NEW EPISODE · JULY 2, 2026 · EP 565
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Vol. V · No. 565Friday Edition
Righteous MediaSince 1776. Est. 2019

Episode 491

Trump Attacks the Pope. Iran War Peace Talks Collapse.

Orban and Authoritarianism Lose in Hungary. Artemis is Home. The Draft Hits Home. Kamala Harris Wants to Try Again. Trump at UFC. Real Time with Bill Maher Recap. 

The Brief

→ Four things from today’s episode
01

Ken Burns on why the founders would be shocked not by a stro. Ken Burns on why the founders would be shocked not by a strongman but by a Congress that abdicated Article I

02

The Wounded Knee medals reversal and what Burns calls "obvio. The Wounded Knee medals reversal and what Burns calls "obvious racist editing" of American history

03

Renaming forts back to Confederate generals. traitors, in Burns' words — and the cost of that message

04

Baseball as a barometer of America. immigration, Jackie Robinson, and why every player wears 42 on April 15

Orban and Authoritarianism Lose in Hungary. Artemis is Home. The Draft Hits Home. Kamala Harris Wants to Try Again. Trump at UFC. Real Time with Bill Maher Recap. 

President Trump has escalated his rhetoric to a global scale, launching a stunning series of attacks against Pope Leo, labeling the religious leader "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy." As the 2026 political landscape grows increasingly volatile, host Paul Rieckhoff breaks down why these attacks are driving a historic exodus of Catholic Republicans from the party and why the Pope may be the ultimate "Independent American." But the rhetoric isn’t the only thing heating up; following the collapse of peace negotiations, Trump has announced a naval blockade on Iran. Rieckhoff, a combat veteran, explains why this move is an undeniable act of war under international law and issues a blistering call for Congress to end its "dereliction of duty" by holding a formal vote on the conflict.

This episode also explores a massive shift in the global fight for democracy as Viktor Orbán and authoritarianism suffer a major defeat in Hungary—a development that could be the "tipping point" for Ukraine’s survival. From the rising conversation surrounding a national draft being discussed at Coachella to the "monocultural moment" of the Artemis II moon landing, we’re cutting through the partisan heat to bring you the light. Plus, a look at the latest Democratic stumbles, including the Eric Swalwell scandal and Kamala Harris’s potential 2028 maneuvers. Stay Vigilant.