Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Righteous Media
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Independent Americans is a daily news show hosted by Paul Rieckhoff. He’s a fighter, a patriot, and an independent political and media force to be reckoned with. After serving as a soldier in Iraq in 2004, Rieckhoff emerged as one of the most dynamic political and social leaders in America. In every episode, he breaks down the most important issues facing our country. And he interviews the most influential and compelling people. He’s taking on Republicans, Democrats—and everyone in between. If you’re in the angry middle, Independent Americans reminds you that you’re not alone. We’re all in this together. Join the Independent Americans movement and subscribe now. Produced by Righteous Media.

  1. Trump vs the GOP. NYC Latest Example of America’s Primary Problem.

    22 hrs ago

    Trump vs the GOP. NYC Latest Example of America’s Primary Problem.

    Iran Deal is the Worst Deal Ever. DSA Runs the Table, WIll it Cost the Dems? The story of the Real SAV Act. Who Do You Trust in  Post-Truth Era? America has a primary problem, and New York City is ground zero. Less than 500,000 voters showed up to decide who runs a city of five million, while a million independents — Paul included — were shut out by the most closed primary in the country. That's not democracy. That's a rigged two-party system handing the keys to whichever faction can mobilize the most insiders, while the angry middle stands on the sidelines watching the country drift. In this special episode cut from two recent CNN appearances with Erin Burnett, Paul breaks down the seismic NYC shakeup, the Senate's overdue spine on Iran, the worst ceasefire ever, and a White House so packed with sycophants that the president's own assistant leaves him love notes. He digs into why Trump is fixated on the Save Act — because free and fair elections are America's circuit breaker — and why Democrats keeping Barack Obama on the sidelines is political malpractice. It's quick-fire, intel-grade analysis for the angry middle. No jersey. No spin. No-BS. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    15 min
  2. Mamdani and the Socialists Run the Table in NYC. Senate Finally Checks Trump’s Iran War Powers.

    1 day ago

    Mamdani and the Socialists Run the Table in NYC. Senate Finally Checks Trump’s Iran War Powers.

    Primary Fallout. Trump Blows Up Housing Bill for SAVE Act—Because He’s Focused on the Elections. DJT Thinks He’s a UFC Fighter. Hegseth’s Pentagon Purge Continues. Good News for Independents in DC.  Flu Outbreak Sickens Hundreds of Troops.  Mamdani is the new king of the Democratic Socialists, and he didn't get there by accident. He understood that closed primaries are a rigged game where the players are also the referees — and he played that game to perfection while more than a million New York City independents were locked out of the vote that actually decides who represents them. Paul Rieckhoff breaks down what happened in NYC, in Maryland, and in Utah, why Brad Lander worked so hard to kill the open primaries ballot initiative, and what the rise of the far left in safe-blue cities means for the angry middle that has nowhere left to go. From there, the briefing widens out. The Senate finally voted to check Trump's Iran war powers — with an asterisk worth knowing about. Hegseth forced the retirement of General CD Donahue, the last soldier out of Afghanistan, and the patriotic purged are starting to file for office. Trump botched a Medal of Honor ceremony, fixated on UFC fighters' muscles, and pushed a SAVE Act designed to scare Americans away from the ballot box. Paul also flags some good news: DC just funded open primaries, retired Navy Admiral Nancy LaCore won her South Carolina primary, and a six-tour combat veteran named Kate Connolly is coming for Mike Lawler in the Hudson Valley. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    34 min
  3. Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene Are Leaving the GOP and Trump. Primary Day In New York, Maryland, Utah. 2.5M Independents Blocked Out.

    2 days ago

    Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene Are Leaving the GOP and Trump. Primary Day In New York, Maryland, Utah. 2.5M Independents Blocked Out.

    Iran Now Costs $80B! Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. Will Trump Jinx World Cup Fever? The MAGA machine is cracking. Tucker Carlson — a 35-year Republican defender — just announced he won't support the GOP in the midterms. Marjorie Taylor Greene piggybacked within hours. Shawn Ryan, Joe Rogan, and others have already signaled the same. So what comes next? A more extreme Republican spinoff? A fake-independent rebrand in the RFK Jr. mold? A Tucker run with Tulsi Gabbard? Paul Rieckhoff delivers a hardcore Tuesday solo briefing on what the fractures inside Trump's base actually mean heading into the midterms — and why the angry middle has to be ready for what's coming. It's also primary day in New York, Maryland, and Utah — and more than 5 million independents are locked out of elections they pay for. Paul breaks down the math, the public polling showing 40% of New York Democrats aren't really Democrats, and which governors are stepping up on open primaries and which ones are ducking. Plus: the Pentagon quietly asking Congress for an additional $80 billion to cover the real cost of the Iran war that Hegseth told you was $29 billion, the Giannis trade shaking up the NBA, and why little Cape Verde at the World Cup is the kind of Cinderella story this exhausted country needs right now. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    27 min
  4. Henry Rollins. On Trump, Iran, America 250, The Cramps. 13 Dead For What?

    3 days ago

    Henry Rollins. On Trump, Iran, America 250, The Cramps. 13 Dead For What?

    What About an Arc de Healthcare? Trump’s Destruction of Our Shared Symbols is an Attack on All of Us. World Cup Joy, Living in the New South, Friendly, Helpful Neighbors and Driving Across America.  Henry Rollins doesn't do small talk. The punk icon, author, USO road dog, and longtime friend of the show returns from Nashville to deliver one of the most blistering hours we've recorded this year. He keeps dragging the conversation back to the number no cable network wants to sit with: 13 dead American service members, and countless wounded, from a war in Iran the president picked and can't justify. Rollins walks through what a USO trip actually sounds like — young troops telling him the mission is simply "get to D-FAC" — and asks the only question that matters from the resolute desk: how do I get every one of them home? From there it's a wide-open briefing on the state of the republic. Rollins on Tennessee's generational shift and the independents rising inside a red state. Rollins on Operation Ajax, the JCPOA, and why no previous president pulled this trigger. Rollins on a White House that paved over Jackie Kennedy's rose garden, demolished the East Wing, and put MMA behind a paywall on the people's lawn. And Rollins on what's still good — neighbors who shovel each other out, strangers who change your tire in the rain, and a country whose arc, even now, still bends toward better. If you're in the angry middle, this one will hit a nerve and put some fight back in you. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    55 min
  5. Trump’s Iran Blunder. “The Biggest Loss in a Generation”. Putin, China and North Korea are All Watching. Is Cuba Next?

    5 days ago

    Trump’s Iran Blunder. “The Biggest Loss in a Generation”. Putin, China and North Korea are All Watching. Is Cuba Next?

    Paul Rieckhoff and journalist David Rhode rip into the wreckage of Trump's Iran operation — a campaign sold as an existential fight that ended with sanctions lifted, frozen assets returned, the nuclear program intact, and the regime still in power to keep slaughtering its own people. Thirteen American troops are dead. Forty percent of the Navy was tied up. The defense budget is ballooning past $1.5 trillion to paper over the costs. And the optics on the world stage? A checked-out president, alone in the G7 photo, looking weak while our adversaries celebrate. This is a solo briefing on what the angry middle needs to understand right now: every objective Trump set was missed, the Iranian people who risked their lives waiting for America have been hung out to dry, and the president is already telegraphing Cuba as the next target. Paul makes the case that Congress needs to invoke the War Powers Act before the next strike, not after — and that the working-class Americans who were promised their lives would change are footing the bill for Trump-class battleships the Navy says it doesn't need. If you're tired of being lied to by both parties about what strength actually looks like, this one is for you. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    14 min
  6. "World War Z" Author Max Brooks on Veterans, Hope & the Antidote to Despair.

    19 June

    "World War Z" Author Max Brooks on Veterans, Hope & the Antidote to Despair.

    IVA showcase: Veterans Meeting the Moment: Todd Achilles on His Idaho Senate Run & Ridgecrest, CA Mayor Travis Endicott. Father’s Day 2026.  The Iran operation is being called the biggest American strategic loss in a generation, and the receipts are damning. Thirteen service members dead, billions unaccounted for, forty percent of the Navy tied up, sanctions lifted, assets returned, the nuclear program left intact, and the brutal regime in Tehran emboldened. Meanwhile the president is publicly floating Cuba as the next target, and Congress still hasn't invoked the War Powers Act. Paul Rieckhoff sits down with World War Z author Max Brooks to cut through the spin and ask the harder question: what do citizens actually do when the institutions designed to protect them are this badly broken? This conversation goes deep on the cost of forever wars, the morale and recruiting crisis inside the military, the betrayal of brave Iranians who believed America would have their backs, and the generational damage of watching two octogenarian presidents flail on the world stage. Brooks brings the same survivalist clarity that made World War Z resonate — preparation, community, civic muscle — and Paul translates it into marching orders for the angry middle. This is not despair content. It's a no-BS briefing on how veterans, independents, and working-class Americans can adapt, improvise, and overcome a political class that has earned exactly zero trust. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when youtrade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    59 min
  7. Knicks Joy From the Canyon of Heroes. Plus: Trump’s Iran “Losing Deal”. “The Game is Rigged” - Why 45% of America is Now Independent.

    18 June

    Knicks Joy From the Canyon of Heroes. Plus: Trump’s Iran “Losing Deal”. “The Game is Rigged” - Why 45% of America is Now Independent.

    It was a split-screen American day. In New York, two million people packed the Canyon of Heroes for a Knicks parade that felt closer to VE Day than a basketball celebration — kids out of school, FDNY Ladder 10 in the crowd, fans flying in from Sydney. In Washington and overseas, the president was busy selling an Iran deal that even Mike Pence and Nikki Haley are calling a loss. Ballistic missiles intact. Regime intact. Strait of Hormuz still under their thumb. Thirteen dead Americans still unaccounted for in the moral math. Paul Rieckhoff calls it what it is — a sucking chest wound for our military posture and our economy, dressed up as diplomacy. From there the conversation widens with Dr. Nazi Monyan and Princeton's Dr. Lauren Wright into the machinery underneath: a Fed signaling rate hikes while the president pretends he loves inflation, a blown-up DNI nomination, a Georgia split decision, and a primary system rigged so tightly that the extremes pick the nominees while 45% of the country watches from outside the tent. New polling confirms what the Angry Middle has felt for years — people are leaving both parties in numbers that should terrify every party boss in America. This is the no-BS briefing on why joy and fury can live on the same block, on the same day, in the same country. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    20 min
  8. The Independent Plan to Flip Tennessee with Lauren Pinkston - Independent for Governor of Tennessee.

    17 June

    The Independent Plan to Flip Tennessee with Lauren Pinkston - Independent for Governor of Tennessee.

    With 2 Million Independent TN Voters 775k Votes is the Magic Number. Where Do Trump Voters Go Next? Reason Over Extremism. Independence Never Goes Out Of Style. Tennessee looks like a red wall on the map. Look closer. Roughly 48% of eligible voters there are unaffiliated — the highest share in the state (34%-R/18%-D/48%-I) — and only a third of them bothered to show up last midterm. That's not apathy. That's the angry middle waiting for someone worth voting for. Lauren Pinkston, independent candidate for governor, joins Paul to make the case that 2026 is the year Tennessee breaks the one-party stranglehold, and she's got the math, the ground game, and the biography to back it up. Pinkston is a seventh-generation Tennessean, a PhD in international development who lived five years inside a communist country watching elections up close, a mother advocating for a child with special needs, and a founder who built a business with survivors of human trafficking. In this conversation, she breaks down the 775,000-vote path to victory, why 60-70% of her incoming support is Republicans looking for an off-ramp from the MAGA machine, the $83 billion road backlog Nashville won't touch, the housing crisis pricing working families out of their own state, and why open primaries are non-negotiable for anyone who actually believes in the Constitution. It's a briefing on what independent infrastructure looks like when it's built right — couch by couch, county by county. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code [INDEPENDENT] to get ten dollars when you trade ten. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -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. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. 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.

    41 min
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Independent Americans is a daily news show hosted by Paul Rieckhoff. He’s a fighter, a patriot, and an independent political and media force to be reckoned with. After serving as a soldier in Iraq in 2004, Rieckhoff emerged as one of the most dynamic political and social leaders in America. In every episode, he breaks down the most important issues facing our country. And he interviews the most influential and compelling people. He’s taking on Republicans, Democrats—and everyone in between. If you’re in the angry middle, Independent Americans reminds you that you’re not alone. We’re all in this together. Join the Independent Americans movement and subscribe now. Produced by Righteous Media.

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