America's Voice Live with Steve Gruber — September 24, 2025
Podcast: Real America’s Voice
Host: Steve Gruber
Date: September 24, 2025
Episode Theme: America in Crisis: Political Violence, Budget Battles, and Cultural Upheaval
Episode Overview
This episode delves into the ongoing surge in political violence in the U.S., highlighted by an attack on an ICE facility in Dallas and the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk. Steve Gruber explores the root causes, political ramifications, and the contentious debate around assigning blame for these events. The show also covers the looming government shutdown, fueled by Congressional gridlock, and takes aim at the divisive policies emerging in higher education. The tone is urgent, assertive, and combative, in line with Real America’s Voice’s brand.
Detailed Summary
1. Political Violence in America: A Crisis Point
Timestamps: 01:04–11:00
Main Points:
- Gruber frames the episode with breaking news: a shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, resulting in three victims (one dead, two injured), with the shooter—a 29-year-old with alleged far-left affiliations—dead from a self-inflicted wound. Bullets reportedly bore anti-ICE slogans.
- Links the attack to a pattern of escalating violence, referencing the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk two weeks prior and the attempted assassination of President Trump.
- Gruber asserts, “This is not a both sides issue…I’m sick of hearing it” (06:35), blaming liberal rhetoric for inspiring targeted violence against law enforcement and conservatives.
Key Quotes:
- Sen. Ted Cruz (03:48): “This needs to stop. Violence is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong…To every politician who is using rhetoric, demonizing ICE and demonizing CBP, stop.”
- Tom Holman, former ICE Director (05:31): “This was clearly a targeted attack…one of the bullets had an anti-ICE slogan on the bullet.”
- Steve Gruber (06:35): “It’s not a both sides issue, Josh. It’s not and I’m sick of hearing it.”
Law Enforcement Perspective:
- Interview with Joshua Sherrard (former SWAT commander) on the pattern of politically motivated shootings targeting conservative figures and law enforcement.
- Raises questions about the scope of conspiracies and possible network support behind these attacks, citing lingering questions from the Kirk assassination (07:17–10:26).
- “If Twigg is involved, he should be in handcuffs now, and that’s true of anybody else they can find. We’ll see where this leads.” – Gruber (09:59)
Memorable Moment:
- Sherrard emphasizes, “If we don’t find a way to really get to the root…these groups are homebrewing domestic terrorists…We’re only going to see this violence escalate.” (10:26)
2. Congressman Tim Burchett on Violence and Partisanship
Timestamps: 12:23–20:35
Main Points:
- Gruber invites Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) to discuss political violence, explicitly rejecting the both-sides narrative ("At the core of this is just an evil hatred of this country and everything it stands for" – Burchett, 17:25).
- Burchett and Gruber blame radicalization within academia and media, citing leftist infiltration and a lack of guts among Republicans to stand up forcefully.
- Burchett uses the kudzu weed analogy to illustrate how surface-level solutions ignore the root sources of radicalization (15:08).
Notable Quotes:
- Burchett (15:08): “You cut [kudzu] down…comes back up in five different spots. That’s exactly what’s going to happen right now…We better start getting at the source…these embedded people in our so-called think tanks and our places of so-called higher learning.”
- Burchett (17:25): “At the core of this is just an evil hatred of this country and everything it stands for.”
- Gruber (18:53): “People on the left dancing on the grave of our friend Charlie Kirk…absolutely turned a lot of people off.”
Tone:
- Aggressive, uncompromising, and accusatory toward Democrats and “gutless” Republicans alike.
3. Congressional Budget Showdown & Government Shutdown Fears
Timestamps: 22:00–29:55
Main Points:
- Gruber reviews the Congressional battle over the federal budget and blames Senate Democrats for the impasse; asserts that Democrats prioritize expanding Medicaid for illegal immigrants and adding to the national debt (22:00).
- Features guest Tommy Aiello (National Taxpayers Union), who downplays the impact of government shutdowns on everyday Americans but criticizes the cost of maintaining non-essential government jobs and expanding entitlements.
Notable Quotes:
- Gruber (23:24): “It’s the Democrats that are being the unreasonable ones and they want the government shut down so they can blame President Trump.”
- Aiello (25:33): “It’s absolutely ridiculous…President Trump called those demands ridiculous and unserious. He’s 100% right.”
- Gruber (26:17): “It’s just noise to most people…it is what we’d like to see...reduce the budget, reduce spending, stop squandering money.”
Additional Discussion:
- Questions leadership within the Democratic Party, speculating about Senator Schumer’s future and possible challenge by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (29:31).
4. Cultural Flashpoint: Exclusion and DEI at Cornell University
Timestamps: 32:36–39:21
Main Points:
- Gruber comments on new DEI-related guidance at Cornell University, claiming student councils have told “non-marginalized” students not to attend certain events, which he calls “segregation” and “discrimination.”
- Guest Michael Duke (Campus Reform correspondent) equates these policies to historical segregation and criticizes the shift away from meritocracy in college admissions and hiring practices.
Notable Quotes:
- Duke (33:58): “It’s not exclusionary at all. It’s segregated, Steve.”
- Gruber (34:41): “Didn’t we have a whole civil rights movement about all of this?…I’m so confused. It gives me a headache. Help me here.”
- Duke (36:47): “We need a good solution…it’s the meritocracy, the assessment of whether or not you’ve worked hard, you’re gritty, you’ve had accomplishments and achievements because of your willingness to work hard and do for yourself.”
Tone:
- Sarcastic, exasperated, advocating for a return to “meritocracy” and opposing DEI initiatives.
5. Iran, Protest, and the Battle for Democracy
Timestamps: 41:31–47:04
Main Points:
- Gruber covers the various protests in New York City during the UN General Assembly, including anti-Trump, pro-climate, anti-Israel, and—most notably—a large pro-Iranian democracy rally.
- Guest Dr. Ali Savafi (National Council of Resistance of Iran) describes the continued struggle against the “barbaric” regime, personalizes the tragedy with his brother’s execution, and calls for moral and political, not financial, support from the international community.
Notable Quotes:
- Dr. Savafi (44:21): “My own brother…was executed at the age of 29. Actually, come September 27th will be the 45th anniversary of his execution.”
- Dr. Savafi (46:06): “Iran is like a powder keg…we’re at the goal line and we just need a little bit of push to go over and win victory for our people.”
Closing Note:
- Gruber empathetically remarks, “Can you imagine your country’s taken over by barbarians 46 years later, man, tough stuff.” (47:06)
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
- Sen. Ted Cruz:
“This needs to stop. Violence is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong.” (03:48) - Steve Gruber:
“It’s not a both sides issue, Josh. It’s not and I’m sick of hearing it.” (06:35) - Rep. Tim Burchett:
“At the core of this is just an evil hatred of this country and everything it stands for.” (17:25) - Tom Holman:
“This was clearly a targeted attack...one of the bullets had an anti-ICE slogan on the bullet.” (05:31) - Michael Duke:
“It’s not exclusionary at all. It’s segregated, Steve.” (33:58) - Dr. Ali Savafi:
“My own brother…was executed at the age of 29.” (44:21) - Steve Gruber:
“People on the left dancing on the grave of our friend Charlie Kirk…turned a lot of people off.” (18:53)
Segment Guide (Timestamps)
- 01:04: Show’s real intro, today’s headlines
- 03:48: Sen. Ted Cruz on ICE facility shooting
- 05:31: Tom Holman recounts recent violence against ICE
- 07:17: Joshua Sherrard discusses patterns in violence
- 12:23: Gruber launches segment on political violence trends
- 14:23: Interview with Rep. Tim Burchett begins
- 22:00: Discussion of looming government shutdown with Tommy Aiello
- 32:36: Segment on DEI and exclusion at Cornell with Michael Duke
- 41:31: Discussion on Iran protests with Dr. Ali Savafi
Conclusion
This episode presents a deeply critical examination of current American political culture, painting attacks on law enforcement and conservatives as inspired and organized by left-wing rhetoric. It connects violence, cultural change in universities, and fiscal irresponsibility as symptoms of a larger crisis in American society. Throughout, the conversation is combative, emotional, and unapologetically partisan, culminating in a call for renewed resolve against radicalization, a return to “meritocracy,” and vigilance against threats foreign and domestic.
Listeners are left with pointed questions about how to address political violence and cultural polarization, and a reminder to “wake up” to the gravity of the moment.