NEW EPISODE · AUGUST 23, 2026 · EP 606
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Vol. V · No. 606Monday Edition
Righteous MediaSince 1776. Est. 2019

Episode 588

Trump’s Iran war is a sucking chest wound — and it’s spreading

The Iran war is no longer contained — Saudi Arabia and Egypt are now in the shooting war, roughly 50,000 American service members are in harm’s way, and Congress still hasn’t authorized any of it. Paul Rieckhoff calls it what it is: a sucking chest wound pulling our economy, military, and politics into a black hole. And Trump’s tough talk — expletives and all — isn’t a strategy. It’s the sound of a president losing control.

The Brief

→ Four things from today’s episode
01

Why the crypto-and-AI White House event landed as a “rich gu. Why the crypto-and-AI White House event landed as a “rich guy” show while voters were talking about gas, diesel, food, and interest rates

02

Data centers and AI as the new third rail. moratorium becoming the magic word for Republican governors and candidates running away from Trump’s bear hug

03

Pete Hegseth campaigning in Iowa for Zach Nunn while the USS. Pete Hegseth campaigning in Iowa for Zach Nunn while the USS Lincoln stays deployed and no embedded reporters are on board to tell the ground truth

04

How military families are going around the Pentagon and arou. How military families are going around the Pentagon and around the press to speak directly to the American people about their sailors

The Iran war is overflowing. Saudi Arabia is now actively engaged. Egypt is getting hit with drone strikes. Roughly 50,000 American sons and daughters are in harm’s way — and Congress has authorized none of it. In this episode, Paul Rieckhoff broadcasts from the Huntsville, Madison County Veterans Memorial to lay out exactly how bad it’s gotten, why the president’s expletive-laced tough talk is a sign of desperation rather than strategy, and how this war is dragging vulnerable Republicans down with it heading into 2026.

Paul also breaks down the Fauci hearing — 111 invocations of the Fifth — and makes the case for a 9/11-style bipartisan commission instead of a partisan witch hunt, because the next pandemic is coming whether we’re ready or not. He connects the dots on the Idaho Senate race, where independent veteran Todd Achilles now goes head-to-head with Jim Risch, and reflects on what the 25th anniversary of 9/11 should really be about. If you want no-BS analysis of a war spiraling beyond our control — and a reminder that veterans still know what courage, sacrifice, and duty actually mean — this is the conversation.

In this episode

  • Standing at the Sacrifice memorial in Huntsville — and why the ring of America’s wars may have to grow again for Iran
  • Why the Iran war is now overflowing: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel are all pulled in
  • 50,000 Americans in harm’s way — and still no authorization from Congress
  • Trump’s “we’ll beat the f— sh— out of Iran” moment: tough talk or sign of desperation?
  • MAGA support for the war collapsing from 50% to 37% — and why it keeps sliding
  • Paul’s diagnosis: a sucking chest wound pulling the economy, military, and politics into a black hole
  • The Idaho Senate race shift — independent veteran Todd Achilles vs. Jim Risch in a head-to-head
  • Fauci pleading the Fifth 111 times — and the case for a 9/11-style bipartisan commission instead of a witch hunt
  • Trump’s weaponization fund to compensate January 6th insurrectionists — and what Paul’s WWII-veteran grandfather would say
  • The 25th anniversary of 9/11 — why politicians should step aside and let the heroes’ stories lead