Real America’s Voice Live with Steve Gruber – September 5th, 2025

Overview

This episode of America's Voice Live (hosted by Terrence Bates filling in for Steve Gruber) dives into pressing national topics through the lens of American values and freedom. The centerpiece is President Trump’s expected executive order to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War—a move tied to a new “warrior ethos” in the Pentagon. The show also covers the latest jobs report, Chicago’s escalating crime crisis, Florida’s push to end vaccine mandates, and debates campus sanctuary policies. Commentary comes from experts, field correspondents, and guest analysts, weaving in strong viewpoints, memorable quotes, and timely insights.

Segment 1: Renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War

Timestamps: 00:25–13:47
Guests: Ivan Raiklin (constitutional lawyer and former Green Beret)

Discussion Highlights

• Presidential Move:
  President Trump is set to sign an executive order today to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War. The initiative, part of a "warrior ethos" campaign, asks Secretary Pete Hegseth to propose permanent legislative and executive actions for the change.

• Historical Context and Rationale:

  • Ivan Raiklin reminds listeners the department was originally called the War Department, before it became the Department of Defense.

    “The precursor to the Department of Defense was called the War Department. Right. And so it’s nothing really new.” (02:32)

  • Raiklin argues the term “defense” projects passivity, while “war” exhibits strength and confidence—essential to U.S. security.

    “We have a warrior ethos rather than a class of military service members that focus on their pronouns rather than actually focus on war fighting functions.” (03:21)

• Pronouns and Military Culture:
  Raiklin applauds Secretary Hegseth for prioritizing “courage” and “warrior culture,” referencing Hegseth’s recent social media:

  “...he essentially said pronouns, she, hers, fired.” (03:59)

• Does Renaming Promote War?
  Raiklin counters:

  “The whole message during the campaign was peace through strength. So you can’t have peace with those that don’t respect you and try to encroach on your sovereignty.” (05:04)

• Diplomacy in International Affairs:
  Despite talk of strength, Raiklin asserts,

  “Diplomacy is never out the window because you can wait till the very last minute to essentially pick up the phone and say, hey, here’s where we’re at.” (07:13)

• Commentary on the Ukraine Conflict:
  Raiklin calls the prolonged U.S. involvement “a money laundering scheme,” criticizing both parties for unchecked spending (08:13).

Memorable Quotes

• Raiklin on projecting strength:

  “The War Department is to exhibit and exude maximum strength so that those that are trying to be bullies of the American citizens, guess what? We’re not going to be bullied.” (05:41)

• FAFO reference:

  “If you so as touch an American citizen anywhere on the planet, guess what? You’re going to have to get the FO component of fafo.” (06:25)

Segment 2: National Security & Domestic Threats

Timestamps: 08:21–13:47

Key Points

• Foreign Influence Concerns:
  Coverage of an arms dealer, Wafiq Said, purchasing a major U.S. hotel chain close to the White House. Raiklin sees it as a concern but rates internal threats as more dangerous.

• Domestically Rooted Threats:

  • Raiklin is highly critical of Department of Justice inaction against perceived internal enemies (“the largesse of the domestic threatened enemy”).

    “I have never seen and witnessed in my lifetime the largesse, if you will, of the domestic threatened enemy, as I’ve seen over these last several years.” (11:36)

  • Complaints over non-prosecution of January 6 defendants and others, naming officials like James Comey and John Brennan.

Segment 3: Economic Update—Jobs, Unemployment & Federal Reserve

Timestamps: 13:56–22:02
Guest: Dan Geltrude (“America’s Accountant”)

Discussion Highlights

• Jobs Numbers:

  • August saw 22,000 new jobs—far below the projected 75,000. Unemployment ticked up to 4.3%, highest since 2021.

• Fed Policy & Rate Cut Debate:

  • Geltrude argues the data warrants an interest rate cut:

    “It is time for a rate cut... Now, whether that will be a quarter or a half point remains to be seen, but the time has come, in my opinion.” (16:45)

• Current Economic Health:

  • Despite stagnant job growth, Geltrude says recession worries are overstated:

    “I don’t think that we’re anywhere near [recession].”

• Powerball Lottery Insight

  • Geltrude warns winners:

    “70% of lottery winners actually go broke—within three to five years, declaring bankruptcy.” (19:34)

  • Advice: “If you win this thing, the first thing you need to do is put your team together. That’s your lawyer, your CPA and your financial planner.” (21:41)

Segment 4: Chicago Crime Crisis and the Federal Response

Timestamps: 22:04–28:07
Guest: Ben Bergquam (RAV correspondent, Law and Border host; reporting live from Chicago)

Key Points

• Violence Statistics:

  • “Labour Day weekend in this Windy city: 58 people shot, 8 of them killed.” (22:59)

• Federal/Local Stand-Off:

  • President Trump considers sending National Guard to curb crime; local leaders (Mayor Johnson, Gov. Pritzker) resist federal intervention.
  • Johnson has signed an executive order preventing city cooperation with federal law enforcement.

• Bergquam’s Take:

  • Paints a dichotomy:

    “You have the post constitutional America in Illinois and Chicago... and then you have a government under President Trump... trying to restore the rule of law.” (23:30)

  • On failed local policies:

    “It’s liberal policies that just don’t work.” (24:38)

  • On the only way to reduce crime:

    “If you have consequences and you hold a high standard, you have less crime. It’s very simple.” (25:08)

• Protests & Federal Facility Security:

  • Describes increased security measures—fencing, boarded-up windows—at federal buildings and ICE facilities due to expected protests.

    “...a federal agency is boarding up windows and putting up fencing in anticipation of protest because there’s fear of the sort of damage. To me, that’s third world, that’s banana republic kind of stuff.” (27:09)

  • Bergquam:

    “Unfortunately, every major city in America is starting to look like that.” (28:00)

Segment 5: Florida Moves to Scrap All Vaccine Mandates

Timestamps: 28:07–34:24
Guest: Monica Page (TPUSA White House correspondent)

Discussion Highlights

• Florida Policy:
  • Governor Ron DeSantis plans to end all vaccine mandates, including for children—part of “Make Florida Healthy Again.”
• Surgeon General’s Stance:
  • Quotes Florida Surgeon General:

    “One's body is a gift from God. What you put into it is indicative of your relationship with... God... They do not have the right to tell you what you put in your body.” (29:20)

• Link to National Issues & RFK Jr.:
  • White House is supportive due to alignment with RFK Jr.'s “Make America Healthy Again” message.
  • Monica:

    “This what's happening in Florida is not just an endorsement of what RFK Jr. is doing, but it takes it to a whole other level... That it should be up to the individual what he or she wants to put into he or she's own body.” (29:53)

• Critique of Mandates:
  • Monica, based on NYC experience:

    “It is criminal what they did to American people for not getting vaccinated and how we even got to that point.” (30:46)

• RFK Jr. Senate Appearance:
  • Praises his testimony:

    “He raised such a good point where he said... you watched the childhood obesity rate or the mortality rate go up... And he called them out for just sitting by and being compliant.” (32:18)

Notable Moment

• Prediction (on Trump’s 4pm announcement):

  “I got a feeling that it is renaming the Department of Defense the Department of War.” (33:48)

Segment 6: Sanctuary Campus Policies and Student Safety

Timestamps: 36:41–41:33
Guest: Emily Sturge (Campus Reform correspondent)

Discussion Highlights

• Crime/Sanctuary Campus Connection:
  • Trump administration takes “double pronged approach” on crime and sanctuary cities.

    “...college campuses are just standing in the way. I’ve exposed over 40 universities for sanctuary campus policies where they refuse to cooperate with federal authorities.” (37:37)

• Naming Names:
  • Chicago-area: UChicago, Dominican University (has a “front door” team to block federal authorities).
  • Harvard, MIT, California State system, American University—all highlighted for sanctuary policies.
• Taxpayer Concerns:
  • Emily:

    “Of course all of this is paid for with student tuition dollars and also taxpayer dollars.” (39:49)

Segment 7: “What Makes America Wonderful” – Shaquille O’Neal’s Gift

Timestamps: 41:33–44:42

Story Highlight

• 18-year-old college wrestler Tamara Humphries received a new SUV from Shaquille O'Neal, enabling her to commute to University of Pittsburgh on a scholarship.
• Shaq’s message:

  “Keep body slamming people, you keep listening, and you keep your grades up.” (44:26)

Segment 8: Viewer Responses & Panel Debate on Department of Defense Name Change

Timestamps: 44:42–47:26
Panel: Terrence Bates & Eric Bolling

Community Feedback

• Viewer Cora:

  “The DOD is all about war, so why not?”

• Digby Dodd:

  “Doesn’t matter since they are deep state. I think I prefer the kinder, gentler name.”

• Gadsden Warrior:

  “I love it. It’s about time.”

Panel Thoughts

• Eric Bolling:

  “I like the Department of War. I hate the idea of foreign wars... I prefer just protecting the homeland... I think defense is the right way. But then you want to tell the world, don’t mess with us... fafo.” (45:49–46:33)

• Shared Laugh:
  Naming it Department of FAFO (“F*** Around and Find Out”)—lighthearted banter about the messaging such a name would send.

Notable Quotes

• “Peace through strength. So you can’t have peace with those that don’t respect you and try to encroach on your sovereignty.”
  — Ivan Raiklin, 05:01

• “If you win this thing, the first thing you need to do is put your team together. That’s your lawyer, your CPA and your financial planner. You should not do anything until that team is in place.”
  — Dan Geltrude, 21:41

• “There are people in this country that want to destroy this country from within and remake it in their communist utopian vision. That’s what we have going on in major cities across America.”
  — Ben Bergquam, 25:25

• “The thing that separates U.S. first world nations from Third World nations is corruption and security... And unfortunately, every major city in America is starting to look like that.”
  — Ben Bergquam, 27:32

• “It is criminal what they did to American people for not getting vaccinated and how we even got to that point. It feels very dystopian...”
  — Monica Page, 30:46

Conclusion

This episode, true to Real America’s Voice style, pushes back on mainstream narratives and explores current events through unabashedly conservative, populist values. From the symbolism of a Pentagon name change to debates over vaccine mandates and urban crime, the discussions challenge prevailing views while stressing sovereignty, individual rights, and a return to traditional American “strength.” The episode closes with both heartfelt community moments and spirited panel debate, leaving listeners with both information and opinion to ponder.