Truth in the Barrel: "Unfiltered" with Joe Walsh (12.04.25) Hosts: Amy McGrath & Denver Riggleman
Guest: Joe Walsh
Date: December 5, 2025

Episode Overview

In this candid "Unfiltered" episode, Amy McGrath and Denver Riggleman are joined by former Republican Congressman-turned-Democrat Joe Walsh to discuss pivotal issues facing American democracy in the era of Trump’s second administration. The conversation covers alarming developments in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Congressional dysfunction, threats to the rule of law, and the real-life impact of recent Republican policies on health care, higher education, and civil-military relations. The tone is direct, unscripted, and often urgent, but ultimately focused on defending constitutional norms and advocating for pragmatic patriotism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joe Walsh’s Political Transformation and the Stakes for America

• Joe Walsh announces he’s been a Democrat since June 4, 2025, after a career in the Tea Party and the GOP.
  • “From the Tea Party to the Democratic Party. What am I doing, Amy? I'm just...trying to do my damnedest to rally others to follow me, because maybe, I think definitely, like you, I believe my former party's a real threat to democracy and the rule of law." (02:13)
• Both Walsh and McGrath reflect on putting country over party and the need for a big-tent Democratic coalition.
  • “I know I disagree with a lot of Democrats on some policy issues. I just don't think this is a moment about policy.” (03:43)
• On the diversity needed for successful Democratic politics:
  • "We’ve forgotten that this is a big, diverse, regionally diverse, politically diverse country..." (05:25)

2. The Venezuelan Boat Strikes: Unlawful Orders and Accountability

• McGrath provides specifics on recent military strikes against supposed drug traffickers in the Caribbean, noting disturbing evidence:
  • Orders to "kill all crew"; a drone strike with survivors targeted in a follow-up hit; inconsistency and opacity from Trump and Sec. of War Pete Hegseth. (08:24-11:09)
• Walsh's reaction: not surprised, deeply alarmed at the lack of qualification among Trump appointees, and the administration’s constant lying:
  • “He's utterly unqualified...He was a weekend Fox News host, that's it. But Trump hired him and I expect incidents like this to continue.” (09:09)
  • “To work for Trump is to lie like Trump. And Trump's never taken accountability for anything.” (09:54)
• Consensus that Congress has not authorized these strikes, reflecting a constitutional crisis:
  • "And, you know, Congress hasn't authorized any of this." (12:54, McGrath)
  • "We don't even know who we've hit. Why we've hit." (13:19, Walsh)
• The imperative of Congressional authorization for military force is stressed, and the danger presidents pose when left unchecked:
  • "You owe it to the troops...you owe it to our country, you owe it to the world to have Congress vote on it.” (15:32, McGrath)
  • "Presidents of both parties over the years have abused this. Trump has taken this to...a ridiculously dangerous level.” (16:27, Walsh)
  • “Congress needs to fly back to Washington D.C. right now, and the President needs to make the case for why we need to go to war to Congress and to the American people and then they vote on it. That is in our Constitution. It's Article one.” (15:44, McGrath)

3. Pardoning Drug Lords & Political Hypocrisy

• McGrath points out the contradiction of targeting alleged traffickers while recently pardoning convicted Honduran drug lord Juan Orlando Hernandez:
  • “If we're in an armed conflict with these drug cartels, why is it that the President just pardoned the Honduran ex president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is serving a 45 year sentence for drug trafficking? He just pardoned him. Let him off.” (17:31)
• Walsh:
  • “He's already issued 1200 pardons in this first year, that being one of them...This notion of regime change in Venezuela that no American voted for. But I can't explain this military buildup down there besides that.” (18:35)

4. Congressional Dysfunction and the Threat to Democracy

• Both hosts lament Congress' abdication of its power and oversight duties; Republicans in Congress function as a rubber stamp:
  • “We've been living now for a year without a Congress. I don't think Americans fully realize that there's been no independent legislative branch for the past year...there's no oversight, there's no investigations been going on with anything this administration's doing.” (20:42, Walsh)
  • “Congress is supposed to be a co-equal branch, okay? And they're not right now.” (21:15, McGrath)
  • “Our founders intended it for it to be the preeminent branch.” (21:22, Walsh)

5. Civil-Military Relations & Illegal Orders

• Discussion of Mark Kelly and other veteran Democratic members releasing a "Don't Give up the Ship" message reminding troops to refuse illegal orders—prompting threats from the administration.
  • “Military leaders have a duty, not just a right, a duty to not obey illegal orders.” (23:06, McGrath)
  • “These six Democratic members of Congress simply reiterated the law. And because of that, Trump and Hegseth are going after them.” (22:53, Walsh)
• The "legal black hole" troops now face due to the lack of Congressional clarity:
  • "What is legal and illegal in a world where Congress hasn't voted on the authorization to use military force...?" (25:11, McGrath)

6. Republican Policy Failures: Health Care & Higher Education

• McGrath highlights how a recent Trump-GOP bill cuts federal aid for education/professional programs, harming fields like nursing when they’re most needed (Kentucky already faces major shortages).
  • “They wiped out federal aid for higher education programs, and...downgraded professional programs like nursing and physical therapy.” (27:20)
• Walsh agrees this is a neglected but critical issue:
  • “We don't talk enough about issues like this...My former party, the Republican Party, has never had health care plans. We would scream...We never had a replace. That's the dirty truth.” (28:53)
• Both note the harm to rural states and the hypocrisy of "repeal and replace":
  • “Republicans now refuse to extend the Affordable Care act subsidies...Not every family, but many. I mean, what are we doing?” (33:25, McGrath)
  • “Every Republican that voted for the big, beautiful bill...knew the bill is a piece of crap...This is going to hurt real Americans, especially in red states.” (33:37, Walsh)

7. Quick Takes on Current News (35:00+)

Media Bias Portal

• The Trump White House launches a portal for reporting “fake news” and shaming journalists.
  • “The media's bad. The media is against conservatives, against Republicans. It's kind of the old go to...Trump's numbers continue to go down, he's gonna keep putting out stuff like this.” (35:34, Walsh)

FBI Director Scandal

• Cash Patel, new FBI Director, is under investigation for using SWAT teams to protect his girlfriend and misuse of government jets.
  • “We put a conspiracist, we put a podcaster in charge of the FBI. This is, there's just going to be more of this.” (37:09, Walsh)

Oxford Word of the Year: "Rage bait"

• Defined as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage.”
  • “To me it seems like an old word, but it's perfect for right now because that's what most of our politics is. And I say this as someone who, before he woke up six, seven years ago, I used to engage in this.” (39:15, Walsh)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The Democratic Party is a party that still believes in democracy, the rule of law, pluralism, basic human decency. I want to help my new party defeat the Republican Party. Cause they have to."
  — Joe Walsh (03:10)

• "He is a 13 year old and he's somebody who has championed war criminals in the past."
  — Amy McGrath on Pete Hegseth (17:31)

• "You made a really important point there. What these six Democratic members of Congress did, reminding members of the military to simply obey the law. It's not in a vacuum. I mean, we have a president who's been pretty public that he wants our military on our streets in this country...”
  — Joe Walsh (24:19)

• “Every Democrat back then who voted for the Affordable Care Act, Amy, they knew it was going to hurt them politically, but they believed in what they voted for. I'm telling you, every Republican that voted for the big, beautiful bill, they knew what they were voting for was going to hurt them politically.”
  — Joe Walsh (33:37)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Joe Walsh’s transition to Democrat / Big tent politics — 02:06–06:23
• Venezuelan boat strikes, unlawful orders — 08:24–17:31
• Pardoning drug lords and policy hypocrisy — 17:31–20:15
• Congressional dysfunction & lack of oversight — 20:42–22:33
• Call to honor military oath & refusal of illegal orders — 22:33–26:17
• Higher education & healthcare crisis under new Trump policies — 27:20–33:37
• Quick takes: Media bias portal, FBI scandal, "rage bait" — 35:00–40:25
• Bourbon, tariffs, and Finland as world's happiest country — 40:38–44:35

Bourbon & Final Shout-outs

• Walsh admits he’s a “100% tequila drinker,” not a bourbon fan, to McGrath's mock dismay (40:54).

• Shoutout to Green River, KY bourbon; discussion of tariffs hurting local industry (42:54).

• “When Donald Trump was sworn in in January, by far had the strongest post Covid economic recovery in the world. And this guy single handedly with his stupid unconstitutional tariffs has destroyed that economic recovery.” (42:54, Walsh)

• Finland named world’s happiest country for the eighth year; U.S. drops to #24.

  • “Did you know that Finland is the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row?...We're 24th. It's the lowest we have ever been in this report.” (44:43, McGrath)

Tone & Closing

Throughout the episode, the tone oscillates between frustrated and hopeful, blending gallows humor with deep patriotism. McGrath and Walsh focus on differences that matter—authoritarianism vs democracy—while refusing to get bogged down in narrow policy debates. They end on a light note discussing favorite drinks, bourbon, and the importance of staying hopeful.

Summary compiled from transcript of Truth in the Barrel, “Unfiltered” (Dec 5, 2025). Dialogue edited for clarity and length.