American Sunrise Early Edition – December 1, 2025

Podcast: Real America’s Voice (hosted by Jake Novak)
Length of Content Covered: From [03:26] to [60:58]
Main Theme:
A post-Thanksgiving deep-dive into America’s shifting political and cultural landscape, focusing on immigration (particularly after the National Guard shooting), the Biden and Trump administrations’ differing policies, Venezuela and cartel threats, economic narratives (media vs. reality), and divisions in the media and political class.

Episode Overview

This episode opens after a tumultuous holiday, reflecting a changed national mood following the deadly attack on National Guard troops by an Afghan refugee. Jake Novak and various guests tackle urgent topics: America’s immigration crisis, foreign threats (particularly Venezuela and the role of China and Russia), the alleged mainstream media bias, economic narratives around Black Friday, and a crescendo of political and racial rhetoric—emphasizing their belief that America is undergoing not civil unrest, but an “invasion.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. National Guard Attack & Immigration Concerns

[05:38 – 12:11]

• Immediate Context:
  Jake Novak and guest Matt Tardio (ex-Green Beret, podcast host) discuss the targeted killing of National Guard troops by an Afghan refugee—interpreted as evidence of a foreign "invasion," not an internal civil war.

  • Jake frames the crisis:

    “I think we need to change the term. And maybe it isn't a civil war and maybe this is really just an invasion… These are our foreign enemies who are attacking us.”
    (Jake Novak, [05:38])

  • Matt elaborates on failures in vetting during the Afghan withdrawal:

    “I've talked to... soldiers... on the ground at [HKIA]. It'll shock you what they’ll tell you. They got little to no training on screening paperwork... a lot of the paperwork was being photocopied. It’s in foreign languages... So, they didn't really vet everybody.”
    (Matt Tardio, [07:09])

  • Concerns about repeated incidents (Texas, etc.) and the parallel to Lebanon’s civil war as an actual foreign invasion.

  • Accusations that the Biden administration’s border policies were deliberate, motivated by political or financial payoffs relating to incoming migrants from various countries.

    “What positive purpose could there possibly have been for the Biden administration on day one... to open the borders wide? It just doesn't make sense for anything good for America.”
    (Jake Novak, [10:27])

2. Foreign Threats: Venezuela, China, Russia, and the Drug War

[12:11 – 15:51]

• Trump’s Hardline Moves:
  The Trump administration announces a “permanent pause” on immigration from Afghanistan and other “problematic regions,” and a near-total shutdown of Venezuelan airspace.

  • Matt supports military action against Venezuela’s cartel strongholds (compared to the Cuban Missile Crisis) and notes Chinese and Russian influence there.

    “They're here on our home soil... now they're down inside Venezuela. It’s a very, very short reach for some of those weapons… I almost akin this closer to the Cuban missile crisis…”
    (Matt Tardio, [13:05])

  • Discussion of Hezbollah’s presence in Venezuela and the crossover between cartel drug routes and the trafficking of potential terrorists.

  • Jake: “It’s time for Americans to wake up and pay attention.”
    (Jake Novak, [14:36])

3. Ukraine, Corruption, and Global Power Plays

[14:36 – 15:51]

• Both agree Ukraine and Russia are corrupt, and Tardio makes an unsparing case for continued US engagement in Ukraine to counter BRICS and protect the US dollar’s dominance.

  • Notable stance:

    “We cannot have Russia taking over Ukraine… If BRICS ends up coming out with their currency, the petrodollar goes away... We're SOL. You're going to see 20% inflation overnight.”
    (Matt Tardio, [15:11])

4. Media Bias & White House “Wall of Shame”

[20:39 – 23:59]

• White House Launches Media “Hall of Shame”:
  With co-host Emily Finn, Jake discusses the Trump administration’s new website collecting ‘poor' news stories—claiming it exposes mainstream media malpractice.

  • Finn underscores:

    “This is absolutely hilarious, but it is... serious at the end of the day because it's calling out all of the mainstream media reports that are simply lies...”
    (Emily Finn, [21:52])

  • Jake and Finn agree that much of mainstream journalism is driven more by intellectual laziness than leftwing partisanship.

    “They're not smart enough to be partisan… they were right back talking about Real Housewives and Andy Cohen…”
    (Jake Novak, [22:29])

  • Notable: Conservative outlets, Finn says, are scrutinized more strictly:

    “…we actually do the dirty work… that the mainstream may not be touching, but the American people need to know about.”
    (Emily Finn, [23:33])

5. Black Friday: Economic Reality vs. Media Narrative

[28:46 – 32:00+]

• Jake shares official Black Friday/holiday shopping stats contradicting “media-driven” pessimism:

  • $11.8 billion spent online in a single day, up 4.1% from last year overall—a record.
  • Mainstream media, he claims, deliberately paints an exaggeratedly negative economic picture.

  “You’ve had the mainstream media... depicting the economic situation in this country as a depression. They are doing this deliberately.”
  (Jake Novak, [28:46])

• Jake’s advice:

  “If you don't see them making a big deal about... a 4% overall increase... you really should stop looking at that particular outlet because it's just not honest.”
  (Jake Novak, [28:46])

• Retail, car, and EV buying advice follows.

6. Market Recap & Media Coverage Bias

[34:00 – 37:00]

• Market stats: Slight losses post-holiday but gold, silver, Bitcoin up; crude oil still “on sale.”

• Jake highlights media bias by showing how CNBC headlines always lean negative, even in rally periods.

  • Suggests “emotional manipulation” rather than objective financial journalism.

• “If you want to make a big deal about every negative in the market, then you have to make a corresponding same big deal... about every time the markets rally.”
  (Jake Novak, [36:30])

7. Redefining Invasion: Immigration, Policy Shifts & D.C. Tone

[40:01 – 46:33]
Guest: Walter Kurt (WC Dispatch, Substack)

• “This whole move by Trump saying he's going to end third world immigration... that's going to blow everything up. That’s going to change everything… we can’t accept any more people…”
  (Walter Kurt, [42:44])

• Both Novak and Kurt stress that current immigration is historically unprecedented (“21 million illegal aliens pour into this country”) and cite economist Milton Friedman’s “open borders versus welfare state” argument:

  “…you can have open borders or you can have a welfare state, but you can't have both.”
  (Jake Novak, [43:43])

• Kurt sees a hard “pivot” from the Trump administration, possibly preparing for a staff shakeup and more decisive policy action.

8. Venezuela, Satire, and Strategic Energy Reserves

[46:33 – 49:13]

• Maduro sings John Lennon’s “Imagine” as US threats escalate; interpreted as propaganda for “peace” while running a “narco-dictatorship.”

  “Anytime you sing John Lennon's Imagine, I think you should immediately be invaded by the Marines.”
  (Walter Kurt, [48:13])

• Walter emphasizes Venezuela’s strategic significance: “world’s largest oil reserves” and a theater for proxy conflict against China.

9. Inflation, Economic Messaging, and Democrat Political Framing

[49:13 – 54:37]

• Jake slams Democrats for blaming President Trump for inflation, arguing the problems started under Biden.

• Walter Kurt critiques Democrats’ “affordability” messaging and Republican failure to counter with charts and facts.

  “Just ask people who raised the costs, who did it?... Who raised the costs? Just put that chart out.”
  (Walter Kurt, [52:46])

• Example: Amy Acton (former Ohio COVID czar) criticized for confusing unemployment rankings and for being a symbol of “failed” messaging.

10. Race Card Politics and Rising Division

[58:09 – 60:29]
Guest: David Brody

• Senator Mark Kelly is criticized for implying that “pausing immigration from third world countries” is racist.

  “When I heard the secretary say that they're going to pause immigration from third world countries... they don't want brown people coming to the United States, and I find that disturbing.”
  (Sen. Mark Kelly, [58:32])

• Jake and David Brody frame this as a “last vestige of the scoundrel” (playing the race card) and warn that such rhetoric sows division and potential violence.

  “It always boils down to identity politics overall… They're just playing it for political points. And this is extremely dangerous…”
  (David Brody, [59:31])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Maybe it isn’t a civil war and maybe this is really just an invasion.”
  — Jake Novak [05:38]

• “They didn't vet everybody, Jake. And so we have people that came to this country. God only knows what they're tied to.”
  — Matt Tardio [07:09]

• “If Trump is ending Third world immigration, he's effectively ended legal immigration in this country right now... that's going to blow everything up.”
  — Walter Kurt [42:44]

• “If you don't see [the media] making a big deal... about a 4% overall increase in Black Friday sales... you really should stop looking at that particular outlet because it's just not honest.”
  — Jake Novak [28:46]

• “Anytime you sing John Lennon's Imagine, I think you should immediately be invaded by the Marines.”
  — Walter Kurt [48:13]

• “Just ask people who raised the costs, who did it? ...Just put that chart out.”
  — Walter Kurt [52:46]

• “It always boils down to identity politics overall... They're playing it for political points. And this is extremely dangerous.”
  — David Brody [59:31]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | [05:38] | Introduction to post-Thanksgiving turmoil and “invasion” theme| | [07:09] | Afghan vetting failures, foreign attack claims | | [10:27] | Biden immigration policy criticism & “common sense” plea | | [13:05] | Venezuela’s threat context, China/Russia influence | | [15:11] | US-Ukraine policy, risk to the dollar and BRICS | | [21:52] | White House “Hall of Shame” and media bias talk | | [28:46] | Black Friday numbers vs. economic depression narrative | | [42:44] | Walter Kurt: Ending Third World/Legal Immigration claim | | [46:33] | Venezuelan regime’s “Imagine” performance | | [52:46] | Critique of economic messaging—who caused inflation? | | [58:32] | Sen. Mark Kelly “race card” reaction to immigration pause | | [59:31] | Dangers of identity politics, with David Brody |

Overall Tone and Style

• Language: Emphatic, pointed, sometimes satirical (e.g., Maduro’s “Imagine” is mocked); frequent references to “common sense” and warnings to “wake up.”
• Perspective: Strongly critical of the Biden administration and mainstream media, unapologetically pro-Trump, with guests offering military, journalistic, and investigative backgrounds.
• Recurring Motifs:
  • “Invasion” vs. “Civil War”
  • Media dishonesty and “malpractice”
  • Urgent policy pivots and threats “from within” and without
  • Economic reality vs. news narrative
  • The increasing danger of identity/race politics

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

• The show dramatically reframes America’s present crises as evidence of foreign attack—not just domestic discord.
• Advocates decisive, even drastic, policy responses: closing borders, military readiness, and total overhaul of immigration enforcement.
• Warns audience to distrust both mainstream news and Democratic framing—especially around economics and racial identity—while uplifting conservative and “real news” alternatives.
• Peppered with memorable (often combative) soundbites, guest interviews interlacing firsthand expertise (military, media, politics), and concrete statistics on contemporary issues such as retail, markets, and drug wars.

End of Summary