THE SAVAGE NATION

Savage evaluates President Trump's record through a self-styled "Trump scorecard," grading key campaign promises, successes, or unfinished business. He offers concern about the war with Iran, the growing national debt, the failure to abolish the IRS, unresolved conflicts in Ukraine, unreleased Epstein and JFK files, the lack of a Fort Knox audit, and what he sees as a failure to hold officials accountable for past scandals. At the same time, he credits Trump with creating DOGE, exposing an estimated $300 billion in government waste, and securing the border without additional spending.

Tulsi Gabbard resigned as director of national intelligence, citing her husband's rare bone cancer diagnosis. But sources claimed that Gabbard was forced to resign as the intel chief. Gabbard's non-interventionist foreign policy views frequently clashed with President Trump's military strikes on Iran. Gabbard, a veteran and current Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, spoke with Savage about her political evolution from Democrat to Republican. Learn how Gabbard and her parents have been longtime listeners of the Savage Nation; even calling into the show! Then, listen as they discuss their shared connection to Hawaii and indigenous culture. Listen to this remarkable interview with two independent voices fighting for America's future!

Michael Savage interviews retired Army Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis about China, Taiwan, Iran, and his book The New AI Cold War: Liberty vs. Tyranny in the Age of Machine Empires. McGinnis says the Trump–Xi summit produced pomp but few substantive outcomes, possibly favoring Xi. He argues AI was central given the executives traveling with Trump. They discuss Taiwan as strategically vital due to geography, allied credibility, and semiconductor dominance, and unpack Xi's "Thucydides trap" warning. Turning to Iran, Maginnis frames a "fork" between tolerating Tehran's nuclear progress or seizing and dismantling dispersed facilities, a difficult ground operation with uncertain intelligence. The conversation closes on AI's sweeping military and societal impact, China's open model strategy, and potential theological implications.

Savage speculates that President Trump may have discussed a sphere-of-influence understanding with China: U.S. freedom of action in Cuba in exchange for Chinese leeway over Taiwan. He argues Cuba has been devastated by decades of military-backed communist dictatorship, leaving people desperate for medicine and food, and warns the U.S. must avoid an economic collapse that could trigger another Mariel-style migrant crisis. He suggests the U.S. appears to be moving toward a Venezuela-style playbook of removing Cuba's leadership, then working with friendlier leaders to rebuild the economy, revive tourism, and spark massive investment. He contrasts this with the Taiwan risk, mentions rumors of moving Taiwan's chip industry to Arizona, and concludes Americans mainly care about pocketbook issues—gas, bread, and inflation.

Savage explains how the U.S. feels like a replay of the Roaring '20s—corruption, excess, and a looming crash—citing national debt surpassing GDP and high gas prices in California. He compares HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" to today's "gangster capitalism" and then shares how Napoleon III serves as a cautionary tale about prosperity undone by war costs. Savage says he's alarmed by pressure on President Trump from pro-war talkers and the military-industrial complex to escalate the war in Iran, warning this could draw in Russia and China. He then reads from Mao's "Little Red Book" where Mao calls "democratic socialism" a road to communism. He concludes by condemning Bernie Sanders and the Communist Party while calling for divine help for America.