Iran says FU to Trump—Seizes Ships. Gen. Sarah Zabel for Congress in Idaho’s 1st. Meet the Independent Candidate Series.

Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Righteous Media | Bleav

Politics, News, National Security, News Commentary, Daily News, Veteran

4.6 • 907 Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Episode 500. Iran is seizing ships, Trump is shipping our Afghan allies to Congo, Hegseth is killing the flu vaccine mandate, and Virginia just turned gerrymandering into an arms race. Then Paul sits down with retired Air Force Major General Sarah Zabel — a 31-year veteran, cyber and strategy leader, and independent candidate for Congress in Idaho's 1st District — for a no-BS briefing on what strategic incompetence actually costs the country. If you're in the angry middle and wondering whether an independent veteran can really win in a so-called red state, this one is the proof of concept.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Happy birthday to you.
0:19.7	Welcome to Independent Americans. Welcome to Independent Americans.
0:22.7	Welcome to episode 500.
0:25.5	500.
0:26.4	We did it.
0:27.3	Thank you to all of you for being here, for getting us here, for making it happen.
0:31.3	We are just getting started.
0:33.2	I am, of course, your host, Paul Reichoff.
0:34.9	And for this episode 500, it is Wednesday, April 22nd, which is also now Whiskey Tango
0:42.4	Fox Trot Wednesday.
0:43.6	Or for those that don't know, that means what the fuck Wednesday.
0:46.9	Because every Wednesday, we're left saying, what the fuck.
0:59.9	And I'm coming to you today from New York City, USA, and the weather is again cold and dark and gloomy and rainy.
1:09.4	So today's artist is someone's going to help us get through that gloom.
1:12.9	My artist of the day is a person who brought us rain, purple rain, the great and powerful
1:18.8	prince, the icon, because he died 10 years ago this week. And that is always a time to reflect
1:25.5	and celebrate the spirit, the power, the ingenuity,
1:28.7	the creativity of one of the greatest independent American icons, Prince, who is especially
1:34.2	relevant and powerful this year because of all that happened in his hometown of Minneapolis.
1:39.3	But Prince always brought it, and I'm going to continue to try to channel that spirit,
1:43.4	even through the rain
1:44.4	and bring you the five eyes. I bring you in every single show, independence, integrity,
	...

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