Podcast Summary

Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Episode: AMERICA'S VOICE LIVE WITH STEVE GRUBER - DECEMBER 1ST, 2025
Host: Steve Gruber (with guests Rick De la Torre, Tom Willis, David Zier, Dr. Ben Tapper, David Jones, and Eric Bolling)
Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

Broadcasting live from the Pentagon, this special episode of America’s Voice Live dives into a series of high-stakes domestic and international issues shaping America’s present moment. Host Steve Gruber leads incisive discussions on:

• The U.S. response to escalating instability in Venezuela and the broader hemisphere,
• Suspicion and criticism seeded into the military chain of command,
• National Guard deployments and crime in Washington, D.C.,
• The ongoing drug crisis and blurred lines between narcotics and geopolitics,
• The political climate in Maine, and
• A health segment highlighting approaches to flu season and the skepticism around vaccines.

The show brings on a range of guests—former intelligence officers, active and former military personnel, gubernatorial candidates, and medical experts—sharing perspectives from the heart of power and the front lines of current events.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. U.S. Military, Political Trust, and Venezuela [02:47–14:12]

Guest: Rick De la Torre (Former CIA Senior Operations Officer)

• Military Orders and Chain of Command:

  • De la Torre and Gruber express deep concern about public statements from certain U.S. Senators questioning the chain of command under President Trump, arguing that such comments undermine discipline and morale among frontline troops.
  • De la Torre emphasizes the danger of encouraging troops to “question lawful orders” without citing specific unlawful actions, arguing that Congress members won’t bear the consequences:

    “They're not the ones who are going to get court martialed... lose their security clearance.” (Rick De la Torre, 05:57)

• COVID-19, Military Mandates, and Consistency:

  • Gruber and De la Torre highlight what they see as a double standard; during the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates, critics of chain-of-command discipline were silent.

• Venezuelan Drug Operations and National Security:

  • De la Torre underscores the seriousness of narco-trafficking from Venezuela:

    "It's a theater of politics. They don't focus on the harm and danger—the fentanyl crisis creates... tens and tens of thousands of Americans die every year." (Rick De la Torre, 07:33)

  • Intelligence points to these craft as overtly illicit, not fishing trawlers or merchant vessels.

• Geopolitics Beyond Drugs:

  • The Maduro regime has created a platform for Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and transnational criminal influence within the hemisphere, potentially destabilizing the region:

    "Maduro... created an aircraft carrier in our hemisphere for Russians, Chinese, Iranians..." (Rick De la Torre, 09:34)

• Maduro’s Off-Ramp and Indictment:

  • The Trump administration allegedly offered an exit deal; Maduro refused, insisting on global asylum, a pardon that was “a no.”

    "He missed the boat. He should have taken the deal from Trump. I don't believe this president is the type that's going to offer that again." (Rick De la Torre, 13:23)

2. National Guard Deployment and Crime in DC [17:45–23:25]

Guest: Tom Willis (Active Duty West Virginia National Guard, US Senate Candidate)

• Positive Impact on Washington Crime:

  • Gruber cites dramatic stats showing homicides, sexual assaults, and carjackings at historic lows since National Guard deployment (81 annualized homicides—lowest in 40 years, carjackings down 75%):

    "Why would anyone be opposed to the National Guard coming into a city... to make the streets safer?" (Steve Gruber, 18:49)

• Personal Toll & Refugee Policy:

  • Willis speaks with emotion about the loss of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and the ongoing recovery of Andrew Wolfe, both West Virginia Guardsmen. He critiques the resettlement of Afghan refugees, linking it to the recent violence and blaming political opponents for supporting the program.

• Chain of Command and Political Intervention:

  • Willis joins previous guests in criticizing Senator Mark Kelly for sowing doubts:

    "That just sows seeds of doubt... you're messing with a very trusted confidence between the military and the American people. And now you're running down the trail of sedition, in my opinion." (Tom Willis, 22:56)

3. Breaking News and Pentagon Media Access [25:41–31:12]

Guests: David Zier (RAV Correspondent), Steve Gruber

• Strikes off Venezuela:

  • White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt confirms a second strike was authorized off the Venezuelan coast—a "change of narrative."
  • Discussion pivots to whether escalation against drug operations is justifiable as a war, with acknowledgment of the cartels' global reach and the complex roles of adversarial nations.

• Media, Access, and Security at the Pentagon:

  • RAV celebrates its new office in the Pentagon and its presence among newsmakers, with plans for direct questions in official press settings.

    "We have a place here. We have an office now here inside the Pentagon as Real America's Voice to bring you news from, from the newsmakers themselves directly." (Steve Gruber, 31:12)

• Sensitive Information & First Amendment:

  • Zier notes care must be taken to protect classified information while maintaining press freedom.

4. Economic Outlook and Maine Politics [32:23–36:44]

Guest: David Jones (Maine Gubernatorial Candidate)

• Affordability & Economic Confidence:

  • Despite claims of an affordability crisis, recent Black Friday sales signal optimism. Jones credits the Trump administration for renewed consumer confidence and lower prices (fuel, eggs, etc.), contrasting with the previous inflationary policies.

• Critique of Green Policy and Government Overspending:

  • Jones derides the “Green New Deal,” high taxation, and “non-performing” wind projects.
  • Accuses current Maine Gov. Janet Mills of corruption, mismanaged contracts, and enabling illegal marijuana operations involving Chinese nationals.

• Reform Platform:

  • Pledges to create the "David's Office of Government Efficiency" to audit and reform state expenditures.

5. Health Segment: Flu Season and Vaccine Skepticism [38:05–42:53]

Guest: Dr. Ben Tapper (Director of Epigenetics, The Wellness Company)

• Personal Health & Immunity:

  • Gruber and Tapper both reject annual flu shots, advocating for a focus on personal health and immune resilience instead.

    "I've never had a flu shot. I don't get the flu. I take care of my body. I think these flu shots are worthless." (Dr. Ben Tapper, 38:42)

• Key Recommendations:

  • Emphasizes supplementation (especially vitamin D), clean nutrition, and readiness with at-home medical kits.
  • Warns against annual “fear mongering” about new disease threats:

    "Fear is the fire that fuels the furnace of disease... there's always a fear mongering campaign every single year." (Dr. Ben Tapper, 41:26)

• Preventative Health Approach:

  • "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Advises prevention over reaction and distrust of Big Pharma’s motives.

6. Reflections on RAV's Mission & Media Expansion [45:15–50:18]

Guests: Steve Gruber, Eric Bolling

• Establishing a New Media Presence:

  • Gruber and Bolling highlight RAV’s expansion through new offices in D.C.'s major power centers (Pentagon, White House, Capitol Hill)—a move meant to disrupt the dominance of legacy media and allow more direct questioning of authorities.

• Value of More Media Scrutiny:

  • Bolling lauds RAV’s “light” shining into the establishment and provides a tongue-in-cheek take on the challenges facing Republican candidates and party politics.

Notable Quotes & Key Segments

• On sowing doubt within the military:

  "It's absurd when they don't mention any orders that are unlawful... they've basically just created a scenario... that sends a message that they're against this administration..."
  — Rick De la Torre [03:53–05:51]

• On growing international threats via Venezuela:

  "Maduro... has created basically an aircraft carrier in our hemisphere for Russians, Chinese, Iranians and other adversaries..."
  — Rick De la Torre [09:34]

• On National Guard crime reduction in D.C.:

  "24 homicides in 108 days... would be the lowest rate in 40 years... carjackings are down 75%. Why would anybody be opposed to this?"
  — Steve Gruber [17:45–18:49]

• On chain of command doubts:

  "Now you're running down the trail of sedition. In my. In my opinion."
  — Tom Willis [22:56]

• On healthcare approach:

  "Fear is the fire that fuels the furnace of disease."
  — Dr. Ben Tapper [41:26]

Timeline of Major Segments

• [02:47]–[14:12]: Venezuela, Military Command, and Political Dissent (Gruber & De la Torre)
• [17:45]–[23:25]: National Guard and Crime in Washington D.C. (Gruber & Willis)
• [25:41]–[31:12]: Pentagon Media, News Briefings, and Drug War Scope (Gruber & Zier)
• [32:23]–[36:44]: Maine Politics and Economic Sentiment (Gruber & Jones)
• [38:05]–[42:53]: Flu Shots, Prevention, and Fear Mongering (Gruber & Dr. Tapper)
• [45:15]–[50:18]: RAV Expansion, Media Critique, and Political Banter (Gruber & Bolling)

Tone & Style

The episode embodies a “straight talk,” populist, and sometimes combative tone. Guests and the host stress patriotism, deep skepticism toward establishment figures and agendas (especially among Democrats and the mainstream media), and pride in RAV’s independent status and expansion in D.C.

In summary:
This episode delivers a hard-hitting mix of national security analysis, domestic policy commentary, and cultural critique—all filtered through the Real America’s Voice ethos of “unfiltered news, honest views.” From Pentagon hallways to local politics, and from the border crisis to holiday health, the show leverages its on-the-ground access and roster of experts to offer its audience a perspective at odds with mainstream networks, championing transparency, “faith and freedom,” and robust scrutiny of authority at every turn.