Independent Americans is a daily news show hosted by Paul Rieckhoff. He’s a fighter, a patriot, and an independent political and media force to be reckoned with. After serving as a soldier in Iraq in 2004, Rieckhoff emerged as one of the most dynamic political and social leaders in America. In every episode, he breaks down the most important issues facing our country. And he interviews the most influential and compelling people. He’s taking on Republicans, Democrats—and everyone in between. If you’re in the angry middle, Independent Americans reminds you that you’re not alone. We’re all in this together. Join the Independent Americans movement and subscribe now. Produced by Righteous Media.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 10/11/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Miller in, Wiles out. Trump is cornered — and dangerous. Hegseth sends Humvees and boats into DC.
Episode 672
Monday, November 9, 2026 • Duration 21:53
Miller in, Wiles out. The last guardrail inside Trump's West Wing just came down, and the architect of ICE and the Iran war is now running the building. Paul Rieckhoff opens Veterans Week with a no-BS read on what that means: a cornered president with the most powerful military the world has ever seen, a Secretary of Defense authorizing Humvees and boats into DC, and a proposed arch that would literally shadow Arlington Cemetery until a federal judge blocked the work. This is not a honeymoon. This is not a victory tour. This is the start of the most dangerous stretch of the Trump presidency.
Paul also honors the late Senator Jay Rockefeller — a genuine public servant who had veterans' backs when almost no one in Washington did — remembers Pat Tillman on what would have been his 50th birthday, breaks down Congressman Pat Ryan's anti-corruption blueprint for the new Democratic majority, and previews a packed Veterans Week on the show. Independent is an attitude. Wherever you're coming from, you're not alone. Stay vigilant.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Midterms: Blue wave, independent water. Dems flip Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina, Arizona.
Episode 671
Sunday, November 8, 2026 • Duration 23:29
Trump picks Stephen Miller as chief of staff. 60% of independents broke against the GOP.
This was not a Democratic triumph. It was an independent revolt. Across Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina, and Arizona, Democrats flipped House seats in districts gerrymandered to keep them out — and they did it because 60% or more of independents in state after state broke hard against the GOP and against Donald Trump. Paul Rieckhoff cuts through the spin on cable and in the West Wing to name what actually happened: independents, 45% of this country, just decided the election. The question now is whether either party is willing to listen, or whether the Democrats do what Democrats do and eat their own.
Paul breaks down what comes next with a rotating cast across MS NOW and the full panel: Trump's refusal to own the shellacking, his pick of Stephen Miller as chief of staff, the real danger of a cornered president with two months of unchecked power over the military, the Hegseth question, and whether Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries can hold a freshman class of younger, populist, pissed-off Democrats together long enough to actually deliver on affordability, corruption, and accountability. The fight for the independent middle is the whole ballgame now — and this episode is the briefing on where it goes from here.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
Two electorates: who picked the ballot, who voted on it, from the voter file
Episode 670
Saturday, November 7, 2026 • Duration 08:10
There were two electorates in this election, and almost nobody talks about the first one. The second is the one that voted on Tuesday. The first is the one that picked the names on that ballot: the people who voted in the primaries last spring and summer. TMI, our morning newsletter, put the two side by side, state by state, using the national voter file. Paul Rieckhoff walks through what it shows.
In the 28 states that register voters by party, 30% of registered voters belong to no party. They cast 16% of this year's primary ballots. In the 13 closed-primary states, 4% of them took part, against 25% of Democrats and Republicans. New Jersey: 35% of the rolls, 1% of the primary ballots. Maine and New Mexico opened their primaries since 2022, and no-party voters showed up. In 2024, 366 of 435 House seats were settled before November. And in Nebraska, South Dakota and Idaho, the Senate margin was a fraction of the independents who never had a primary to vote in.
Read the full special report, with a source behind every number:
https://independentamericans.us/tmi/electorate/?from=tmi
Sign up for TMI, free every weekday morning:
https://independentamericans.us/tmi
Chapters
0:00 A special report from Independent Americans
0:20 Two electorates
1:06 Who picked the ballot
1:32 Where the door is shut
2:24 Open the door and they come
2:52 Who voted on it
4:00 The House: 366 of 435
4:27 Tuesday's margins
5:34 One picked the ballot, the other voted on it
Sources: L2 voter file via VoterCount (retrieved Oct 29 and Nov 4, 2026), state election offices and registration reports, AP race calls as logged by the IVA Election Desk, MIT Election Data and Science Lab 2024 House returns. Margins are unofficial, partial counts as of Nov 4 and change until the states certify.
Chuck Todd. The Dems are Surfers on the Anti-Trump Wave. JD Vance Dances Shamelessly.
Episode 669
Friday, November 6, 2026 • Duration 58:13
Chuck Todd is back on Independent Americans, and he's not sugarcoating what just happened. Voters didn't fall in love with Democrats — they repudiated Trumpism, and independents were the fulcrum. Paul and Chuck unpack why 12 of the last 14 national elections have been change elections, why the pundit class keeps getting high on its own supply, and how candidates like Gina Hinojosa, Annie Andrews, and James Talarico actually met voters where they are instead of lecturing them. They also name the elephant in the room: Trump is still in power, Pete Hegseth is still the most dangerous man in the administration, and the Democrats are already at risk of overcorrecting.
From there the conversation widens into the future of independent media, the five-to-seven million viewers Chuck and Chris Cillizza pulled on election night without a legacy network, and why career military leaders may be the country's best candidates for a 2028 independent run. Then it's Football Friday — Miami at Notre Dame, LSU–Alabama, the Holy War, Army–Air Force under the lights at West Point, Bills–Vikings on Monday night, and a shout for the New York City Lions 12U playing their final game in Queens. Patriotic hope, righteous anger, and real analysis — all in one episode.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
Independents are the water in the Blue wave. Trump cornered is dangerous. Dems are really gonna be annoying. 4 IVA wins. Vets win big nationally. Especially women vets.
Episode 668
Thursday, November 5, 2026 • Duration 39:53
4 IVA wins. Vets win big nationally. Especially women vets. GOP sports figures win again. They’re coming for Hegseth. No more political ads in sports!
Independents were the water in the blue wave, and the water level is rising. In episode 668, Paul Rieckhoff rips through the midterm results with a combat helmet on and no illusions about what just happened. Yes, Democrats won big. No, America doesn't suddenly love Chuck Schumer or Hakeem Jeffries. What the data actually shows — pulled from CNN exit polling and Jeremy Gruber's analysis at Open Primaries — is that independent voters broke decisively for the candidates who sent a message: Trump is getting rich and you're getting screwed. In Texas, Ohio, Kansas, South Carolina, Iowa — independents weren't a marginal factor. They changed the map.
Paul also walks through every independent veteran Senate race: Todd Achilles in Idaho, Brian Bengs in South Dakota, Dan Osborn in Nebraska, Seth Bodnar in Montana, Bob Chew in Colorado, and Ty Pinkins' still-too-close race in Mississippi. The money gap is the story — Osborn got outspent by a billionaire's son, Bodnar faced a Democrat spoiler who wouldn't drop out. But below the radar, four IVA-endorsed independent veterans did win, including a second straight independent mayor in Ridgecrest, California. Add 79 veterans heading to Congress with a record 11 women veterans, Tom Tillis coming for Hegseth, Carney shutting Russia out of junior hockey, and J.D. Vance already blaming Trump for the wipeout — and you've got a wake-up call for both parties. The question isn't whether independents matter anymore. It's whether the system catches up.
Dem’s Blue Wave: Powered by the Indy Tsunami. Everybody Hates Trump. Indy Vets For Senate Lost—But Won By Playing.
Episode 667
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 • Duration 30:05
Vets Win. Closed Primaries Cooked Results. Is Iran Imminent Now? Vets Day is Next. Election Results Breakdown.
Paul Rieckhoff records before sunrise on the morning after — and cuts through the celebration with a no-BS, intelligence-grade read on what actually happened. Yes, Democrats rolled: the House, likely the Senate, Troy Jackson knocking off Susan Collins in Maine, Talarico in Texas, Brown over Husted in Ohio, Annie Andrews in South Carolina. But Democrats are only 27% of the vote. Republicans are 27%. Independents are 45% — and we decided every one of these races. This wasn't a blue wave. It was an anti-Trump wave, powered by an independent tsunami.
Paul walks through the independent veteran candidates from IVA — Bodnar, Osborn, Bangs, Achilles, Bob Chew, Ty Pinkins in a Mississippi race still too close to call, Bill Hill fighting for Alaska's lone House seat — and why winning the race was never the only point. He names the next danger zone: a cornered Trump with the most powerful military in history and 70 days until Democrats are sworn in. He calls on disenfranchised Republicans and burned-out Democrats to declare their independence, previews next week's Veterans Day conversation with Governor Wes Moore, and makes the case for merging Veterans Day and Election Day into one national holiday. Righteous anger, patriotic hope, and a clear-eyed look at what comes next.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
Expect the Unexpected. The Independent Wave. 6 Indy Vets Look to Make History. New Iran Strikes. Mark Cuban Nailed It. Haley Stevens is the new Tulsi Gabbard. Trump on Vietnam. Election Day Breakdown.
Episode 666
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 • Duration 30:49
It is election day 2026, and Paul Rieckhoff is wide awake before sunrise in New York with one message: expect the unexpected. The Wall Street Journal is reporting the US has been quietly striking Iran for weeks. The Pentagon hasn't held a routine press briefing since May 5th. Tucker Carlson is warning that Netanyahu is pressuring Trump toward a tactical nuke strike on Pickaxe Mountain. And a cornered Trump — if the walls close in tonight — is the most dangerous Trump we have ever seen. This is no-BS analysis from a combat veteran and institutional watchdog who refuses to let the election news cycle bury the war machine cranking up behind it.
From there Paul breaks down the political theater: Trump's embarrassing closing argument at what he dubs the Trump reflecting pool, Haley Stevens breaking with Democrats to endorse Mike Rogers, Kathy Hochul shine-vampiring Mamdani and AOC with a Buffalo Bills bit nobody from the Bronx is buying, and Mark Cuban channeling the growing none-of-the-above energy. Then the real headline: 35 independent veterans running for office this cycle, every one of them endorsed by Independent Veterans of America, from Dan Osborn in Nebraska to Seth Bodnar in Montana to Todd Achilles in Idaho. This is the independent wave the cable networks won't name. Tune in, then go vote.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
Ty Pinkins on Obama, Clinton, Schumer — and the Democrats who sacrifice Black voters every cycle.
Episode 665
Monday, November 2, 2026 • Duration 38:06
On the eve of election day, Paul Rieckhoff sits down with Ty Pinkins — Army veteran of 21 years, three combat tours, Bronze Star recipient, Georgetown-trained attorney, and the independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Mississippi — for a no-BS conversation about what the rigged two-party system actually does to Black voters in the South. Pinkins lays out, with receipts going back to 1982, how the national Democratic Party keeps running doomed candidates in Mississippi not to win, but to harvest Black turnout for the next presidential cycle. He names names: Obama, Clinton, Schumer, Warnock, Booker, Benny Thompson. And he reveals that the only people who have offered him money to drop out are Democrats.
The conversation widens into the bigger story of 2026: six independent veterans running for Senate in six states, a media establishment that literally refuses to put independent candidates on its election maps, and a generation of young Americans leaving both parties at a rate of 10,000 a week. Paul and Ty get into the smears, the phone calls, the Christian conservative women crossing over, the Black elders in Vicksburg saying "this is what we've been waiting on," and why loyalty in politics has to run both ways. This is a dispatch from the front lines of the independent revolt — and a preview of the reckoning coming to both parties whether they're ready or not.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
Obama snatches the mic. Trump’s casting goes off a cliff.
Episode 664
Sunday, November 1, 2026 • Duration 14:41
Darlene Graham, Ken Paxton & the Herschel Walker problem. PLUS: Alaska’s dirty trick and the indy surge. Media Blitz Pod
Obama snatched the mic. That's the story heading into the final stretch — a more popular, more charismatic communicator back on the trail hammering corruption in Georgia with Jon Ossoff, while Trump's approval craters near 30 and his hand-picked candidates collapse under their own weight. Darlene Graham is on the ticket because she's Lindsey Graham's sister. Ken Paxton is Ken Paxton. The Herschel Walker problem is back, and independents — 37% of voters in Ohio alone — are fleeing in droves. Meanwhile Trump gives safe harbor to Flavio Bolsonaro while Kansas farmers wonder if they'll be able to plant in the spring.
Then there's Alaska, where New York Times reporting caught Democrats plotting to run a same-name decoy against Senator Dan Sullivan to confuse voters. It's the kind of dirty trick that reminds everyone why they're sick of the rigged two-party system — and why independent veteran candidates like Dan Osborn, Seth Bodnar, Brian Bengs, and Todd Achilles are surging against incumbents. Paul and the panel — Wendy Davis, Shermichael Singleton, and Stephanie Grisham — break down the casting disasters, the Obama resurgence, the Alaska scandal, and the independent surge that could reshape the Senate map.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
Can Obama save the Dems in the final stretch? Trump’s Bolsonaro problem. Ohio, Georgia, Alaska down to the wire.
Episode 663
Saturday, October 31, 2026 • Duration 24:35
One week out from Election Day 2026, the country is staring at a split screen that tells you everything about the rigged two-party system. Barack Obama is finally deployed to Georgia and Michigan trying to pull Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms across the line. Donald Trump is on the same stage at the same hour cracking jokes about men's backsides while his approval sits near 30 and Flavio Bolsonaro — under investigation for financial crimes and screaming rigged election — gets safe harbor from the White House. Ohio, Georgia and Alaska are all down to the wire, and a bizarre New York Times scoop just revealed Democratic operatives engineered a second "Dan Sullivan" onto the Alaska ballot to sow confusion against the Republican incumbent.
Paul Rieckhoff brings the no-BS read across two News Nation panels, breaking down why corruption is now the single most powerful issue cutting across left, right and center — and why independent veterans like Dan Osborn in Nebraska, Seth Bodnar in Montana, Todd Achilles in Idaho and Brian Bengs in South Dakota are the real story of this cycle. He takes on the spin from both sides, warns Democrats about spiking the ball early, and lays out why 45% of Americans aren't looking to switch jerseys — they're looking for a door out of the whole stadium.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Let Vets Vote: Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
-Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Related Shows Based on Content Similarities
Discover shows related to Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
