Behind the Headlines with Paul Dragu

Is the Justice Department actually interested in delivering justice against the people who created the most tyrannical period in American history? If I were a betting man, I’d hold on to most of my chips. Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to see that David Morens, a former advisor to the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), King Anthony Fauci, is charged with conspiring against the United States. According to the government, Morens engaged in all sorts of chicanery. He used his influential position to generate taxpayer funding for a company that was financing gain-of-function experiments in China. He was also at the center of the propaganda operation designed to crush all talk of the virus coming out of a lab. He submitted propaganda papers advocating the bat theory to prestigious medical journals, even though the NIAID’s parent agency was already looking at information suggesting the Wuhan Institute of Virology released the virus responsible for the Covid-19 “pandemic.” And on top of it all, he’s accused of taking kickbacks for all this skullduggery. The charges against Morens reminds us of why it’s so dangerous to allow the government to become big and powerful. Because it allows deeply amoral people to wield enormous power over our lives—power they shouldn’t have. All this comes down to one major takeaway: the federal government should be as small and weak as possible, especially in today’s political climate of profoundly corrupt and sociopathic individuals. America’s leadership class is rotten to its core. And one of the most effective ways to minimize its destructive influence is to give these people as little power as possible. Behind the Headlines is a reader-supported publication. If you like my content, consider becoming a free—or better yet—a paid subscriber.Read my magazine articlesFormer Fauci Advisor Charged With Covid Conspiracy. Is Fauci Next?The Two-party IllusionWill the GOP Civil War End the Neoconservatism Ruse?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] for reading (or watching) Behind the Headlines! If you liked what you heard, please share it with others. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

An unusually high number of American soldiers oppose the war in Iran on moral grounds. Nonprofits that speak to soldiers such as the Center on Conscience & War reported a 1,000% increase in conscientious objector calls since the US launched its joint war against Iran. For many service members, the American strike on the Minab school was the “breaking point.” Others said they began to feel uneasy last year when the military began blowing boats out of the ocean without legitimate assurances that the people in them were drug traffickers. A benevolent government is obligated to carry out PEACE, JUSTICE, and TRUTH. America’s leadership is failing in all three metrics. The poor condition of the country reflects that failure.subscribe so you never miss a diatribeNO PEACE Since World War II, America has been at war more than any other country. And since the 2000s, it been at war more than it hasn’t. And while a reasonable excuse can be made for the Cold War years, there are no legitimate moral excuses for the foreign meddling we’ve engaged in since the 1990s. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the US was the only superpower left, with no legitimate threats to challenge us. Yet we spent decades intervening in the Middle East, harassing and bombing third-world countries, all of it under false pretenses. US intervention in the Middle East hasn’t made the region more peaceful, stable, prosperous, or even freer. It has destabilized it and planted seeds of intra-generational animosity toward the US. If the point was to stamp out Islamic extremism, America achieved exactly the opposite. There is a war in the region right now—and it was started by the US at the behest of Israel. The war has killed piles of civilians, soldiers, and it has injured untold numbers of people. It has caused infrastructure damage that will take decades to repair. And there’s no telling how many extremist jihadi groups it will inspire. There’s also no way to know how much hatred it has inspired against Christians and Jesus Christ, since America professes to be a Christian nation. A peaceful nation is not at war as often as America has been. It does not bomb nations as casually as the US does. It does not stir as much intense hate toward it as America has. Constant warring has also drained trillions of dollars in American taxpayer money, which has piled on debt for generations to come. That is not just. NO JUSTICE A government that loads its people up with debt that will eventually trigger some sort of economic crisis is an unjust government. A government that spends a great deal of its limited energy and resources on foreign entanglements while carrying out domestic policies that make its people poorer, dumber, and sicker is an unjust one. A government that sends is soldiers off to fight and die for a foreign nation is an unjust one. So is one that protects pedophiles and satan worshippers. The lack of transparency and accountability toward the Epstein Files alone proves that this government is not interested in justice. They’re illegally withholding millions of files. Given what we’ve learned from the released documents, the hidden ones are probably so disturbing that it could lead to worldwide unrest. The Epstein files show that powerful people live outside the law. The “Justice” Department’s refusal to hold anyone else accountable shows that someone else is in charge, people who are not only disinterested in justice, but people who are outright predators. NO TRUTH And for these people, as for our leadership class, DECEPTION is the rule. They lie about everything all the time. They lied about why they sent Americans to die in the Middle East—again. They lied that the Covid shot was “safe and effective.”They lied about their stupid 6-foot rule. They lied that tissue face masks had power to curb the spread of a microbial disease. They lied about the reason they suppressed nuclear power for decades. They lied about climate change. They conceal the truth about the poisonous food on our grocery shelves. They lie about everything all the time. And sitting by and doing next to nothing is America’s evangelical leadership class. Read my magazine articlesNonprofits Say Opposition to Iran War Is High Among Military MembersWhat Is the Iran War Really About?How Israel Fooled Trump Into War With Iran, According to Joe KentTrumpism vs. Americanism: Will Massie Prevail in 2026?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

The president may be coming to his senses. Maybe. Or—or!—maybe he just says he wants to end the Iran war to cool the frenzied oil markets. Hopefully, however, he really does want to end the war. Hopefully, what he said during his press conference on Monday is true. The faster we leave Iran, the better. As usual with these Middle Eastern sand traps, the American people have gained absolutely nothing. Worse, also as usual, we’ve lost a great deal. This war has cost us nearly $1 billion a day, which is quite significant given that the country is $39 trillion in debt. It has depleted our munitions. Also, it has killed least eight Americans. I’m sure those numbers will get worse. The injury tally is much—much!—worse. The latest number says 140 Americans have been injured. And for what?It turns out Iran’s new leader is the younger, equally radical son of the elder Khamenei. Moreover, the people of Iran have not risen up and taken over their government. Word is they refuse to do the bidding of the American empire. And, by the looks of it, Trump is giving up on an uprising. He said he’s open to ending the operation without regime chance. No regime change. No popular uprising. But it gets worse. There’s no telling how many new radicals this unprovoked war will create. But it will nonetheless. Listen to my analysis on why this war is such a terrible idea, what we’ve lost, and who is mainly to blame. Read my magazine articlesTrump Says Iran War Over “Soon” as New Hardliner Takes PowerWhat Is the Iran War Really About?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

I’m crushed. I had more faith in “conservatives.” I thought they had principles, that they were more than partisan automaton. It turns out I was wrong. Read my magazine articlesWhat Is the Iran War Really About?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Bill Gates is in damage control mode, another causality of the Epstein Files release. This week, he owned up to his extramarital philandering when he addressed Gates Foundation staff. But his version of what happened is a little different from the version that was coursing through the news ecosystem. Yes, he had affairs with Russian females, but it wasn’t prostitutes. Given his sociopathic pattern, there’s no telling if he’s telling the truth. Read my magazine articlesBill Gates Admits Russian Affairs As Epstein Files Fuel Calls for Justice in AmericaPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

I remember the excitement and optimism coursing through conservatize America when Donald Trump arrived on the political scene. It was refreshing to hear a presidential candidate acknowledge that the Establishment power structure was made up of war-loving liars who intentionally inundated American cities with third world migrants. People loved how Trump outplayed the media at their own game. They loved that he said out loud what we’d all been thinking for a long time. They loved him— because he loved America. Trump made people believe real change was possible. Trumpism came on the scene at the same time I was entering journalism. I had a first row seat to the excitement, hysteria, and derangement—to a historic movement. I covered the rallies as Trump mania took over any town the president touched down in. I proofed piles of mainstream reports by propagandists going apoplectic over everything the former real estate tycoon did and said. They attacked him day after day. But like weak fighters swinging into the air, they could never land anything substantial. It didn’t matter what they said, because Trump tapped into a movement, a constituency tired of wars, third world migrants, and lying politicians. He had their back—and he was going to save America. Things were changing. We were on the verge of true transformation in this country. Until we weren’t. After one year into Trump’s second term, it’s become clear that, in many ways, Trump has become like the neoconservatives he defeated early in his political career. Like cockroaches, they survived years of fumigating and are now crawling all over the White House, including into the president’s ear. Meanwhile, under the shrinking MAGA tent, another movement is brewing. Unlike Trumpism, this movement is dedicated to principles that our government was supposed to adhere to all along. It’s a little less flashy but much heavier on substance. And its emerging leader is a nerdy MIT graduate who has displayed more backbone than every veteran in Congress. Is America ready for an political movement that wants smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and no more wars without congressional approval?Listen to my analysis in the video above…Read my magazine articlesTrumpism vs. Americanism: Will Massie Prevail in 2026?Massie’s Campaign HQ Launch Draws Large, Excited CrowdPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Trump supporters did not vote for war with Iran. They didn’t vote for any military action against Iran—or any other country. In fact, Trump ran on the promise that he would be different from the warmongering neocons. He would be a president of peace. That means “no new wars.” Remember that? No new wars. Soooo …. why then are we about to go to war with Iran?Apparently, the Iranians will obtain a nuclear weapon if we don’t do something. That’s odd. Didn’t President Trump tell us last summer that the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities obliterated their nuclear program? Obliterated. Didn’t he insist that it set their nuclear program back “decades”? Not months. Not years. Decades. It hasn’t even been a year. These are not serious people. This is another reminder that the patients are running the asylum. If the Epstein emails have proven anything, it’s that the elite class is every bit as incompetent and sociopathic as it appears. Yet it’s this same class of people who have designated themselves global arbiters, deciding who can have dangerous weapons and who can’t, who can partake in the global economy and who can’t, who deserves to be struck with the lethal hammer of American might and who doesn’t. It’s time for the American people to seriously think about whether the decent character of the general population is reflected in our government’s actions around the world. Read my magazine articlesDiplomacy or Deception? U.S. Builds Firepower While Iran FortifiesPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

In 1919, a man named Rudolf Steiner delivered a lecture titled “The Ahrimanic Deception.” Ahriman refers to an ancient demon Steiner predicted would manifest “in all things physical — especially human technologies.” Steiner predicted this would happen sometimes around, well … now. In 2014, tech guru Elon Musk warned that AI technology was a conduit for demonic activity. He said:“With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like – yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Doesn’t work out.”In 2023, thousands of tech experts signed a letter in support of a pause on the training of powerful AI systems. That same year, Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI,” quit his job at Google and said there was a 20-percent chance that AI would wipe out humanity completely.In 2025, Congress held hearings during which devastated parents testified how AI chatbots convinced their children to kill themselves. And, over the last few weeks, AI researchers have been quitting and broadcasting ominous warnings such as, “the world is in peril.” Even the pope is issuing warnings about this technology. Something is happening. It’s been happening for years. And it obviously doesn’t appear to be good. Stories of AIs saying crazy and evil things continuously emerge. And we should consider how much worse it is. When it comes to technology, what the public knows is usually behind by years. It’s time to consider that just as evil spiritual beings are capable of inhabiting humans and animals, as the Bible says, they’re likely capable of possessing machines. Watch the video for more on this …If you enjoy my video or find some value in it, feel free to share it with othersRead my magazine articlesThe World in Peril? Leading Figures Issue AI Warning as Devilish Pattern EmergesAI: The Globalists’ Tool for World GovernmentAI Chatbots Are Telling Children to Commit SuicidePaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Unlike the brutal scolding Vice President JD Vance delivered to the European elites gathered at the Munich Security Conference last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was much nicer to the old world elite. Instead of chiding them for becoming the tyrants their ancestors fought, he gently encouraged them to embrace and restore their great heritage. Rubio said America planned to revive its rich European-rooted culture and that it would be beneficial for the Europeans to do the same. He also reassured them that America still sees Western Europe as the parent civilization that it is. He used the word “intertwined” to describe the strong bond between the two continents. Rubio’s speech touched on a topic that Western elites have tried to ban us from discussing: the greatness of Western Civilization. While every other culture is allowed to be proud, as they should be, European cultures have been browbeaten into shutting up and accepting destruction. There is a reason the Insiders have targeted the West for destruction. Simply put, our values are incompatible with that of the totalitarian global technocracy they want to impose on the world. Check out my video for more on why Western Civ values are a bulwark against tyranny and what God says about real diversity. Read my articlesYou can read my magazine articles HEREPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Remember when most people use to think that everyone who believed the world was run by shadowy dark forces were conspiracy nuts? That age is coming to an end. We have lived in a managed reality or a long time, but the last six years have red-pilled a massive amount of people to what is truly happening. I recently ran across the meme below, which does a good job of articulating this sentiment:But it gets worse. As Shannon Joy pointed out, the reason everything is falling apart is because there is a darkness at the seat of power in America. I recently asked myself how my zealous interest in the Epstein saga aligns with my primary identity as a Christian. I realized Epstein provides a glimpse into what all of those Biblical verses about Satan being the prince of this world means. Read my articlesFBI Scrubbed the Epstein Files. Congressman Asks: “Who Are They Protecting?”Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Isn’t it weird that our government keeps telling us to move on and forget about the criminality implied in the Epstein files? What kind of leaders tell the people they’re charged with serving to stop being outraged about an international rape network that involves some of the most powerful people in the world?That’s more than weird. That’s something far worse … It seems the people telling us to move on are so sociopathic, so void of basic human decency that they thought releasing the least depraved and disturbing portion of the files would satisfy us. This suggests that these people are so sick, so demented, that they don’t even realize how horrific what they allowed us to see is. So—what should we do?Read my articlesWill the Clintons Face the Music on Epstein Ties?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

It’s always great news when a legacy media organ suffers a hit. In this case, it’s The Washington Post, which has been around since the 19th century. The Post has been a major cog in the Mockingbird Media machine. One of its own editors admitted in the 90s that the newspaper didn’t just report on policy— it shaped it. Fortunately, it will be able to do less of that since it’s losing 30 percent of its workforce.But just because the legacy media continues dying, it doesn’t meant the information battle is over. It’s only changing. Listen to what I have to say about that. Related reads“Washington Post Axes One‑third of Staff as Legacy Media Collapse Continues”“Pentagon Plans Major Weapons-production Boost to Maintain the American Empire”Read Washington Post’s admission, “Ruling Class Journalists”“NEWS: Alternative, Real, Fake”Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Trump is not even one year into this term and the coalition he has led for 10 years is in danger of completely collapsing. His neocon foreign policy, deficit spending, and attempt to make the Epstein saga go away without further transparency has alienated his most devoted supporters?Can he come back from this?Will he correct course?Related readsTrump Turns on MTG as MAGA Implosion ContinuesMTG Says Trump Abandoned America FirstWho would George Washington side with: Massie or Trump?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

The internet, especially the social media part of it, has turned politics into a soap opera. The latest episode centers around Tucker Carlson’s interview with Nick Fuentes.Carlson did another bad thing by talking to another bad person he wasn’t supposed to. The narrative gatekeepers always lose their minds when respectable people talk to the banished. They did this when Tucker talked to Putin, and they lost their minds when he talked to the president of Iran. Nevertheless, Tucker’s popularity continues undisturbed, his network continues along on its upward trajectory, and the haters continue providing reasons for people not to like them. It’s been weeks since the interview and the neocons in the political and punditry clubs are still losing their minds. But few seem to be asking a critical question at the center of all this drama: Why is Fuentes popular? If you manage to wade through the theatrics, the racist remarks, and other nonsense, you’ll realize that Fuentes rails against problems that we, as a society, should make right. People like that are never totally off. They’re never wrong about everything. They’re using legitimate grievances to build trust.In this video, I talk about the issues that, should we address them, would make people like Fuentes far less popular. Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Have you noticed the massive increase in mainstream UFO-alien coverage lately? Between nonstop chatter about 3I/Atlas, thousands of reports of UFO sightings on the Enigma app, and congressional hearings on UAPs, UFO talk has increased significantly. Moreover a polished documentary featuring lawmakers and a slew of “former” national security officials is debuting later this month.Something is going on. But what?Is our benevolent leadership oligarchy finally ready to tell us the truth? Doubtful. Whatever the truth about UFOs and aliens is, we know for certain that the powers-that-be have a long, long, track record of manipulating events and crises to suit their agendas. And two of their main agendas have been the eradication of Christianity and implementation of a world government. Watch this video to hear how these two agendas work with the alien narrative. Related ReadThe UFO-Alien Trap Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Bill Gates doesn’t think climate change poses a disastrous threat to humanity, anymore—like he’d been saying it does for more than a decade. He recently said this on his blog: “Climate change is not the biggest threat to the lives and livelihoods of people in poor countries, and it won’t be in the future,” he said. He said something else that made sense. He suggested that people with money and influence should use their powers to do actual good in the world. It’s an astonishing reversal, begging the question: What gives? What is Bill Gates really up to?I have a few good guesses. Related ReadsWhy Is Bill Gates Backtracking on Climate Alarmism?AI: The Globalists’ Tool for World GovernmentPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Globalists want a world war. It would devastate the planet and render the people left alive so desperate for stability that they would accept any system that resembles order. That's when they'd swoop in with the answer: World Government.Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told President Donald Trump that Russia is not Iran. The high-ranking Russian official flung off a rare but outright threat.Russia’s saber-rattling is not the primary concern. It’s escalation over a conflict Americans could care less about, but also one that ultimately birth a global government.Watch the video to hear why continued U.S. meddling may pave a path toward global government. Related links:ARTICLE: Former Russian President Issues Threat of War With U.S.Read about Ukraine’s authoritarian regime HERERead about the globalist-neocon agenda to encircle Russia and break it up HERE Read George Washington’s Farewell Address HERE (his foreign policy prescription begins on page 52/66)Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Epstein, Epstein, Epstein. For two weeks, this story has topped all other news headlines. It has refused to die, to go away, no matter how hard the president has tried to convince his most hitherto loyal supporters to move on.Why? What is it about this story that demands so much attention. Tucker Carlson brought Darryl Cooper on to discuss Epstein. Cooper had put together a six-hour podcast on Epstein. He and Tucker rambled on for three hours. Somewhere near the beginning of the discussion, Cooper blurted out a sentence that I believe encapsulates what makes this story so interesting. Watch the vide for more. You can support Behind the Headlines by becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related links:Trump Calls for Release of Epstein Grand Jury TestimonyTrump Calls His Supporters “Stupid People” for Demanding Epstein FilesMAGA Backlash Against Trump Over Epstein Is Not Going AwayPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

It’s official. American preachers can now endorse political candidates from the pulpit without fear of losing their church’s tax-exempt status.This comes about thanks to the conclusion of a lawsuit filed by a couple of Texas churches last year. Even since the Johnson Amendment was added to a broad tax bill in the 1950s, the IRS has banned political endorsements. And while proponents of the rule like to say it was loosely enforced to begin with, it has nonetheless muzzled leaders of faith for decades. Will this change how pastors, preachers, and other Church leaders behave behind the pulpit?More importantly—will this lead to a change in the culture?WATCH the video for my thoughts on the matter. Related links:ARTICLE: IRS Gives Churches Blessing to Endorse CandidatesRead the court order HEREWatch Pastor Paul Blair’s presentation, Biblical Principles of Civil GovernmentLearn more about the Black-Robed Regiment HEREPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

America is still the greatest country. You know this is true because people still want to come here.Another reason we know this is true is because the people who claim to hate this country won’t leave. In this video, I share my family’s story of how we left communist Romania, why I think America is so great, and what we need to do to make sure we keep it that way.To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!Related linksDefector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose | This is a book I wrote about a man who nearly died in his attempt to defect communist Romania. The man is a minister and a friend you now lives on Atlanta, GA.Is America turning on perversion and back toward God? | I recorded this video after looking over some surveys indicating that American culture is backtracking on its amoral trajectory. This is a good sign. Read my articles on The New American HEREPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

The Big Beautiful Bill includes $150 billion for defense spending. It’s fascinating to see the technology we’re investing in. The Big Beautiful Bill military spending section is impressive and alarming. It makes you wonder whether we’re bolstering defenses or preparing for war. The answer is likely both. The bill allocates money to build a Golden Dome missile system, boost production of every kind of missile, torpedo, mine, and explosive, and to improve the effectiveness of our nuclear weapons system. There’s even piles of money for unmanned underwater robots and lasers. Watch the video for more details. Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

The White House is telling people to calm down and trust President Donald Trump to decide how embroiled America becomes in Israel’s war against Iran. No thank you. I think I speak for many who voted for Trump when I say this illustrates perfectly why the Founders created a system that doesn’t give the president unilateral power to go to war. This is a very anti-American request from the White House, although it’s likely they don’t see or mean it that way. Nevertheless, if Trump is not careful, he’s going to lose the support of his most loyal base, the true MAGA constituency. Listen to my podcast for more on how the system is supposed to work, why Iran may not even be the nuclear threat Israel claims it is, and why MAGA doesn’t need Trump whereas Trump needs MAGA. Share this post with others if you enjoyed itMy articles on the Israel-Iran war:Is Iran a Legitimate Nuclear Threat?U.S. Sends More War Machines to the Middle East to Counter IranMAGA Opposes U.S. Intervention in Israel’s War With IranPaul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected] Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

For more than a decade, secular America has predicted, with great excitement, the impending death of Christianity. And it’s had reasons to do so. The America of today is unrecognizable from that of just a couple decades prior. Regarding homosexuality, the public view has flipped significantly. Whereas about a quarter of Americans approved of that lifestyle in the mid-90s, that number is flipped on its head today. Secularists have had a great run. But that run of may be coming to an end. Recent surveys and polls suggest Americans are tiring of the depravity and that corporations are pulling back on Pride support in response. Is America on the verge of a revival?Check out my analysis and decide for yourself. Behind the Headlines is 100% dependent on you. If you appreciate my work, please share it with others.More from Paul:ARTICLE: Homosexuality Losing Support; Christianity ResurgingVIDEO: Transgenderism is not just a nutty social fad. It's FAR worse than thatIf you haven’t subscribed to Behind the Headline yet, what are you waiting for?!Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Behind the Headlines is a reader-supported publication. Subscribe to support my workThe Trump-Musk bromance seems to be over. And it all fell apart in real time with the entire world watching. Did Elon have a drug-induced breakdown?Did he have an autistic-related breakdown?Or is Trump’s accusation correct, that Elon is made that his hundreds of billions in campaign support didn’t buy his companies any favor?OR—is the entire thing some weird 5-D theater designed to gin up media support for the release of the Epstein client list?More from Paul The government wants Americans to get married and have many babies. But is that part of its job?Transgenderism is not just a nutty social fad. It's FAR worse than thatShould America be friends with the Russians?Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

please share this video with others A few years ago, a bizarre assault on basic biology and common sense suddenly emerged into the mainstream. Even to the barely awake, it was obvious the push to legitimatize transgenderism was coordinated. The media were telling us to approve it, entertainment was programming us to accept it, the corporate world was working overtime to sell it to us, schools were indoctrinating kids to accept it, and even the federal government hired people who would’ve been committed 20 years ago. During its short stint in the mainstream, transgenderism has already been linked to several murders around the country. Perhaps the most known example is that of the Nashville Christian school shooter. The recent release of her journals solidifies the suspicions of everyone who sensed the reason the FBI withhold her writings was to protect a preferred social class. But after Trump became president and the FBI got a new director, the killer’s journals were released. And we now have learned that the Nashville school shooter was not only obsessed with her transgender identity, but highly influenced by it. In this video:* I cite directly from the killer’s journals* Present credible research showing that medical consensus regarding transgenderism was fabricated by activists who hijacked the medical guidelines associations and crushed dissent* Make the case that this trend is part of a wider, more sinister agenda that, if realized, could end humanityIf you dig what I’m layin’ down, you can support my work by subscribing to this Substack. Thank you in advance!Related Nashville “Trans” Killer a Creation of Woke Ideology; Hated Whites, America, HerselfLeader of Homicidal Trans Cult on the LooseMy interview with Dr. Miriam Grossman, a psychiatrist of 40 years and author of the book Lost in Trans Nation: A Child Psychiatrist’s Guide Out of the Madness HEREYou can download a PDF copy of Martine Rothblatt’s book From Transgender to Transhuman HERE. Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior editor at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Hey reader, please subscribe to Behind the Headlines if you enjoy my ramblings and writings. It would help immensely. I was working as a delivery driver for an auto parts store when planes hit the World Trade Center towers. I didn’t keep up with current events at the time, but like many Americans, I was glued to the news that entire day. Also like many Americans, I knew things would never be the same again. September 11 triggered a 20-year military escapade into the Middle East that piled onto our national debt and stirred more hatred among Arabs toward America. It also conveniently served as an excuse for the government to pass legislation that allows our spy agencies to legally snoop on law-abiding Americans willy nilly, which continues to this day.Moreover, 24 years later, accusations that circumstances surrounding that awful day are not what we’ve been told continue surfacing. The most explosive and worrisome is the very credible charge that U.S. military intel knew of terrorists’ 9/11 plans ONE YEAR prior, and yet the government did nothing to prevent it. Recently, one of the most credible sources of these damming charges comes from a former high-ranking congressman who claims to have documentation and testimony corroborating this point as well as others, including one alleging the CIA knew Osama bin Laden wasn’t in Afghanistan at the same time U.S. troops were sent there to look for him. The truth about 9/11 is probably too terrible for most Americans to accept. But it’s not necessary that all Americans wake up from their stupor of naivete and stubborn denseness. History is shaped by the few who engage while the rest of the world follows along the paths cut by the trailblazers. You can watch the video above for a deeper dive into this. And if you think this video valuable, please share it with others using the button belowRelated readsRead my article: Sen. Johnson Floats Possibility of New 9/11 Investigation as Coverup Suspicion Gains MomentumRead my article: Former Congressman Curt Weldon Resurfaces With Explosive Claims About 9/11 “Coverup”Former FBI Director Louis Freeh wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in 2005 titled, “Why Did the 9/11 Commission Ignore ‘Able Danger’” in which he talks about the military intelligence having prior knowledge of 9/11America has a long history of coverups, including Pear Harbor, the USS Maine, Operation Keelhaul and more. I recently wrote about this HEREThe Oklahoma City bombing is still one of the least acknowledge coverup in US history. Read my article HEREPlease share this with others if you find it valuable. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Woke ideology is a lethal mind disease. In the case of the Nashville school shooter, it led to the death of seven people, including the shooter.The FBI recently released the killer’s journals—it’s more than 1,000 pages long—and its contents verified what conservative media suspected all along: the Nashville school shooter was obsessed with gender ideology, the same poison they’ve been pouring into the minds of Western Civ for years. But the killer not only hated her sex—she hated her own race and her country. The Nashville school shooter was a product of woke ideology. That poison turned her into a homicidal lunatic. Listen to my podcast for more. Here are some related articles I wrote on the issue:* Nashville “Trans” Killer a Creation of Woke Ideology; Hated Whites, America, Herself* Leader of Homicidal Trans Cult on the Loose Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Eggs are selling for an average of $5 a dozen. In response, the U.S. government is telling people to get their own chickens. Well, kind of. On Feb. 26, the USDA announced a plan to reduce egg prices. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins laid out a five-pronged attack that includes making it easier for people to keep their own egg-producing chickens. Rollins’ plan doesn’t elaborate how the USDA will “minimize burdens” so consumers can more easily harvest homegrown eggs, but the fact that the government is telling people to do something that fosters self-sufficiency is a good sign that we actually have someone in government who cares about our well-being. Speaking of self-sufficiency, we should all be more independent. Hey y’all, please subscribe to this Substack if you enjoy my ranting and writings. Subscribing is a great way support my work.Read my related articles:* “DOJ Investigating Possible Conspiracy Among Egg Producers: Report”* Bird Flu Mania Boosts Egg Prices, But Experts Warn Gain-of-Function Is the Real Threat* “Making America Sick, One Bite at a Time” Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Donald Trump is the president again. And the Left is accusing him of being an authoritarian—again. But let’s step outside our tribal echo chambers, look at the man’s actions, and try to understand as best as we can both sides of the argument. Hey y’all, please subscribe to this Substack if you enjoy my rantings and writings. Thanks a bunch!Read some of my latest articles:Bezos Charts Rightward Course for WaPo; MSNBC in Turmoil. What’s the Future of Media?Is Mitch McConnell Retiring Because the GOP Is No Longer the Party of War?Trump’s Expansionist Plans Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

It isn’t compassionate to fuel a war half a world way with money we don’t have to continue the slaughter of thousands of people unlikely to prevail while the possibility of a ceasefire dangles before us all. It is also not in the best interests of the citizens of the United States, who would benefit far more from a ceasefire. Ukraine is thoroughly corrupt, not unlike Russia. Former Zelensky officials are penning anonymous articles describing the nation’s further descent into tyranny. Videos of Ukrainian men being snatched off the streets by Zelensky’s goons are spreading on the internet like wildfire. Also, even if a ceasefire is temporary, it provides much-needed time for the Europeans to learn how defend themselves again so they can defend their own continent. Read my article in The New American, “U.S. Likely to Halt Weapons Shipments to Ukraine. Is a Ceasefire Inevitable?”Former Zelensky official corroborates rumors that Ukraine’s president is a corrupt tyrant, just like his nemesis, Putin . Read HERE Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Our main threat comes from a network of internationalists who have asserted overwhelming control over finance, corporatism, media, government, education, and academia. These people are trying to force the entire world into one superseding global government that overrules the sovereignty of every nation. They have used their significant influence over the media to keep the public from knowing this. But now no one believes them anymore. What happens next?Read my article in The New American, “Bezos Charts Rightward Course for WaPo, MSNBC in Turmoil. What’s the Future of Media?” ‘Washington Post Editor Richard Harwood admits the newspaper creates propaganda: RULING CLASS JOURNALISTS1967 declassified CIA memo with directions for agents to use media contacts for propagandizing the public Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

I must admit, this one wasn’t on my radar. But given the level of criminality the people in charge have been capable of, it’s worth asking: Is our gold still at Fort Knox? Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. politicians have convinced the American people that perpetual war is the price for spreading “democracy” and making us safe at home.Among the biggest supporters for endless wars has been Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. Well, now he’s retiring, and based on is farewell speech, frustration with the GOP’s growing anti-war positions may be part of his reason. But how much “democracy” have we spread abroad?How much hatred has U.S. occupation inflamed?And how has this made America safer and more prosperous?Read my article in The New American, “Is Mitch McConnell Retiring Because the GOP Is No Longer the Party of War?”SourcesMcConnell’s farewell speechMarco Rubio interview with Megyn Kelly“Return of the War Nerds” by Wayne AllensworthDeclassified docs proving Putin’s claim of NATO expansion Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

The world is in a fight over truth. VP JD Vance told Europe’s effeminate soft tyrants to stop censoring speech and violating the basic liberties of their citizens. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Vance’s speech, a CBS anchor then said that too much free speech led to the genocide of Jews. In this episode, we break down how the Nazis operated like the U.S. Deep State and European Censorship Complex. Check out my article on this issue: Media Defend Nazi-like Censorship; Claim Nazis Supported Free SpeechSources:23 US-Funded Organizations Drive The EU’s War on Tech Companies Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Over the last 10 years, Americans have been waking up to the fact that all is not as they’ve been told. Among the most shocking of wake-up calls is the sad truth that elements within their government have been behind some of the most sophisticated and aggressive propaganda campaigns. This is especially true regarding all things Covid. The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently revealed that news outlets claiming to be wholly independent have raked in millions through a slew of government agencies. The obvious question is: What does the government get in exchange?While all this is coming to light, in this video I go back 100 years, highlighting various propaganda campaigns launched by the U.S. government. Read my story, Government’s Long History of Targeting Americans With Propaganda, in The New American. Thanks for visiting Behind the Headlines! Please subscribe for free to get new posts in your inbox and support my work.NotesIn 1967, the CIA sent out classified document number 1035-960 with instructions to agents on how to propagandize Americans into believing that JFK was killed by a lone, crazed gunman. In the memo, agents are instructed to use their friendly contacts in elite media to get this narrative out. Check it out HEREOn October 30, 1993, The Washington Post published an op-ed by then-senior editor Richard Harwood titled “Ruling Class Journalists.” Harwood revealed that many of the most widely read newspapers and magazines in America were in the propaganda business. Read it HERE Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

The Trump administration is threatening to hollow out the education department until the agency is completely shuttered by an act of Congress. This is triggering glee among some and concern from others. While both sides have legitimate concerns, few proponents seem aware that the agency is a colossal failure by its own subpar standards. Moreover, there are some major misconceptions about what happens to public schools if the education department is abolished. In this video, I break down the education department’s own assessment of itself and discuss frustrating experiences with those in the system. Notes:There are zero academic categories in which more than half of America’s public education students are proficient. ZERO. * In 2024, 30% of fourth-grade students performed at or above the proficient level on the mathematics assessment > SOURCE* It only got worse with more time. Only 28% of eighth-grade students performed at or above proficient levels in math > SOURCE* The report only gets worse when it comes to reading. Only 31% percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the proficient level on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)] reading assessment > SOURCEThis level of failure is prevalent across the board. See for yourself @ The Nation’s Report Card. Read my story on this topic in The New American magazine, “Trump Plans to Hollow Out Education Department Until It’s Abolished: Report.”More related TNA articlesRescuing Our ChildrenSave Our ChildrenCharlotte Iserbyt on Killing America via “Education”Separation of School and State Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Hope is in the air. The borders are being secured, legacy media is neutered, the wagers of lawfare are on the run, DEI is unraveling, and the commonsense cultural revolution is raging. This is all great, but the institutional and cultural rot that allowed that brought this nation to the brink of national collapse needs to be addressed or the roaches will return. In this video I explain what needs to happen over the next few years to ensure decades of liberty and prosperity. ReferencesRead my article in The New American, “Rebirth of the Nation: How to Restore America.” CIA’s Mockingbirds and “Ruling Class Journalists”Bypassing the Media Cartel, With Kate DalleyCongress just introduced a bill to abolish the income tax and the IRS with it H.R.25 - To promote freedom, fairness, and economic opportunity by repealing the income tax and other taxesCIA Document 1035-960 – Countering Criticism Of The Warren Report (CIA supervisor advises agents to use “friendly media” contacts to help persuade the public that JFK was indeed killed by a lone gunmanGallup: Americans' Trust in Media Remains at Trend LowCNN laying off about 200 employees as part of shift to digital model“The powers of financial capitalism had a far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands …” Carroll Quigley Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearing for Health and Human Services secretary was a disgusting display of politics over issues. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Once upon a time in a land right under our feet, America didn’t have a federal income tax. This was a time when even the nation’s highest court recognized the destructive power of the tax. As I wrote in a recent article for The New American:In 1819, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall wrote in the case McCulloch v. Maryland that “The power to tax involves the power to destroy.” In 1895, more than a century after the nation’s founding, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company that directly taxing Americans’ income was unconstitutional. Back then, the government raised revenue by putting tariffs on imports and excise taxes on items like horses and carriages. Those were “indirect” taxes on consumption. They gave citizens power over their tax burdens by controlling their purchases. But in July 1909, Congress passed the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, and by 1913, the amendment had been approved by enough state legislatures to make it law.  In this video, Paul explains the reasons Power Elites want love the federal income tax and why we should hate it. Read my cover story on how to restore America HERE Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Wildfires are once again destroying California—and the people in charge are once again trying to blame everyone and everything except themselves. Only this time the jig might finally be up for the Golden State’s incompetent, ideologically-possessed leaders. California’s greasy-haired sociopathic governor is once again under fire for mismanaging the state’s resources, the communist mayor of Los Angeles is facing calls to resign, as is the DEI lesbian fire chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department. It’s becoming clear even to believers of climate change and other leftist ideologies that the people in charge have completely mismanaged the resources of one of the most beautiful and richest states. It’s been 13 days since the apocalyptic Palisades fire and several others ignited and has since incinerated thousands of buildings to the ground, burned through more than 40,000 acres, and killed at least 27 people. Is this the wake-up call needed to save the beautiful state of California?Moreover, will Californians learn the hard lessons of Eastern Europe and China, where leftist, sociopathic ideologues took over the region and imposed fidelity to party ideology above all else? RELATED READINGGavin Newsom Cut $100M From Fire Prevention Budget Before California Fires, https://www.newsweek.com/gavin-newsom-cut-100m-fire-prevention-budget-before-california-fires-2012980 Los Angeles Residents Demand Resignation of Mayor Karen Bass Over City’s Botched Response to Fires, https://thenewamerican.com/features/california-residents-demand-l-a-mayor-karen-bassresign-as-reports-of-incompetence-continue-surfacing-gov-newsom-calls-for-investigation/Every Company Leaving California: 2020-2024, https://buildremote.co/companies/companies-leaving-california/Stunner: Why Was Pacific Palisades Reservoir EMPTY? It Gets Worse., https://pjmedia.com/victoria-taft/2025/01/11/why-was-pacific-palisades-reservoir-empty-n4935875Demand the Immediate Resignation of Mayor Karen Bass, https://www.change.org/p/demand-the-immediate-resignation-of-mayor-karen-bass Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe

Something is happening in Romania, where the nation’s top court nullified the first-round election victory of Călin Georgescu, a nationalist whose surprising victory was supposedly brought about by Russian interference. Georgescu denies he had any help from Russia. It would, however, be very surprising if the Russians took no interest in Romania’s elections. Romania is one country away from Russia and hosts what is set to become the largest NATO base in Europe. Many analysts believe what’s really happening is the West stepped in and pressured the Romanian government to void his victory to prevent a NATO-skeptic leader coming to power and jeopardizing the West’s strategic war presence. You can learn more about this in my article in The New American HERE. Get full access to Behind the Headlines at behindtheheadlines.substack.com/subscribe