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

Episode 483

Moon Shot, War Shot

Artemis heads for the moon while an F-15 goes down over Iran — astronaut Scott Kelly breaks down what our downed pilots face and why independent leadership is the only way forward.

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



The ultimate split-screen moment in American history. While the world watched in awe as the Artemis crew headed toward the moon—representing the pinnacle of human achievement and international cooperation—the reality of global conflict hit home. In this urgent Friday blitz, host Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the breaking news of a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle being shot down over Iran. With one crew member rescued and another’s status uncertain, we examine the tactical reality of “boots on the ground” in a conflict that continues to escalate despite a lack of public support.

Joining the conversation is a true American hero, NASA Astronaut and Navy Veteran Commander Scott Kelly. Drawing on his experience as an F-14 pilot and his time commanding the International Space Station, Kelly provides an insider’s perspective on the SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) protocols our downed aviators are facing right now. We also dive deep into the Artemis mission, the firing of Army General Randy George by Pete Hegseth, and why independent leadership is the only way to navigate a world that feels closer to World War III than ever before.