Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Garry Kasparov said, “easy is over.” And it’s more true by the day. The war in Ukraine is grinding on, inflation is dragging down wallets, Jan 6 revelations continue to pour out, Biden is failing to find traction, and Trump is rising again. Easy IS over. And the fight will be long. The fight in Ukraine–and the fight in the US. The war for the soul of America continues. And in 2022, the most pivota...

We’ve been focused on the War in Ukraine since before it started. But you’ve never heard our bonus content, that has until now been Patreon exclusive. It’s a little lighter than our regular stuff—and will help you get an idea of how the people on the front lines and in the center of the pressure cooker are keeping themselves sane and focused. From the food they miss back home, to the drinks they’r...

Ukraine remains under attack. Civilians are still dying. Bucha, a suburb of Kiev, is the first of what could be many that reveal the scope and scale of war crimes. And it could get worse. Russian chessmaster Garry Kasparov said it–and I’ve been repeating since the war began. EASY IS OVER. The tide may have turned. But the flood is just starting. The flood of pain and loss. And flood of sadness and...

Millions of civilians are caught in an unimaginable hell that continues to unfold in Ukraine.  But what’s really happening on the battlefield? What weapons are making a difference? How are the Ukrainian and Russian militaries critically different? What critical missions in/around Ukraine might American Special Forces get tasked with? We’ve all seen lots of retired generals on cable news. And we’ve...

The war in Ukraine has shifted into a new phase. Putin is quickly becoming more and more isolated. And more and more brutal. But Ukraine is on the offensive. And more and more by the day, the mighty Ukrainians are looking like they can win this thing. Almost single-handedly. On behalf of the world. But make no mistake. It can get worse. MUCH worse. Especially in Ukraine.  Worse than the targeting...

“We can’t help everybody…but just knowing that you were able to be part of somebody’s future and helping them escape. Who knows, that person could be the person that cures cancer.” - Quan Nguyen Quan Nguyen is a leader of action. And a true helper. And when the war in Ukraine started, the American combat veteran left his family in Utah, got on a flight, and linked up with a friend in Lviv to do wh...

An unknown number of American veterans have heard the call and boldly volunteered to join the fight in Ukraine. Matt Gallagher ( @MattGallagher0 ) is one of them. Utilizing what he learned as a US Army Scout Platoon Leader in Iraq, Matt spent the last few weeks training Ukrainian civilians in how to fight and survive in Lviv. But Matt is not just any veteran. He is the internationally-recognized a...

As the war in Ukraine rages on, and just days after American journalist Brent Renaud was killed, President Zelensky delivered a historic address to the United State Congress. He again called on America and President Biden to enforce a no-fly zone. And to send MiG fighter jets. And our government has said they still will not. That may change. But for now, today, after the standing ovation from Cong...

There are only hard choices left now. Not just for Ukraine. But for everyone who cares about freedom, liberty and humanity. President Zelensky and the people of #Ukraine are crying out for a no-fly zone. But the US government and NATO are giving them the stiff-arm. While Putin continues to slaughter civilians and commit war crimes.  The time for talk is over. And our guest in this episode is a man...

Ukraine remains under siege. Putin’s forces continue to advance and kill countless civilians. And Russia is going dark. Today, Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media were shut down by Putin all across Russia. We have the latest.  And now is definitely a time to stay vigilant. Because Putin must be stopped. But how? Garry Kasparov explained it better than anyone should have to when he sa...

The fight of our time is here. For Ukraine, for Europe, for the US, for our collective future. Now, more than any other time in our lifetime, is a time for us all to stay vigilant.  And now is also a time for us to fight. In whatever way we can. The war in Ukraine is the most significant global moment of conflict since 9/11. Maybe since World War Two. And we will focus on it on this show until fur...

Yesterday was the last day of peace on the European continent for a long time to come. We are on the brink of world war. And will be for some time to come. This is the dawning of a new day of war in Europe. War between a dictator and an alliance of free nations. A war between Russia and the world. And a war between Russia and the US. A new kind of war the likes of which we’ve never seen (because i...

We are all tired as hell right now. After the last few years of….ALL OF IT….we’re all depleted. From the pandemic, to the political drama, to the possible new world war with Ukraine…it never seems to end. And mid-February can be the hardest time of year–even in the best of times. So here we are. The no-shit is that these are definitely not the best of times. Many of us are exhausted, beaten-down,...

There is breaking news that you need to hear about. And so we’ve got a special episode to tear into it. Because especially in this already wild winter of 2022, now is a time to stay vigilant. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan was filled with carnage, tumult and political spin. But after months of denying the facts on the ground, the truth about what really happened in those fateful days is finall...

American diplomats are boycotting the Olympics, the Cincinnati Bengals are in the Super Bowl, and Russia is threatening war. It kinda feels like the 1980s again. And it is very much a time to stay vigilant. Especially with regard to Ukraine. While the world watches to see if Putin will invade the country, the attacks have already begun. But not the conventional kind with bombs and tanks. Cyberwarf...

​It was a very bloody January in America for law enforcement. At least 30 cops were shot nationwide. From California to Montana to NYC. It feels like Groundhog Day every day. And in 2022, police are the hottest political chew toy in America. A space previously reserved for troops and vets. In a powerful new #IndependentAmericans , we dig into it. Hard. With a guest who’s been on all sides of the i...

As we all saw this weekend, NFL overtime sucks. A score on the opening drive should NOT end the game. It’s just not fair. The system is broken. Badly. But it’s not just the NFL OT system. The American political system is broken too. Badly. And so is the media. Badly. And the stakes there are so much higher than in football.  And in this episode, we’re staying focused on the media (like we did last...

The stupid is rampant in America. It continues to be the only thing in America more contagious and rampant than the omicron variant. And it’s especially widespread in the media.  So this episode, we’re digging into it. We’re overdue for a conversation on the state of the American media. The American media that far too often fails the American people. And especially Independent Americans . We often...

It’s a dark, cold time in America. In many ways. But even in the darkest, coldest times, there are always helpers. Sources of light to warm our spirits and guide us out of the cold. And one of those sources is our guest in this episode: Congressman Adam Kinzinger ( @AdamKinzinger ). The 43-year-old Illinois Republican Congressman, Air Force combat veteran, political maverick, and fighter of the go...

It’s a new year. It’s a new variant. It’s a new winter. And a new anniversary. It’s the first anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. And it is definitely a time to stay vigilant. Army vet, activist and host, Paul Rieckhoff ( @PaulRieckhoff ) digs into all of it. And we’re joined by Rolling Stone’s new Editor-in-Chief, Noah Shachtman ( @NoahShachtman ). He’s tasked with reviving the iconic Am...

Over the years of hosting Independent Americans and Angry Americans , host Paul Rieckhoff has had the extremely rare opportunity to ask a lot of the world’s smartest people a lot of really important questions. And maybe no question is more important than asking each one, “What is your best advice?” And as you look back on a wild 2021 and forward towards an uncertain 2022 we thought this would be a...

 It’s a COVID Christmas. Again! Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the latest on the variant: how it’s finally hit his home, how NYC is again under siege from the virus, and how the US Army might deliver a Christmas miracle we all need right now.  And we’re resharing a hugely popular, classic conversation for you to enjoy as you travel over the river and through the woods, if you’re in isolation with COVI...

Yeah…Santa is coming very soon. But before he does, we’ve got some pretty wild political news happening in America. And we wanna give you an early holiday gift of great content. And a very high-profile guest. Unless you haven’t already read the title, you know who it is. He’s the host of Meet The Press , one of the most influential and iconic political shows in America. He’s the host of Meet The P...

In the last 11 months especially, it’s been easy to lose hope. From the pandemic, to the racial injustice, to the betrayal of Afghanistan, to the disintegration of the Republican Party, to the ineptitude of the Democratic Party. From coast to coast, there’s a loss of hope across America this holiday season.  But in this moment, when the enemies of America seem to be chomping at the bit, we’ve got...

In just a few weeks, Santa will be back. The lights are up, the sales have started, and the elves are on the shelves--and hanging from light fixtures, dangling from curtains and zip lining across living rooms around the world. And Santa will soon be here . But not before we all prepare to receive a very different kind of holiday visitor. Yes, Santa is back. But so is the coronavirus. And it’s new...