Trump Threatens Insurrection Act w/ Sheriff Chris Swanson. Candidate for Gov of Michigan.

Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Righteous Media | Bleav

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

4.6 • 907 Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Here it is. A defining moment for America. For the world. And for history. As America stares down the possibility of Donald Trump invoking the Insurrection Act to send federal troops into Minneapolis—and maybe Detroit next—Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson joins Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff for an urgent, no-bullshit conversation about power, policing, and how we stop this runaway train before it jumps the tracks. From ICE raids that are “a weapon, not a tool,” to masked federal agents, to what happens if active-duty troops roll into your town, this episode is a frontline briefing from a cop, medic, professor and now Democratic candidate for governor of Michigan who has literally walked protesters away from the brink of violence. Sheriff Swanson breaks down how ICE is cannibalizing local law enforcement, what real police accountability looks like after George Floyd and January 6, and why he still chose to run as a different kind of Democrat in a state where independents and disillusioned voters may decide everything.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm a sheriff of a big county.
0:01.3	I'm not the governor yet, and I'm certainly not the federal office.
0:03.8	But as somebody who just like you and your audience is listening and watching this unfold,
0:08.6	what have we come to?
0:10.0	We are way better than this.
0:11.4	The whole world is watching us.
0:13.6	And how can you look at, you know, the upheaval in other countries
0:16.3	and not pay attention that it's happening right here?
0:34.0	No. not pay attention that it's happening right here. Welcome to Independent Americans.
0:36.1	Welcome to episode 415. I'm your host, Paul Reikoff. It is Thursday, January 15th. I am coming to you again from New York City, USA, where it started gloomy and cold, and it's getting warmer and sunnier, which is what we need more of in America right now. I think I am on the backside of this
0:56.2	damn flu that has hit most of this city, most of America and our democracy. But I am pushing
1:01.8	forward and got some chicken soup and we're ready to hit it hard today. We're going to continue
1:06.3	to bring you the five eyes of every show, independence, information, inspiration, inspiration, and impact.
1:11.9	And our guests coming up is going to bring that. A lot of positive energy, a lot of strong
1:16.0	leadership, a lot of good thinking. Sheriff Chris Swanson is a real tough guy, a real leader who's
1:21.8	meeting the moment and perfect to talk to today. He's a cop, a firefighter, I sorry, a paramedic,
1:26.8	a business owner, professor. He's the sheriff of Genesee County in Michigan and now a candidate for governor of Michigan. As a Democrat, which I might try to talk him out of, but nevertheless, he's here. And he's a guy when you see him, he looks like he could be getting one of the opening jobs in the NFL for a head coach. But more on that coming up,
1:44.5	I got to rip through today's news because there is a lot happening. America is very tense.
1:49.7	Minneapolis continues to be at the crosshairs. And as we have long predicted, as we have long
1:55.5	warned, President Trump has now threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act. He's using Minneapolis as the place to
2:02.5	drive those threats, and we have long warned that he could do this. He's got a plan that's been
2:07.7	delivered to him by acting Secretary of Culture War, Pete Hegseth, and by Tulsi Gabbard and others.
	...

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