[00:03] Good morning. It is Monday, March 30th, 2026. You're watching The Program with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou. Good morning, John. Good morning, Ted. Busy, busy show this morning. We're going to do news. We have something weird and disturbing to talk to you about after the news. We have guest Pickaxe CEO Jeff Dornick coming on to talk about free speech. That'll be kind of an appropriate segue to what we'll be talking about right after the news.
[00:34] It's just a a little bit of housekeeping. TMI show, no TMI show today. Manilla's out sick. Hopefully, she's getting better and she'll be back tomorrow. The we'll be starting our exclusive Q&A all Q&A shows Monday and Wednesday. This coming Wednesday, not today. Wednesday at 12:00 noon. We're here Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. Robbie, I've got to ask you for a little bit of tech assistance here. Those audios that I want to play, StreamYard doesn't let me play them. They let me
[01:04] add video. They don't let me add audio. So, if you can sort of figure out how we can play them here, that would be great. Do you know what I mean? Yep, I do. Probably have to go through OBS and not that. So, if you can make it play play today, but I'll play it tomorrow. Okay, that's unfortunate. Okay, I tried to convert >> Oh, actually, it'll let you do video? It'll let you do video. So, if you can convert them to video files. It says it needs a video track is what StreamYard saying. Hold on. I I've got you. I'm
[01:36] your huckleberry. All right. So, you've got 15, 20 minutes to work on it. So, Good. How many of these do you want? Just a couple of them? There's three. Well, yeah, and just just choose like, you know, choose like three. I'm just grabbing what y'all I'm just grabbing whatever y'all dropped here. All right. Thank you, Robbie. Appreciate that. All right. So, let's get to it. The in the Middle East, John, we'll just get to it right away, right? So, Okay, so obviously, the much-anticipated ground war looks like
[02:06] it's about to happen. Thousands of American troops are now in the Middle East and Trump says he's definitely seems to be leaning towards attacking Kark Island. He says he wants to take Iran's oil. You know, that's not an idle threat after what >> No, no, that's a big deal. It's also such a war crime. It's off the charts. And then, I think the big story really, truly is Yemen get the Houthis getting involved. Bob El Mandeb, I'm sure I'm butchering
[02:36] the pronunciation. >> No, that's right. The Bab el Mandeb. So, that's the basically, that's the strait that goes to the Red Sea. It's the equivalent of the Strait of Hormuz, but >> Correct. And it's so narrow, it's like 9 miles across. Much narrower than the Strait of Hormuz. Yeah, much narrower. So, that's So, that little strait separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea. And it's kind of like See how wide it is. It's just north of where the Gulf of Aden, where those Somali pirates always notoriously operate, like Captain
[03:07] Phillips and all that kind of stuff. So, anyway, the the Houthis have been discounted in all this. John, let's just start with the Houthis. How serious How serious of a factor are the Houthis here? Well, the reason >> [laughter] >> Excuse me, the reason why we thought the Houthis would not be a factor is because they came to an agreement with the United States to stop attacking US ships and US warships. And so, we just as a country, we just collectively kind of forgot about them. Mhm. But they launched a missile strike on
[03:37] Israel that connected. And um And so, so long as the Houthis have a supply of missiles, even though they're not guided missiles, they can sort of point them in the general right direction and at least frighten people. They might, you know, hit a neighborhood or or something. So, this is this is kind of a big deal, not because it's necessarily going to do some damage so much as it's going to frighten people and distract the Israelis. So, now the
[04:07] Israelis not don't just have to worry about the Iranians and their incoming drones and missiles. Now, they have to worry about the Houthis as well. And [snorts] the and >> And the Lebanese. I was just going to say the Iranians are busy have a multi-front war going on, right? I mean, they're still engaged in ethnic cleansing in in West Bank and Gaza. They're They're genociding in Gaza. They're invading Southern Lebanon. The AP has officially designated it an invasion. You know, I mean, I think an invasion is technically whenever you go into a
[04:38] country you don't belong in. And then, there's you know, and now Yemen and Iran. I mean, that's a lot for a little tiny, you know, highly belligerent country to to chew. It is. And while the Israelis crossed the Lebanese border with ease every time they want to do it and and slaughter as many people as they want to slaughter, it's never a long-term strategy. You just can't You can't maintain it. It's an untenable policy.
[05:09] And so, it looks this time as if the Israelis are seeking a buffer zone. This is something that you raised a couple of weeks ago, Ted. You said rhetorically, are the Israelis looking for a buffer zone? I think that's exactly what they're doing. Basically, south of the Litani River is >> The Litani River, it looks like it's it's going to be the dividing line. But the thing is is you can't Well, you can internally displace hundreds of thousands of people. There are 900,000
[05:40] civilians that are internally displaced right now in Lebanon. This is a humanitarian catastrophe. And of course, the Israelis don't care. But the issue of invading up to the Litani River and then permanently holding the territory south of the Litani River, this is new. And [clears throat] the Israelis they they seem to in in that in that area south of the Litani, they've already begun kind of Gaza-like demolition operations, where they're raising everything. John, what's that
[06:11] about? What What is the I mean, what is the What is the What Why is that a tactic? Like, what an occupying army gain from that? This is all about Hezbollah rocket attacks on Jewish settlements in northern Israel. There are settlements within like two or three kilometers of the Lebanese border. Why in the world you would want to set up a settlement right there within like literally a hand grenade's distance, you
[06:41] know, from the Lebanese border is a mystery to me, but the Israelis have. And so, one of the things that that these settlements have to deal with all the time is incoming Hezbollah rockets. Usually, shoulder-fired rockets. Sometimes, they connect. They destroy houses. Every once in a while, they'll kill somebody. They They hit a a school playground I don't know, year or two years ago and and killed a a couple of adults who happened to be there at the playground just kind of standing around. So, this is this is all part of the
[07:12] I'm going to use the term the Greater Israel, not that giant swath that includes Saudi Arabia and all of Jordan and all that stuff. But Greater Israel meaning a chunk of Syria, a chunk of of uh of Lebanon, the West Bank, Gaza that the Israelis want for the protection of settlers. So, flat flattening Lebanese homes and turning basically turning Southern Lebanon into like what they did in Gaza, turning it into a gravel parking lot. Yeah. Is that about trying
[07:45] to deny those who would be firing weapons into Israel a place to hide and set up those launchers? Is that what it's about? >> Yes. But all that's going to happen is they're going to move. The technology is going to improve. They're going to get more distance out of their rockets. And then, the Israelis going to have to cross the Litani River and go on to the north side of the Litani River. It's just going to get worse and worse and worse. And God forbid anybody should either start treating people like human
[08:16] beings or engage in some sort of peace talks even indirectly. God forbid. It's easier just to, you know, commit crimes against humanity. Totally. So, yeah, no, I agree. Look, I think the Houthis are a big deal, too. You know, that's you know, you were asking By the way, I just want to answer like, you know, why would the Israelis have settlements 3 miles from the border? I don't know. Why would you have a music festival 3 kilometers away from the the border that's with Gaza, right? That's exactly right. Or or or a kibbutz, right?
[08:47] >> It's Samaritans, man. It is. So, I guess they're like, well, it's all ours, so we get to We're going to control every little bit of it. So, with before we move on from the from the from the Houthis, I mean, the threat is huge, right? Like, I you know, I used to work in banking and business I mean, shipping, they're not going If there's a 1% chance that like your tanker is going to is going to take a Houthi missile, you're not sending that tanker through there.
[09:17] You're just not. >> look at it this way, too. The Persian Gulf accounts for 65% of the world's fertilizer. So, 65% of the world's fertilizer has to go through the Strait of Hormuz. And as if that isn't bad enough, it then splits. Half of it goes east to Asia. Half of it goes west to the Bab el Mandeb to then go through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. And if the Houthis
[09:49] are armed and blowing up ships again, this is going to be bad. >> Ted, I've lost I've I've lost your audio. I don't know if it's you or me. I'm going to hit refresh on mine.
[10:26] How's that? Good. You're good. How am I? >> Yeah, I can hear you now. Okay, great. That was very strange. I wonder if my computer's just getting old or Well, we're having some security breaches. Let's say that. >> Indeed. All right, let's do some questions from leftover from Friday. So, just a reminder, the new schedule, right? Q&A Wednesday Monday and Wednesday starting this Wednesday, April 1st at 12:00 noon. So, as usual, we love your questions and we'll take them during this show. This show is going to be really packed, but we're going to Any questions we
[10:56] don't get to today, the super chats will be kicked over into the next show Wednesday, and then all of those, anything that's left over, will end up in the in the the Q&A only show on Wednesday at noon. All right, let's do these leftovers. All right, UK Fan Man, thanks for the five bucks. Why is Hebrew the only language considered when using the term anti-Semitic? And is this not disrespectful to all the all the other Semitic languages? Every Arab I know makes exactly the same argument.
[11:27] And of course [snorts] of course the writer is absolutely correct. Semitism does not mean Jewishness. No. It means people from the Semitic tribes. And that includes the Arabs. So, yeah, that's exactly right. Let's see. Desert Fox 41, thanks for the dollar. What do you guys make of the Epstein Rothschild connection? He brags about it in his emails with Peter Thiel. Also, thoughts on the French avant-garde and Italian the French avant-garde and Italian. I'm
[11:59] watching some Dip el Dieu and Fellini this Friday. You won't talk about Dip el Dieu's sexual proclivities, but great actor. I love the Yeah, I'm not a I'm not a huge Fellini fan, John. Um You know, Ted, I've got to agree. I've and I've tried and I thought Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm just an idiot and I don't understand. >> I think I'm dumb. But I Yeah, I just I tried. I mean, you know, I I went to a very pretentious college. They showed
[12:30] all those movies in you know, at the student union. And it was just like, I don't care about eight and a half or any of that. No, and I wanted to. Yeah. I wanted to be one of those like, oh, Fellini >> Paul Thomas Anderson. >> of Fellini. Paul Thomas Anderson, I just can't, you know, not really. I've come around on it. >> Wes Anderson. Wes Anderson, sorry. Oh, no, Wes Anderson, no, I I'm not a fan. It's too twee. >> just like uh Oh, what's his name? Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.
[13:02] Um He was married to Madonna. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I know. >> Who told this guy he should be a a director? Like he's never made any He's never made a single decent movie. Another Another one. What's his face that did The Great Gatsby and Elvis? Hey Ted, I assume that you're not calling me right now. Is that correct? That is correct. I am not calling you right now. >> Yeah. Yeah. God, what a dick.
[13:33] >> [laughter] >> Here, I want to show you. All right, here we go. >> Ted Rawls calling. Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah, that's a little teaser. >> [laughter] >> Let's see. Let me Let me put this >> amateurs. I'm putting Yeah, we'll we'll we'll get to that in a minute or two. All right, we'll do a few more questions and we'll we'll get straight to that. What's going on with John and I who are being harassed? Okay, Palestinians lived and live under brutal apartheid and have gone through unspeakable horrors. What can they do to
[14:04] win as a people? I'm in contact I'm in contact with a few. Well, that's a big big >> huge question. I went to a fundraiser Friday night for a guy named Abdul El-Sayed. It's actually Abdulrahman El-Sayed. He's He's a medical doctor running for the US Senate in Michigan. You slimeball mother Okay, sorry. He He graduated from the University of Michigan,
[14:35] went to medical school at Columbia University, became a Rhodes Scholar, and then when he got back from the UK became an epidemiologist. And he's running for US Senate from Michigan. He is a proud Palestinian. And somewhat to my surprise at the fundraiser, his talk was about health care, health care, health care, health care. And then at the very end, a little bit about Palestine, but you can tell he's very passionate about Palestine as well, but it was all about health care.
[15:06] And I thought to myself, man, we should have 100 senators like this guy. I I very proudly wrote that check at the end of the night. Nice. >> That's one way of doing it. I And I'll add, in the 1990s, there was a real debate in the Muslim community in Michigan about whether it was acceptable for Muslims to participate in American elections. And I don't know what just happened. I think Ted fell out.
[15:38] But that's okay. It was about whether or not Muslims should participate in American elections. And Imams weighed in, and Imams said that that yes, of course Muslims should participate. It's the only way to affect change. But it took 20 years. Hey, John. Yeah. There you go. John's not calling Ted. >> [laughter] >> No, and I'm not calling John cuz we have
[16:10] a radio show. We're live on the air. Morons. Uh So, um So, it's only now that Muslims are really coming around to participating fully in the American political process. And that's a good thing. And you know, change is incremental and it's very slow, and it could take a century. But you got to start with that first step, and the first step is participating fully in the political process. Wow. Okay, so let's [laughter] do And I also I'm going to say for the Palestinians, honestly,
[16:40] this is going to be sound weird. I think they are winning. I mean, basically, you know, we talk about how the Iranians >> Totally agree. the Iranians are winning by surviving, and the Palestinians are surviving, and global public opinion, particularly in among the American people who are the you know, Israel's closest allies, the US, is is is is shrinking, and it's never coming back, especially because young people really don't support Israel, and they're going to get older and more
[17:10] powerful and more influential, and old people who support Israel are going to die. You know, Palestinians be playing the long game, and they're going to win. They are going to win. >> I agree with that wholeheartedly. I want to live I want to live long enough to see it, but I think it's Okay. Um Zeeloop, thanks for the 999. What are the likely political consequences of the war with Iran? It's going to be the destruction of the Donald Trump administration, I think. I agree. It's the end of the MAGA movement.
[17:42] And I I agree with that as well. This is This is a very serious split within the Republican Party. So many Republican voters really believed in the you know, end to foreign wars message of the of the Trump campaign. And and Marco Rubio is running the show, and Marco Rubio is a John McCain-style neocon. Yes. Yes, he is. Um with even less even less but with less
[18:12] charisma. Um Good morning, gents. [ __ ] is really [ __ ] us. This orange [ __ ] is really [ __ ] us. This morning, Spain closed its airspace to the US. Any idea of any other EU countries will join this idea? I should also say, John, that there's gas rationing around the corner in the UK. Thoughts on on Ukraine signing with Gulf I mean, like next week signing with Gulf states in the in defense agreement. Thanks,
[18:43] man. #pardonjohn. Thanks, Aryan, for the 1999. >> [gasps] >> Ted, you just called me a second, third, fourth, and fifth time. I'm a busy boy. I can I can call you multiple times while I pontificate. >> Now Now your sixth call is trying to come through. I think it's time to >> [sighs and gasps] >> talk about this, John. Do you Yeah. Please go ahead. >> [snorts] >> So, a couple of weeks ago, I started getting calls from some [ __ ] [ __ ] using a Google Voice number based in New
[19:17] York, a 917 number. And he's this cowardly anonymous [ __ ] hiding behind anonymous phone message phone numbers. He's calling me now for the seventh time. And and it started off with he says, "You stupid piece of [ __ ] Stop talking about Reza Pahlavi." Let me tell you about Reza Pahlavi. First of all, Reza Pahlavi is the coward son of the former Shah of Iran.
[19:48] He [ __ ] his brother's wife. His brother then committed suicide. Reza Pahlavi is afraid of his own [ __ ] shadow. And I said multiple in multiple venues that if he were to return to Iran, which is exactly what the Israelis want because he's an he's a Mossad stooge, um that he wouldn't survive the walk from the plane to the terminal. I stand by that. I agree with that. I agreed with it then. I agree with it now. Yeah. So Also, he's dumb as us.
[20:22] >> dumb. And that's even maybe worse than being a coward. He's just dumb. So um so this coward who hiding behind anonymity started calling calling me a piece of [ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] piece of [ __ ] He's going to [ __ ] me up the ass and all this stuff. And then I would block the number. He'd get another Google Voice number. I'd block that one. He got a third. I blocked that. Um and then the death threats began. Mhm. And my response to death threats is
[20:53] usually a pretty standard bring it on, tough guy. Bring it on. Because as Ted pointed out before the show started, >> [snorts] >> real assassins don't [ __ ] talk about it, especially through anonymous Google Voice numbers. Right. >> do it in silence. And this [ __ ] guy, he just called me now the eighth time. Um he's all talk, this this tough guy with his vaguely Iranian Hebrew accent.
[21:26] Um shall we shall we play? Yeah, let's play. All right. Let's let's put this up. So this is one Robbie, thank you for converting this. I'm going to put Robbie up here, too. So here we go. We're going to we're going to we're going to make this [clears throat] uh I know I got it to work before. All right, here we go. You slimeball [ __ ] you don't talk about Reza Pahlavi again. You [ __ ] hear me? [ __ ] you, ass licker. Steven Morrison.
[21:58] Answer the phone, [ __ ] Yep. It's a lot of repetition. A lot of repetition. He's not terribly bright. He doesn't have very much in his quiver. Um but yeah, that's that's pretty much it. And the funny thing is, you know, with the new iOS download. I'm sure you have the same situation. Um if if a number isn't saved in my
[22:28] in my um phone, it just goes directly to voicemail. Yeah, that's that's that's how I have it set up now. >> So this guy is not bothering me in any way. Uh and that's fine. And and Ted and I text each other constantly. So Ted calling me, you know, eight consecutive times, especially while we're here on the show. I'm like, buddy, are you [ __ ] brain damaged? He's calling again right now. Are you [ __ ] brain damaged? Yeah. So
[22:58] yeah, there's something obviously he's out of his [ __ ] mind. I mean the thing is you know, I mean I've read a lot about these kind of creepy stalker [ __ ] Yeah. And you know, obviously look, he's going to get what he deserves cuz you know, we're >> Just like Reza Pahlavi's going to get what he deserves. He's going to get a fist up his ass. And he and he deserves to die. >> you, sir. May I have another? He's never going to be the leader of Iran. Never. No. Like his degenerate torturing father. Yeah, his degenerate father who
[23:29] died like a whimpering coward. So this guy is yeah, and he's like, you know, basically it's like this [ __ ] monarchist idiot. Like it's 2026. You're a monarchist? What the [ __ ] [laughter] is wrong with you? >> Seriously. You know, the only the only monarchists among Iranians are living in Beverly Hills and being you know, supported by in the pay of the Israeli Mossad. So you know, you people are not impressive.
[23:59] No. No, they're making fools of themselves on social media. Well, he's also not as not as smart as he thinks he is. Let's just put that out there, too. >> he will be caught. And you know, Well, let's talk about that. Let's talk about that. Yeah. Robbie, you're a tech guy. What can you tell us? Well, what's pretty cool is that whenever you make a voice over IP over IP call, so long as you have a date, a time, and a phone number,
[24:29] if you know what you're doing, which of course I know what I'm doing, you're able to trace it back. Now, I can't get your I can't get your phone number without a warrant. But I know I know where you are. And here's the best part. Uh I have successfully given you a digital colonoscopy and you're too stupid even realize it. I'm I'm tickling your tonsils as we speak. And we know exactly where you are. >> six reports with your IP address and everything. I know that she's using Google. I've got
[25:01] the reports. I'm looking at them right here. I sent them all to John and Ted. Uh fortunately, John, he has a lot of friends in the FBI. And what you're doing is a felony. Yeah. >> And so this is Don't take our word for it. >> morning? John called his friends at the FBI. So so go on ahead. I mean you're harassing my friends. Personally, I'm offended that you think so little of me that you can't harass me. >> [laughter] >> I mean the people on the show, let's be honest. I'm the one who usually gets the most hate and vitriol. Racist, white
[25:33] nationalist, Nazi. Nobody can bother me. So now I can't be bothered with this. Now I'm just going to just I'm I'm going to harass the the two lefties who are who are the moderates. I feel left out. Personally, I'm personally offended. The next time next time they do this I'm going >> honestly you're going to scare John Kiriakou? Oh, please. Go [ __ ] yourself. >> Really? Like like he's afraid of you. I mean [laughter] I mean, you know, he knows he's had real reasons to be afraid and you're not one of them. That's right.
[26:03] >> Really truly. Yeah. Well, we got you, [ __ ] We got you. And the FBI's going to get you next. >> So and by the way, >> Bring it on, baby. it would not be sad if someone were to recognize his voice and drop you a line. Let us know if you if you know him. Ted, are you able to are you able to display one of the reports that I sent you so that way he knows I'm not bluffing. I I don't know if you can show it on StreamYard or not. >> Yes, I I think I can. Um let's see.
[26:34] Listen, I talk slow. My family tree ain't got too many forks, but I'm not as [ __ ] as a Iranian monarchist. Seriously. It's like God, people. Get with the program. Your Shahanshah is not coming back. So let me let me Sorry, I got to I got to I got to do a couple steps to make this happen here. Um Robbie, do we have any more questions like we while we're uh Uh not the outstanding ones, but I've not been watching the chat this morning from converting those audios over into video
[27:05] and stuff. So Okay, so we're we'll get in there and and and get some of those. Um Here I've got a I can't show it, but here's what I here's what I have. Uh so unfortunately, because it would violate uh YouTube's terms of service, I can't give you all the the phone number for this [ __ ] However, what I can tell you uh is that the time that he called is is 3:28:26 at 1500. As a voice over IP uh came in through it came in through
[27:35] Google. And let's just keep on going here, shall we? Let me go and pull Let me pull up the latest report. John, go ahead and send me the Oh, I have I have it now ready to go. >> Oh, awesome. Here's the report. Image file. I just cut and pasted it. I hope that's okay. That's fine. Um Yeah, cuz I've got a bunch I I got a bunch of them. I got these for days. That's true, you do. Oh, [ __ ] Why is it not coming up? It doesn't like you. Uh I know. I'm having Here we go. Uh invalid file type, really? Okay.
[28:06] Stupid. Robbie Robbie Okay, let me I can do this. I know I can do this. Yeah, so well here's what I hear. Uh So just kind of give you all an idea about what y'all's favorite redneck was able to do here. It's kind of fun. This is kind of work out I I enjoy doing more than producing. I enjoy screwing people. So the carrier is Google Grand Central. I see that she's using an SVR protocol, which is really kind of lame. You should really up your game. Maybe you should start spending some more money on a better system. Seriously dope. And if
[28:37] you can't do that, then you should go stick your dick in a knothole in a fence or something if you can't get laid. That's all right. >> could if he could even find his little micro dick. I mean Yeah, like him and Mark Levin. Uh aside the look up response, I see that the phone number is based out of New York City. And I see that she's like I said, he's using an SVR wrapper with a 910 area code, but the mobile country code is 311. So what's nice is that if some dumb uneducated hick like me who's never been to college can get all this information, John's friends at the FBI
[29:08] will be able to do so do so much better with the metadata I'm sitting on. So please keep doing it. And I hope and I hope that you're an immigrant so your ass gets deported. Yeah, that would be great. I'm that's a deportation that Ted Rall could get fully behind. Yeah, I'm for that. Off to see caught. Bye. Okay. >> [laughter] >> Thank you, Robbie. All right. Well, I'll keep Robbie on stage here. I'm joining us for the join for our next section is Jeff Dornik. He's the CEO of Pickaxe, pickaxe.com. I'm active on Pickaxe as as
[29:41] is Robbie, I know. John, I don't know if you're on there or not, but if you're not, you should be. I I So uh Pickaxe is um a free speech oriented platform. They all say they are, but as far as I can tell, Pickaxe really is. So, Jeff, thanks for joining us. Yeah, thanks for having me on. Been looking forward to chat with all you guys. So, Robbie, you want to tee this one up? Yeah, so Jeff Dornik is is a friend of mine. He is uh the CEO of Pickaxe. I've been on I was one of the one of the first people on the Pickaxe.
[30:12] It's pretty pretty cool. Uh they're spouting by Kenny of all the appropriate monikers for the MAGA right. And just just awesome guy. He's a free speech absolutist. He has made it his mission to fight big tech and the censorship that they do. And uh we have talked more than once about this big split that's happened on the right, specifically with uh you know, Trump's full embrace of neoconism, the abandonment of his base, and frankly, the self-destruction of his
[30:43] movement. And uh just really just want to just bring you on uh Jeff and see what what is it that you're hearing from people that you that you run with about how Trump has just gone full John McCain with uh frankly an a an illegal unconstitutional war of aggression against a sovereign nation without congressional approval. Yeah. What are you hearing on your end? Well, it's it's it's interesting because it's like when you when you look at the Republican base, it's it's been extremely it's been extremely splintered. I think that's obvious to
[31:14] any to to anybody kind of looking at it. But it's like historically, it used to be you'd have the traditional Republicans versus the MAGA Republicans. And now you've got MAGA kind of being splintered off into all these different factions and all that. And to where I I think I think that the thing is that we're seeing is that you've got Trump is kind of redefining America First, redefining MAGA. And to where the only people that are really supporting a lot of these actions by the Trump administration are the neocons and the Trump sycophants. Is is really what it
[31:45] comes down to because a lot of the people that actually bought into his America First agenda and bought into his campaign promises of no foreign interventionist wars, no regime changes, which by the way we've had what what are we two going on three regime changes now within the first year of his presidency. Um you know, like a lot of people that I'm talking to, they're like, this is not what we voted for. And then if you start questioning it, then all the sycophants start coming after you and trying to destroy you. And that's why uh I think it was last night or the night before, you know, one of my good friends
[32:15] Brandon Straka, who uh founder of Walkaway, he spoke at CPAC and he basically just kind of called everybody out where he's like, Guys, can we can we knock off all all of the the personal smears and trying to destroy people just because they have legitimate questions about our own government or a foreign government. He's like, last I checked, that's kind of what patriotism is supposed to be. You're supposed to challenge the status quo. You're supposed to challenge what the government is doing, ask questions, and don't just go along. So, it's we're in a very weird place right now, I think, especially on on the right, which
[32:46] historically I've been and I've kind of been trending a little bit away from from the Republican Party as of late. But it's it's it's been interesting to kind of see the developments happening, especially under this Trump 2.0. Uh Jeff, I I mean, just before you came on, John and I both kind of agreed that the uh the major political implication of the Iran war uh is the is going to be the destruction of the Trump administration and of the MAGA movement. Um do you think that's that's that's putting
[33:17] too extreme a point on it, or is I mean, is it is the threat really of a of a schism that exist as existential as John and I think? Yeah, well, I I think that there there's lots of things that are contributing to it. And and I think I think it's I think the I I think the Iran war specifically, I think really I think made it a a point of no return for for a lot of people of like like, okay, so we we've been we were promised 16 files. We were promised the 9/11 files. We were promised transparency. We
[33:48] were promised that, you know, like I've had Kash Patel on my show. We were promised Kash is going to get in there and drain the swamp and end the deep state control within the agencies and all that kind of stuff. Has anything happened? Where's the arrests? Where is the Where Where are we dealing with the corruption? Where are we actually dealing dealing with all of this? But I think I think everybody was still kind of holding on of, okay, at least we're not at war. At least we're not, you know, like, you know, getting you know, going back to, you know, we're being the world's police and all that. And then all of a sudden, here we are. And we had Venezuela where, you know, Trump took out, you know, had basically had a
[34:18] regime change. Now we're dealing with Iran. And I think from a lot of people that I've talked to this close to the Trump administration, I think that my guess, and again, I can only base upon certain conversations, I think that Trump kind of thought that, okay, we we were in and out in Venezuela. We got the regime change we wanted, great. Let's go do that in Iran. And I think he bought into the narrative that they could do that. And it's like now he's in there and now it's like, okay, we're not getting out of this really quick. How's this going to be? I think I forget I think it was J.D. Vance. It was just, you know, basically projecting we could
[34:49] be there another year or two. I think the goalposts keeps getting pushed off down down the road. It's it's it's like at what at what point is the Trump administration going to learn their lesson that they're listening to the wrong people or they're listening to the very people that they said that they were going to drain out of the swamp and then turning their back on his base that actually bought into his agenda when he first started running for president. Yeah, I have a question for you, Jeff. This is This is weird. This is make any sense to me. I'm I'm a right-winger. I voted for Trump in 2016 because I wanted
[35:19] something different. He was saying all the right things. He won me when he called W a war criminal on Valentine's Day in the debate and crucified Jeb with an exclamation point on national TV. I was like, this is my guy. And Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro were blasting Trump. Now, they are America First, and I'm not. They're the ones that Trump is going to listen to, the people who are never Trumpers. And so he's just going to just completely abandon the people who got
[35:49] him to the dance, not once but twice. For the same people who were his enemies in the first place. And what world is this saying? Yeah. Well, I feel like I feel like everything is upside down, backwards, and it just feels it just feels bonkers to me because because none of none of this makes any any sense because none of this is the agenda that Trump laid out. None of this is what he pitched to his base and that his base voted for. I mean, I mean, a big reason why Trump won this last election was because of, you know, he he bring in the RFK Juniors and the
[36:21] Tulsi Gabbards and and the, you know, center the the center-right, center-left kind of kind of coalition because of we're getting we're not going to police be the police of the world. We're not going to be a part of the forever wars. We're not going to be a part of the regime changes. And and I think and I think that then he gets in there and then who and then who is he listening to? He's list he's listening to Lindsey Graham, who by the way is down in Disney World last last I checked based on a TMZ report. And and you're just sitting here and you're like, is this
[36:52] everything is backwards. Like and then his base, and this this is one of my biggest frustrations, his base then will be the sycophants that they are and then try to defend and justify every single thing that he does, defend the fact that he that he'll he'll you know, say that Lindsey Graham is is MAGA and Thomas Massie is a traitor. And and you're like, everything everything is backwards. I I just none of this makes any sense except for the fact that the that the the neocons are running the show within the Trump White House. I don't see any other justification.
[37:24] Do you see um the the sort of the anti-neocon faction as what it has been reported to be? That would be J.D. Vance and Tulsi Gabbard and maybe the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, although that that may be apocryphal. Do you see that being the case? And if so, is Tulsi Gabbard short for this administration? Yeah, I I I I think that for and I think even Trump acknowledged, I think it was
[37:54] yesterday or the day before, basically over the weekend that that Tulsi doesn't necessarily see eye to eye with him on on Iran and she's not a in his words not a strong, you know, on this as he is. But he but he made it seem like that that's okay and we take different perspectives and different positions within the administration. I don't necessarily know if if Tulsi would and people like her would be pushed out by Trump himself. I could see it happening from some, you know, people within his administration, you know, like the Susie Wiles type type of type of people.
[38:25] Um but I I think that what what we're what we're really seeing is I think it's going to come to a head at a certain point because if you're if you're Tulsi Gabbard who doesn't believe in a lot of these foreign interventionist wars, has been very opposed to Iran, I think I from what I understand as well, like she she disagrees with the intelligence that Trump is basing the justification on going to war with Iran, you know, at a certain point it's going to come to a head. And then is she going to be have is she going to be forced into either doing things that she believes is morally wrong, or is she going to be
[38:56] forced into either getting fired or pulling a Joe Kent? I think at a certain point there it's going to come to a head and I I don't necessarily think that that the that the anti-neocon crowd within the Trump administration will be able to continually stand by when you know, we're we're you know, already dealing with Iran. We're going to be stuck there in the Middle East for who knows how long. And then what are we going to do? We're going to go into Cuba next? What's What's after that? What like at what point is enough enough?
[39:28] Yeah. Jeff, why do you think I mean, we all agree that you know, this is not what Trump promised. And he appointed people, you know, personnel is policy, right? He appointed the wrong personnel. Now we've got the wrong policy. Um Why did he appoint the wrong personnel? I mean, how did that happen? How I mean, you know, he Why did he choose people like Marco Rubio? Uh why didn't he bring in people who are more skeptical of the forever wars? On honestly, you know, this this is what we were told throughout this last
[39:58] campaign was that Trump 1.0, he made he made a lot of mistakes in in hiring. Trump 2.0, it's going to be different. We're going to get the right people in there. I think a lot of people thought that it would be when you had him bringing in people like Tulsi and RFK [snorts] Jr. And you bring on, you know, for you know, as as crappy as Doge was, you bring on Elon Musk and you know, the quote-unquote the best of the best, right? But at at the at the same time, you're you're looking at this year like it's kind of a repeat if not worse than Trump 1.0 with with a lot of the internal hirings that that are the closest to
[40:29] him. And and from everything that I've seen, it it feels very much like uh like he's he's trusting the very people that he campaigned against in in his first administration when he was really taking on the Republican establishment, taking on the neocons. And then what does he do? He surrounds himself with the neocons and the establishment Republicans and then calls them maga and then attacks his actual maga base and says that they're that they're rhinos, that they're that they're, you know, anti-Trump, anti-America, anti-patriot,
[41:00] they're traders, the whole the whole deal and sticks Laura Loomer on everybody. And and you and you're just you're just like I don't I don't I don't know. I don't know what is going through his head unless it's just the fact that he's got somebody like Susie Wiles who I've been warning against since since the campaign. Um it was in in honestly, when I saw that he hired uh Susie Wiles, that was what that was one of the contributing factors of me actually walking away from Trump and backing RFK Jr. Is I'm like, if you're going to hire Susie Wiles who has deep ties with all the industrial
[41:30] complexes, who's who has deep ties with with everything that Donald Trump has campaigned against and she's going to be the gatekeeper, she's going to be what the one running the show, it's not going to be good for the America First agenda that Trump pitched to everybody and I think we're seeing the the actual results of that. Mhm. One thing I want to point out real quick, y'all. And this is just this going to just this going to tie right into to pickaxe. Over on YouTube, there is a bunch of There's another word for it. There's a bunch of [ __ ] going on. Over 1,200
[42:00] people were just dropped from the stream. Uh they're having to come back uh manually. And we know that Bari Weiss is on the record saying that uh it's it's incumbent on Big Tech and these companies to control uh SEO and search and moderate what it people what it is that people are able to see. She She She said that people are able to say what they want, but they don't have a freedom of reach. Uh so that's why so Rumble is so important and then Chris and that's why pickaxe is so important. What is pickaxe?
[42:32] Yeah, so so what what what basically the way that we lay it out is we're a constitutionally protected free speech social media platform. So like you're you know, if it's legal, uh you're allowed to say it. Uh the one exception is we do ban uh pornography and you know, for the free speech absolutists that that give me a lot of crap for that, I always say like you can't go down your actual town square, take off your clothes and have sex in the middle of the town square and not get arrested. So I'm not going to allow you to do that on in my digital town square. So outside of that, you're you're basically allowed to say, you know, what what you want. And and I think and I and I think the other component like what you mentioned is
[43:02] that if you look at all these platforms that are now claiming to be free speech, they're always saying, "Okay, freedom of speech, but in literally in the terms of service on X, it's you freedom of speech but not freedom of reach." And so basically you can say what you want, but that doesn't mean that they have to let anybody actually see it. And so for me, you know, this has wider implications than even just politics. This is This is impacting, you know, influencers in a whole host of different industries uh because now what what they're doing is they're having to base everything on algorithms. Everything is about the algorithm. And so what ends up happening is when you think about it, if
[43:33] everything is based on the algorithm, how do you actually build a community? You can't. You physically cannot do it if you're always chasing the algorithm. So you know, Elon Musk he put out his the his source code for um you know, the what what content shows up on your newsfeed. It has very little to no bearing about the number of followers you you have, who follows you, who you follow. That has almost no bearing on who actually sees your content. It has everything to do with the algorithm will and the AI will take a look at your content. It'll decide It'll It'll do a little test market uh you know, and and
[44:04] show your content to a handful of people, see what kind of engagement it gets, see which kind of people actually engage with the content. And then it'll decide, should we or should we not show this to more people? But it they may follow you, they may not. It does It doesn't matter whether they follow you. It's just you're chasing an algorithm. So what does that do to the content? Now the Now what ends up happening is you get people like, you know, the cat turds and the Gunther Eaglemans and the Laura Loomers and all that kind of stuff. What do they do? What do they do? They're posting content that the algorithm will pick up. So they're basing their content
[44:35] and they're writing in the content for a computer, not for people. And and I think that what we're seeing and the result of that is just a massive just destruction of all semblance of conversation on X and where it's just gaslighting, everybody's fighting each other and just firebombing and whatever it is. And so what we're actually doing with pickaxe is just this idea of if you follow [snorts] somebody, they can actually see your content. And uh we've we've been having a lot of testimonials from a lot of people like one guy actually just posted that he's got he's like, "I've got 45,000 followers on X and 45 followers on pickaxe and I'm
[45:05] getting more engagement and more conversations on pickaxe than I am on X. It's because we don't have algorithms and we're actually setting it up to where the our quote-unquote algorithms are based on humans. So the humans are actually deciding what gets seen, not not computers. So I I think I think we're seeing the very positive result of that right now. Um Jeff, how do you break through the uh you know, the market dominance of your competitors? Uh you know, I mean, it's so I mean, there's you know, as you know, I'm a Marxist. Uh capitalism has a
[45:37] tendency toward monopolization and aggregation of power and wealth. Um and you know, these are these are companies that these other media social media companies got to the table before you. So how do you uh you know, how do you get heard and how do you uh spread the message about pickaxe? Yeah, honestly, like we're we're we're doing a lot of marketing, a lot a lot of promotion, you know, obviously I'm going on shows and doing all that kind of stuff to grow, but we're also going to be focusing a lot on like in-person events where we can actually make human human connections cuz I think that that's really where
[46:07] um that's really where our bread and butter's going to be is how do we connect human beings to human beings and make and there's something different and something unique when you actually meet somebody face-to-face as opposed to digitally. Uh there's there's some kind of like connection that happens and you can't even really explain it, but you you have a you have a much more long-term connection with somebody if you see them face-to-face or see them in person than you do digitally. And so we're going to be we're going to be doing that, but the more that we can get people to buy into this idea and kind of retrain people's minds and and uh you know, hopefully you know, get them past
[46:37] the withdrawals of dopamine hits that they get on the other platforms and realize that like no, you can actually build community. Like I would rather have a smaller audience that actually sees all my content where we're actually building community, we can actually talk and go back and forth and you build, you know, as much of a relationship as you can and friendship on on online than this digital chaos that's happening on on the on these other platforms. And also on on the other side is that I've set up our business model as well to where I'm not like all the rest of the tech startups in Silicon Valley where
[47:08] they're always going for the grand slam. Like I can't tell you how many people advised me quote-unquote on how we're how to build pickaxe. Like you got to burn through a lot of money, you got to do these different rounds of fundraising and you know, you just you basically the goal is to burn as much money as you can so then that way you can raise more money so that way you can burn it so you can raise more money and that's basically the thing and then the goal is to ultimately just turn around and sell. Well, that's not what I want to do. Like for me, I would rather do this for the rest of my life, right? So I got to set up a sustainable business model without an insane burn rate. And and I don't need millions and millions of users in
[47:40] order to be profitable. I I you know, so I have a much lower threshold for for building it. So I can actually continue to build and grow and I'm building for the long term, not necessarily for the quick hit grand slam, which I think will actually make it a lot more sustainable and then a lot better for the users and the creators in the platform. Jeff, uh that's great. Very smart. Um thank you so much for coming on. That's Jeff Dornik, he's the CEO of pickaxe. Strongly encourage you to come over and join the conversation over at pickaxe.com. And there's an app on iOS and uh and on
[48:12] the Android store. So on the Google store, so. Yes. Uh thank you very much, Jeff. Thank you. I appreciate it. Anytime. Um okay, so um it appears, guys, that we're continuing to get attacked um throughout the show here in mysterious ways. Um so this doesn't appear to be like a you know, random just a random you know, [ __ ] Although there's a random [ __ ] involved, >> [clears throat] >> but uh we're you know, we're you know, my my mic got turned on and off several times. That's never happened ever
[48:43] uh in my life on this computer, which I've had for years. Uh we've had 1,500 watchers on YouTube uh be kicked off and I guess that hopefully Robbie, are they migrating back or what's going on? >> let me see. You're on YouTube, we've got some of them back. 45 out of just under 2,000 people have returned to uh the channel. Wow. >> So to watch the live stream. Okay, well, if you're watching on the uh on the on the repeat stream uh later, uh we apologize to you if you got dropped out. It was not our fault. We didn't We
[49:15] didn't want to did not want to lose you. >> Well, one thing I want to say cuz there's a lot of people who are who are on the YouTube chat right now who are talking about, you know, why are we having Jeff on and why is he running an ad? First, he's not running an ad. The man started a business based around the premise of being able to speak freely, which supposedly that's something that can agree on. And not have to cater to an algorithm in order to be seen. That's the point.
[49:46] He's also really smart about politics, too. Oh, he's incredibly smart about politics. >> Yeah. So, I mean, listen, if you if you are so trapped on the plantation where you think the only way that you can speak is by playing the games of very wise and Adolf Hitler and their backers then frankly you're part of the problem. Open your mind just a little bit. Now, I'm I'm always attacked on this show for being a closed-minded religious nut and a fundamentalist. At least I have an open mind and I'm able to talk to people
[50:16] and think and see and look at other perspectives. Hey, John, you're calling me again. She says, "Ted, you've only called me 29 times in the last 45 minutes. It's like I don't love you." I know, right? >> I should pay more attention to you. Uh is it the same phone number? It's Ted's spoofing number. Yeah. Got you. Yeah, so the problem is you can't block it cuz then you're blocking me. Right. And I can't block fake John. Right. I am thinking, I don't know, maybe changing the phone changing
[50:46] my It might be time to change my phone number, although I hate doing that cuz it's >> to. It's like you have all >> time I changed my phone number was in 2010, the Nigerian media got in touch got a hold of my phone number. And my god, 24/7 calls from Nigeria. I had to switch the number. I need to, too. All those princes calling you. Yeah, exactly. >> You know what I would do if I was y'all, honestly? Uh mute that number and then if y'all have to actually call each other, message do it over Telegram. Yeah.
[51:17] Could Oh, that's not a bad idea. However, he's also got another phone number of someone who's near and dear to me who I can't do that with. Yeah. >> So, yeah. No, it's it's it's it's disgusting. We're going to We're going to catch him. Well, the question that I have, and I'm in this sincerely, is how did he get a hold of y'all's contacts? That's That's the part that That's That to me tells me as Listen, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I'm the first one to tell you that. But just a normal person is not able to
[51:48] get a hold of your contact list. >> No, that's true. So, there's something else going on. I wonder if if I wonder if this person has a very small hat on the back of his very small head Yeah. >> compensating for his very small micro penis. I suspect so. Yeah. Well, impotence is definitely part of it, right? I mean, the you know, someone who does this, the the typical MO is that it's someone who feels powerless and impotent and you know, not able to really uh to feel like they're powerless. They listen to John and I and
[52:19] and Robbie, we're we're talking. We have a >> And he is powerless because we don't bow down to the Zionist point of view. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, no, exactly. >> That's all. Simple as that. >> Not to mention, I mean, if you knew anything about John and I, it's like the more you [ __ ] with us, the more the more oppositional we'll be, you know? It's like Exactly. Hey, try [clears throat] it the old-fashioned way. At least send a million-dollar bribe. That we would consider. >> [laughter] >> But anyway, all right. The but threats
[52:50] Threats are not going to work. Not at all. No. All right. So, we should let's do some questions, right? Shall we? Sounds good. I see some super chats in what's left of the of the Google of the of the YouTube. It's really sad we lost a lot of views. Um if we if you're By the way, if your super chat got lost, please contact Robbie at westglaciergaming@gmail with your super chat question. We will do it on Wednesday. If not Wednesday morning, we'll certainly do it Wednesday
[53:21] at at you know, at 12:00 noon during the new Q&A show starting Monday and Wednesday at 12:00 noon from now on. So, we're going from 5 hours a week to 7 hours a week. Um okay, thanks for the $2 breaking voter learns politicians lie for election. Hilarious. Um and let's see. Thanks for the five Australian dollars. Random question for the day from Carl Cola. Do any of you play any strategy PC games? I'm a huge fan of Hearts of Iron
[53:51] 4. I do not play video games. You know, to tell you the truth, the only video game I play is Angry Birds. I've been obsessed with it for more than a decade. Oh, gee. Oh, man. I'm I'm like one of the original users. In fact, I've got a streak going. Um I've gone 2,288 consecutive days. And it keeps a tally on the screen. >> Wow. Yeah, I'm the gamer on this show. Yeah. That's me. I'm the gamer. John, you you're into history. You should seriously you should look into the Rome:
[54:23] Total War. It was an old game. >> What's it called? Rome: Total War. Rome: Total War. It's awesome. I mean, it's >> an app or is it a program? It's a program. It's on your computer. Rome: Total War. >> Well, it has an app now. It has an old game. I bet you it's on iOS. Guys, we got we we have a topic to get to. So, let's do this other question. Aryan, thanks for the $4.99. Sorry to interrupt, but John, want to thank you for trying to combat censorship in our media. It's been such a big issue that many people overlook. Genuinely, thank you, sirs.
[54:53] Vapor Fever, $1.99. John, are these the these the sign of the times? I don't know what that refers to, but probably the hacking. Okay, so John, um you have a your good, dear, beautiful friend Laura Loomer has taken an interest in you. Yeah, I woke up yesterday to a vicious attack from Laura Loomer, the unhinged former mental patient who has attached herself to Donald Trump's hip. Um she called me a communist,
[55:25] which is kind of funny. Um Yeah, that's that's me, Laura. That's not John. Yeah, you know, I I responded to her very very evenly and I I had wonderful response. Wonderful response um from other people just saying she's an unhinged lunatic, so just ignore her. And then I decided just to drop it. So, you know, she
[55:56] she has a very empty life and she's been complaining around Washington to any right-winger who will listen to her that she's furious that Donald Trump hasn't appointed her to some governmental position. But this is a woman who's banned for life from Uber, from Lyft, from Target, from Costco because she will not stop with the anti-Muslim hate speech. Mm. And um she's just not, in my view,
[56:26] sane enough to have any government job at any level. It's just not it's just not workable. So, yeah. I decided just to ignore her. Does she have Does she have How much influence does she have with the president in your estimation? Ted, I blocked your number Mm. and somebody just remotely unblocked it and started calling me again. Wow.
[56:58] Well, I I've I very much look forward to the FBI sinking their teeth into this one. This is going to be easy easy because this [ __ ] [ __ ] excuse my language, made threats in his own voice True. using phones that can easily be traced with a with a warrant. >> Repeatedly. Repeatedly. I mean, there are multiple felonies we're talking about here. So, this is going to be we we're going to get the last laugh here. This for sure. >> across state and it's for sure across state lines because John and I are not
[57:30] in the same state. That's right. Which makes it federal, which means you're [ __ ] Yeah. Well, you know, maybe you know, John can give you some tips on how to handle life as an as a You can buy one of John's books. >> one buy one of my books to doing time like a spy. Yeah. >> good for you. You can sit at the pedophile table >> [laughter] >> and and live happily ever after with your federal conviction. >> I wonder if he is a pedophile. What's the probability at this point? Yeah. No person No, seriously, I have
[58:01] There was a Jewish group in the chapel when I was working there and literally every single one of them was a pedophile, a convicted pedophile. So, he'll fit right in. It's Yeah, what a what a creature. I'm I'm >> [laughter] >> I'm offended. I I'm offended. I have not I've still yet to be harassed. Don't worry, Robbie, your time is coming. Gosh. I mean, if he's really in our contacts, you know. I I wonder if he's Southern-phobic. Is
[58:33] that a word? South-phobic? I don't know. Like grit-phobic. We need a We need a term. Hey, grits are good. >> I love grits. Lots The more cheese, the better. Guys, oh my god, what a morning. Okay, so seriously, we will be back you know, all hacking aside and I Man, our YouTube audience like dropped like a rock, right? But people will be watching later, I'm sure, cuz we'll we'll re-stream the show within like an hour or so.
[59:04] But anyway, thanks everyone for tuning in. We are here Monday through Friday Eastern time 9:00 a.m. Starting on Wednesday, day after tomorrow, we'll also be doing Monday and Wednesday at 12:00 noon. Q&A show only during that period. And again, if you're if in the mishigas today, you got your question got lost, we apologize on behalf of the um little small-penised impotent little Zionist piece of [ __ ] who has been [ __ ] with us. And
[59:34] with that Yes, yes, yes. You all can email me with your miss chats and send me a screenshot. If you send me an attachment, I'm not going to open it. Just send me a screenshot and we'll get it in there. Guys, thanks to everyone and we will see you later. Talk to you later, John. Bye-bye. See you later. >> [music]