VINCE Podcast – Episode 232
Team USA Hockey Heroes Praise Trump's Support After Gold
Host: Vince Coglianese
Date: February 24, 2026
Episode Overview
On this State of the Union preview episode, Vince Coglianese delivers his signature sharp and impassioned take on President Trump’s second-term leadership. The episode celebrates the Team USA Men’s Hockey gold medal win over Canada, discusses the administration’s major moves on border security, economic rebounds, and foreign policy achievements, and features emotional testimonials from “angel families.” Notably, Vince is joined by in-house economist E.J. Antoni for a data-driven analysis of the Trump economy. The episode wraps with commentary on media bias and political theater, punctuated by the controversy surrounding Gavin Newsom’s comments and the political responses to the State of the Union invites.
Key Segments & Insights
1. Setting the Stage: Trump’s Second State of the Union & The Mood of the Nation
- [00:00-02:00] Vince lays out the episode’s focus: previewing Trump’s State of the Union, the invitation of men’s hockey gold medalists, and emphasizing national resurgence.
- “The State of our Union is strong. That’s what every president says... But this year, it’s true. I mean, just think about how far we’ve come.” — Vince [02:00]
Points Covered
- Reflection on Trump’s perceived turnaround of U.S. border security, economy, and foreign policy.
- Introduction of the “angel families” ceremony honoring victims of crimes by illegal immigrants.
- Preview of Team USA Men’s Hockey attending the State of the Union.
2. Border Security & Angel Families: Emotional Testimony
[04:00 - 08:30]
- Vince details Trump’s policies and new “National Angel Family Day.”
- Two “angel moms” give stirring tributes to Trump’s commitment.
Notable Quotes:
- “You have fought a fight that most people would not want to have to fight...” — Allison Phillips, mother of Laken Riley, [05:28]
- “He never, ever looked away from my pain. He looked me straight in the eye and he said, ‘I will never forget the story of your sweet son, and I will never give up fighting for the American family.’” — Laura Wilkerson [06:43]
- “Does President Trump move on from this? No. He’s made it mission one for his administration.” — Vince [08:27]
Memorable Moments:
- The U.S. Army chorus sings “Amazing Grace” at the White House event, bringing emotional resonance to the ceremony. Vince critiques alterations to the lyrics but praises the gesture. [09:00]
3. Media Reaction & Analysis of Border Policy Coverage
[10:00 - 14:00]
- Vince dissects a New York Times headline’s portrayal of the angel family event.
- Strong denunciation of media “framing” and misrepresentation of immigration data.
Key Quotes:
- “The New York Times is saying...these families are providing cover for Trump’s aggressive policies...” — Vince [10:45]
- “We’re not talking about immigrants, you buffoons. We’re talking about illegal aliens. This whole move...is to lump together people who arrive legally versus those who arrive illegally who have a crime rate of 100%.” — Vince [12:43]
4. The State of the Economy: Conversation with E.J. Antoni
[22:23 - 34:23]
Guest: E.J. Antoni, Chief Economist at the Heritage Foundation
Discussion Points:
- Trump’s economic “course correction” after the Biden years; partial recovery in Americans' real earnings.
- Private sector is adding jobs; government bureaucracy shrinking.
- Notable efficiency gain: “Trump has succeeded in axing something like 10% of the federal workforce. Over 300,000 bureaucrats are gone...you have to go back to 1966 to find so few.” — E.J. Antoni [24:18]
- “Every time you get rid of one of these federal bureaucrats, there’s a tremendous relief in terms of the strain you have on the private sector...” — E.J. Antoni [26:53]
- Trump’s tariff policies did not lead to economic catastrophe as opponents warned.
- Investment is flowing into U.S. manufacturing and construction, driving high-paying jobs and strategic advantage, especially over China.
Notable Quote:
- “Trump just took that burden off 24 million Americans...” — Vince [27:49]
- “I’m happy to report, Vince, that the Hunger Games have not yet started in the United States of America.” — E.J. Antoni [30:21]
Fun Exchange:
- Vince proposes a debate between E.J. and AOC: “Are you prepared to debate AOC? Would you need some prep time?”
- E.J.: “We were both bartenders, so I’d be happy to debate a fellow bartender.” [34:07]
5. Stock Market Boom & Economic Recognition
[38:30 – 42:20]
- Vince highlights Peter Navarro’s accurate prediction: Dow Jones hits 50,000 well before term end.
- “We just hit $50,000 now. Peter Navarro said this wasn’t going to happen...that prediction came true even quicker than he could have possibly anticipated.” — Vince [40:00]
- USA Today piece concedes: “Trump’s economy is resilient and he deserves more credit for it.”
6. Foreign Policy: Hard Power, Mexico, and Cartel Takedowns
[42:20 - 53:00]
- Trump orders mission to capture Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, signaling U.S. seriousness.
- U.S. intelligence and Navy SEALs support Mexican Special Forces in taking down "El Mencho", leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
- “This is only the kind of progress that can be made with President Trump as President of the United States. Not with a Joe Biden, not with anybody else.” — Vince [46:00]
- Evidence that the SEAL mission and U.S. pressure have resulted in major cartel leadership being removed for the first time.
7. Team USA Men’s Hockey: Patriotism & Presidential Praise
[53:00 - 55:00]
- Team USA arrives stateside, celebrates at Miami club, and prepares for State of the Union.
- Debate on allowing players onto the House floor for State of the Union, as many Democrats boycott.
- Matthew Tkachuk: “It was an honor...hearing [the president] supporting us and all the other athletes...We’re definitely honored to represent him and the millions, hundreds of millions, across the country.” [53:02]
- Jack Hughes: “It’s for all the guys that came before us and the young kids that are going to come after us...We want to leave USA Hockey in a better place than when we first got there.” [53:33]
Vince’s Commentary:
- Praises athletes for patriotism and maturity.
- Decries online efforts to politicize their words or past statements.
Note on Team USA Women:
- The women’s team politely declined the invite due to scheduling conflicts but expressed gratitude for the presidential invitation. Vince urges against using this as a political “dunk.”
8. Media & Political Rhetoric: The Gavin Newsom Controversy
[57:53 - 61:27]
- Vince plays Gavin Newsom’s recent comments: “You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech. Maybe the wrong business to be in.”
- Nicki Minaj’s viral reaction: “His way of bonding with black people is to tell them how stupid he is and that he can't read... He's literally slowing his speech down... as if they're children.”
- Vince cites a Washington Post study on how white liberals “dumb down” language in front of black audiences [59:30].
- Audio flashback: Newsom previously bragged about flying through a book, revealing the inconsistency.
Notable Quotes & Soundbites (with Timestamps)
-
[05:25] “You have fought a fight that most people would not want to have to fight. President Trump has...you are doing a thankless job that most people just wouldn't do.” — Allison Phillips, Angel Mom
-
[06:43] “He never, ever looked away from my pain...I will never give up fighting for the American family.” — Laura Wilkerson
-
[24:18] “Trump has succeeded in axing something like 10% of the federal workforce. Over 300,000 bureaucrats are gone. You have to go all the way back...to 1966 to find a time when there were fewer federal bureaucrats than we have today.” — E.J. Antoni
-
[30:21] “I’m happy to report, Vince, that the Hunger Games have not yet started in the United States of America.” — E.J. Antoni
-
[53:02] “It was super cool. It was an honor...We’re definitely honored to represent him and the millions, hundreds of millions across the country bringing a gold medal back.” — Matthew Tkachuk, Team USA Hockey Gold Medalist
-
[53:33] “It’s for all the guys that are coming before us. And, you know, all the young kids are going to come after us...That’s why we play and we want to...leave USA Hockey in a better place than it was when we first got there.” — Jack Hughes, Team USA Hockey Gold Medalist
-
[59:30] “White liberals dumb themselves down when they speak to black people, a new study contends...If you're a white conservative, your diction won't depend on the presumed race of your interlocutor.” — Vince (citing Washington Post study)
-
[60:56] “You've written a hell of a book...I went through it in a quick hour and a half...it reads at an unbelievable pace...” — Gavin Newsom
Other Memorable Moments
- Vince sharply critiques media coverage of immigration and border security, calling out "dishonest, heaping pile of bullshit" reporting. [12:43]
- Extended riff on the significance of reducing the federal workforce ("80 private sector workers for each federal worker").
- Fun, familial tone revealed as E.J. Antoni is outed as Vince’s first cousin. [34:25]
- Analysis of Peter Navarro’s Dow prediction as a rebuke to mainstream economic skepticism. [40:00]
- Passionate, humorous, and sarcastic engagement with current events, listener questions, and left-wing trolling.
Segment Timestamps
- 00:00-04:00 – Introduction, border & “angel families” preview
- 04:00-09:00 – Angel Family testimonials, “Amazing Grace” at the White House
- 10:00-14:00 – Media analysis, NYT coverage of border events
- 22:23-34:23 – Economist E.J. Antoni on jobs, inflation, tariffs [interview]
- 38:30-42:20 – Stock market boom; Peter Navarro's prediction
- 42:20-53:00 – Foreign policy: Venezuela & cartel crackdown
- 53:00-55:00 – Team USA Men’s Hockey: patriotism, presidential call
- 55:00-57:53 – Team USA Women’s Hockey & their SOTU response
- 57:53-61:27 – Gavin Newsom controversy, Minaj reaction, prior statements
Tone & Style
- Direct, highly opinionated, and at times confrontational — Vince’s delivery is unwaveringly conservative, skeptical of mainstream media, and warm toward guests and “real” Americans.
- The tone vacillates between analytical (during economic segments), emotional (angel moms, patriotic athletes), and playful (banter about family ties, lefty critics, and pop culture).
For Those Who Missed It
This episode is a must-listen for those invested in conservative perspectives on U.S. policy, media critique, and the potent intersection of sports, patriotism, and politics. Vince offers plenty of red meat for his base, but also moments of real empathy with the families affected by national policy. Guest economist E.J. Antoni’s data-heavy breakdowns make the economic conversation accessible and actionable, while the sports angle offers a unifying narrative not often found in daily political talk.
Listen for:
- Real-life testimonials from “angel families” [05:00-08:30]
- Economic breakdown with E.J. Antoni [22:23-34:23]
- Patriotic celebrations with Team USA [53:00+]
- Inside-baseball on foreign policy and border security [42:20-53:00]
- Candid call-outs of media bias and political hypocrisy throughout
Note: All timestamps are approximate and rounded to the nearest minute for practical navigation.