WHERE I STAND with Richard French

Being President is a privilege that should be an honor for the occupant. But by now you've probably heard the news flash that our President is making a mint by using his office for personal gain. Richard explains.

As we prepare to celebrate America’s quadricentennial, we spend a few minutes on how her citizens are feeling about the state of the nation and how our celebration is reflective our times. Richard explains. Happy Independence Day 250!

A leading conservative voice on Capitol Hill said the quiet part out loud.  Listen to what Texas Republican Congressman Troy Nehls said about America’s symbol of democracy, the Statue of Liberty, our beacon of freedom. Richard explains what this means for immigration to our country.

A divided Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship, rejecting President Trump’s executive order declaring that children born on U.S soil are not necessarily American citizens depending on their parents. Because this was settled law that not only had established precedent at the highest court but was codified in black and white in the Constitution, a question arises as to why this issue was reconsidered at all. Richard explains.

Simply put, it appears that President Trump wants to undermine the coming midterm election. Richard explains.

At the recent G7 when Trump again disrespected our longstanding allies this time singling out Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a right wing leader who was once in Trump’s good graces but clearly now no longer. But, Ms. Meloni would have none of it. Richard explains.

There is a new book out that is a must read if you follow politics, or even care about the state of our democracy. The book highlights Trump’s second term, his obsession with political power, personal retribution, one sided loyalty and naked ambition for authoritarianism. Richard provides a preliminary report on Regime Change.

After 4 months of war in Iran what did we actually accomplish? The short answer is not much.  Every analyst of note and a broad bi-partisan bloc of lawmakers in the Senate have eviscerated a letter of agreement that kneecaps every bit of leverage America has while capitulating to Iranian leadership that is as untrustworthy as they are brutal. Richard updates the latest on the Iran situation.

The dedication of the Obama Presidential Center included every living President with the exception of our current occupant which shockingly seemed appropriate. It was an uplifting day with moving performances from a star studded collection of A-list performers.  But what former President Obama said was a reminder of how far we have fallen and what we are missing today. Richard exposes the story of the two Americas.

People innately want and need community. The New York Knicks gave us a magical couple of months but they also let us all come together.  New Yorkers and people far beyond the five boroughs appreciate that gift, now more than ever. Richard reflects on the Knicks victory celebration.

Some are calling it an outright surrender by Trump, others a disgraceful capitulation and possibly, most crippling to Trump’s ego, a far poorer deal with Iran than the one struck years ago by Obama. Richard examines the so called "deal" to be signed with Iran this week.

The idea of turning the People’s House into a locker room and have a blood stained canvas where American history has been made is worse than tacky it was grotesque. Richard takes a look at the UFC Fight Night event at the White House and the crude stain it might have left on that historical place.

On Saturday, dreams were realized and demons were exorcised as the New York Knicks did something most people in the fan base had long expected was an impossibility. Richard reviews one of the most emotional sports victories in the history of sports.

Musk has time and again used this public megaphone to shape news cycles, shift financial markets and even radicalize audiences depending on his self interests or mood that day. Richard looks at a recent event in Belfast where Musk has potentially fomented racial violence.

The message that diversity and inclusion are somehow bad things to the Pentagon’s new decision makers isn’t being lost on those who serve. Going back to the Revolution and the Civil War, military service for Black Americans has been a powerful symbol of their commitment to a country that has not always shown a commitment to them. From the Tuskegee Airmen to many of today's top brass, Richard explores the enduring discrimination that plaques our country.

Democracy needs investigative journalism to be an objective check on authority.  If we allow evidence based, impartial reporting to be replaced by censorship to satisfy any administration we might as well let the White House write the news for us. Richard explores the issues before us.

The Trump Administration recently implemented the broadest firearm deregulation in modern US history, rolling back gun control measures that both law enforcement and gun violence experts agreed made America safer. It will raise the risk of mass shootings, violent crime will likely spike and it will make like that more dangerous for law enforcement. Richard explains.

It’s been over a half century since the New York Knicks have hoisted a championship trophy and Lord knows they still have a tough road to hoe after winning game one. Richard reveals the extraordinary love that New Yorkers have for their team.

Federal judges, including Republican appointed judges, have raised alarms about how the Trump administration has flouted the law citing almost a hundred court orders that have been ignored, the majority dealing with immigration cases. Richard discusses the potential consequences for our country.

Here we introduce you to Bill Pulte the now acting Director of National Intelligence. Mr. Pulte is stunningly unqualified. He has zero experience in national security, let alone intelligence but does have a background in being a partisan troll. Richard gives you the details.

The Iranian regime we apparently overthrew is now dictating negotiating terms. The nuclear program we had supposedly obliterated not once, but twice is now apparently as real as ever. The Iranian military we were told was embarrassed and humiliated is somehow still attacking U.S. and regional assets, and the Strait of Hormuz that we were assured would never be compromised has become a global bottleneck with seismic economic implications. Richard updates us on the status of the war in Iran.

Today let’s honor those who have served our nation with distinction and to whom we owe an impossible debt of gratitude. Let’s also hope our leadership in Washington DC can the same.

Our President has his one time personal attorney Todd Blanche create a nearly 2-billion dollar political slush fund to pay criminals with your tax dollars, criminals who pled guilty to their crimes or were convicted by a jury of their peers. These are people who unlike you and me broke the law, some committing violence and even hospitalizing law enforcement. Republicans are possibly discovering a spine and drawing a line with democrats. Richard explains.

Richard explores the peculiar silence of Republican legislators in light of Trump's attempt to reward convicted and pardoned January 6th insurrectionists and other political allies with cash from an Anti-Weaponization slush fund.

As any conservative incumbent can attest, any disagreement with Trump will not only land you in his doghouse but will earn you a well financed primary opponent, even if it hurts their party’s chances in the general election. Richard looks at the primary defeat of Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and some other Republican candidates on Trump's bad side.

Trump offered to drop his lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for the creation of a nearly 2 billion dollar fund to compensate folks prosecuted by the Justice Department in the Biden Administration... including the 16 hundred rioters who stormed the Capitol preventing the peaceful transfer of power in support of Trump’s big lie of a stolen election. Outraged? Again? Richard explains.

Is China exploiting the war in Iran to maximize its advantage over the United States across military, economic, diplomatic and other fields? If we don’t start playing chess instead of checkers, we’ll look back and wonder why we ever let international relations decline this far. Richard explains.

The costs of the Iran War can’t be spun by this White House no matter how hard they may try. Some experts are saying we’ve already passed the 70 billion dollar mark. But this number is only the tip of the iceberg when you total how much this war will cost Americans. Richard explains.

These are serious times in America and to have the most unserious President trafficking in lies, conspiracies and base division in the dead of night instead of concentrating on matters at hand, that matter most to us, should keep us up at night. Richard explains.

Trump ordered massive cuts to the tune of a 71 percent reduction in humanitarian aid last year.  Research estimates that in those 12 months, 750 thousand lives were lost as a consequence. When you consider what the Trump administration is spending money on, it makes us wonder if we're seeing misplaced priorities.

Since 1998 the federal government through HHS and the Office of Refugee Resettlement helped create a safe space for victims of torture and abuse with specially curated patient care. But now that is all being thrown into chaos with Federal funding cuts. Richard explains.

Why would the Justice Department, tasked with protecting Americans, choose to go against public sentiment, the law enforcement leadership and the highest court of Colorado to try and put high-capacity weapons back in circulation. Well, they are doing it. Richard explains.

The term the “People’s House” dates back to the 1820’s and it came about to emphasize that the White House is public property, not a private residence. It appears that Donald Trump doesn't understand this with his push to construct a massive ballroom that he said he was going to pay for. Well, now taxpayers have a target on their backs! Richard explains.

All of us want, and have a right to expect, that a President honored to represent We The People, should not only embrace normalcy and decency but should not be a walking example of what we don’t want our children to emulate. Is that asking for too much? Richard explains.

That Donald Trump and his boys have quintupled their net worth in the past year and half while so many Americans are struggling to pay their bills and fill their cars up at the gas station is not how this is supposed to work.  A President is supposed to work for us, not the other way around. Richard explains what's really going on.

Though Trump won’t be on the midterm ballot, how the electorate feels about him, his priorities and performance will go a long way in deciding his party’s fate this November. Richard has the numbers!

Rather than understanding the confusion and frustration over a war that has only hurt American's pocketbooks, our Defense Secretary insults and belittles those in Congress with unanswered questions while at the same time asking for a trillion and a half of our tax dollars. Richard looks closely at the work of Pete Hegseth.

In a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines, conservative justices on the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act that protected minority communities. Richard describes the potential consequences of this controversial ruling.

Conspiracy theories, misinformation and outright lies have become so commonplace that the distrust in our institutions has become a foreseeable casualty. Problem is that our current President buys into many of these conspiracies which advances them for others to believe in. Richard explains the consequences of this conundrum.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not only promoted quackery when it comes to disease prevention strategies and treatments but he’s pushed out the real pros and replaced the expert scientists with unqualified skeptics. Richard issues a warning!

The war in Iran is a bombing campaign, not even 6 weeks old, with a military power not considered among the most powerful in the world. Even so, it has cut dramatically into our own stockpile of critical weapons. Richard discusses how this not only affects our own defensive capabilities but the security of allies who have contracted with the U.S. for weapons purchases.

The White House Correspondents' Dinner will take place tomorrow. It will be the first time Donald Trump has attended the event that for a hundred years his predecessors always attended. How will the Donald handle the event with all of his "Fake News" adversaries staring at him? Richard speculates.

An advocacy group reported that hundreds if not thousands of Afghan refugees who helped U.S. troops fight the Taliban who are in limbo at an Army Camp may be sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo after the Trump Administration halted their US resettlement. Richard explains this betrayal of our Afghan allies as well as who we are as nation.

With less than 6 months to the midterms where the stakes couldn’t be higher for a President petrified with losing the House and potentially the Senate to Democrats, he’s flunking every class. Richard shows you the latest polls.

Trump has used that unique power more questionably than any predecessor.  The white collar criminals he has pardoned, the severity of their crimes, the lack of any contrition and the quid pro quo seemingly attached is hurting victims groups such as domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers and child abuse treatment programs. Richard explains.

Pete Hegseth has made our military less cohesive. He has encouraged our enemies. He has insulted our allies. He has risked our security and has not been honest with Congress and we the people. Richard explains why he has to go.

In this segment, Richard presents the stories of two ordinary Americans who displayed uncommon valor to protect others even at risk of their own personal harm. We think you'll agree that more heroes like these would help make America a better place in light of all the corruption we are witnessing today.

It’s not just former allies who are either breaking ranks or raising red flags for the Trump administration, certain people groups who supported Trump handily in the 2024 election are starting to fade away. Richard presents the latest facts and figures in Trumpland.

Hungarians wanted change and they voted with their feet. In this piece, Richard French warns President Trump and even more so those in the GOP running this fall to definitely take note. Listen here to find out why.

If you go down the list of the most listened to hard right podcasters, most of them all have one thing in common, they are in a war of words with Trump. Could the President be losing the support of his base, or is it just words? Richard explores.