I do know that there are some Senate Republicans who think it doesn't really matter if they confirm him because he'll otherwise be an acting Attorney General or the confirmed Attorney General. But it is very different if you're an acting Attorney General. You don't have the same gravitas when they're entered, when they're exchanges with the other agencies, and especially with the courts, as well as being Senate confirmed. And I think not only would he be an acting Attorney General, but he'd be an acting Attorney General who's not able to get through the Senate, which is a very different calculation. And I think that's important before the

[Nicole]

jeopardy, which really makes you look weak,

[Ryan]

I guess, makes you look weak. And that doesn't have the trust of the Senate behind it. And if the Senate is behind it, then he actually has congressional endorsement, I would say, for everything that he's been doing. So the Republicans are lining up behind what Blanche has been doing with the Justice Department if they do confirm him. And that's a very different scenario. Also, between now and the fall, there are some court cases that bear down directly on him. Tomorrow there is a court case in the Epstein Transparency act in which the judge has already said that Blanche acted in defiance of the Transparency Act. And tomorrow they're supposed to give the judge the unredacted files that have been asked for. And then there are other cases in D.C. circuit for the criminal contempt, the criminal contempt, and the whole thing about sending people to El Salvador. It's Todd Blanche, who's like person number one, that has liability there, that's overhanging. Maybe something there happens before the. Paul.

[Nicole]

It's interesting, Gretchen, this has now come down to the fund when it comes to Cornyn. Right. So you're either going to make this fund go away or you don't have my vote. But before there was the fund issue, right? It was there. But before it was the main issue, the actual issue was meeting with the Epstein survivors. Right? They had asked Blanche to do that, especially in the context of the meeting with Ghislaine Maxel that resulted in her being moved to that minimum security prison in an unprecedented way. Okay. But so finally Then he met with the Epstein survivors after that last meeting when there was like this or not. And he does a quick meeting with them. They've now spoken out, said he behaved with no integrity during that meeting. It was Senator Tillis who had said, you don't have my vote unless you do that. Here's what the. Some of the Epstein survivors are saying now about Blanche in the meeting. The meeting was very condescending. I mean, he actually said the words

[Margaret Donovan]

get to the point to us, where survivors who have been waiting to meet

[Nicole]

with him for nine months, eight months, we've been asking for meetings. And he very much said, can you get to the point already?

[Gretchen]

Like, what are you.

[Nicole]

What are you getting at?

[Host/Moderator]

Right.

[Nicole]

Our viewers know Danielle Bensky because she has been indefatigable and speaking out on this issue. So why are we not hearing Senator Tillis, who is not afraid of speaking out to Trump, continue to pound the table on this?

[Gretchen]

He's not. I was very disappointed that he simply made that request, like, Blanche, meet with them, and then you'll get my vote. Although he's still waiting on the slush one, too, I think. But with. With regard to Epstein, that was very disappointing to me, because shouldn't Todd Blanche have thought on his own to have a meeting a long time ago with the Epstein survivors? He didn't think of it on his own. And then when he thought that, well,

[Nicole]

I mean, he did. They'd been asking, and he refused until Tillis said, do it or you don't have my vote.

[Gretchen]

I mean, it couldn't be more obvious. It couldn't be more obvious. And then he apparently wasn't even nice in the particular meeting that he was basically told to have. It brings me back to what I was saying earlier is, why is everyone else who's gonna give a yes vote okay with how the Epstein files were handled? I think, though, to Ryan's point. Point, what's really interesting is the slush fund must be more important than all of those other court cases you talked about in Trump's mind, because this is what he is saying that he will not sign off on tonight. It has to be coming from Trump.

[Nicole]

That's the person who ultimately controls this. You know, Paul, in this issue where Trump wants this vote and he's not getting it from the Senate, he gets asked about the majority leader in the Senate, right. John Thune, who has. Who has done all these things, you know, things for Trump, gotten things over the finish line. So Trump's asked about him, and he says this.

[Ryan]

Do you Think he stole a man for the job?

[Paul Rykoff]

Well, we're going to find out, and

[Ryan]

I'll let you know.

[Nicole]

So that's interesting, Paul. Trump saying, we'll find out. I'll let you know.

[Host/Moderator]

Right.

[Nicole]

As if he's the one who makes the decision. When Trump's approval rating is at a new low. 34% among Republicans, 19% say they're enthusiastic. 19% in his own party, I'm thinking. Just making sure we don't have a typo there, because that's pretty stunning, Paul. So does this embolden anyone other than John Cornyn?

[Paul Rykoff]

I do, I think it does, yeah. I mean, this is maybe the moment, the summer, where so many Republicans are gonna get a spine and stand up to him, but also see the radioactivity of the issues that surround him. And I think there are a couple that just keep coming back that Trump can't get rid of. Iran is obviously one of them. That's become like a sucking chest wound for the entire party. And Epstein is the other one. They want to keep batting it down, but within the Republican base, people are furious about the Iran war. They're furious about Epstein. They're also upset about tariffs. And all these things are dragging down Trump's popularity. Now, I don't think Trump cares about popularity ratings. I don't think he cares about approval ratings. But the Senate Republicans do, and especially down ballot Republicans, they're going to be fighting in primary states for independents, which are always the key group to keep focused on. They do not like this. And I think you're going to see more and more Republicans push back. Murkowski also pushed back this week. Another sign of some hope, not just for Republicans and Democrats, but for all Americans. We want Republicans, especially this summer, to show some spine.

[Nicole]

All right, thank you all very much.

[Host/Moderator]

Paul.

[Nicole]

I got to say one correction, though, which is that he cares about approval ratings when they're good. When they're good, they're great. And he talks about them a lot, right? His poll numbers. All right, thank you all. I appreciate you.

[Paul Rykoff]

Aro. He tells me the left and right are dreams for those without a clue and when you wake it's time to grow and it's not cool to believe in school but if I can say one thing I've seen the children of the revolution and the good trouble they can bring he says the red and

[Nicole]

blue are dead and independent is an

[Paul Rykoff]

attitude an island in the sea of rhetoric and I can ride the left is and when you wait, it's time to grow Powered by righteous Media. If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help the show to grow. Thank you for listening.