Snowpocalypse Hits. USA Hockey Wins Gold. Kash Patel is a Ridiculous Poser.

Iran Attacks Still Loom. Vets Sue Trump Over His Stupid Arch. More ICE Violence. Lessons from Ukraine’s Drone War for Europe. Vets & VFW Blast Collins. Celebrating the Olympics. Stuck in Tampa while a historic snowpocalypse buries much of America, Army vet and Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff rips through a wild 48 hours in politics, national security and sports—and what it all means for you. From a bomb-cyclone shutting down the Northeast to Trump boasting he can “destroy countries” while massing U.S. firepower around Iran, Paul tracks rising risks of war with Iran, unrest in Mexico after cartel boss El Mencho’s killing, and covert strikes off Venezuela in a dangerous new phase of unchecked presidential power.​ He digs into ICE’s culture of impunity—from the killing of a U.S. citizen in Texas to an 80-year-old lawyer slammed to the ground in California—and why he believes the agency’s broken culture can’t be fixed and must be shut down, while exposing FBI Director Kash Patel’s Olympics “boondoggle,” beer-chugging locker-room photo op, and Trump’s “boondoggliest” cabinet. Paul also spotlights real pushback: veterans forcing the VA to halt a radical benefits rule, lawsuits to stop Trump’s absurd 250-foot arch that would block the view from Arlington, and Ukraine’s three-year fight against Russia and drone warfare that’s reshaping modern combat.​ And there’s still room for hope: Alysa Liu’s joyful figure-skating gold, dominant U.S. women’s hockey, and a legendary U.S. men’s overtime win offer a powerful alternative face of America—and a reminder of the toughness and leadership of American women athletes under political pressure. No guests, no fluff—just a rapid-fire, independent briefing to start your week, whether you’re digging out from the snow or under the Florida sun, with the independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact you expect from Independent Americans—and a call to look out for your neighbors, stand with veterans and Ukraine, and stay vigilant. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Learn more about Paul’s work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.