A frontline ally says it needs to win, and we’re told to tell them not to. That tension sits at the heart of our conversation with Michelle Bachmann as we unpack Israel’s campaign in Gaza, the daily grind of terror, and the cost of stopping short under international pressure. We dig into why “no partner for peace” isn’t a slogan but a strategic reality when Hamas rejects statehood in favor of annihilation, and we trace how tunnels, rockets, and influence networks turn ceasefires into cover for rearmament.

From there, we widen the lens to the regional map: Iran’s proxies in Lebanon and Yemen, the role of Syria, and the pressure to accept “peacekeepers” from states that bankroll or host terror leadership. Michelle challenges the reflex to outsource security to Turkey or Qatar and makes a case for a clear doctrine: support Israel with intelligence and weapons, keep American boots off the ground, and stop micromanaging an ally that bears the consequences. We also examine a controversial 20-point plan that, she argues, would carve a terror enclave into Israel’s heartland—bad strategy and bad statecraft.

At home, the debate over borders and assimilation meets national security. We talk sovereignty, visa pauses, and the legal standards that once required immigrants to learn English, contribute, and affirm constitutional principles. Add the propaganda wars—social media campaigns and well-funded narratives—and you get young audiences primed to see Israel as the villain. We counter with evidence from archaeology, a reminder of Israel’s long presence in the land, and a call to anchor policy in first principles that shaped Western democracy, from the Ten Commandments to the rule of law.

We wrap with a simple challenge: regain moral clarity, back allies without hubris, and resist narratives that reward aggression. If this conversation sharpened your thinking, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can join the debate.

Support the show

A quiet holiday reset gives way to a hard question: when should America act to stop mass killing abroad? We sit down with Rudy Atala, Deputy Senior Director of Counterterrorism at the National Security Council, to unpack the U.S. strike that rattled ISIS-linked militants and Fulani warlords in Nigeria’s north. Rudy explains how years of targeted violence against Christians escalated, why Nigeria’s government asked for U.S. support, and how a single precision operation using an MQ-9 and guided munitions helped enable Nigerian forces to move in and stabilize key areas.

We break down Nigeria’s complex map: a 50-50 religious split, a contested middle belt where herder militias and jihadist factions collide with farming communities, and a political backdrop that opened the door to armed networks. Rudy paints a blunt picture of the target set—criminal warlords fused with ISIS affiliates—and the likely removal of a notorious kingpin, Bello Turji. He also tackles a bigger debate many listeners share: where does constitutional restraint meet moral clarity? The approach he outlines is simple and specific—support partners who own their fight, strike terrorists who plan to harm Americans and allies, and reinforce deterrence so villages are not left to fend for themselves.

From there we zoom out to a live threat board. Iran’s proxies, Israel’s push to degrade Hezbollah, the hunt for ISIS leadership in Syria, Sudan’s worsening crisis, and the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint—an artery for global trade where instability raises costs for the world. Rudy’s message is consistent: protect U.S. interests, keep sea lanes open, and help partners hold ground against groups that thrive in chaos. If you want a clear, unvarnished look at how counterterror decisions are made—and why Nigeria became a line in the sand—this conversation brings uncommon detail without the spin.

If this episode gave you clarity, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Support the show

Christmas may be over, but we’re still counting the days with a grin—and counting the wins from a year that felt like a reset. We open with a culture-shifting story out of Washington: a packed, worship-forward Christmas show at the newly rebranded Trump Kennedy Center. Our guest, worship leader and pastor Charles Billingsley, takes us behind the scenes of how a six-week scramble turned into a sold-out celebration complete with a live nativity and a first-ever tree lighting. The most surprising moment? A request from organizers to add more worship and ensure the gospel was clearly shared on a major DC stage.

From there, we zoom out to the systems that shape culture: courts and policy. We break down an appeals court ruling that allows defunding Planned Parenthood under a key administration initiative, and we wrestle honestly with durability. Executive action can open doors, but lasting change requires law. That’s why we argue the next phase must be legislative—turning headline wins into structures that endure through future administrations.

We also look at America’s posture abroad. A decisive U.S. strike on ISIS in Syria sends a loud signal on deterrence and the defense of American lives. Then we examine a less visible battlefield: AI and ethics in modern warfare. A three-star general’s comments about America’s Judeo-Christian moral framework limiting certain uses of AI might sound like a constraint, but we make the case that values are a strategic advantage. Boundaries bolster legitimacy, alliance trust, and long-term strength—proof that principle and power can pull in the same direction.

If you’re hungry for a dose of hope grounded in real policy, real culture, and real deterrence, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review telling us which moment gave you the most hope. Your voice helps keep the momentum going.

Support the show

A secret bag of gold. A midnight window. A bankrupt father praying his daughters won’t be sold. We trace the astonishing true story of Nicholas of Myra and watch how a third-century bishop became the world’s most recognizable giver. This isn’t a North Pole fairy tale; it’s a tour through persecution, courage, theology and tradition that formed the bedrock of Christmas as we know it.

We start with the real Nicholas—born around 280 AD in Asia Minor—who gave in secret, defended the vulnerable and faced prison under Rome. From the Chi-Rho on Constantine’s shields to the Council of Nicaea challenging Arianism, we unpack why “Xmas” points to Christ, not away from Him, and how a slap heard through history signaled the stakes of orthodoxy. Then the story moves: relics to Bari, Urban II calling the First Crusade, St. Francis restoring focus with the nativity, and Martin Luther shifting gifts to December 25 while pointing to the Christchild—Kris Kringle’s true origin.

Across centuries, folklore and faith braided into culture. Boniface felled Thor’s oak and lifted the evergreen; Luther lit the tree like Bethlehem’s sky. England partied like Saturnalia, Puritans pushed back, and Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam welcomed Sinterklaas on a white horse. American imagination took over as Washington Irving suited him in knickerbockers, Clement Moore sent him down the chimney, Thomas Nast placed him at the North Pole, and Coca-Cola gave him a warm, red coat for the modern world. Yet when you peel back the layers, you find a pastor who loved Jesus, protected children, confronted corruption and gave without seeking credit.

If you want Christmas to mean more this year, follow the thread back to Nicholas. Let generosity be quiet and real. Let truth be clear and kind. Let joy be rooted, not rushed. Subscribe, share this story with a friend who loves Christmas lore, and leave a review with the one tradition you’ll keep—and the one you’ll change—after hearing the real Santa’s tale.

Support the show

A few notes of Christmas music set the scene, but the heart of this conversation is bigger than a holiday playlist. We look back on a year where gratitude turned into action: policy wins that reopened space for faith in schools, new training programs that doubled in size, and unexpected doors at the highest levels that accelerated long-laid plans. The throughline is simple and bold—He came—and because He came, we work with hope, grit, and a sense of timing that refuses to waste frustration.

We talk candidly about city delays, stalled buildings, and the feeling that everything rattles right before the sonic boom. Then we map the pivot: more students enrolling for year-long formation, multi-generational buy-in, and an energized network preparing for America’s 250th. From committee rooms to classrooms, we’ve watched history and civic education serve as levers for real change. The Ten Commandments returning to school walls in Texas isn’t a nostalgic gesture; it’s a signal that moral clarity and personal responsibility still matter in public life.

There’s also a sober warning and a clear invitation. When momentum grows, opposition organizes. We draw on Nehemiah’s example to challenge listeners to pick up both the trowel and the sword—serve faithfully, stand watch, and help rebuild the walls that protect our shared future. Whether you’re a student, a parent, a retiree, or a leader in the thick of it, this is the moment to move from spectator to builder. Celebrate Christmas with joy, then carry that joy into your school board, your city council, your church, and your neighborhood.

If this conversation sparks you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review with one action you’ll take before the year ends. Let’s build together.

Support the show

Start with the hard truth: you can’t fix culture if you ignore the home. We sit down with Jack Brewer—former NFL captain turned fatherhood advocate—to unpack why the most stubborn problems in crime, education, and reentry trace back to one root issue: fatherlessness. Jack tells the story of growing up with an engaged dad while watching talented cousins fall into trouble, then connects those experiences to data and the daily reality he sees inside prisons across America.

Jack’s approach is both compassionate and tough. He helped shape major fatherhood legislation in Florida and Ohio, then built programs that go straight into facilities and neighborhoods where hope feels scarce. The model is simple and demanding: train men to be present fathers, enforce clear standards, connect them to their children with tangible support—birthday gifts, groceries, scholarships—and set them up for life after release with IDs, resumes, phones, and references. Most of his staff have served time; they deliver empathy with credibility. And he insists lifers matter too, because a child’s need for a dad doesn’t end when a sentence begins.

We also focus on Texas, where fatherlessness rates and youth risk collide. The numbers are sobering, but the path forward is actionable: laws that promote responsibility without pretending government can replace the church or the family, and a culture that prizes mentorship as a daily duty. We talk about how legislators can open doors for faith-led partners, how communities can restore standards without losing compassion, and how each of us can step into the gap for a kid who needs guidance right now.

If you’re ready to move past talk and into solutions that change lives, this conversation will challenge and equip you. Subscribe, share with a friend who mentors or leads, and leave a review to help more listeners find this message. Then tell us: who will you mentor this week?

Support the show

The line formed before sunrise, security opened, and the room filled until the fire marshal closed the doors—twice. That kind of turnout for an early-morning history session says something bigger is stirring. We dig into why people are chasing origins again as the 250th nears, and how a renewed appetite for primary sources, founding debates, and real context might shape the next chapter of civic life.

Then we shift gears with Michelle Bachmann to scrutinize Minnesota’s fraud crisis and the deeper mechanics behind it. We explore how expansive welfare programs, nonprofit pass-throughs, and weak verification can distort incentives, echoing Milton Friedman’s long-standing warning about combining open migration with a generous welfare state. Michelle walks through claims of large-scale program abuse, the legal frameworks for enforcement and deportation when fraud is proven, and the political barriers that keep oversight tepid. It’s a tough conversation that connects policy details to everyday outcomes.

Housing becomes the stress test. When third parties pay much of the bill, entry-level buyers get squeezed and costs rise faster than wages. We unpack Section 8 dynamics, the legacy of Great Society programs on price inflation, and how audits, clawbacks, and tighter verification could reset signals without abandoning compassion. We also revisit birthright citizenship and allegiance, asking whether current practice reflects the constitutional intent and shared commitment that once defined naturalization.

If the packed rooms taught us anything, it’s that people don’t want slogans—they want footing. We’re chasing solid ground: a clear-eyed reading of our past, honest numbers on program integrity, and enforcement that balances fairness with firmness. Join us for a candid, high-energy ride through revival, policy, and the practical steps that could rebuild trust.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves history and policy, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. Your feedback shapes what we dig into next.

Support the show

A clear moral voice is returning to the ranks. We break down a major shift inside the Pentagon that elevates chaplains from wellness facilitators back to pastors and shepherds—restoring the historic role that once helped cadets and warfighters wrestle with duty, restraint, and the ethics of lethal force. Drawing from George Washington’s orders and the just war tradition, we explain why spiritual leadership belongs alongside physical and mental readiness, especially when split-second decisions carry life-or-death weight.

You’ll hear the key points from Pete Hegseth’s directive to scrap the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Guide and re-center religious affiliation in a way chaplains can actually use. We connect the dots between culture, policy, and mission: how moral clarity steadies soldiers, why vague self-help language falls short, and what it takes to cultivate a force that is both lethal and principled. We also cover an important court development that lifted a stay on the Pentagon’s transgender policy, with judges citing deployability and mental health data. The discussion focuses on readiness standards, not rhetoric, and on the obligation to field units prepared for real-world combat.

Stepping beyond the Pentagon, we look at signals across public safety: the reported drop in violent crime, a surge in espionage arrests, and intensified action against child exploitation networks. We share why moving FBI agents from D.C. into the field matters, and how aligning resources with mission can turn trends. Finally, we reflect on Dan Bongino’s decision to step away from government service, the realities of bureaucratic limits, and the value of focused stints that push reforms forward without losing momentum back home.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who cares about military readiness and moral leadership, and leave a quick rating or review to help others find it.

Support the show