America's Voice Live with Steve Gruber – January 8th, 2026

iHeartPodcasts | Real America’s Voice

Episode Overview

This episode of "America's Voice Live" is split between two major segments. The first half provides in-depth coverage of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant’s talk at Providence Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota, where he addresses financial literacy for high school students. The latter half pivots to current events, focusing chiefly on the ICE-involved police shooting in Minneapolis, reactions from law enforcement, and commentary on the incident’s media portrayal. The episode closes with a discussion of precious metals markets, updates from the "Arsenal of Freedom" tour, and listener feedback.

Segment 1: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant on Financial Literacy

[00:31–25:26]

A Vision for America's Next 250 Years

• Bessant expresses honor in guiding America into its next milestone, reflecting on the nation's strengths and ethos of striving to be "number one".

  • “Our job is to make sure that the US performs at the highest level and keeps performing that way… the rest of the world depends on us.” – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant [02:40]

• Compares the US to Singapore, emphasizing the U.S.'s abundant resources and unique challenges.

Economic Predictions and Policy Directions

[03:58]

• Predicts a strong economic year in 2026; outlines the administration’s “three-legged stool” of economic policy:
  • Trade: America is recalibrating trade policies to favor fair competition, particularly regarding countries like China whose government subsidies distort markets.
    • "Trade had gotten very out of balance… free trade did not mean fair trade." – Bessant [04:14]
  • Taxes: The 2017 tax cuts have been made permanent, enabling businesses to immediately deduct factory and equipment investments, incentivizing them to manufacture in the US.
  • Deregulation: Reducing regulatory burdens, especially for small banks, to spur Main Street growth.
    • “We have lost half of our small banks since the great financial crisis… small banks are the engines that drive the ag economy, small business lending and real estate.” – Bessant [06:03]
  • Anticipates "non-inflationary growth" through deregulation and increased supply.

Interactive Q&A with Students

[07:12–22:17]

Lesson on Compounding and Personal Finance [07:12]

• Wishes he’d learned about compounding: every consumption choice is a missed opportunity for investment.
  • “I wish that I had spent more time just thinking about… every time you consume something, it’s a choice.” – Bessant [07:41]

Digital Age Risks and Opportunities [08:57]

• Encourages digital natives to be cyber-aware as fintech transforms money management.
  • “The more AI there is, the more you just gotta be ready for it… but there’s a lot of opportunity.” – Bessant [09:45]
  • Praises American innovation, notes US fintech leadership over Europe and China.

Improving Financial Education in Schools [12:26]

• Recommends simulations and maintaining model portfolios to learn about stocks and financial planning.
  • Warns against early credit card debt, especially for college students—"a huge amount of financial literacy is what not to do." [15:39]

Evaluating College vs. Alternatives [16:05]

• Stresses the importance of weighing the true cost of college, alternative career paths, and trade schools.
  • Cites examples of high-earning pilots who avoided college debt.
  • “We just made it was college or bust. And I think that’s wrong.” – Bessant [16:07]

Top Three Financial Skills for Graduates [18:47]

• Understanding debt (evaluating types and good vs. bad debt)
• Tax literacy
• Asset allocation (urges young people to invest heavily in equities for long-term growth)
  • “If 16, 17, 18, if you’re not going to need the money until 65, you should be in the stock market.” [19:38]
  • Recommends a measured embrace of risk, like small investments in crypto for its innovation.

Encouraging Participation and Government Engagement [22:17]

• Invites students to visit the Treasury or pursue internships in D.C.
  • “Come see your government and be part of your government.” – Bessant [22:57]

Segment 2: ICE-Involved Shooting in Minneapolis

[25:26–37:57]

Incident Details and Political Fallout

• Steve Gruber recaps the fatal incident in Minneapolis, highlighting that the deceased woman allegedly used her car against federal law enforcement.

  • “If an officer tells you to get out of your car… and you punch the gas with another officer in front of the vehicle, what exactly do you think is going to happen?” – Steve Gruber [26:00]

• Vice President Vance criticizes media coverage, calling it “an absolute disgrace” and alleging it puts officers at risk.

  • “This was an attack on federal law enforcement. This was an attack on law and order. …The media by and large has reported this story has been an absolute disgrace.” – VP Vance [26:33]

Law Enforcement Perspective

• Interview with retired Lt. Randy Sutton:
  • Emphasizes that noncompliance is central in such cases, and that officers’ use of deadly force was legal and justified by precedent.
    • “Every police officer, every law enforcement officer has a duty and a right to protect themselves from death or serious bodily injury.” – Randy Sutton [29:09]
  • Criticizes local political leaders for inflaming tensions and endangering officers.
    • “They are either woefully ignorant of the law or purposefully lying to the public.” – Sutton [29:35]

Host Commentary

• Gruber repeatedly points out that compliance with lawful orders is critical: “Very simple outcome here would have been—stop your vehicle, put it in park, and wait for further instructions.” [36:05]
• Cites rising tensions and fraud in Minneapolis, from “fake daycare” scams to defrauded public funds.

Segment 3: Financial Markets – Precious Metals Outlook

[38:22–44:48]

Interview with Philip Patrick, Birch Gold Group

• Gold and silver prices are reaching historic highs; Patrick forecasts continued strong performance.
  • “Silver… up 150%… I see hitting both of those [price] targets… probably in the first six months of this year…” – Philip Patrick [39:57]
• Cites increased demand from defense, AI, electric vehicles, and sovereign debt concerns as key drivers.
• Advises Americans to consider precious metals as part of their portfolio for asset protection.
  • “Investment banks, now Bank of America, are considering [precious metals] as part of long term allocation. The mindset is changing broadly.” – Patrick [44:06]

Segment 4: The Arsenal of Freedom Tour and American Strength

[45:54–48:42]

Live Correspondence

• Benny Ray Harmony reports on Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s “Arsenal of Freedom” tour, designed to showcase American military-industrial strength and reinforce “warrior ethos.”
  • “This tour is to show… that we have what it takes to compete on a world level. …Peace through strength.” – Benny Ray Harmony [46:08]

Segment 5: Listener Feedback & Closing Thoughts

[48:42–50:07]

• Audience weighs in on the ICE shooting case:

  • “The bottom line is that she made a bad decision and paid the ultimate price.” – Listener comment [49:32]
  • “Tried to run over a cop and get shot. I feel for the cop. He has to live with that.” – Listener comment [49:47]

• Steve Gruber emphasizes personal accountability and the importance of learning from real-life consequences.

Notable Quotes

• “Our job is to make sure that the US performs at the highest level… the rest of the world depends on us.” – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant [02:40]
• “Trade had gotten very out of balance… free trade did not mean fair trade.” – Bessant [04:14]
• “A huge amount of financial literacy is what not to do, what not to do. And I can tell you: running up a lot of debt is the thing you can’t do.” – Bessant [15:39]
• “If 16, 17, 18, if you’re not going to need the money until 65, you should be in the stock market.” – Bessant [19:38]
• “The media by and large has reported this story has been an absolute disgrace and it puts our law enforcement officers at risk every single day.” – VP Vance [26:33]
• “It is always noncompliance that is at the root of these issues.” – Randy Sutton [28:29]
• “Silver… up 150%… I see hitting both of those [price] targets… probably in the first six months of this year…” – Philip Patrick [39:57]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:31 – Bessant on US global standing, Singapore comparison
• 03:58 – 2026 economic outlook: trade, taxes, deregulation
• 07:12 – Student Q&A: lessons in compounding and financial choices
• 08:57 – Fintech innovation and cybersecurity issues in finance
• 12:26 – Schools and financial literacy: practical advice
• 16:05 – College value, career paths, and weighing student debt
• 18:47 – Top three financial skills for graduates
• 22:17 – Bessant’s call for youth government engagement
• 26:33 – VP Vance on media coverage of ICE shooting
• 28:29 – Randy Sutton on law enforcement’s perspective
• 38:22 – Precious metals market breakdown with Philip Patrick
• 45:54 – Benny Ray Harmony on ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ tour

Overall Tone & Takeaways

This episode blends a tone of national pride and pragmatic conservatism, focused on equipping young Americans with essential financial knowledge while defending law enforcement and traditional American values. It’s geared toward listeners who favor robust national identity, self-reliance, and skepticism of both media narratives and regulatory excess.

For listeners: This episode is a practical guide to key financial principles, honest policy analysis, and a forceful defense of American law enforcement and industry. It’s a snapshot of the political and economic cross-currents heading into 2026.