meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The John Batchelor Show

14: SHOW 10-21-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE MARKET ON A BULL RUN FIRST HOUR 9-915 Private Equity Tapped to Fund US Military Infrastructure Revamp Elizabeth Peek, Fox News and The Hill, with John Bat

The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor

Society & Culture, Arts, News, Books

4.52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 22 October 2025

⏱️ 6 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

SHOW 10-21-25
CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR
1885 NYSE
THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE MARKET ON A BULL RUN...




FIRST HOUR

9-915
Private Equity Tapped to Fund US Military Infrastructure Revamp Elizabeth Peek, Fox News and The Hill, with John Batchelor Peek discusses the US Army's initiative to attract $150 billion from private equity giants for infrastructure upgrades, including data centers, leveraging private capital for necessary long-term investments. She notes the US economy shows accelerating growth, defying recession predictions, fueled by strategic investments in technology and domestic manufacturing. Peek also critiques the "No Kings" protest as a politically weak movement lacking a concrete agenda beyond expressing frustration with Trump.

915-930
Private Equity Tapped to Fund US Military Infrastructure Revamp Elizabeth Peek, Fox News and The Hill, with John Batchelor Peek discusses the US Army's initiative to attract $150 billion from private equity giants for infrastructure upgrades, including data centers, leveraging private capital for necessary long-term investments. She notes the US economy shows accelerating growth, defying recession predictions, fueled by strategic investments in technology and domestic manufacturing. Peek also critiques the "No Kings" protest as a politically weak movement lacking a concrete agenda beyond expressing frustration with Trump.


930-945
Gaza Ceasefire and Regional Instability in the Middle East Jonathan Schanzer, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, with John Batchelor Schanzer analyzes the Gaza ceasefire, noting Hamas is deliberately slow-rolling the return of bodies to maintain leverage. New regional tensions are rising, including reports of Egypt moving aggressive offensive weapons into the Sinai and Turkey calling for a pan-Islamic offensive against Israel. Schanzer notes that internal power struggles between tribes and a weakening Hamas could lead to political fragmentation in Gaza.

945-1000
Gaza Ceasefire and Regional Instability in the Middle East Jonathan Schanzer, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, with John Batchelor Schanzer analyzes the Gaza ceasefire, noting Hamas is deliberately slow-rolling the return of bodies to maintain leverage. New regional tensions are rising, including reports of Egypt moving aggressive offensive weapons into the Sinai and Turkey calling for a pan-Islamic offensive against Israel. Schanzer notes that internal power struggles between tribes and a weakening Hamas could lead to political fragmentation in Gaza.





SECOND HOUR

10-1015

Macron's Political Crisis and the Rise of the National Rally Joseph Sternberg, Wall Street Journal, with John Batchelor Sternberg explains that President Macron's political turmoil stems from his determination to avoid new elections, fearing defeat by Marine Le Pen's National Rally. Macron's reform agenda failed because he was perceived as an urban elite disconnected from voters and lacked a cohesive free-market vision. Sternberg also addresses Prince Andrew, noting his lack of accountability regarding his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein makes him a permanent liability for the monarchy.

1015-1030

Macron's Political Crisis and the Rise of the National Rally Joseph Sternberg, Wall Street Journal, with John Batchelor Sternberg explains that President Macron's political turmoil stems from his determination to avoid new elections, fearing defeat by Marine Le Pen's National Rally. Macron's reform agenda failed because he was perceived as an urban elite disconnected from voters and lacked a cohesive free-market vision. Sternberg also addresses Prince Andrew, noting his lack of accountability regarding his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein makes him a permanent liability for the monarchy.

1030-1045
The Financial Flow: China's Role in Fentanyl Money Laundering Josh Birenbaum, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, with John Batchelor Birenbaum discusses China's deep involvement in the fentanyl crisis, supplying precursor chemicals and dominating money laundering for Mexican cartels. Chinese money laundering gangs convert cartel dollars into RMB via a triangle system, catering to Chinese nationals who need US dollars outside of China's capital controls. Birenbaum suggests tracking dollars moving within the US and requiring proof of source of wealth for large purchases to disrupt this finance loop.


1045-1100
Geopolitics and Power Shifts: Rare Earths, AUKUS, and CCP Purges Gregory Copley with John Batchelor Copley discusses Australian PM Albanese's US visit, which secured a rare earths agreement leveraging Australia's vast reserves and advanced mining technology. This deal disrupts China's historic control over critical minerals leverage. Copley also analyzes the political purging of general officers during the CCP's Fourth Plenum. This suggests a major power shift, potentially leading to the removal of Xi Jinping, as the military appears to be controlling the party.

THIRD HOUR

1100-1115

Geopolitics and Power Shifts: Rare Earths, AUKUS, and CCP Purges Gregory Copley with John Batchelor Copley discusses Australian PM Albanese's US visit, which secured a rare earths agreement leveraging Australia's vast reserves and advanced mining technology. This deal disrupts China's historic control over critical minerals leverage. Copley also analyzes the political purging of general officers during the CCP's Fourth Plenum. This suggests a major power shift, potentially leading to the removal of Xi Jinping, as the military appears to be controlling the party.


1115-1130

Geopolitics and Power Shifts: Rare Earths, AUKUS, and CCP Purges Gregory Copley with John Batchelor Copley discusses Australian PM Albanese's US visit, which secured a rare earths agreement leveraging Australia's vast reserves and advanced mining technology. This deal disrupts China's historic control over critical minerals leverage. Copley also analyzes the political purging of general officers during the CCP's Fourth Plenum. This suggests a major power shift, potentially leading to the removal of Xi Jinping, as the military appears to be controlling the party.
1130-1145
Geopolitics and Power Shifts: Rare Earths, AUKUS, and CCP Purges Gregory Copley with John Batchelor Copley discusses Australian PM Albanese's US visit, which secured a rare earths agreement leveraging Australia's vast reserves and advanced mining technology. This deal disrupts China's historic control over critical minerals leverage. Copley also analyzes the political purging of general officers during the CCP's Fourth Plenum. This suggests a major power shift, potentially leading to the removal of Xi Jinping, as the military appears to be controlling the party.
1145-1200
Geopolitics and Power Shifts: Rare Earths, AUKUS, and CCP Purges Gregory Copley with John Batchelor Copley discusses Australian PM Albanese's US visit, which secured a rare earths agreement leveraging Australia's vast reserves and advanced mining technology. This deal disrupts China's historic control over critical minerals leverage. Copley also analyzes the political purging of general officers during the CCP's Fourth Plenum. This suggests a major power shift, potentially leading to the removal of Xi Jinping, as the military appears to be controlling the party.

FOURTH HOUR

12-1215




1215-1230




1230-1245

Germany's Merz Under Pressure Amid Economic and Political Crises Judy Dempsey, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with John Batchelor Dempsey reports German Chancellor candidate Merz is under severe pressure due to a stagnant economy heavily reliant on China and the rise of the far-right AfD. Merz is challenged by internal coalition disagreements, particularly with the SPD over welfare reform. Europe's overall support for Ukraine remains largely rhetorical; arguments over sanctions and frozen Russian assets delay crucial material support needed by Zelensky.

1245-100 AM
Germany's Merz Under Pressure Amid Economic and Political Crises Judy Dempsey, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, with John Batchelor Dempsey reports German Chancellor candidate Merz is under severe pressure due to a stagnant economy heavily reliant on China and the rise of the far-right AfD. Merz is challenged by internal coalition disagreements, particularly with the SPD over welfare reform. Europe's overall support for Ukraine remains largely rhetorical; arguments over sanctions and frozen Russian assets delay crucial material support needed by Zelensky.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Good evening. This is John Batchelor. The show tonight begins with market talk. The bullishness is everywhere in Japan, all new highs on the basis of the Prime Minister being confirmed. Congratulations, PM Takahichi, first female Prime Minister ever in Japan's history, and the market's responding positively.

0:24.5

Bull markets in the U.S. as well for AI, and there was a bull market and gold in the morning.

0:31.3

Still is in the afternoon, just a sharp sell-off, the first in two decades, according to

0:36.0

the reporting, but then again, it hasn't

0:38.8

been this higher in two decades either, or as valued in this, as this moment. Good for gold.

0:48.1

Meanwhile, the market, the broader market reacted accordingly, gold selling off, everybody's connected to the shin bone and the knee bone.

0:57.3

But I'm watching AI because that's said to be the high risk and the future as we build

1:02.8

out the AI infrastructure.

1:04.6

Liz and I also talked about the news that Scott Besson, Secretary of the Treasury and others

1:09.9

in the Trump administration,

1:13.1

are welcoming private equity groups with the collective $13 trillion to find creative ways to invest in

1:20.4

building infrastructure data centers at military bases in the U.S. and overseas, I imagine,

1:26.8

trading land for property, asset, trading,

1:30.7

trading, selling shares. Creative is what Scott Bessett once. Bullish. Liz and I also talked

1:38.3

about the quite innocent No King's demonstration over the weekend puzzling what it was about comparing it to

1:46.5

06 nancy pelosi read led the anti-war banner at the for the democratic success in 2010 how the

1:57.3

GOP responded to tea party talk for the GOP success.

2:02.9

Not so much clear what they're going to do now for 26, but no kings might be it.

2:09.5

Strange.

2:10.7

Given the history of the U.S., Donald Trump, or whoever the chief executive is,

2:15.4

it's quite clearly defined as not a king, from the first.

2:19.0

But then a conversation about what we know is going on in Gaza, the violence, the gang warfare,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from John Batchelor, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of John Batchelor and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.