American Sunrise Early Edition - February 9th, 2026

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: American Sunrise Early Edition – February 9, 2026

Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Episode: American Sunrise Early Edition
Date: February 9, 2026
Host: Brian Glenn (with guest contributors and correspondents)
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

---

Episode Overview

This episode of American Sunrise Early Edition delivers a blend of news, interviews, and cultural commentary, staying true to themes of faith, freedom, and traditional American values. The hosts discuss breaking news—from Minnesota political scandals and weather updates to controversy at the Winter Olympics, cyber-security concerns, and pop culture moments such as the Super Bowl. Emphasis is placed on in-depth discussion with expert guests, direct viewer engagement, and challenging mainstream narratives.

---

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Weather Update & Community Engagement

[00:38–04:07]

• Tracy Anthony from Weather Nation reviews the weekend's extreme cold in the Northeast, including record lows (e.g., Watertown, NY hit –36°F, wind chill felt like –47°F).
• Satellite video of Lake Erie’s ice cracking is highlighted as a rare meteorological sight.
• Warmer trends expected nationwide; viewers invited to submit their hometown forecasts.
• Community engagement through social media and live forecasting is promoted.

“Watertown, New York… had overnight lows dropping to 36 below. When you factor in the wind chill, it felt like 47 below.”
— Tracy Anthony ([01:53])

---

2. Faith & Commentary on Political Corruption

[04:09–09:42]

• Daily scripture from 2 Corinthians 4:7 sets a tone of faith.
• Spotlight on political scandals in Minnesota: Rep. Ilhan Omar and husband face scrutiny for potential corruption and skyrocketing company valuations.
• Dalia Al-Akidi, GOP congressional candidate, discusses why fraud has become a top issue for Minnesota voters, and her campaign's grassroots traction.

“We’re not talking about a couple of millions, we’re talking about billions of dollars. The real victims are the taxpayers…”
— Dalia Al-Akidi ([05:44])

• The “Green and Red Alliance”: critique of progressive alliances with "radical Islamists".
• Fundraising and outreach strategies for flipping deeply blue districts.

---

3. Culture & Patriotism: Music and Sports

[09:46–12:47]

• Introduction of Natasha Owens' new single “The Boss” as a conservative answer to Bruce Springsteen’s "Streets of Minneapolis."
• Turning Point USA produces an alternative, patriotic halftime show streamed during the Super Bowl, headlined by Kid Rock, promoting “faith, family, and freedom".
• Contrast drawn between the TPUSA show and the mainstream NFL halftime.

---

4. International Affairs: Olympics Controversy & Middle East Tensions

[12:24–18:48]

• Winter Olympics in Italy: Some Team USA athletes express discomfort representing the U.S. due to political divisions; this becomes a talking point on the intersection of sports and patriotism.

“Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”
— Anonymous Olympian ([12:39])

• Protests at the Olympics: Unrest, sabotage, and security fears are noted.
• The Pentagon severs ties with Harvard over ideological conflicts.

“We train warriors, not wokesters.”
— Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War ([13:20])

• Geopolitical tensions: Brandon Weikart provides insight on the U.S., Israel, and Iran dynamics, warning of increased military escalation and the risk of a wider Middle East war.

“I do think the fundamental issue here is not just the nuclear program... More importantly, it’s the ballistic missiles. Those are the real threats to the region.”
— Brandon Weikart ([14:57])

• Chinese biolabs in the U.S.: Detailed discussion on the threat of state-sponsored bioterrorism, with reference to recently discovered labs in Las Vegas and California.

“The Chinese view biological warfare as one of the fundamental parts of their unrestricted warfare strategy against the United States.”
— Brandon Weikart ([17:37])

---

5. Bitcoin, Kidnapping, and “Trump Accounts”

[18:48–25:47]

• High-profile Bitcoin ransom: Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother; $6 million in BTC demanded.
• Scott Melody (The Cow Guy) explains Bitcoin's appeal for illicit transactions, its legacy, and compliance concerns.

“Bitcoins, a lot of the things that they sold us on… are really exploited by criminals.”
— Scott Melody ([21:11])

• Trump’s child investment “Trump accounts” get positive reviews as a financial education and generational wealth tool; compared to failed Bush-era Social Security reforms.
• Discussion on Americans taking more personal control of investments vs. government-run programs.

“This Trump account is a great way to get some kids involved with the markets and parents… If they max out, that can be… very significant help to them.”
— Scott Melody ([23:03])

---

6. Pop Culture: Super Bowl Halftime Debate

[27:16–33:20]

• Newsroom conversation with Terrance Bates on Super Bowl results, halftime controversy, and Bad Bunny's performance.
• Trump's critique of the halftime show as "an affront to the greatness of America."
• Hosts’ nuanced take: While unfamiliar with the lyrics/culture, they appreciate the visual production and non-political nature of the show. Notes past performances by non-US citizens.

“I enjoyed the Turning Point USA performance… I think it was produced slick, it looked great… But I will say this. Those that are arguing that Bad Bunny is not American—he was born in Puerto Rico… I didn’t hear people complain about [other non-citizen performers].”
— Brian Glenn ([32:08])

---

7. Music Tribute: Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down

[34:10–38:42]

• Sal Costa pays tribute to Brad Arnold, the late lead singer of 3 Doors Down, emphasizing his authenticity, working-class roots, and influence.

“That guy didn’t change at all from that night at the Daiquiri bar to all their success. Anybody you talk to in the music industry pretty much will say the same about him.”
— Sal Costa ([36:15])

• Discussion of Arnold’s openness about faith and the importance of values in the music industry.

“His values and his faith are what this generation of people need to hear more of. Because as time’s going on, we’re getting further and further away from that.”
— Sal Costa ([38:06])

---

8. Final Reflections and Sign-Off

[40:43–43:34]

• Hosts reflect again on Super Bowl halftime performances and the emergence of alternative programming like TPUSA's show.
• Terrance Bates notes the need for more diverse entertainment options during such national events.

“Turning Point USA… has a new niche. They’ve created an environment where you can have counter programming to the Super Bowl…”
— Terrance Bates ([42:53])

---

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Watertown, New York… record low to start off the day… When you factor in the wind chill, it felt like 47 below.” – Tracy Anthony ([01:53])
• “We’re not talking about a couple of millions, we’re talking about billions of dollars. The real victims are to the taxpayers…” – Dalia Al-Akidi ([05:44])
• “We train warriors, not wokesters.” – Pete Hegseth ([13:20])
• “I do think… the fundamental issue here is not just the nuclear program… More importantly, it’s the ballistic missiles.” – Brandon Weikart ([14:57])
• “Bitcoins, a lot of the things that they sold us on… are really exploited by criminals.” – Scott Melody ([21:11])
• “Those that are arguing that Bad Bunny is not American… I didn’t hear them people complain about… the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2.” – Brian Glenn ([32:08])
• “His values and his faith are what this generation… need to hear more of, because as time’s going on, we’re getting further and further away from that.” – Sal Costa ([38:06])
• “Turning Point USA… has a new niche…” – Terrance Bates ([42:53])

---

Episode Flow & Tone

The episode balances serious national and international news with cultural topics and personal stories. The tone is hyper-engaged, direct, and aligned with the Real America’s Voice ethos of unfiltered discussion and “honest views.” Topics transition smoothly: from weather and scripture to politics, patriotism, and pop culture.

---

For Listeners

This episode is a thorough introduction to the American Sunrise approach—mixing actionable news, opinion, and values-driven commentary with community engagement and accessible expert perspectives. It's essential listening for those interested in a conservative take on current events, blending hard news, cultural debates, and a dose of inspiration.

---

Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.

[B]

Welcome to American Sunrise Early Edition, the show where faith, freedom and the values that built this nation take center stage.

[C]

You people and others like you built this country.

[B]

Join us as we break down the stories that matter faf.

[D]

If you don't know now, you know.

[B]

American Sunrise EARLY edition on Real america's VOICE starts now.

[D]

All right. Welcome to America Sunrise. I am Brian Glenn. Lots of stories to get to this morning. Before we do that, let's get today's forecast and take a look at the bottom of your screen right now. There's a QR code. Scan that that's it goes straight to the Weather Nation family. Scan it, get connected. Even better, your hometown forecast could be next. Head on over to the Real American Voice chats on Rumble and getter and YouTube during the 9am hour of American Sunrise. And if you're selected, we'll deliver your hometown forecast. That's live. So jump in, be a part of the fun and join us on Weather Nation now. Joining us now is our very own Weather Nation's Tracy Anthony. Tracy, good morning. First of all, lots of weather. We were talking in the break, it seems like at least you had a chance to enjoy the warm sunshine in Florida. It looks like those cold temperatures finally have moved out.

[E]

Yeah, you know, Saturday, Sunday, just gorgeous weather. We had lots of Sunshine in the 70s. What was it like in D.C. it's cold. Still very I was going to say we had a ton of content and videos coming in from the Northeast because we had a few isolated spots get inundated with snow. So areas of Massachusetts, you can see 13 inches stacking up over the weekend and just white out conditions. Now, it wasn't just the snow. Areas also had some brutal cold temperatures. Now Watertown, New York, they had overnight lows dropping to 36 below. So that was a record low to start off the day on Sunday. So that was just the temperature. When you factor in the wind chill, it felt like 47 below when you stepped outside. Now, our weather pattern is actually changing up here for the week. So the jet stream is going to be moving in more of a zonal flow, which means it's basically driving these storms from west to east instead of pulling in these lows from the north. So we have one more storm system that will move across the Great Lakes very briefly today. But then we're going to watch the Rockies and that low is going to work its way across the lower 48. So pretty calm and quiet for the day today. At least out east we have high Pressure and control. We'll be watching that next system rolling on shore. But temperatures, this is where you're really going to feel the difference. So like I said, south Florida in the 70s. But look at the Twin Cities, 42 degrees, that's balmy for this time of year for them up north. And areas like Denver, 71, so a pretty nice day. And all of us are going to be feeling temperatures well above average, not just today, but also through most of the week this week. So get out there and enjoy the warmer weather. Even New York 37, but with the warm temperatures. Brian, this is such a cool video. I saw it earlier on Today. This is yesterday. It's a video of Lake Erie from satellite. And you can see, see it cracking. Look at that huge crack going right through it.

[D]

That's incredible. Yeah, that is.

[E]

I've never seen anything like it from satellite, so that's awesome.

[D]

You know, from this to those frozen waves, we just can't wait to get into this a little bit more. Springtime temperatures, summer's my month. Winter, I struggle here during the wintertime.

[E]

You know what? It is brutal to the north. I'm from Minnesota, so I get it. I was, you know, I grew up in it. But I'm thankful I don't have to shovel snow anymore.

[D]

Yeah. Well, we appreciate you. If you want to see more American Sunrise, you'll be one of our lucky hometown forecast selections. So tune in to Traci, nine o' clock hour. Thank you, Traci. We'll see you in a few.

[E]

Sounds good. See you soon.

[D]

All right, as we start this morning, we want to begin with God's word. Today's verse comes from 2nd Corinthians 4, 7. It reads, but we have this treasure in earth and vessels, that excellence of the power may be God and not of us. All right, good stuff there. Now back to our top story. After weeks of riots and anarchy, the spotlight in Minnesota shifts back to corruption and fraud. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and her husband now under congressional scrutiny. The value of their companies are skyrocketing from tens of thousands to. To tens of millions in just one year. And this story, state spending on autism care also exploding. More than 13,000% in six years. Joining us now is Dalaia El Akidi, Minnesota congressional candidate challenging Ilhan Omar Sith there in Minnesota. First of all, good morning. Thank you for joining us.

[F]

Thank you, Brian. Thanks for having me.

[D]

Yes, ma'.

[A]

Am.

[D]

Boy, some of these numbers are alarming. I mean, the spotlight has been on your state now for a couple of months with not only the ice rage, but also the fraud. I think people are more concerned, in my opinion, on the amount of fraud that's going on in your state, especially from an elected official like Ilhan Omar. What are you hearing from your possible constituents in that district that you're running to replace her?

[F]

We've been talking about fraud for years and years, but nobody paid attention, of course, having Keith Ellison as our AG and Tim Walls and Mayor Fry. So we're happy that constituents are happy that finally now the nation is paying attention to what's happening. Because we're not talking about a couple of millions, we're talking about billions of dollars. And the real victims are to the taxpayers that work so hard and they, they play by the rule and the, the real people that need these services and they're taking all this money and all these programs away. So we are happy. And Democrats and Republicans, by the way, the, the, the hard workers are very happy that finally we have to put a stop or end to, to these crimes.

[D]

Okay, I'm going to put my campaign manager hat on here for a second. What are you doing right now to get the message out that you're a better person to represent that district than in hon Omar?

[F]

I'm doing everything that I could. I talk to people all the time. I'm a journalist. I've been journalist for 37 years. So I'm a good listener. I talk to the people, I ask them, I give them the option. The great thing now that people need different options. And for me, I reach out to independents, I reach out to central Democrats that are fed up with people like Ilhan Omar, with people like Tim Walls. Ilhan Omar, for years, ethics questions and investigations have followed her. And she always act like the rules don't apply to her. And people are not stupid. People see that. But they're worried because we're very blue district, as you know. They're worried that would vote for someone with an R before the name. But when I talk to them, I attend their events and we argue we might not agree on everything. However, we agree that we deserve better. Minnesotas deserve better representation.

[D]

They do. You guys do deserve better. How's your fundraising going? And if someone wants to get more information on your campaign? I want to give those, those an opportunity that live in Minnesota, possibly live in that district to do that. But how's the fundraising efforts right now? It's going to take a lot of.

[F]

Money to beat Ilhan be my campaign manager. Well, Dalia for Congress f o r daliaforcongress.org and let me tell you, when, when, when people look at the fifth district, they think that it's a lost cause. If it's, if it's that way, then we will allow it to be that way. We need to have a base. We're building grassroots over here. We're having a voice finally to combat what they're doing. The dsa, the Democratic Socialists of America and the far left and the progressives are aligning themselves with the radical Islamists. And that's what we're seeing. It's the green and Red alliance. We have to have a voice. We need to fight. I cannot do it alone without the help of every American who really believes in this country.

[D]

Yeah. Well, we certainly appreciate you taking that fight on once again. What's that website?

[F]

One more time, dalia4congress.org all right, if.

[D]

You live in Minnesota, District 5. If you, if that's, go to the website and make sure she keeps fighting. Thank you so much for joining us.

[F]

This morning, for having me. I appreciate it.

[D]

Yes, ma'.

[A]

Am.

[D]

Yes, ma'. Am. All right. Coming up, a patriotic celebration of faith, family and freedom streamed nationwide as millions watch the game. And then Team USA on the world stage. The Winter Olympics underway in Italy, but some athletes turning away from the flag. The backlash, the booze, all that's coming up next as we continue, Real America's voice just dropped a powerful new song called the Boss. That's by Natasha Owens of Somalia Waltz fame, folks. Go download it. Go push it. Get it to number one. Take a listen.

[B]

From powerhouse vocalist Natasha Owens, known for standout singles like Trump 1 and Somali Waltz, comes her brand new release, the Boss. Released on Real America's music, this is the direct response to Bruce Springsteen's recent release the Streets of Minneapolis. While Springsteen once branded himself as a voice of the working class, the Boss gives a voice to everyday Americans and reminds listeners who truly shapes the future. The real America's voice audience has the power to move charts and shake the industry. Download it right now. Scan the QR code or search the Boss on itunes. Push it up the charts. Make them notice.

[D]

All right. Welcome back, American Sunrise early edition. I am Brian Glenn. More than 5 million Americans watched the football yesterday during the big game. Turning Point USA aired the first ever all American halftime show in the event that featured patriotic music headlined by Kid Rock with country artists celebrating faith, family and freedom. The show streamed on Real America's voice across conservative platforms, offering viewers an alternative to the NFL's official halftime show. Supporters say the response speaks for itself. Proof that patriotic America has a stage again. Meanwhile, controversy at the Winter Olympics in Italy. Team USA athletes speaking out against America, questioning the flag and the US Policy on the world stage. Take a listen.

[G]

It brings up mixed emotions to represent.

[D]

The US Right now.

[G]

I think it's a little hard.

[D]

There's obviously a lot going on that.

[A]

I'm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren't.

[D]

If it aligns with my moral values.

[A]

I feel like I'm representing it.

[G]

Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't.

[A]

Mean I represent everything that's going on.

[G]

In the U.S.

[D]

All right, well, this is. Chaos explodes around the Games, Protesters in the streets, rail lines, sabotage, explosive devices, reportedly found fires and tear gas. The world's premier winter event brought to you by unrest. Pretty sad. All right. And this morning, the Pentagon is cutting academic ties with Harvard University. Now, for years, the US Military has partnered with Harvard on military training, fellowships and educational programs for service members. But Secretary of War Pete Hexseth says that the relationship no longer serves the country, declaring, quote, we train warriors, not wokesters. The move comes after the administration clashes with elite universities over ideology, free speech and campus culture, a decision may argue reflects a larger divide in America's values and national priorities. Now to the latest from Iran. Tensions are now high and the situation is growing more serious by the day. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Donald J. Trump this week in Washington to focus Iran's nuclear program, ongoing negotiation, and what comes next if diplomacy fails. Joining us now is Brandon Weikart with geopolitical analyst. Brandon, how close are we right now to a breaking point? I seem like last week we talked about it, tensions were building, those moving those military assets into that region. It seems like we have more. And even now, where are we at?

[C]

Well, that's for sure. We have now the same amount, I think I heard the Same amount of C17 transport planes are in the Middle east that was there during the surge to Desert Storm. So those are logistics planes. So what that means is we're moving a lot of equipment, a lot of ammunition. We're probably exfiltrating a lot of non essential personnel because we're worried about what will be the sort of retaliation from Iran or ultimately, I do believe that if it were left up to Trump, Witkoff and Kushner, we would have had a deal a year ago with Iran. But it really isn't just up to them. It's also the Iranians getting a vote and the Israelis getting A vote. And you noted that the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is on his way to the White House. To me, this feels like a wellness check because I think Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to go in back in January 15th and Trump pulled back. And so now Netanyahu is trying to figure out, is this guy serious about negotiating association or is he going to support what I want him to do? It's a little insulting, frankly, as an American, but this is where we're at. And I do think that the fundamental issue here is not just the nuclear program in terms of negotiations. More importantly, it's the ballistic missiles. Those are the real threats to the region. And is. And Iran cannot give up those ballistic missiles because they don't have an air force. That's their only defense. And so we're asking them to give up their. Their missiles. And they're saying, yeah, but then that's going to leave us open to Israeli attack. And they're not wrong, technically speaking. So I don't think there will be a deal. I think that Trump is going to be pulled into another Middle east war by Netanyahu.

[D]

Mafraid, you're right in. That meeting takes place on Wednesday. We'll. We'll keep an eye on that. The press, if the press is allowed into that meeting. Brandon, I want to stay on national security for just a second. You wrote biohacked China's Race to control life. And what we've been reporting extensively on this network is the illegal Chinese biolabs discovered in Las Vegas. Now, when you look at Iran abroad and China operating inside the United States, are we looking at two fronts of the same threat? And how concerned should Americans be right now with all this going on? I mean, this bio, this bioterrorism stuff, to me, I'm not, I'm not afraid of a Houthi, okay? I've never seen a Houthi. I didn't see a Houthi this weekend. But, but, but the thought of having a bioterrorism lab in a neighborhood scares the hell out of me.

[C]

Yeah. And this to be clear, this lab in Las Vegas is the second lab they've discovered in three years. The first lab was discovered in Readley, California. These two labs were actually owned by the same Chinese national who came in from Canada several years ago. Now, the national from China is in FBI custody, but his property manager, or I, Solomon, has been arrested in Las Vegas. He's pending charges. But I just wanna make something that's clear to your audience. The Chinese view biological warfare as one of the fundamental parts of their unrestricted warfare strategy against the United States. These two labs are the tip of the ice of the iceberg. These two labs are not the only illegal Chinese funded and run labs in this country. They are probably all over, at least the western United States. Chinese have plans to attack Taiwan. But in order to do that, they've got to distract the American military so much by creating so much chaos both at home here and elsewhere in the world that we're too busy putting out those fires. So it gives them time to mass and take Taiwan at their own leisure. That is the key thing here. The military, I briefed the military. The military thinks, oh, war with Taiwan or war over Taiwan erupts, it's that first island chain. We'll put our navy there. It'll be contained there. Oh, yeah, yeah. I say no. The Chinese are going to hit us with biological weapons from these labs. They're going to hit us in space. They're going to knock out our satellites. They're going to distract us with electromagnetic weapons, EMP weapons. They're going to do things to make life here at home unbearable for the American citizen, knowing that if the American people are too busy putting out the fires that were started by China here, they won't be able to fight over there.

[D]

Brandon, we'll keep an eye on all of this and maybe we'll have you on later in the week. We'll see if we can get a wrap up meeting on Wednesday. Thank you so much for joining us. When we return, new details in the bitcoin ransom case tied to Savannah Guthrie's mother. Reported deadline today, $6 billion demanded paid in Bitcoin by 5pm Mountain time. Why criminals turn to crypto and what happens when the clock runs out. That's coming up next. Foreign. Welcome back, American sunrise EARLY edition. I am Brian Glenn. Bitcoin back in the spotlight. A second ransom note now reported in the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy. Now this latest demand, $6 million paid in Bitcoin by today at 5pm Mountain time. All of this as millions of Americans just saw the Trump accounts promoted during the Super Bowl. Investment accounts for American children putting digital money in bitcoin back in the national conversation. Joining us now is Scott Melody, host of the Cow Guy closed on RFD tv. Scott, thanks for coming on. For one thing, when it comes to bitcoin, why is this the form of payment for criminals? Bitcoin?

[A]

Well, I mean, if you remember how they sold it to us 15, 20 years ago, it was going to be anonymous the government couldn't see it. Nobody knew who was on either side of the transaction. I used to be part of a trading firm in London where you're in compliance and. Right, compliance. People shudder at Bitcoin because you can't know your customer. You don't know where it's coming from and where it's going. So bitcoins, a lot of the things that they sold us, you know, sold us on bitcoin for, are really, really exploited by criminals. And to that, to that matter, this isn't anything new. I was working, did some consulting work for an import export firm here in Chicago about six years ago, and they got held up with ransomware. And so it's very, very common. I think about 90 to 95% of the ransoms and ransomware transactions are done via Bitcoin. And it's only now just started to move over into, say, like, kidnappings, like this Nancy Guthrie thing. It used to be a lot worse. There was a lot more nefarious things that are going on with Bitcoin. But now that's kind of slowed down as well because it's come into the mainstream and it's been, you know, they took it out from behind the curtain. So it's still something I think, that compliance officers are very leery about and are worried about, you know, because you can hide so much with it, and that's why criminals love it. One last thing I'll put in there, though, because, you know, I lived in England for 16 years. I've got a British passport. I traded and worked in the finance industry over there. When you speak in terms of currencies, if you're a foreigner, you speak in terms of US dollars, USD. This ransom note alluded to that when they said 6 million USD. So it's interesting the little things that you can pick out of something like this because you wouldn't. A normal American talking about $6 million would not say USD. Some things like that may give the FBI some clues, and I'm sure they've gotten onto that.

[D]

Good catch on that, Scott. That's a good point. All right, let's break down these Trump accounts and how they work. And I was in the Oval Office when he announced this plan. I think it's a great strategy. I think it builds generational wealth for now, individuals that might not have had that opportunity. But what does it mean long term for American kids?

[A]

Well, there's so many different parts of this because part of it is education, you know, and I often have thought about writing a book myself. I'm the cow guy. And we've got a lot of viewers on my show, and there's such a. Not an illiteracy. That sounds bad, that word. But you know what, a lot of folks need to learn about their money and interest rates. How about compound inflation, which we're all getting killed from today? You know, prices really haven't come down. So this Trump account is a great way to get some kids involved with the markets and parents, and then if they max out, that can be over 18 years, a very significant help to them and getting them started in life. Now, don't you think it's interesting to see how the psyche has changed? Because remember when we were going to have George Bush put us in charge of our Social Security accounts and everybody said, no, no, no, no, we can't let the average American do that. Well, now, I think what Trump's doing is fantastic. He's getting people started a lot earlier. He's not going to hand it over to them when they're 36 or 46 or whatever and get these kids involved in the market, get families involved in actually topping up those Trump accounts and letting them get an education in the finance and finance markets so that they can actually have more power about where they end up in life rather than just have something accidentally happen to them.

[D]

I agree. And also the good thing I think you touched on it is family members can contribute to it. So church or, you know, birthday parties, you know, bring a present or you can throw a couple dollars in his Trump account. That helps the, the total value as he goes on. And, and I really view this as, and you brought up another excellent point when Bush tried to. I mean, I think people, in my personal opinion, have, should have more say in how their money is invested. I think they should be in control of that versus the government. But, you know, a lot of people might disagree with that, obviously.

[A]

Well, so far we've let the government be in control of it, and apparently it's going to be gone in eight years, 20, 33 or something like that. So clearly they have. Their responsibility has been zero. And if we put it back in my. I would love to have been in charge of my Social Security over the last 25, 30 years. Now, you, you know, Social Security is only supposed to be a crutch. It shouldn't be what you totally rely upon. But still, there's a lot of opportunity for people to get that education. This is great for these Trump accounts. The education, I think, is the most important thing. And I think that will force people to understand more about the markets as they get older through school. And I would love to see what schools do about it. I bet you find more investment classes because they're going to know a lot of these kids were born at that period of time, automatically have these accounts and what they can do to make these things, you know, top them up. Employers can top them up. You know, how about that? It could be a carrot for an employer. Come on board with us.

[D]

There you go.

[A]

We'll throw another couple grand in your Trump account every year. I mean, it is, it's, it just gives the power back to the people and educates them as well.

[D]

Good stuff, Scott, as always. Thanks for joining us this morning.

[A]

All righty. Thank you.

[D]

Thank you. All right, before we go to break, let's get a quick word from one of our sponsors, Artillery Tea Company, the only tea company, America first better known tea brand. Their mission is simple, maximize flavor with whole leaf blends and chemical free tea bags. No junk, just real tea. Here's a tactical advantage. Each bag brews twice. Just go to artillerytco.com and use the code RAV for 10 off your first order. That's artillerytco.com premium team, mission driven brood for the brave. Coming up, not a pop star, not a celebrity activist, a blue collar voice from the heartland gone too soon. The music that spoke to everyday Americans. That's coming straight ahead after the break.

[B]

Welcome to American Sunrise EARLY edition. The show where faith, freedom and the values that built this nation take center stage.

[D]

All right. Welcome back to American Sunrise EARLY edition. I am Brian Glenn. Let's head over to the Denver newsroom for the latest headlines with Terrance Bates. Good morning, Terrence. What's going on in the news?

[C]

Right.

[D]

And we've always got something to talk about.

[H]

Super Bowl, super bowl and Super Bowl. Back to you, Brian. No, no, I'm just joking. But we are gonna, we are gonn sports here a little bit. I'm going to take the opportunity. But first, Brian, I figured you would be. Don't expect to get much new information or even perspective on Jeffrey Epstein's crimes during Ghislaine Maxwell's deposition before the House Oversight Committee later today. Maxwell's attorneys say that the 64 year old plans to invoke the Fifth Amendment during her testimony in order to avoid self incrimination. She's currently serving a 20 year prison sentence for her role in the sex trafficking ring that Epstein masterminded. California Democrat Ro Khanna says that he wants Maxwell to name names. The congressman specifically plans to ask about four. Four co conspirators, excuse me. And 25 men other than Epstein, who allegedly had sexually abused minors at Epstein's Island. Khanna has also been one of the most vocal proponents of making information about Epstein's deeds public. And Brian, I want to get your perspective on all of this, especially since this is going to be a virtual deposition and it's going to happen behind closed doors. What's your expectation? Is this going to be a nothing burger, or will he actually get some names named? Or is she just going to kind of. Is this just a departure from her, from her time behind bars, just something to occupy her time?

[D]

This is a two to three hour break from her normal day there. I don't think you're going to hear any names. Matter of fact, I know you won't hear any names on that. But as we see all this information come out over the weekend and just you see these documents dumped, it's more disturbing than I think the American people can take. And I think there's a reason why you don't have legacy media talking about some of these darkest demonic things that we're discovering because it's too disturbing to put in front of grandpa and Grandma watching the 6:00pm news on Legacy TV. It's, it's, it's, it's disturbing, Terrence.

[H]

Yeah, but ultimately, I think what the American people want is names. They want to know who was abusing these children, who was complicit in it. And beyond the names, I guess, Brian, I think it's important that there's also consequences, that there are charges and that people are brought to justice.

[D]

Yeah, and I'll be, I'll be waiting around for that. I don't think that's going to happen either. And I hate to be Debbie Downer here, but, you know, unless they name names, which he's not going to do, and unless our DOJ gets committed to chasing down these individuals and locking them up, and I just don't think it happens. We can all hope it happens, but I just being realistic, I don't know, I hope I'm wrong.

[H]

Hope springs eternal, Brian. Let's hope that these people are brought to justice. All right, time for you to put your sports anchor hat on, Brian. Let's talk Super Bowl. The Seattle Seahawks, of course, this year's super bowl champions. I'm sure you watched the game. The Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker the third actually headed to Disney World as the game's mvp. But according to President Trump, the game's halftime show featuring reggaeton Artist Bad Bunny was a flop. Posting on Truth Social 47, writing, the super bowl halftime show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst ever. It makes no sense, is an affront to the greatness of America and doesn't represent our standards of success, creativity or excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying. This quote show is just a slap in the face to our country, which is setting new standards and records every single day. Sunday's game, by the way, was projected to attract nearly 128 million viewers. With that halftime show in the commercials, of course, being a big draw for that viewership. So, Brian, what do you make of the President's comments? Did you even watch the Bad Bunny show or were you over at the TP USA show, which I understand dragged in about 5 million viewers, which is pretty significant.

[D]

Yeah, I had all the TVs working, so I was monitoring both halftime performances. And I'll say this, and I know I may take some heat for saying this, but I did, other than not understanding anything that Bad Bunny was saying, no hable espanol. But I think overall it was entertaining. There was a lot going on. I think it did represent the Puerto Rican culture, the Caribbean culture, the nations in that area. So I see it like that. I didn't see anything. He didn't come out in a dress. I didn't see any type of gay pride flashed all over the screen. I didn't see that. I saw a culture. Yes. I didn't understand it. I am against the NFL going on this global stage. It's America's game. Should be an English speaking, English, lyrical performer. I get that. But I wasn't offended. I was looking to be offended. I was never offended during this halftime performance. Now with that said, I enjoy the Turning Point USA performance. I enjoyed all the performers they had on there. I think it was produced slick, it looked great. But I will say this. Those that are arguing that Bad Bunny is not of American, he was born in Puerto Rico, he's pretty much Puerto Rican American. But I didn't hear them people complain about this. Rihanna performed not a US citizen. Shakira performed not a US citizen. Coldplay, the who, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2, all these people performed at a Super bowl. They're not U.S. citizens. So that argument that, well, we need people that are US Citizens to perform, that goes out the window. So I'm not defending Bad Bunny and I'm not defending the NFL for putting on what I think is very disconnected. I'm pointing out the facts. I'm just saying, do I Think it was the best choice for the NFL, Terrence? No, I think they should have someone that really connects to the core audience and the consumer and NFL. But at the same time, I wasn't offended. I'm sorry, I wasn't.

[H]

Terrence, I'm with you, Brian. I tend to agree with you. I couldn't tell you a thing that he said. He could have been talking about my mother for all we know. I have no idea. But it was an engaging performance. I will say that there was a lot going on. Again, contextually, I think I understood it. But in terms of what was said, have no idea. All I do know is somebody got married. I'm not so sure anybody has ever gotten married live on a Super bowl halftime show, which was kind of cool. So, yeah, I love was. It was 20 minutes out of my life that I don't feel like I, I've used 20 minutes of my life worse at times. I can tell you that.

[D]

I hear you. All right, well, I'm sure you and I can talk about this a little bit later in the week as well. Thank you, Terrence, so much for joining us. Thank you.

[H]

Of course, Bri.

[D]

All right, now to a story that resonated far beyond rock radio. Brad Arnold, the lead singer of 3 Doors down, has died at the age of 47 after a battle with cancer. This blue collared voice from a small town America who wrote music about real life, real struggles, real faith. His music connected with everyday Americans like our guest and me, Sal Costa, joining us now, member of the Wrecking Room, a guitarist. You were also with My Darkest Days. You toured with the biggest bands in the world. Sal, first of all, thanks for joining us. But when I heard that the passing of Brad Arnold, you are the first person I thought of. Let's reflect on who that man was, not only as a musician, but as someone that was put in high regard as just a great person to tour with. Yeah.

[G]

You know, it's funny that you, you say that because first of all, I miss you. I want to hang out with you soon.

[D]

Thank you.

[G]

But I was talking to my drummer, Rich yesterday and he's originally in the Drummer for Finger 11. He told me this amazing story. He said like 1996, Finger 11 was just getting started. And he's like, they played a show in Mississippi and they had no fans yet. They were like, first tour, just going out, feeling things out. He said, we played this daiquiri bar for three people. He's like, I literally remember there was three people in the audience. It was the Worst show ever. He's like, but we hung out with these guys after that or at the show. We had a good time. He's like, moved on, didn't think about it. A few years later, he's like, this song, Kryptonite comes out, explodes all over the world, Massive hit. And this band 3 doors down ends up taking finger 11 out on the road. And he said, Brad went up to him one day on the tour and said, hey, I remember you guys played this Daiquiri bar in Mississippi. And Rich goes, what? I, I remember that there was only three people there. And he's like, yeah, that, that was us. And he's like, he's like. It was like kind of like a full circle moment. And he said, that guy didn't change at all from that night at the Daiquiri bar to all their success. And anybody you talk to in the music industry pretty much will say the same about him. And I mean, their music is timeless as well. He wrote hits that we'll be listening to forever.

[D]

Yeah, I, I enjoyed seeing a lot of the social media posts from artists that toured with him that knew him, that said, look, there was not a, A, just a greater person. Look, you're in an industry that has so many fake people and you know, the people that will just tell you what you want to hear, they're not genuine. He was genuine in a, in a disingenuous industry.

[G]

Yes, totally, man. And I think part of the reason why they were so, so successful for so long and hopefully will continue to, to be that way is because they're just all good people. Everyone who's ever met, Met those guys has told me they're just amazing, good, honest people. And they. A band very much like the Eagles, where they were a band that you lived your life to like. Everyone has memories of listening to Three Doors down in those songs. Fishing, hunting. You know, I, I grew up, you know, I was, I was a naughty kid in high school. I'd skip school with my girlfriend. We go listen to 3 Doors Down. She was a huge fan. There was just always playing football. There was just. They were a band and his music was music that you just lived your life to. I think that's the greatest compliment you could get being a musician.

[D]

It's timeless. And of course, I know he leaned into, into his faith a lot and was open about it. I saw a lot of clips on that. What's your thoughts on that? Because a lot of musicians want to stay away from talking about religion, but I think it's Okay. I think a lot of audiences resonate with that.

[G]

Well, yeah, I think, I just think values, having people in positions of power who promote good values, I think is so important. I think that's a lot of what he did as well. His, his values and his faith are what this generation of people need to hear more of. Because as time's going on, we're getting further and further away from that. And at the end of the day, that's really what matters in life, you know, is, is that connection, our faith in something bigger. And, and I think people shy away from it because they're worried of being like, I don't know, maybe they're worried that people are gonna not think they're cool or, you know, think that they're irrelevant. But it's the most relevant thing in life. And you, you realize that as time goes on, there's nothing more important about that. And that's what brings people together as well.

[D]

All right, Sal Costa, the Wrecking room. Thanks for joining us this morning, brother. I'll see you. I hope to see you down in Florida soon.

[G]

Me too.

[D]

Thank you. All right, before we go to break international disputes, inflation, rising national debt, digital currency. There is a never ending list of, of reasons gold has risen over 700% in just in the last 20 years. And never ending list of reasons why smarter Americans diversify a portion of their savings into precious metals with the Birch Gold Group. More than any other commodity on earth, gold thrives during uncertainty, which is why it's crucial part of a balanced strategy. It gives you peace of mind given all the events that could impact the US Economy. See if holding gold in a tax sheltered retirement account is right for you. The Birch Gold Group can help you convert an existing IRA or a 401k into a gold backed IRA. Just text the words America to 989898 to receive your free information goal kit. There's no obligation, just useful information. They've got an A plus rating, rating from the Better Business Bureau and tens of thousands of happy customers. Text the Birch Gold Group to help you diversify in gold so you have a peace of mind regardless of the uncertainty here in this country. Text America to 989-898. Again, that's America. Information is on your screen there. 989-898. Do it today. All right. One of the final stretch of America's Sunrise early edition. That continues after the break. Stick around.

[H]

All right.

[D]

Welcome back. American Sunrise Early Early Edition. I am Brian Glenn. That is a live shot. It looks like St. Louis. That's a beautiful. What a beautiful shot right there. All right, I'm gonna bring back in Terence Bates for our final segment. And today we were talking about in the break, the super bowl performance. And granted, you know, no obl Espanol that's about Paquito that I can speak of. But other than that, I love. By the way, I love the Turning Point Halftime as well. I'm not discrediting what they did there. I love the performance. I think it was great. A kind of tribute to Charlie Kirk. Love it. But I think we oversold how bad the Bad Bunny concert might be. And I was, like, waiting for, like, the trans dancers to come in, or I was waiting for the gay plight flags to be. I didn't see it.

[H]

Yeah. You know, the reality is it's a show. It's part of the super bowl, but it's a show. It's meant to be. It's meant to be an addition, if you will, to the game, be the game, good or bad. And as I've said, I have no clue what was being said. I don't know the lyrics. Didn't understand a thing of it. But visually, I think it would be difficult to argue that it wasn't a visually compelling show. There was a lot going on. It kept moving. Like I said, the one thing that I thought was cool was that there was a wedding between a man and a woman. I hate to say. I hate to have to bring that up and be that specific, but there was a wedding between a man and a woman, which I thought was pretty cool. I doubt quite seriously there's ever been a wedding during the halftime of the super bowl, which I thought was pretty cool. And to be honest, even some of the kind of neighborhood scenes reminded me of Spanish Harlem. If you've ever been to Spanish Harlem, which has a pretty. Pretty big population of Puerto Ricans, the bodegas and that kind of thing, that's what it looks like. That's Spanish Harlem.

[C]

Yeah.

[H]

So you know, it.

[D]

It was.

[H]

Okay. Again, the Turning Point USA thing, that was America. And I think that Turning Point usa, quite honestly, Brian, has a new niche. They've created an environment where you can have counter programming to the super bowl because no one's ever happy. Like, you never get 100% happiness with whoever the super bowl performer is. There's always a section of the society that's like, oh, I don't want to see that person. Oh, that's not my genre of music. So there's an opportunity for counter programming to do something else. So kudos to TP USA for taking up that mantle.

[D]

Yeah, kudos to everyone at Turn the Point. They did an excellent job on production. I got nothing to say. The game was a little bit of a lackluster excitement, but there you have it. All right, Terrence, I know you'll be on in about five minutes. You're on the other side of the break. We appreciate you joining us this morning. We'll see you in a few.

[H]

Appreciate you, brother.

[D]

Thank you. And as always, thank you, the viewer, for tuning in to us. We'll see you back here tomorrow morning at 7am until next time. Goodbye. Good blessed. We'll see you. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.