Real America’s Voice – American Sunrise

Episode Date: October 21, 2025
Host: Terrence Bates (& rotating co-hosts including Emily Finn, David Brody)
Podcast Theme: Conservative news, politics, and cultural commentary through the lens of “American values” and “freedom,” challenging mainstream narratives.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode of American Sunrise dives into pressing news and current events shaping America and the world. The show moves swiftly between breaking news, in-depth political discussion, and cultural topics. Main themes include crises at home (government shutdown, National Guard deployments), U.S. foreign policy (Middle East, Ukraine), judicial developments, partisan divides, and “MAGA” movement succession. There is a heavy focus on recent actions of the Trump administration in its second term and debate over policy impacts. The panel uses a conversational and occasionally jovial tone, underscored by calls to “protect the American family” and maintain conservative principles.

KEY SEGMENTS & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. National Guard Deployment Court Victory

(Begins ~11:00)

• Context: President Trump wins a legal battle on deploying the National Guard to Portland, Oregon, following protests and unrest. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals gives the green light for deployment but keeps Illinois blocked, likely requiring Supreme Court adjudication.
• David Brody: Emphasizes the significance of Trump’s earlier judicial appointments:
  • "That Ninth Circuit has been liberal for the longest time...but it's so important that we got President Trump in on that first term. He appointed 10 federal district judges...Now it's a lot more moderate." (12:50)
• Implication: Judicial reform by Trump in his first term shapes outcomes now in his second, reflecting how presidential legacies impact courts.

2. Government Shutdown Standoff

(16:15+)

• Guest: Rep. Mark Alford (Missouri)
• Key Issue: Congress faces a fast-approaching new deadline. SNAP benefits, military pay, and the political blame game loom large.
• Rep. Alford:
  • Blames Senate leader Chuck Schumer, framing the standoff as "the Schumer shutdown."
  • "This is what the Democrats have planned all along with the Schumer shutdown because of Chuck Schumer's fear that he was going to lose a future primary to AOC..." (17:00)
  • Urges a solution as American families begin to feel the fallout.
• Panel Discussion:
  • Anxiety over whether policy intransigence (or willingness to compromise) will be seen as principled or damaging heading into midterms.
  • David Brody: "We shouldn't just get along just to get along... if the policy difference is there, you need to stand firm on your principles." (51:00)

3. Middle East Ceasefire and U.S. Stance on Hamas

(24:00+)

• Vice President J.D. Vance arrives in Israel alongside Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, signaling direct administration engagement as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire hangs by a thread.
• David Brody: Relays Trump's “tough talk”:
  • "We made a deal with Hamas...if they're not [going to behave], we're going to eradicate them if we have to. They'll be eradicated, and they know that." (24:40)
• Congressman Alford: Biblical analogy—failure to “eradicate” evil begets enduring trouble; linked both to U.S. foreign policy and historical context.
  • "We've got to finish our antibiotic with this and destroy Hamas... Eradicate evil. It's obvious all over the Bible." (26:54)

4. Karine Jean-Pierre Leaves the Democratic Party

(28:40)

• Event: Former Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claims she left the Democrats over their treatment of Biden, now identifying as an independent.
• Alford: Dismisses her legacy, suggesting she was either lying or “very stupid” when representing Biden ("we know they lied and were gaslighting the American people..." 28:50), but says, "We would welcome her over to the Republican Party — except I don't think she agrees with our conservative principles."

5. Russia-Ukraine War: Trump’s Proposal

(42:40+)

• Soundbite: Trump suggests that the Ukraine war should end along current frontlines, even if it means ceding the Donbass to Russia.
  • “Just stop at the lines where they are, the battle line. You have a battle line right now... let it be cut the way it is.” (43:20)
• Analysis (Bobby Charles):
  • Praises Trump as a “realist” like Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt.
  • Draws parallel to 1905 Russo-Japanese war and the peace settlement mediated by Roosevelt.
  • “The perfect is the enemy of the good and the good is to end a war that is killing people extensively.” (44:40)

6. Maine Politics, “Woke” Culture & Public Safety

(47:10)

• Bobby Charles (Maine gubernatorial candidate):
  • Wants to use State Department negotiation skills to bring sanity to Maine, fight “woke crap,” and address rising crime.
  • Recently called for National Guard deployment in Lewiston due to safety concerns.
  • "...A lot of out of staters came in and stirred the pot and we have all this woke crap here...very, very mismanaged economy and we have a very unsafe economy."

7. FDA, COVID, & the “Maha” Movement (Make America Healthy Again)

(59:20)

• Guest: Dr. Kelly Victory (Wellness Company)
• Main Topic: New arthritis treatments, and the similarities in inflammatory response between arthritis and COVID-19; discusses ivermectin’s anti-inflammatory properties.
• Victory:
  • Argues ivermectin was unjustly vilified due to lack of profit incentive for Big Pharma.
  • "Honestly, I think it's because nobody can make much money on something because it's so inexpensive. It was vilified during COVID..." (01:01:40)
  • Applauds RFK Jr. for reexamining vaccine policy and food/agriculture standards under the “Maha” banner.

8. Americans Renouncing U.S. Citizenship: A Cultural ‘Exodus’?

(01:08:00)

• Headline: Record numbers of Americans giving up citizenship for tax, politics, or other dissatisfaction.
• Emily Finn: Can’t relate, calls it a “lack of education among young people.”
• David Brody: Emphasizes how difficult (and expensive) it actually is to renounce.
  • “It can take years to renounce your citizenship and it costs lots and lots of money... not so simple.”
  • Notes increase from a few hundred per year to 5–6,000 annually pre- and post-2009.

9. Panel Debates: MAGA’s Next Leader (2028 & Beyond)

(01:36:00)

• Poll: VP J.D. Vance leads as the top Republican 2028 nomination contender (38% of Republicans, 41% of independents), outpacing Trump Jr., DeSantis, and Rubio.
• Steve Gruber (America’s Voice Live):
  • Praises Vance for visibility, but also lauds Marco Rubio.
  • Points out Rubio has transformed since his 2016 campaign, now “powerful” and unapologetic.
  • “J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio together on a ticket, that could be formidable.”
• Brody: Floats the idea that Trump might endorse Rubio, not Vance, as a MAGA surprise twist.
  • “Everybody assumes Trump’s going to endorse J.D. Vance. I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually endorses Rubio... Trump does his thing.”

10. Shutdown Blame Game, Trump’s Agenda, and Republican ‘Ownership’

(01:40:00+)

• Steve Gruber: Strongly refutes any narrative that the shutdown is “on” Republicans:
  • “The government shutdown is part and parcel to the Democrats who did not win the House, the Senate, the White House, making demands as the minority party... It’s not what we voted for, 77 million Americans, all seven swing states.”
• Critique of Trump: Gruber objects to the President’s merchandising (“Trump watches — beneath the office”) and relaxation on environmental rules for PFAS chemicals.

11. Foreign Policy Isolationism v. Interventionism in MAGA

(01:46:00)

• Debate: Trump’s willingness to use force (e.g., in Gaza, against drug boats) is questioned.
• Steve Gruber: Strongly defends preemptive military action against narcotics, invoking America’s Barbary pirates campaign.
  • “Did Thomas Jefferson get the names of the Barbary pirates before we sank their ships?... That is an act of war.”

12. Primary Challenge: Trump vs. Thomas Massie

(01:53:00)

• Segment: Trump endorses an undeclared challenger (Ed Gellerine, former Navy SEAL) against Kentucky Rep. Massie, calls Massie a “pathetic RINO”.
• Analysis: Massie’s opposition to Trump budgets has long made him a target. Brody argues the definition of ‘RINO’ is now relative—"the Republican Party is owned, if you will...by Trump."

13. Veterans Community Project: ‘Tiny Home’ Support for Vets

(01:57:00)

• Emily Finn: Highlights the opening of a sixth tiny home village for homeless veterans in Milwaukee, focusing on PTSD-informed housing and access to services.
• Brody and Bates: Applaud attention to detail and combining shelter with on-site care.
• Notable lighthearted exchange: T. Bates, on the appeal of tiny homes — “I have PTSD every time the 15th of the month comes around and I have to pay the mortgage on my big home. So I want a tiny home." (02:00:50)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• David Brody reflecting on Trump’s judicial legacy:
  "So President Trump was able to make [the Ninth Circuit] a lot more moderate...A big victory for President Trump." (12:45)

• Rep. Mark Alford (on budget crisis):
  "We have got to make sure that we fund our government. That is job number one...this is all on Chuck Schumer. He thrives on chaos out of fear." (17:10)

• Direct Trump quote on Hamas:
  "If they're not [going to behave], we're going to go and we're going to eradicate them if we have to. They'll be eradicated, and they know that." (24:40)

• Bobby Charles (parallels in Ukraine):
  "The perfect is the enemy of the good and the good is to end a war that is killing people extensively." (44:40)

• Emily Finn (on renouncing US citizenship):
  "I am so grateful. Every single time I come back to America. I'm so, so happy to be back home. I do not understand this." (01:09:28)

• Panel (on future of the GOP):

  • "J.D. Vance has been a lot more active as a vice president than most..." (01:36:25)
  • "I wouldn’t be surprised if [Trump] actually endorses Rubio... Trump does his thing." — Brody (01:38:15)
  • "This is what 77 million Americans voted for... Closing the border, throwing out illegals, bringing peace to the world..." — Steve Gruber (01:39:32)

• Steve Gruber (on Trump’s marketing):
  "You're the president...selling watches is beneath the office. I do. And I could, you know, have some quibbles with a couple of his memes..." (01:43:15)

• On the tiny home project for veterans:

  • "What I love about this is that it's not just a home, right? It's not just shelter. Here you go. Here's a home. It's more than that. It's all of these services that come with it..." — David Brody (01:58:30)

TIMESTAMPS FOR MAJOR SEGMENTS

• National Guard Portland legal ruling: 11:00–16:00
• Government Shutdown/Rep. Alford: 16:00–26:00
• Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Vance in Israel, Trump’s policy: 24:00–30:00, again ~01:30:00
• Karine Jean-Pierre story: 28:40–30:30
• Russia-Ukraine war, Trump proposal: 42:30–47:00
• Maine politics & ‘woke’ culture: 47:00–50:00
• Health news & Ivermectin discussion (Dr. Victory): 59:20–01:07:30
• Expats/US citizenship renunciations: 01:08:00–01:13:30
• Weather & forecast segment: ~55:00, 01:15:00
• MAGA’s next generation (Vance, Rubio, Trump Jr.): 01:36:00–01:44:00
• Trump–Massie Kentucky primary fight: 01:53:00–01:55:50
• Veterans Community Project: 01:57:00–02:01:00

TONE & STYLE

• Conversational, sometimes lighthearted (e.g., repeated references to coffee, “dude,” and good-natured jabs).
• Strongly opinionated with frequent biblical and historical references.
• Narratives consistently align with conservative values, anti-Big Government, “America First,” and skepticism toward establishment or “woke” ideology.
• Willingness to critique even conservative leaders (e.g., Trump’s merchandising, environmental laxity).

SUMMARY

This American Sunrise episode highlights the intersection of judicial shifts, budget politics, US foreign policy recalibration, and the persistent migration of the Republican and MAGA movements post-2024. Interviews and panel discussions showcase not only daily news but the ideological debates and generational anxieties of American conservatism. The roundtable questions America’s direction, the efficacy of its institutions, and the sustainability of its political movements, all while maintaining a tone that oscillates between dead-serious urgency and disarming conviviality.