Steve Deace Show Podcast Summary

Episode Title: Are We About to WIN in Iran? | Guest: Rep. Michael Cloud
Date: March 9, 2026
Host: Steve Deace (with Todd Erzin and Aaron McIntyre)
Guest: Rep. Michael Cloud
Podcast Network: Blaze Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode of the Steve Deace Show centers on current domestic and foreign policy crises—including escalating U.S./Israel conflict with Iran, the political fallout and public perception of these events, and the use (and misuse) of faith in politics. The episode also features a deep conversation with Rep. Michael Cloud, who recently gained attention for his Biblical deconstruction of a progressive pastor's testimony in Congress, illuminating the importance of confronting false narratives with a sound, functional knowledge of scripture and worldview.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rapid Escalation in the Iran War

[05:05 – 08:26]

• Israeli airstrikes targeted more than 30 oil depots around Tehran, leaving apocalyptic scenes in Iran’s capital.
• There are conflicting reports about whether the UAE was involved in a strike on an Iranian desalination plant.
• President Trump emphasizes that unconditional surrender from Iran is the goal and strongly denounces Iranian atrocities.
• Mujtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah, is named Iran’s new "supreme leader," while rumors swirl about his possible death/incapacitation.
• Infighting erupts in Iran’s government, including clashes between the president and the IRGC.
• Oil prices spike, causing international markets to react.
• China, notably, still says it will host Trump soon, "which says a lot" about global perceptions of the conflict’s trajectory.

2. Erosion of Trust: Epstein Case & Online Deconstructionism

[09:51 – 18:41]

• New documents reveal a prison guard at the center of the Jeffrey Epstein death scandal had suspicious financial activity and searched for Epstein news before he died. The general public’s skepticism is reinforced.
• Steve and Todd dissect how, for many on the right, skepticism has curdled into “know nothing” cynicism, preventing any consensus on basic facts (even when clear evidence emerges).
• Steve: "We've gone from 'question everything' to 'know nothing.'" [13:05]
• The hosts warn that this online “bane-like” dynamic will be a challenge for future right-leaning leaders—Trump’s personality can (sometimes) corral it, but it will only worsen if real answers are continually withheld.

3. Iran: War Aims, Skepticism, and Anti-Semitism on the Right

[18:41 – 30:13]

• Steve, Todd, and Aaron debate whether the current U.S. military campaign (Operation Epic Fury) signals real strategic intent, particularly given Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender.”
• Internal skepticism exists about targeting oil reserves: Will this sabotage Iran or harm its future as a potential U.S. ally?
• Acknowledgement that, although there are rational grounds for skepticism about another Middle East conflict (track record, lack of clarity about succession, U.S. domestic crises), much of the online anti-Iran-war commentary is driven not by prudence but by anti-Semitic tropes.
• Steve: “What does that tell you about really what the heart of their dissent truly is?”
• Critique of Tucker Carlson for making unfounded claims about unconditional surrender equating to atrocities (“rape your women…”) [28:34], when history shows otherwise.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Right-Wing Distrust

• Steve Day: “We’ve gone from skepticism to gnostics, basically. We can’t know. But you have to understand, it is the noble lie that sets the stage for this bane-like instinct.” [13:05]
• Todd Erzin: “Every reaction is basically like another booster—let’s hope it works this time. And it just poisons us further.” [17:15]
• Steve: On online right-wing culture: "We've gone from question everything to know nothing." [13:05]

On War and Motivation

• Todd Erzin: “I think Donald Trump is very certain about what he wants to accomplish here. And that's as important as anything..." [18:41]
• Aaron McIntyre: “If you want regime change, you have to signal to the Iranian regime: ‘We’ll blow everything up. There’s nothing you can do about it.’” [22:51]

On Public/Follower Fatigue

• Steve: “Does it feel like…most of the country has already moved on [from the Iran War]?” [23:40]
• Aaron: “Yeah. The only things that would make it return focus are the kinds of news we don’t want to see: American caskets, sleeper cell activations, or gas at $8 a gallon.” [24:03]

On Anti-Semitism and Debate

• Steve: “There are options you could have to make arguments that doesn't cause you to reveal your heart has been blackened by anti-Semitism, and yet they're just choosing to bypass any of those efforts...” [26:39]
• Steve (on Tucker Carlson): “Tucker does clearly say in the video…basically anybody that's for unconditional surrender means that what they're really saying is… they can rape your women... Did we have just mass rapings of German and Japanese women by American soldiers as a result of demanding unconditional surrender?” [29:01]

4. Politics as Religious Battlefields: The Talarico Phenomenon

[33:24 – 49:32]

• Bob Vander Plats joins to discuss the ascendance of Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, whose open apostatization is viewed as a model for leftist political evangelism (“campaigns are now evangelistic crusades”).
• The left is now running openly apostate Christians to “destroy the last bulwark”—the church—against their platform.
• Churches that have taken a “non-political” position are now boxed in: When apostasy becomes a political campaign, avoiding engagement becomes complicity.
• Bob Vander Plats: “This is the time for choosing… Are you going to allow a guy like James Talarico to have the mic and you not confront him...?”

On the Responsibility of Churches

• Steve: “These are not apostate churches. These are good churches… They’re just not prepared to stand up and confront.”
• Bob: “Your job isn’t to have the biggest budget or attendance. Your job is to be faithful to God’s word and apply it to a culture that desperately needs it.” [47:40]
• Todd Erzin: “It is an absolute failure and betrayal for every pastor and/or priest to say ‘I don’t want to get political,’ and you should mock them.” [48:59]

5. Interview with Rep. Michael Cloud: Faith, Confrontation, and Policy

[52:53 – 69:18]

How to Stand for Truth in Public

• Cloud explains his background as a lifelong student of the Bible. He's made it a habit to catalog scriptural passages by public policy relevance to root his worldview in faith.
• He details his viral congressional exchange with a progressive pastor as an example: “I wasn’t trying to do a one-over… but people have sent me different links, and they said it wasn't so remarkable what I said but that a pastor wouldn’t know.”
• Cloud: “It’s really time for people of faith to just stand up and be who we are.” [59:11]

The Digital Currency Threat

• Cloud warns of legislative attempts to sneak in central bank digital currency. Even “putting it off five years” is paving the road for eventual implementation, which represents a massive surveillance risk and threat to freedom.
• Cloud: “If this would be allowed to happen...there’s no amount of good on this side of the ledger that I could ever do in Congress to make the time...worth it. It's that much of an evil.” [68:22]

6. Confrontation, Courage, and Worldview

[70:41 – 79:33]

• Todd and Aaron unpack Cloud’s methods: The ballgame is “being an actual Christian”—having a functional understanding and the courage to confront falsehood, not elaborate scholarship.
• Aaron: “You cannot be caught flat-footed. You have to be willing to confront.”
• Steve: "Love is not tone... Love is motivation." [76:09]
  "There is no knowledge that can substitute for courage in confrontation." [77:33]
• Warning against both emasculated softness (Mike Pence, Rick Warren) and bombastic performative outrage; what matters is motivation and truth, not just volume or niceness.

7. The Disenchanted Young Voter: Megan Basham’s Anecdote

[85:39 – 95:51]

• Journalist Megan Basham recounts a conversation with a young female Trump voter disillusioned after feeling like campaign promises were thwarted by the “men in black suits.”
• Analysis: Current “bro dude” and “chick” versions of the new, non-establishment voter base are demoralized by the perception of deep-state sabotage and lack of results.
• Steve: “The system owes that young lady…and those bro dudes…something to be inspired by.” [95:03]
• Suggestions: Lean into cultural movements like “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) or “MAHA” as effective, if limited, motivators—but ultimately, the responsibility of involvement and confrontation falls on the citizen, not just the system.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |:-------------:|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:05–08:26 | Aaron’s news rundown: Iran war updates, oil, Trump, and global stakes | | 09:51–18:41 | Trust erosion, Epstein revelations, and skepticism on the right | | 18:41–30:13 | Iran war: objectives, anti-Semitism, online debate, and Tucker Carlson controversy | | 33:24–49:32 | Bob Vander Plats: Talarico, apostasy in politics, churches’ responsibility | | 52:53–69:18 | Rep. Michael Cloud interview: faith, courage, digital currency danger | | 70:41–79:33 | Lessons from Cloud: confrontation, what true courage in faith looks like | | 85:39–95:51 | Megan Basham’s anecdote: Youth demoralization, MAGA motivations, system responsibility|

Main Takeaways

• The Iran conflict is rapidly evolving, revealing cracks in Iran's regime and new geopolitical dangers, while U.S. leadership looks to establish "unconditional surrender."
• Domestic trust in institutions has cratered; the right, especially online, is becoming infected by reflexive cynicism and anti-Semitic sentiment, abandoning constructive skepticism for nihilism.
• The left is now weaponizing apostasy as a political tool, and most mainstream churches are ill-prepared to confront this new wave.
• Rep. Michael Cloud demonstrates that confronting falsehood in politics requires a working faith and practical knowledge—anyone can do it, but courage is indispensable.
• The younger cohort of Trump voters—male and female—face intense disillusionment. To keep them engaged, the right must offer inspiration and concrete results, not just tribal gaslighting or nostalgia.
• Ultimately, every citizen must accept personal responsibility for the defense and advancement of truth, both culturally and politically.

Notable Quotes With Timestamps

• On Erosion of Trust:
  "We've gone from skepticism to gnostics, basically. We can't know. But you have to understand it is the noble lie that sets the stage for this bane-like instinct..." – Steve Deace [13:05]
• On confrontation in faith:
  “You cannot be caught flat-footed at all. You just cannot. You have to be willing to confront.” – Aaron McIntyre [72:15]
• On responsibility:
  "Your job isn't to grow the base attendance of a church or have the biggest budget...it's to be faithful to God's word and to faithfully apply it." – Bob Vander Plats [47:40]
• On Demoralization:
  “The system owes that young lady and those bro dudes who we’re missing out on right now owes them something to be inspired by.” – Steve Deace [95:03]
• On Faith & Confrontation:
  "Love is not a tone. Love is a motivation." – Steve Deace [76:09]
  "There is no plan or formula or class or seminar...to substitute for courage." – Steve Deace [77:33]
• On Digital Currency Threat:
  "If this would be allowed to happen...there’s no amount of good on this side of the ledger that I could ever do in Congress... It's that much of an evil." – Rep. Michael Cloud [68:22]

Tone & Style

True to Steve Deace's customary blend of principled conservatism and sharp-tongued snark, the episode mixes grave, big-picture cultural analysis with humor and direct, sometimes confrontational, language. The show is unfiltered, often critical of both political parties, and unafraid to challenge listeners—even those aligned with the hosts’ worldview—to rise above cynicism, engage their faith meaningfully, and take personal responsibility. The mood: urgent, challenging, and resolutely action-oriented.

For listeners who missed this episode:
This installment offers a frank exploration of the tangled web of politics, faith, skepticism, and civic duty in 2026 America. Whether you’re concerned about foreign policy, the integrity of the church, or the battle to keep young voters engaged, the episode blends insight, critique, and a call for courageous confrontation in the public square.