Trump Rips NATO & Teachers Union Exposed | 7.8.26

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary

Episode: Trump Rips NATO & Teachers Union Exposed | 7.8.26
Date: July 8, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe, Morris Cabot Phillips

Overview

This Morning Wire episode focuses on three major current events shaping U.S. politics: President Trump’s controversial moves during the NATO summit in Turkey, the escalating Democratic crisis over Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s sexual assault allegations, and an exposé on the National Education Association’s (NEA) highly partisan agenda, including calls to impeach Trump. Across each segment, the hosts highlight growing distrust in institutions and mounting blowback against overt partisanship.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Shockwaves at the NATO Summit

[00:34–06:24]

The Scene

• President Trump travels to Ankara for a NATO summit, immediately upending expectations with threats to reassess (or withdraw from) the NATO alliance—causing deep unease among U.S. allies.

Guest: Ben Talablu, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Host: John Bickley

Highlights & Analysis

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rolls out a warm welcome for Trump, “stylistically and substantively”—suggesting Turkey desires U.S. sanctions relief over its purchase of Russia’s S400 air defense system. (Ben Talablu, [02:10])
• Despite increases in defense commitments, NATO members feel shaky amid the U.S. mulling sanctions waivers and Trump’s looming threats.
• Trump’s rhetoric is stronger than previous U.S. admonishments, with “real threats to just pull out.”
  • Quote: “The President is trying to at least make good on some of his threats when it comes to the future of U.S. Forces in Europe and the strategic direction of the transatlantic alliance.”
    (Ben Talablu, [03:18])
• Much of Trump’s posturing is read as “public bargaining,” aiming to extract more concrete commitments from European partners.
• The so-called European defense spending “beef-up” is largely unfulfilled:
  • Quote: “When rubber hits the road … we haven’t seen them put their money where their mouth is … all of those things, which again are not just budgetary promises, are real, concrete actions that they could take [but] still remain confined to the world of political rhetoric.”
    (Ben Talablu, [05:32])
• Some Europeans are more willing than before to push back against Trump, but real change in defense posture remains elusive.

Notable Moment

• The round-robin of threats and non-fulfillment fuels a “rinse and repeat cycle” that exacerbates transatlantic anxiety. (Ben Talablu, [06:21])

---

2. Graham Platner’s Senate Campaign Implodes Over Assault Allegations

[08:36–13:38]

Background

• Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner faces a flood of sexual assault allegations, culminating with a detailed accusation by Jenny Racicot.
• After Politico’s explosive report, Democratic leaders—from centrist to progressive—rapidly withdraw support, including Senator Bernie Sanders.

Guests: Morris Cabot Phillips, Host 1

Segment Highlights

• For months, Democrats and media allies dismissed accusations as Republican “propaganda.” Platner’s earlier allegations were downplayed despite evidence.
  • Quote: “Previously, they'd said this was all Republican propaganda, that he had these sexual assault allegations. What changed about this one?”
    (Host 1, [11:42])
• Racicot came forward “precisely because the media, including The New York Times, appeared to be intent on making this story about Lindsay Fifield being supposedly politically motivated rather than the substance of what she was alleging.”
  (Host 1, [12:56])
• The story’s detail and contemporaneous messages left Platner with almost no support:
  • “It went from a trickle to a tsunami. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand … all called for him to drop out.”
    (Host 1, [10:18])
  • “Bernie Sanders … was the final straw.” (Host 1, [10:41])
• If Platner withdraws by the deadline, party leaders—not voters—will select a new candidate. Platner reportedly wants influence over the choice.

Notable Moment

• Racicot’s willingness to speak out, despite aligning with Platner’s politics, is framed as a turning point.
  • Quote: “This is a woman who openly said, I’m a progressive. I agree with Graham Platner’s politics. And that was actually one thing that kept her from coming forward.”
    (Host 1, [12:56])

---

3. National Education Association’s Hyperpartisan Agenda Leaked

[14:10–18:13]

Guests: Corey DeAngelis, Heritage Research Fellow
Hosts: John Bickley, Georgia Howe

Context & Revelations

• The NEA, America’s largest teachers union, faces scrutiny after its leaked agenda reveals explicit political objectives, including advocating for the impeachment of President Trump and the support of “educational reparations.”

Key Points

• The NEA allocates less than 10% of its $400 million annual revenue to representing teachers; most is spent on political activity.
  • Quote: “They have over $400 million in revenues every single year, of which less than 10% of it actually goes towards representing teachers every year. Most of it goes towards political activity.”
    (Georgia Howe, [14:41])
• The agenda includes a direct call for “the impeachment, conviction and removal of President Trump,” budgeting over $5.2 million of dues toward this aim.
  • Quote: “It’s a money laundering operation. And for this one bullet item to call for the removal of the President … they’re dedicating over $5.2 million … That’s coming out of everyday teachers' paychecks.”
    (Georgia Howe, [15:58])
• “Educational reparations” is defined by proposals to erase African American student loan debt and give additional taxpayer dollars to Black students—actions criticized as violating the Civil Rights Act.
  • Quote: “Saying that because you are a certain race that you should get particular benefits ... is a violation of the Civil Rights Act.”
    (Georgia Howe, [16:07])
• DeAngelis argues that focus on partisan activism diverts attention from improving education standards:
  • Quote: “If they’re spending more time focused on the LGBTs, that means less time for the ABCs.”
    (Georgia Howe, [17:03])

Broader Implications

• U.S. education results remain poor despite massive spending: only 20% proficiency in math, with international rankings lagging.
• Advocates argue for school choice, competition, and withdrawal from unions to counteract political activism in education.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “The Turks wanted something from the US … the big question … was over sanctions relief.”
  – Ben Talablu, [02:10]

• “There’s a little bit more meat on the bone here than just the kind of panic in Washington.”
  – Ben Talablu, [03:18]

• “We haven’t seen them put their money where their mouth is.”
  – Ben Talablu, [05:32]

• “Every time my phone buzzes, I assume that it's notifications saying that [Platner’s] dropped out. That is where we are right now …”
  – Host 1, [08:55]

• “Previously, they’d said this was all Republican propaganda … What changed about this one?”
  – Host 1, [11:42]

• “Racicot says she stepped forward precisely because the media ... appeared to be intent on making this story about Lindsay Fifield ... rather than the substance of what she was alleging.”
  – Host 1, [12:56]

• “They have over $400 million in revenues every single year, of which less than 10% … goes towards representing teachers every year. Most of it goes towards political activity.”
  – Georgia Howe, [14:41]

• “For this one bullet item to call for the removal of the President … they’re dedicating over $5.2 million.”
  – Georgia Howe, [15:58]

• “If they’re spending more time focused on the LGBTs, that means less time for the ABCs.”
  – Georgia Howe, [17:03]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump & NATO Analysis: 00:34–06:24
• Graham Platner Scandal: 08:36–13:38
• NEA Agenda Leak & Reaction: 14:10–18:13

---

Episode Tone

The episode maintains a brisk, urgent news cadence with a blend of hard-edged skepticism and policy focus, characteristic of The Daily Wire’s conservative editorial voice. Commentary is direct and colloquial, with pointed rhetorical flourishes ("rinse and repeat cycle"; "sounds like an insurrection to me") and a clear thesis of institutional overreach and political hypocrisy.

---

For listeners seeking critical perspectives on NATO tensions, political scandals, and education policy, this episode provides in-depth, timely analysis—complete with notable moments and actionable insights.

Transcript

[Host 1]

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[John Bickley]

President Trump heads overseas and immediately shakes things up with NATO. I was very disappointed with NATO and

[Georgia Howe]

frankly, if it weren't held in Turkey,

[John Bickley]

it's possible that I would have attended. I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Wednesday, July 8th. This is Morning Wire.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

As Graham Platner's Senate campaign collapses, the backlash grows against Democrats and media outlets who propped him up.

[John Bickley]

The focus of today should be to respond to the gravity of what so many of us have read. And I think that the only appropriate

[Georgia Howe]

response is for the campaign to come to an end.

[John Bickley]

And the agenda for the nation's most powerful teachers union is leaked. And it's sparking strong blowback for its hyper partisan goals, including impeaching Trump.

[Host 2]

Two fundamental choices in America today.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Do we roll up our sleeves and do the work necessary to rescue our

[Host 2]

democracy, or do we choose authoritarianism?

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with MORNING wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know. NATO is back in the headlines with the president's trip to Ankara, Turkey, to meet with world leaders. And the question the world is asking is what happened to the once unshakable alliance?

[John Bickley]

Joining us to discuss is Ben and Bin Talablu, senior director of the foundation for the Defense of Democracy's Iran program. Thanks so much for coming on.

[Ben Talablu]

Great to be with you both. Thank you.

[John Bickley]

So first, Trump really making his presence felt immediately yesterday. What did we hear from him and how have our allies responded?

[Ben Talablu]

Surely he made his presence felt. But also Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went quite out of his way to make Trump feel welcome stylistically and substantively. Certainly the Turks wanted something from the US the big question that was dangled here was over sanctions relief or the prospect of waiving sanctions, sanctions which, by the way, are congressionally mandated pursuant to older legislation which the Trump administration actually enforced in term one previously as it related to the S400 purchase, the strategic air defense system that the Turks had purchased. And so I think any NATO member is a bit shaky today despite the plussing up of some of their defense commitments because of the prospects of Waving sanctions on Turkey, despite the lingering presence of this Russian air defense system.

[John Bickley]

This all is in the context of this growing tension between the US and NATO. Trump making real threats to just pull out. What did we hear on that front and what do you foresee actually happening with this situation?

[Ben Talablu]

Well, the kind of persistent threats about the future of NATO. There's a little bit more meat on the bone here than just the kind of panic in Washington. Whenever the Trump administration, like previous administrations, by the way, chastises the Europeans for not meeting their defense commitments. Those defense commitments have been things that the European politicians have promised to meet in terms of defense spending, in terms of evolving military applications and capabilities of this alliance. But ultimately, this entire meeting is happening against the backdrop of at least a six month policy review about the future of the US Force posture in Europe under NATO auspices. So the President is trying to at least make good on some of his threats when it comes to the future of US Forces in Europe and the strategic direction of the transatlantic alliance, which certainly implicates NATO.

[John Bickley]

Now in regard to the US Force posture, the placement of our forces in Europe as part of NATO, I know it's impossible to predict, but where do you see that going? Do you see the signs that will actually pull out troops and munitions out of Europe?

[Ben Talablu]

You know, call me crazy, but I see a lot of this as public bargaining, just like I see a lot of the President's rhetoric, or hopefully the President's rhetoric about waiving sanctions as bargaining, trying to see if there's room to go soft so that he doesn't have to go hard later on. Some country that he believes is a NATO partner, a NATO ally, and a potential US Strategic partner in the Middle East. But ultimately here, I don't think the President is going to be doing a 180 when it comes to the style of his criticism of NATO. Substantively, though, I do think there will be more continuity than change when it comes to the future of U.S. european relations and of U.S. nATO relations. The challenge, of course, is that as you feign a different style, you might induce a different substance from your ally. And we're seeing that change in substance by European policymakers, which seem a bit more willing than ever before to stand up to the President, despite their increased commitments, at least on paper, to meet defense spending needs.

[John Bickley]

Have we seen any legitimate action from our European allies to beef up their defense? Or is Trump right that Europe is in some ways just freeloading off our military expenditures?

[Ben Talablu]

You know, beefing up is always gonna be a promissory thing. But when rubber hits the road about things where there is their interest or areas in the world where they have a greater economic interest, you know, where NATO allies, for example, are more reliant on Persian Gulf energy, we haven't seen them put their money where their mouth is or even be willing to put their limited military capabilities where their mouth is. It's been about two months now of the Europeans, particularly a conversation between the French and the Germans talking about what a counter mining mission might look like in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, what an international ESC mission might look like. But all of those things, which again are not just budgetary promises, are real, concrete actions that they could take still remain confined to the world of political rhetoric. And that induces more kind of counterproductive hedging away from the alliance, in my view, from the President. And it's a rinse and repeat cycle.

[John Bickley]

Lots to keep an eye on. Thank you so much for coming on.

[Ben Talablu]

Thank you.

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[John Bickley]

Top Democrats are continuing to pull their support for Maine Democrat Graham Platner following a damning sexual assault allegation.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is the most recent top Democrat to pull his support from Platner. Here with Morris Cabot Phillips, host of Wired in so Cabot, things are looking worse and worse for Platner. Where do things stand now?

[Host 1]

Yeah, the walls appear to be closing in on Graham Platner right now. Every time my phone buzzes, I assume that it's notifications saying that he's dropped out. That is where we are right now. Now at this point, it seems to be a matter of when, not if that happens. So let's just recap for our listeners how we got to this point. So Politico published their account from one of Platner's ex girlfriends, a woman named Jenny Racicot. She said the Platner raped her back in 2021. In that story, which is very difficult to read, she says that a, quote, deeply intoxicated Platner broke into her house and then forced himself on her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. She says that in the morning he claims that he did not remember what had happened and that she ultimately told him that what happened was not consens and she said, I never want to see you again. And then ultimately she never had any communication with him after that. And there were also text messages of her telling women some version of what happened and basically warning them to stay away from this man. She also said that she was initially reluctant to come forward because she agreed with Platner politically. But that she changed her mind after other women told similar stories and then ultimately were ignored by top Democrats. And it's worth pointing out her story has pretty much cost Platner whatever support he had left, despite his denial of these allegations.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Right, and as you mentioned, the endorsements were pulled within hours of this coming out, and it kept getting worse. How much worse did it get? Just since yesterday?

[Host 1]

Yeah, it went from a trickle to a tsunami. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who runs the Democrats Senate campaign arm, both called for him to drop out and said they would not spend a penny on his race if he's on the ballot. And if that wasn't bad enough, his top progressive backers, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ruben Gallego, as well as New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani, all told him to call it quits. And maybe most importantly, so did Bernie Sanders, the leader of the party's far left wing when the scandals first started, popping off, the Reddit posts, the Nazi tattoo, other allegations of sexual assault. Sanders stood by Platner when other Democrats pulled back, but he lost even his most ardent supporter. And that again, was the final straw.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Now, are Democrats going to be able to replace him in that race?

[Host 1]

So it's complicated.

[Sponsor Voice]

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[Host 1]

The short answer is yes, as long as Platner is officially off the ballot by 5pm Monday, the party then has until July 27 to choose a nominee. And it would be a sort of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris situation. So no new primary, the voters not having a say, just the state's party leaders handpicking his successor. And it's being reported that Platner wants his replacement to be as far left as he is. The New York Post, for example, had a story that Platner essentially told party leaders, hey, I'll step down, but I have to have a say in who is replacing me. And again, it remains to be seen who they pick and just how much influence Platner will have over that decision in the coming days.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Now, a lot of Democrats burned through a lot of their political capital by supporting Graham up until pretty much the last minute. Previously, they'd said this was all Republican propaganda, that he had these sexual assault allegations. What changed about this one?

[Host 1]

Yeah, a lot of folks would say that this was a predictable outcome given everything that had already come out about him, that a guy like this, with this many skeletons, there's never really going to be an end to these stories. Democrats were able to convince themselves, though, for a while that none of his past mattered. In The Trump era of politics, where, you know, it's kind of harder to cancel politicians. If you remember, a few weeks ago, Democrats were quick to dismiss that New York Times report in which another one of Platner's ex girlfriends, Lindsay Fifield, said that Platner was physically and emotionally abusive. She said Platner allegedly pinned her arm behind her back, yanked her out of a car, and ultimately locked her in a room for hours. Democrats immediately went after Fifield trying to say that because she had worked for conservative groups in the past, that this was, you know, a politically motivated attack and not a legitimate story. She has since made clear that she provided the Times ample evidence and sources that they appear to have refused to look into.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Well, and that brings us to Racicot's story, because apparently that Times article motivated her as well. Can you unpack why?

[Host 1]

Yeah, this is a fascinating element here. So Racicot says that she actually stepped forward precisely because the media, including the New York Times, appeared to be intent on making this story about Lindsay Fifield being supposedly politically motivated rather than the substance of what she was alleging. And Racicot was actually, in that same original New York Times story. She told Politico that she was disappointed that her account was presented as pretty much, quote, just a read over. And so she decided to tell her story in full, despite her reservations, because this is a woman who openly said, I'm a progressive. I agree with Grand Planner's politics. And that was actually one thing that kept her from coming forward.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Well, and it sounds like her story was the one that ended up breaking through. Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Host 1]

Absolutely.

[Sponsor Voice]

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[Georgia Howe]

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[Ben Talablu]

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[Georgia Howe]

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[Ben Talablu]

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[Host 1]

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[Ben Talablu]

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[Georgia Howe]

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[Host 1]

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[Ben Talablu]

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[Sponsor Voice]

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[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Priceline, the annual conference for the nation's most powerful teachers union, wrapped up yesterday, but the hyper partisan agenda they've endorsed has already sparked blowback.

[John Bickley]

Joining us now is Corey DeAngelis, a heritage research fellow who's been closely covering the organization's actions. Corey, thank you so much for coming on.

[Georgia Howe]

Hey, thanks so much for having me.

[John Bickley]

So you've gained access to this agenda for the National Education association, and you've released it to the public. Before we dive into that, just how influential is the nea?

[Georgia Howe]

They're the largest labor union in the country and they happen to be the largest teachers union in the country. And they have over $400 million in revenues every single year, of which less than 10% of it actually goes towards representing teachers every year. Most of it goes towards political activity.

[John Bickley]

Well, 400 million. So they plan to call for the impeachment, conviction and removal of President Trump. That's a direct quote that you've highlighted. They're directing a stunning amount of their dues to this. What do we know about their plans on this? And is this actually the kind of thing that an organization like this can actually do legally?

[Georgia Howe]

Yeah, sounds like an insurrection to me. But yeah, they can legally use money for political activities. It's crazy. We actually have. The NEA has a federal charter. They've had it for over 100 years. They had the backing of Congress. There is a bill right now to get rid of that federal charter and Congress shouldn't move to do so because they are so outright partisan. 98% of their political contributions go to Democrats every single election cycle. It's a money laundering operation. And for this one bullet item to call for the removal of the President of the United States, they're dedicating over $5.2 million in dues resources towards it. That's coming out of everyday teachers paychecks.

[John Bickley]

You've highlighted a business item 24, which revolves around educational reparations. What exactly does that mean?

[Georgia Howe]

It beats me, but it's. If you go and look into it, it says something about, you know, erasing student loan debt for African American students and, and giving them more taxpayer dollars. I'd say that's a violation of the Civil Rights act saying that because you are a certain race that you should get particular benefits for your education. I think we should look at everybody in a colorblind way, which should be all Americans should get a certain benefit or we shouldn't be picking winners and losers based on immutable characteristics. And it the union is entrenched in DEI policy, in racist policy. And that's just another reason why one, teachers who aren't on board with this, they need to leave their union. And this is also why we need school choice, to empower parents to get away from these activists who control too many classrooms.

[John Bickley]

What are the implications of all these goals for everyday Americans? How does the NEA actually impact most Americans in their agenda?

[Georgia Howe]

Well, if they're spending more time focused on the LGBTs, that means less time for the ABCs. So they're focused so much on political activism. Our education rankings are in the tank. I mean, we spend $21,000 per student per year in American government schools and that amount has increased 170% in real terms since 1970. But the money doesn't make its way into the classroom. It's being used for a political agenda. And that's why only a fifth of kids are proficient in math. Math. Now, despite how much we spend, we're an international embarrassment. We spend more than any other country on earth, basically. And our outcomes are not at the top. So we should push Congress and lawmakers to focus on the student as opposed to the system. Allow for school choice competition. Maybe then the NEA and their activists will say, hey, we should focus on student outcomes as opposed to activism. That's the only way we improve things through competition. And teachers, they need to leave. They need to say no more. No more using my money for a political agenda. How about we use it for math, reading and writing?

[John Bickley]

Well, we always appreciate your expertise. Cory DeAngelis, thank you so much for coming on.

[Georgia Howe]

Absolutely. Thanks so much.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

Thanks for waking up with us. The reporting that fuels this show is only possible because you tune in every day and because of our Daily Wire subscribers.

[John Bickley]

To enjoy the show ad free and join our mission, become a member at Daily Wire. Wayfair.com we'll be back this evening with more news you need to know.

[Morris Cabot Phillips]

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[Host 1]

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