{"id":5982,"date":"2026-02-23T23:28:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/snowpocalypse-hits-usa-hockey-wins-gold-kash-patel-is-a-ridiculous-poser\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T23:28:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:28:00","slug":"snowpocalypse-hits-usa-hockey-wins-gold-kash-patel-is-a-ridiculous-poser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/snowpocalypse-hits-usa-hockey-wins-gold-kash-patel-is-a-ridiculous-poser\/","title":{"rendered":"Snowpocalypse Hits. USA Hockey Wins Gold. Kash Patel is a Ridiculous Poser."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm\/?e=\" width=\"100%\" height=\"210\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>Iran Attacks Still Loom. Vets Sue Trump Over His Stupid Arch. More ICE Violence. Lessons from Ukraine\u2019s Drone War for Europe. Vets &amp; VFW Blast Collins. Celebrating the Olympics.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Stuck in Tampa while a historic snowpocalypse buries much of America, Army vet and Independent Americans host Paul Rieckhoff rips through a wild 48 hours in politics, national security and sports\u2014and what it all means for you. From a bomb-cyclone shutting down the Northeast to Trump boasting he can \u201cdestroy countries\u201d while massing U.S. firepower around Iran, Paul tracks rising risks of war with Iran, unrest in Mexico after cartel boss El Mencho\u2019s killing, and covert strikes off Venezuela in a dangerous new phase of unchecked presidential power.\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He digs into ICE\u2019s culture of impunity\u2014from the killing of a U.S. citizen in Texas to an 80-year-old lawyer slammed to the ground in California\u2014and why he believes the agency\u2019s broken culture can\u2019t be fixed and must be shut down, while exposing FBI Director Kash Patel\u2019s Olympics \u201cboondoggle,\u201d beer-chugging locker-room photo op, and Trump\u2019s \u201cboondoggliest\u201d cabinet. Paul also spotlights real pushback: veterans forcing the VA to halt a radical benefits rule, lawsuits to stop Trump\u2019s absurd 250-foot arch that would block the view from Arlington, and Ukraine\u2019s three-year fight against Russia and drone warfare that\u2019s reshaping modern combat.\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And there\u2019s still room for hope: Alysa Liu\u2019s joyful figure-skating gold, dominant U.S. women\u2019s hockey, and a legendary U.S. men\u2019s overtime win offer a powerful alternative face of America\u2014and a reminder of the toughness and leadership of American women athletes under political pressure. No guests, no fluff\u2014just a rapid-fire, independent briefing to start your week, whether you\u2019re digging out from the snow or under the Florida sun, with the independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact you expect from Independent Americans\u2014and a call to look out for your neighbors, stand with veterans and Ukraine, and stay vigilant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-WATCH <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ffbhcrhiu_8\"><span>full video of this episode here<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Learn more about Paul\u2019s work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentveteransofamerica.org\/\"><span>Independent Veterans of America<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/americanveteransforukraine.org\/\"><span>American Veterans for Ukraine here<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Connect with Independent Americans:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Subscribe on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@independentamericans\"><span>YouTube<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0F1lzdRbTB0XYen8kyEqXe\"><span>Spotify<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff\/id1457899667\"><span>Apple Podcasts<\/span><\/a><span>, and all podcast platforms<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Read more at<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentamericans.substack.com\"> <span>Substack<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span>Support ad-free episodes at<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/independentamericans\"> <span>Patreon<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Connect: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/IndependentAmericansUS\/\"><span>Instagram<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0 \u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/indy_americans\"><span>X\/Twitter<\/span><\/a><span> \u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/indyamericans.bsky.social\"><span>BlueSky<\/span><\/a><span> \u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IndependentAmericansUS\/\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PaulRieckhoff\"><span>X<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/paulrieckhoff\/\"><span>Instagram<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@paulrieckhoff\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/a><span>, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/rieckhoff.bsky.social\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8211;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/independentamericans\/posts\"><span>Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community<\/span><\/a><span> of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8211;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentamericans.us\/merch\/\"><span>And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch<\/span><\/a><span> now in time for the new year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/righteous.us\/\"><span>Righteous Media<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And now part of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bleav.com\/shows\/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff\/\"><span>the BLEAV network<\/span><\/a><span>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href=\"https:\/\/pcm.adswizz.com\">pcm.adswizz.com<\/a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A solo Monday dispatch from Tampa: Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the post-Olympics glow, calls out Kash Patel&#8217;s $75K taxpayer-funded locker room photo-op, and issues an urgent warning \u2014 40\u201350% of U.S. deployable air power is now massed near Iran, and nothing is stopping Trump from using it. Plus a major veterans WIN on VA disability benefits, ICE violence in Santa Barbara, and a preview of tomorrow&#8217;s interview with independent Michigan governor candidate Mike Duggan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5983,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-episodes","entry"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447.jpg",1400,1400,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447.jpg",1400,1400,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447.jpg",1400,1400,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447-300x300.jpg",300,300,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447-1024x1024.jpg",750,750,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447.jpg",1400,1400,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447.jpg",1400,1400,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ia-promo-square-ep447.jpg",1400,1400,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/author\/admin\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/category\/episodes\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Episodes<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"A solo Monday dispatch from Tampa: Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the post-Olympics glow, calls out Kash Patel's $75K taxpayer-funded locker room photo-op, and issues an urgent warning \u2014 40\u201350% of U.S. deployable air power is now massed near Iran, and nothing is stopping Trump from using it. Plus a major veterans WIN on VA disability&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5982"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5982\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}