'BradCast' 4/10/2026 (Encore: Trump Unhinging: Dangerously unbalanced 'Escalator-in-Chief' unleashes new war crime threats)

Today's broadcast was originally recorded on April 6th, 2026. Your messaging on the war has moved from the war is coming to an end to we're going to be bombing Iran to the Stone Ages. And we've heard a range of those kind of messages. So are you, so which is it? Are you winding this down? Can't tell you. I can't tell you. I don't know. I can't tell you. Depends what they do. This is a critical period. They have a period of, well, we're giving them till tomorrow, 8 o'clock Eastern Time, and after that, they're going to have no bridges. They're going to have no power plants. Stone ages, yeah. Star Age. War crimes, yeah. War crimes. Well, I don't know why I came here tonight. That's why. I got the feeling there's something right. No, it is. I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair. And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs. Clowns to the letter me. Jokers to the right. Here I am. Yes, I am. From Pacifica Radio in Los Angeles, this is the broadcast. As heard on KPFK, 90.7 FM in L.A., 98.7 in Santa Barbara, 93.7 in San Diego, 99.5 FM in Ridgecrest and China Lake, California. Elsewhere in the state, in Red Bluff and Reading on KFOI and Round Mountains, KKRN, up in Oregon on the central coast on KYAQ, Cottage Groves, Koso, Eugene's KUPW. Lanchester, Pennsylvania's W News, Maui, Hawaii's, K-A-K-U, and Columbus, Ohio, on W-G-R-N, Palinville, New York, W-L-P-L-P, Rochester, New York, WRFZ, down in New Orleans, WHIV, out in Gallup, New Mexico, on KN-I-Z, Concord, New Hampshire's WNHN, Fiatville, Arkansas, KPSQ, and Seattle on K-O-D-X, Richmond, Virginia's, WR-WK, Fairmont, West Virginia's, W-E-F-R, Janesville, Wisconsin's W-A-D-R-M-M-Niapolis, St. Paul's, AM-950K, TNF. We also stream coast to coast and around the globe every day on the Internet, on the Progressive Voices Channel, Netroots Radio, Radio, Radio for Humans, Nicole Sandler.com, Radio Free Brooklyn, No Lies, Radio, Detour Talk, Del Marva FM, and most of your favorite podcast sites. Blanketing Planet Earth. I'm Brad Friedman, your friendly investigative blogger, journalist, troublemaker, muckraker, and all-round swell fellow says me from bradblog.com. Thank you very much for joining us today. For another all-to thrilling edition of the broadcast, we were off last week. I hope you missed us. And though it doesn't seem like we were gone for all that long, apparently it was long enough to get a man. Actually, three men and a woman to the moon.

Lord only knows at this point what it is that General George refused to do, leading to his dismissal, though the New York Times is reporting that the general clashed with Pete Hegseth over the former Fox News weekend co-host's decision to block the promotion of four officers to one-star general. Two of those officers targeted by Pete Hegseth are black. Two of them are women. So there you go. Maybe all of this makes more sense now. 29 other officers, don't you worry, most of them white men, they were promoted. So all's just fine at the Department of War. Pete Hegseth reportedly refused to even meet with General George to discuss. Pete Hegseth's demand for removal of those four officers from the promotions list. In truth, I'm almost relieved if that was actually the reason for General George's removal at this point, given what could be playing out in the White House and... Pentagon right now amid Trump's wildly ill-conceived war on Iran. More on that in a moment. Also, while we were gone, the lower courts continued to prove to be a bulwark against the criminal machinations of Trump's corrupted, weaponized Department of Justice with or without Pam Bondi at the top. With one judge ruling, for example, that Trump unlawfully ended federal funding of NPR. and PBS and another judge for now, ordering that Trump halt the construction of his gilded $400 million White House ballroom complex. Even while the wildly corrupted U.S. Supreme Court signaled that a majority was unwilling. to gut the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment birthright citizenship clause, simply because Trump doesn't like it. That during an oral argument at the High Court last week, though, on Monday, they sort of reverted to form by paving the way for Trump's wildly corrupt former aid and far-right activist Steve Bannon to have his conviction for contempt of Congress. cleared at the lower courts, even though he had already served his time in jail for that crime related to his refusal to answer congressional subpoenas about his role in the Trump's Trump incited January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. government to try to steal the 2020 election at the time. If you've got any thoughts on any of those stories or any that we missed last week or any of the... dozens of others that we will be probably discussing at some point in the days ahead. Feel free to give me a call as I open up the phones to let you tell me what I may have missed or need to know from over the past week. If you're in our live Southern California listening area or listening anywhere across the globe via our live kpfk.org webstream, please give us a shout today, 818.

985-5735. That's 818985, K-P-F-K. And then there was the Easter message from the President of the United States, as posted to his failing social media site on Sunday. And because I, well, I don't want Trump's corrupted FCC to punish us for my simply sharing. The president's Easter Day message, I will have to censor part of this. But as Trump posted to social media on Easter Sunday morning, quote, Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day, all wrapped up in one in Iran. There will be nothing like it. Open the effing straight, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in hell. Just watch. Praise be to Allah, President Donald J. Trump. Of course, he didn't say effing. He said another word. But setting that language aside with the President of the United States is threatening there, the destruction of civilian infrastructure like power plants is in fact a war crime. Not only is targeting civilian power plants a war crime, but even threatening to do so in itself is, yes, already a war crime. One critic in response to Trump's Easter message to Iran shared Trump's original post and responded, quote, this low level of civility and intelligence shown by a leader of a country is regrettable. The shameful fervor with which intentions to commit war crimes are repeated is staggering. And the fact that the divine is invoked regardless of ill intentions clearly exposes deep fanaticism. Apologies for sharing this language. That response came from the Iranian embassy in Japan. This response comes from Donald Trump's former longtime ally and longtime now former Maga Republican congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene. She cited Trump's Easter morning tweet before noting in response, quote, everyone in his administration that claims to be a Christian. Needs to fall on their knees and beg forgiveness from God and stop worshipping the president and intervene in Trump's madness. I know all of you and him, and he has gone insane, and all of you are complicit, wrote the former Congresswoman. I'm not defending Iran, but let's be honest about all of this, she said. The Strait of Hormuz is closed because the U.S. and Israel started the unprovoked war against Iran based on the same nuclear lies they have been telling for decades that any moment Iran would develop a nuclear weapon. Marjorie Taylor Greene went on to say Trump threatening to bomb power plants and bridges hurts the Iranian people. The very people Trump claimed he was freeing.

Jesus commanded us to love one another and forgive one another, even our enemies. Our president is not a Christian, and his words and actions should not be supported by Christians. Christians in the administration should be pursuing peace, urging the president to make peace, not escalating war that is hurting people. This is not what we promised the American people when they overwhelmingly voted in 2024. I know I was there more than most. She writes, this is not making America great again. This is evil, says Marjorie Taylor Greene in response to the president's profane threat of war crimes on Easter Sunday. Your response is to Trump's Easter Sunday threat of war crimes, 818-985-5735. Other than that, how's Trump's war going? Well, on Monday, Trump held a very long White House news conference to trumpet the frankly brave and arguably remarkable recovery by U.S. forces of a U.S. airman shot down over Iran on Friday, despite Trump's earlier repeated claims that the U.S. had long ago won this war and that the U.S. had... complete, long ago, had claimed complete control of the skies over Iran to fly wherever they want. He said again, even on Monday at his presser to announce the rescue of this downed airmen, quote, they have no anti-aircraft weapons. Really? That, as his war enters, or is now in its fifth week, and what has been accomplished? Other than more than a dozen dead members of the U.S. military, thousands dead in Iran, more than 100 U.S. military injured, skyrocketing gas prices, falling stock markets, and a NATO coalition on the very edge of complete dissolution. Other than that, well, a contributor named Lil Boy Blue over at Taley Coast over the weekend offered what I think is actually a very helpful framing. To answer that question, if Iran themselves had started this war instead of us, well, here is what they would have and, in fact, have won so far. They're now the tollkeeper on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran now controls selective passage through 20% of global oil and liquid natural gas. Ships pass only with Iranian permission. The U.S. Navy no longer guarantees freedom of navigation. That alone, of course, would have been considered a tremendous victory for Iran had they, not U.S., begun this war. Sanctions proof oil revenue. Well, crude is now above $100 a barrel. Buyers are desperate. The sanctions architecture against Iran has collapsed. Iran went from struggling to sell oil to naming its price. A victory for Iran had they, not us, started the war. But guess what? That's what they've got.

Domestic unity, the largest protests in Iran since 1979, disappeared overnight. The population that was in open revolt against the regime in January is now unified behind the government by March. Generational leadership renewal. Muktaba Khomeini, the son of the previous 86-year-old Ayatollah inherits the title of Supreme Leader with wartime, martyr legitimacy instead of through a messy backroom succession crisis. Iran has gained regional military credibility. Iran demonstrated the ability to strike U.S. bases across six countries and hold the entire Gulf at risk simultaneously. Had they, not we, begun this war, that would have been quite an impressive display of power. They've also gained a moral high ground here, it seems to me, and apparently Little Boy Blue over at Daily Coast. In fact, I think it was sealed on Easter Sunday, perhaps, though we'll see what happens if Trump this time follows through on his threat to attack Iran's civilian infrastructure. But Iran is able to claim a moral high ground here after being attacked during active negotiations. Their schools were hit. Their hospitals. Their research centers. The Red Crescent warehouse bombed. Iran doesn't need propaganda. It needs cameras, argues little boy blue. And, of course, the fracture of coalitions, and this may be the longest lasting of the damage. NATO allies, Spain, Spain, France, Spain, Italy. They withdrew military support from all of this. France recognized Iranian authority over Hormuz by requesting passage. The Western Alliance is splitting in real time. Had Iran, not us, launched this war, arguably, they would be able to claim quite a few victories at this point. And those are just some of them. Do you agree? Do you disagree? Feel free to give me a call. Those are your public airwaves just sitting here. 818-985-5735 if you are listening live today. You want to defend this attack on Iran? I know you Trump supporters are out there and listening because I always hear from you right after the show. Now is your chance to defend him. 818-985. KPFK. I'll put you right to the top of the call line if you'd like to call in. On the other hand, will Trump taco again? Trump always chickens out. Will he chicken out from his threat?

To commit war crimes on Tuesday, 8 p.m. Eastern time. Massive war crimes across Iran, as he also vowed once again on his failing social media site on Sunday and again on Monday during his White House presser. The U.S. stated objective was regime change, observes the Daily Coast writer, who I was quoting there. The Supreme Leader is dead and new leader governs. But the bombs keep falling. Iran doesn't need to win the argument. It just needs to keep asking the question, what exactly are you fighting for? Great question. And every day without an answer, he notes, makes the war less defensible, less popular, and more expensive. It's just amazing. Let me run to a call here real quick. If you'd like to get in, 818-985-5735. James is kicking things off today from Venice. Hey, James, welcome to the broadcast, sir. Well, thank you very much. I have items. My first question is, if the U.S. pilot had died, would Trump have labeled him one of the losers? Yeah. For dying in combat. Yeah. Or if he had just not died but had been captured. He prefers his heroes to not be captured or whatever the hell it was that he said about John McCain. So he didn't even need to die to be called a loser. Thank you for being captured. And my second observation is, I don't know if I can believe my ears. It sounded like Trump was saying that the Iranian people pleading with him. drop more bombs on them. That Trump was saying that the Iranian people were pleading with him to drop more bombs on them? Yes, that they thought it might regime change or lead them to freedom if he would only drop more bombs on them. that really did happen i have to jump in i watched the entire press conference on monday yes and people said well you said one of the reporters asked you said that you were caring about what happens to the iranian people so how does bombing them do that and he said well they want me to keep bombing yeah they want me to continue this sure i want the u.s to keep when the bombs don't fall they say where are the bombs oh Well, that's what he said, huh? Take without what you will. Well, and I'm sure they're going to be delighted then to be without power or bridges to move around the country, as Trump is promising now to knock out all across the nation. I'm sure they'll be thrilled with that by that thinking. Thanks, James. Is that what you had on your mind? Supreme Court. That's an official presidential act.

So therefore, it's not against the law. Oh, that the Supreme Court decided he can do whatever he wants, not against law. That's right. That's right. It is against the international law. Not that we have long given a damn about international law in this country, but it is still against international law. He could still be captured and tried after he is out of office for these various war crimes if he continues to commit them. But thanks, Brad. Thank you, James. I appreciate the call. 818985. There we go. 818985-5735. How is all of this looking overseas today? Well, Christopher Buckton over at the UK Mirror. writes, Trump is a weak, unhinged bully. He's lost the plot, and he is now losing the war. Donald Trump's unhinged, expletive-laden outburst exposes a reckless leader spiraling in a war that he created, leaving the world facing dangerous consequences of his chaos-driven leadership. You got that right, Christopher, responding to Trump's Sunday profane... Social media post, Buckton writes, the words are not just shocking. They are unhinged, posted in a frenzy, laced with threats, profanity, and mockery. It reads like the less like the considered, it reads less like the considered voice of the leader of the free world and more like the rant of a barroom bully. And yet, he writes, this is Donald Trump, the president of the United States, broadcasting to the world. This is what American leadership looks like now. The post lays bare, something far more dangerous than Bluster, shows a man losing control of events, of strategy, and increasingly of himself. Trump is not projecting strength. He is flailing, lashing out as the consequences of a war that he recklessly and needlessly escalated begin to close in around him. Because that is the truth that Trump cannot hide. The escalator-in-chief... has now backed himself into a corner from which there is no easy escape. Either he follows through on his threats, escalating the conflict further, risking a catastrophic regional war that could engulf the Middle East and send shockwaves across the world, or he backed down, declares some hollow victory, and exposes the emptiness of his rhetoric. Neither path is strong, both, he writes, are failures. Trump has spent a lifetime bullying his way through problems, threatening, bullying, paying off and walking away. That may have worked in business deals and reality TV theatrics. It does not work on the world stage, writes Buckton. Trump rose to power in part by attacking his predecessor, Joe Biden, over his mental fragility, weaponizing age in a way that many found grotesque, but politically effective.

He painted himself as the strong, decisive alternative. Now the question is being asked, in earnest, what about Trump? Because posts like that on Sunday do not project strength. They suggest instability. They suggest a leader untethered from the gravity of the moment. Even his closest sycophants must be asking, where is this heading? At what point does America decide enough is enough? Because this is not normal. It is not acceptable, writes Buckton. And it's not sustainable. The United States is not meant to be run like this, with foreign policy dictated by social media rants and threats that read as if they belong on a pub wall rather than in global diplomacy. The world is watching. A president who appears increasingly boxed in, increasingly desperate, increasingly volatile. A man who promised to end wars now appears to be trapped in one with no clear way out, no sign that he understands the danger that he is fueling. History, writes Buckton at the UK Mirror. We'll judge this moment, but the question for America. is whether it is prepared to act before that judgment is written, because leaving a situation like this to run its course is not strength, it is abdication, and the cost could be catastrophic. I agree with Christopher Buckton at the mirror. Do you? Now, before we left, give us a call either way. 818985-5735. Before we left for spring break, we were joined on the show by our old friends, Heather Digby Parton of Salon and Drift Glass of the Pro Left podcast. And I raised the question of what will happen if, you know, for example, ground troops move into Iran. And as we saw in Lebanon, in Beirut back in 1983, hundreds of them are killed in a single attack on a barracks or something along those lines. And I sort of been pondering this for the past several weeks at this point. How would Trump respond to that? Given his outburst on Sunday. How would he respond to a whole bunch of U.S. troops being killed all at once? How would he respond if there was a terror attack here in the U.S., credited to Iran? Do you trust this quickly deteriorating man to do the right thing in response? I know Ronald Reagan, he pulled out the troops from Beirut after that attack.

But will Trump have to prove his manhood by, I don't know, pressing a nuclear button since that's all he seems to know how to do is to escalate the escalator in chief to save his own ego at that point? The question that we discussed on that last show, on that last broadcast before leaving for spring break, well, JD Vance, Vice President, he's a pretty evil person, frankly. But at this point, and I never felt this way until recent weeks, at this point, with this guy right now in office, Donald Trump, seeming to melt down as he is, I would rather see JD Vance as president of the United States, and I never thought I would feel that way. But, you know, if anyone in this administration ever comes to its senses, I doubt they will, and invokes the 25th Amendment to remove this man from office, I wouldn't be against it. Even though I know there's a hell of a lot of problems with JD Vance. Your thoughts on that? 818985-5735. Medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta sounded the alarm about Donald Trump's health following his Easter Sunday social media posts with Gupta posting on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, quote, erratic, can't finish sentences, often confused, illogical train of thought. Word finding difficulties, developing and worsening gradually over time. The president, writes Gupta, is exhibiting all the signs of dementia. He also discussed theories that the 79-year-old is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia, pointing out that much of the president's behavior is, quote, consistent with these diagnosis. You may know, the president's own father died in 1999 with dementia. Trump's own niece, Mary Trump, who is a clinical psychologist herself, told the Daily Base late last year that there are times that she looks at Trump and sees her grandfather. Quote, I see the same look of confusion. I see that he does not always seem to be oriented to time and place, his short-term memory. Seems to be deteriorating, said Trump's own niece. Is he deteriorating? As you see it? Is it bad enough that you might welcome a President JD Vance at this point before things get much worse? 818-985-5735. I'd love to hear from you on that. Is it just me?

818985 KPFK on that or anything else. And I see we've got a bunch of folks on the line. And I don't know if any of them are women. But those are the other folks I'm going to push to the top if they call in. 818985. KPFK, whatever you'd like to talk about. Help me get my sea legs back after a week off for spring break. We've got much more to get to in the weeks ahead, no doubt. And on today's program with you, phone lines are lighten up. We'll take a break and come back with your calls. 818-985, KPFK. I'm Brad Friedman, and you're listening to the Bradcast. What the public hears on the public airwaves matters. At the broadcast, we do our best to bring you accurate news and analysis on the issues that actually matter, and we do it all independently without corporate or political influence. But we can't do it without you, now more than ever. Please help us stay on your public airwaves by going to bradblog.com slash donate to help keep us going. That's bradblog.com slash donate. And thanks. Hey, this is Brad. You're listening to an encore presentation of the Bradcast. Does that make me crazy? Does that make me crazy? Yeah.

Welcome back to the Bradcast, Brad Friedman from brandblog.com taking your calls. Looks like a lot of folks want to ring in. Let's get straight to your call. Actually, I do want to talk about the war spending and some of the, well, I may have to wait for another day. Let me get to, where am I here? Let me get to Michael in North Hollywood. Hey, Michael, welcome to the broadcast, sir. Michael, are you there? Oh, Michael, in North Hollywood, are you there? We don't know. I thought I heard him chuckle for a second. Oh, there you go. Yeah, Michael, that's you. You're on. Michael, turn off your radio. Maybe you're being confused because you're on the air. Oh, good God. Yeah, wake up, Michael. Man. Nobody's... Oh, that's embarrassing. Goodness gracious. Well, yeah. Sorry about the dead air there, Brett. No worry. Norris, I enjoyed it. What's on your mind, my friend? I just wanted to ask, are we all paying our taxes this year? Well, I'm pretty sure I am. Why do you ask? Because they're all going to all this leg. bad stuff you're talking about on the air, right? Correct. So what are we doing? Why are we rewarding these guys with our money? Well, of course, it's up to you. I would not recommend that people violate the law and not pay their taxes. I think there might be better ways to take action on this. I mean, you know, I respect a protest in that sense, a tax protest, but I think what it's going to do is very little and you'll end up in jail. I think there's better ways to respond to what's going on if you ask me. Okay. As long as you did. Well, if the president doesn't have to pay his, I don't know why I have to pay mine. Oh, well, because you're not the president. He gets to break the law. You don't, apparently. Thanks, Michael. A18-985 KPFK. Let me go to George in Long Beach. Hey, George, welcome to the broadcast. Oh, there they go again. George, stop listening to the radio and say hello to me. Are you there, George? George, turned out. What is wrong with these people? 818985, KPFK. We'll come back to George. Let me go to Roger in Minneapolis. I know he knows how to do this. Hey, Roger, I hope you're doing okay. Welcome back to the broadcast, my friend. Oh, no. He is not really. Roger, are you there? Harold is. Roger? Oh, Harold? Okay. That was my fault. Hey, Harold. Welcome to the broadcast. Apparently, I don't know how to do this. I've been gone for a week. Hey, Harold. In Santa Barbara, what's up, brother?

Well, I have a few questions. I have a historical fact that needs to be answered. And if you would, could you answer it? Back during the Vietnam era, wasn't one of our boats attacked by Israel? One of our boats attacked by Israel during the Vietnam War era? Yes. If it was, I don't know about it. But I may be too young to know about it. So maybe somebody else can feel free and call. Why do you ask? Oh, because of my next two questions are very simple. One, since on television, he admitted to a war crime, can he be prosecuted? And the second question is, you know, can the Enormant Act be used over his... Now I heard that he told me the name of it, but his coin system. The the annulment act, you said? Yes. I am unfamiliar with the annulment act. What does the annulment act do? I apologize. I'm referring to when you take bribes or you're stealing money from the government. And as the president, he's his role as president to commit a crime against the country. Well, as you heard us, I think previously discussing, the Supreme Court has incredibly enough given immunity to a sitting president to violate any and all laws that they like, including, you know, using the military to assassinate their political enemies.

It's going to come at the ballot box. Any sort of correction to this nightmare is going to at least begin at the ballot box. And then there's a whole lot of work to do thereafter. So I think that was it. If anybody has any information on that boat attacked by Israel of the U.S. during the Vietnam War, you can let us know. Thanks, Harold. Good to hear from you, sir. All right, now let me see if I can get this right. For real, Roger, in Minneapolis. Roger, are you there? Yes, the requisite crunching sound occurred for when you switch over to the next caller. So we're good. Yeah, all right, we're good. And I'm quite sure that the reason people have their radios on is because... The feed to the people on the phone keeps dying. Oh, really? Two thoughts, Brad. Glad you guys are back. Missed you sorely. Thank you, Roger. I wonder how many objectively depressed people as a consequence of their sensitivity are winding up.

ending their own lives in this country and elsewhere. I can't help but wonder what kind of a desperate straits this puts many people in. That's question A, and then I've got a B. All right, let me actually respond to that. Of course, I have, I don't know the answer to it, but I do know that this is one of the reasons that, you know, it was sort of... I felt this way as well during the COVID years. We were, I think we were, we may have been the only show that was, you know, coming into the station regularly, never missed a show here, I think, because I thought it was important at that time to keep the lines open with the public for exactly that reason, because depression sets in, it was already bad enough during Donald Trump, then comes COVID. So, yeah, I think it's a really difficult moment for a lot of people. So we try to keep the lines open. And, frankly, since I believe one of the most effective weapons against a tyrant, like the one in the White House, is ridicule. I'm here for it, man. I'm here for the ridicule any way that we can put it together. We don't, you know, ignore important issues. But I think it's important to, for that very reason you mentioned, to. you know, to help keep people alive, to help keep hope alive, and to let them know that we are all collectively bigger and stronger than any clod or jerk like this guy in the White House. And we're all going to survive it. So if anybody's out there depressed as all hell, A, I don't blame you, but B, hang in there. We're all here in this mess together, and we are much more powerful collectively than that jerk is. Well, I am an incredibly resilient optimist in the face of a life of watching this country exert itself militarily around the world. This hurts very deeply what's happening right now. This on top of the maceration of our civil liberties. My other comment, guys, is... stimulated by your question, were some troops to be killed in X and such ways, how would... Trump respond. Well, Bob's calculus would not be based in any way on the slightest bit of compassion for the people kill. No. It would be purely based on his calculation for how you can manipulate the population. Right. Get them dancing around the damn flag. That's what he would do. Exactly. And that's what makes him so damn dangerous, frankly. And that's why I'm willing to say, yeah, you know what? As horrible a person as JD Vance is, he is not crazy. He's horrible. He's evil.

But he's not insane. And at this point, as we're seeing this president meltdown in public as he is, I fear he is insane. And I think it's like, you know, we're on a tight rope here every day. God forbid something like that should happen. And that guy is in the White House responding to it. One last thought, my friend. For those people who happen to be in the very last days of their lives, I am so sorry that they have to see the story of the end of their lives go out with this kind of situation. I just, it breaks my heart. Well, you didn't have to bring that up, you know. You called in to say that we shouldn't get all too depressed about it. And then you start bringing up people at the end of their lives and how terrible it is for them. But I hear you, Roger. Thanks, man. Thanks, brother. You are not at the end of your life. Hang in there, my friend. We will talk for many, many days in the future.

Thank you, Roger. 818985 KPFK is our phone number. 818985 5735. Let's go to, oh, Yvonne, Yvonne in La Crescenta. Hey, Yvonne, welcome to the broadcast. Hi, wow. I called with a... Question for you, with JD Vance, possibly, you know, I don't think it will happen that he'll boot, you know, our orange menace. But would you rather see him in office at this point? If it was up to you, Yvonne, would you rather have JD Vance in office right now or Donald Trump? I think so. My other part is, who do you think, or who would you want him to bring in as VP? Because we'll still have little Mikey Johnson as second in line. Well, now you're really digging down deep. Who would JD Vance's vice president be? We were already getting ahead of ourselves. At that point, I'm just relieved that Donald Trump is in his padded room and being looked after carefully. So I can't go to that next step. But it sounds like you are in favor that you'd prefer J.D. over Trump at this point? Yeah, for the most part. And a little aside, I'm just glad my parents are not with us anymore because my father was a World War II veteran. And, you know, it just breaks my heart. I hear you. Thanks, Yvonne. I appreciate the call. Hang in there. 818-985 KPFK. Let me get to this real quick here, and we'll get back to the phones. But there's interesting comment here from... Marco Rubio on Fox News. This was at the end of March. So just a week or so ago, and by that time, about a month into the war with Iran. This is a country whose people have been protesting in the streets because not just the lack of freedom, but the lack of economic opportunity, because they've taken all of their money. All the money they have, the little money they have because of sanctions, and they've invested all of it in sponsoring terrorism and building long-range missiles, increasing the range of their missiles every year, and building thousands of them and building these one-way attack drones that they're using against their neighbors. This is what they put their money towards. Yeah, terrible. Putting all their money towards war. And then there was this over the way. That's Iran. And then there was this over the weekend from The New York Times. With the United States of War with Iran and embroiled in conflicts around the world, the White House asked Congress on Friday to approve about $1.5 trillion.

For defense in the 2027 fiscal year, if enacted, that would amount to military spending at its highest level in American history. The request would amount to a roughly 40% increase from what the U.S. spent on the Pentagon this fiscal year. which is a lot of money for a president who claimed that we could not afford all of these foreign wars anymore. And he repeatedly promised that he would start no new one. So how to pay for that $1.5 trillion that he is asking for for the military for next year alone? Well, as the time reports, the administration coupled that proposal with a call for $73 billion in cuts spread across. Domestic agencies, including the elimination of key federal health, research, housing, education programs, some of which serve minority groups and the poor. The ideas add up, they say, to a fiscal blueprint that could add trillions of dollars to the federal debt if Congress opts to translate that vision into law. In the days before releasing his plan, the president and his aides framed the proposed increase for defense in urgent terms, citing a need to restocked munitions, you know, all those long-range missiles and attack drones. This is what we put our money towards, along with other supplies as the war with Iran continues. At one point last week, Trump, who campaigned for years on vows not to cut Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, but who has already slashed billions from Medicaid, indicated at a private lunch. That military spending, you know, long-range missiles, attack drones, that needs to be a national priority, even at the expense of federal safety net programs and other government aid for the people. The United States can't take care of daycare. That has to be up to a state. We can't take care of daycare. We're a big country. We have 50 states. We have all these other people. We're fighting wars. We can't take care of daycare. You got to let a state take care of daycare, and they should pay for it, too. They should pay. They have to raise their taxes, but they should pay for it. And we could lower our taxes a little bit to them to make up, but it's not possible for us to take care of daycare. Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things. They can do it on a state basis. You can't do it on a federal. We have to take care of one thing, military protection. Hmm, isn't that interesting? We can't take care of daycare, Medicare, Social Security. We can't do all of that. Leave it to the states.

They can raise taxes. We can't do that in the federal government. We've got to worry about military protection. The budget request on Friday would slash domestic spending by about 10%. It would target core government services, including money meant to respond to natural disasters, to train new teachers, to root out tax fraud, to research cures for diseases, and develop clean energy technology. That can all go away. Other funds targeted by Trump extend critical assistance to the poor, including federal aid that Trump wants to eliminate entirely that helps Americans afford their heating and cooling bells at a time when energy prices are skyrocketing in no part, in no small part, thanks to Trump's war. This is a country whose people have been protesting in the streets because not just the lack of freedom, but the lack of economic opportunity, because they've taken all of their money, all the money they have, the little money they have because of sanctions, and they've invested all of it in sponsoring terrorism and building long-range missiles, increasing the range of their missiles every year, and building thousands of them and building these one-way attack drones that they're using against their neighbors. This is what they've put their money towards. What have we put our money towards, Marco? Looks like we're putting our money towards the very same thing, and we're telling our people to get lost. Sorry, not enough money for you. You're freezing this winter? Can't afford to heat? Sorry. It's all going to military protection and long-range missiles and attack drones. That was Marco Rubio one week ago. 818-985, KPFK. Let's go to Pam in San Bernardino. Hey, Pam. Welcome to the broadcast. Well, welcome back. Thank you very much, Pam. What's on your mind? I don't think you heard that I think it was on Fox. I don't listen to Fox, but I was listening to someone else. And the guy said the president informed him that... He had provided weapons to the protesters in Iran early in the year. That Trump had provided weapons to the protesters in Iran earlier in the year? Yes. Okay. I don't know if he did or didn't. I know that Israel has certainly been hoping to, you know, encourage the government to be overthrown. Donald Trump said himself, he wanted the people to rise up, whether he gave them actual arms or not. I couldn't tell you. Well, there was a story. I'll just jump in here, Desi, the producer. There was a story that perhaps Trump had said something about that the U.S. was providing or was choosing or trying to provide weapons to the Kurds who are. also on the opposite border from Iran, but that instead of actually rising up to fight, they kept the weapons.

Well, yeah. That might be what Pam is referring to. It could be what she's referring to, but I will say that, you know, the Kurds, they have, you know, fool me once, shame on whatever that goes. I mean, we have repeatedly said, hey, Kurds, go do this fighting for us, and then we've abandoned them, including Donald Trump. So that wouldn't surprise me. Is that maybe what you're talking about, what you were thinking about, Pam? repeating what I heard someone said on a program, and they played a clip from Fox News when the guy said to them that Fox and friends or Fox and whomever, that the president told him they provided weapons to the protesters in Iran. Okay. Well, thanks for coming here and repeating what you heard on Fox News. But anyway, Panther, I appreciate the call. By the way, who would you rather see a president right now? JD Vance or Donald Trump? Oh, my God. As my mom, this mom would have said, we are between a rock and a hard place. Yep. I'm sorry, I can't go with either of them. I don't blame you. In this case, we're between Iran and a hard place. Thanks for the call, Pam. 818985-5735. Myra in Burbank. Hey, Myra. Welcome to the broadcast. Hi, there. Thank you for having me. Thanks for being had. You're on the... Yes, go ahead. I'm so sorry. I'm just here for this conversation. I appreciate the space. I love a platform to talk about ridicule of Donald Trump. However, I do want to place some attention onto something. I don't know if people are catching onto, but this kind of collective delusion. And, you know, I work as a marriage family therapist. And I think it's very interesting what Donald Chenney, the clinical psychologist, said about his deteriorating cognitive state, right? But in my work, I work with a lot of ex-criminales, court-mandated folks who've done, you know, really, really shady things in their life. And I don't know if people... see the connection between, or are witnessing that there is this connection between delusion and, you know, delusion slash denial of truth and confusion, you know, delusion and like completely just, just. forgetfulness, you know, there's an evil. And so you, you, when you see Donald Trump in your clinical opinion, you see someone, are you concerned about those delusions? You feel that, that all of this is of a piece and you share those concerns that Mary Trump had? I'm absolutely concerned about them because, you know, my frame of thoughts, my school of thought is that perception is projection, right? So when I read these tweets, I don't read them in the form of like, oh, this is externalized. It is all internal, right? What's coming from him is what he's projecting outside.

And it's just so interesting. I can apply everything he says to himself, and it will be true. Yeah, I know. It's kind of funny. But there's delusion and evil connections because, you know, like there's people that I work with that they can't access certain parts of their memory because of whatever reason. But it always has to, it's usually connected to some form of evil that they've committed, some form of denial. Thanks, Myra. I appreciate the thoughts there before I let you go. Who would you rather see his president at this moment? JD Vance or Donald Trump? Grandmother. Who's it? What's that? What's that? Say it again? I'd rather see my grandmother who doesn't speak English. I think she has a little bit more awareness. All right. All right. Excellent. I didn't realize that was an option. I'm with you. Myra's grandmother for president. Thanks, Myra. Hang in there. 818985 KPFK. Do we have time for a couple more here? Very quickly, Ed in Sherman Oaks. Hey, Ed, what's on your mind? JD Vance or Donald Trump for president? Yeah, definitely not JD Vance and definitely not. Definitely not Trump. Well, but those are your choices, Ed. You can't say definitely not both of them. The question is, you know, are we concerned enough about Donald Trump's mental state that at this point, we would take JD Vance over Donald Trump. I would. I'm with you, and I'm going to just quickly move off that topic because I called, I'm hearing the delay even though my phone is off. It's okay. Yeah. I called because I want to talk about the truth, and I agree that satire is a good weapon to get our truth across, and to push against Trump is a good way to get our truth across. But I also want to say that there's a part of the truth that isn't being reported in the news, and we all see it, and we all know it if we watch his patterns. And Trump has a very clear focus. for this war. And a main objective, and when you listed all the things he's losing, he's definitely losing on this. But this war was called as a distraction to the Epstein file. After several other failed distractions, he said, let me pull the trigger on this one. Yep. I completely agree. It was not just, well, that investigation of those documents were getting very, very close to him and the woman who claims that when she was 13 years old, that she was sexually abused by him and Jeffrey Epstein, that was what was going on at the moments, the days just before Donald Trump ended up attacking in Iran. I know a lot of people have lost track of that.

sort of the point of the attack. I agree with, I agree with you, Ed. But I don't think any of that's going away. So I suspect we'll be circling back to that unless this war goes on forever, unless he pulls Benjamin Netanyahu and just. goes on forever with his dumb war. Thanks for the call, Ed. I do appreciate it. Thanks to everyone else who called in as well. Sorry, I couldn't get to everyone. I do want to confirm. I know Lynn called in from Van Nuys to say, yes, in fact, Israel did bomb the U.S. Liberty in 1967. In fact, it was bombed by Israeli fighter jets and torpedo boats. June 8, 1967 during the Six-Day War, killing 34 U.S. crew members, wounding about 170. Israel said that it mistook the American ship for an enemy vessel. Just to close that loop. All right, we got to get out. Thanks, guys. Thanks to my board operator, Will, to our producer, Desi Doin, and to all of you for spending a portion of your day or night with us. If you missed any portion of today's show or any other, download it for free anytime at bradblog.com. Drop me email. I am Bradcast at Bradblog.com. And on the social media, especially Blue Sky, I am the Brad Blog. We will see you there. Until we see you here, hopefully tomorrow, I'm Brad Friedman. Good luck, world.

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