Breaking Battlegrounds

On today's special, we turn our full attention to Venezuela, exploring the need for intervention with four guests who offer varied firsthand experiences and perspectives on the country and President Trump's role. Our first guest is Santiago Vidal Calvo, a cities policy analyst focused on government accountability and transparency through the Manhattan Institute's Freedom of Information Law initiatives. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Vidal Calvo immigrated to the United States in 2021. He explains why President Trump's actions were lawful under Article II of the U.S. Constitution and justified by national security concerns, noting that more than a century of precedent supports the president's authority to act in this manner. He also challenges claims of international law violations, questioning who defines and enforces international law—and where those protections were during the 27 years Venezuelans were killed, tortured, and kidnapped. Next we speak with Carrie Filipetti who currently serves as Executive Director of the Vandenberg Coalition. Previously, she held senior roles at the U.S. Department of State, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cuba and Venezuela in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and Deputy Special Representative for Venezuela—earning a Superior Honor Award for her service. Venezuela's collapse is a stark riches-to-rags story: once the wealthiest nation in Latin America, its decline began with the rise of socialism. In just the past few years, roughly 25 percent of the population has been forced to flee. Families have been torn apart, torture and human rights abuses are widespread, and nearly every Venezuelan has been affected—fueling strong domestic support for what is unfolding now. Carrie also examines what this moment means for Cuba, and how these developments will shape the broader Western Hemisphere, including implications for Cuba and Nicaragua. Our third guest is Doral Councilman Rafael Piñeyro, who was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and moved to Miami with his family at the age of 15, carrying hopes and dreams for his future. Today, roughly 40 percent of the Doral community is Venezuelan. This issue goes beyond political parties or ideology—it is about principle, accountability, and justice. What happens in Venezuela matters not only to its people, but to the entire region and the United States. After 26 years of suffering under these regimes, the impact has been felt both in Venezuela and here at home. Councilman Piñeyro believes the United States is now sending a clear and unmistakable message: these regimes will be held accountable, and it is time for a better future for Latin America—while signaling to the world that America is back. Alexa Lavoi, Chief Journalist for Rebel News in Quebec and Ottawa, recounts her on-the-ground reporting from Doral, Florida, where she interviewed Venezuelans who fled their homeland after facing persecution for opposing views or noncompliance with the regime. Through emotional, firsthand stories, Alexa witnessed both the pain and resilience within the community. While hope remains strong, there is also profound worry for the future of Venezuela and for family members still trapped under the regime.

Happy New Year! Our first episode of 2026 we discuss the border and the focus shifting to the interior of country, the American Dream, Australia and the Bondi attacks and positive outlook forecasted for our economy and market. First, Anna Giaritelli, an award-winning journalist and writer whose reporting for the Washington Examiner, shines light on the Trump Administration's latest effort to secure our Southern border - deploying buoys in the Texas river as a marine wall, how the immigration crisis at the border is slowing but the focus is now shifting to the interior of the country with deportations and discusses her debut memoir "Under Assault: A Crime Reporter's True Story Overcoming Sexual Trauma and Exposing Injustice."  Our second guest is Chuong Vo, candidate for US Congress is CA-CD 45. Chuong is a husband, father, former Mayor of Cerritos, and a 28-year-law-enforcement officer. Since then, crime rose, costs climbed, and politics got meaner and less honest. Asked by his friends and community leaders to step up and run, Chuong said yes because service is what he knows and what he is passionate about. Discussing what the American Dream means to him as an immigrant, the value of working hard and his pride of being an American.   Drew Pavlou has reported from the frontlines in Ukraine and survived Chinese government kidnap plots and bomb threat campaigns. Being pressured by the Australian police to delete a tweet about the Bondi attack, getting crushed with fines by the government after peacefully protesting, and how not a single arrest has been made since the Bondi attack, and 2 right-wing extremists have been deported but no one held responsible for the attacks. Gary Gygi is a seasoned financial expert, former mayor, and president of Gygi Capital Management. Gary discusses the FED and the new FED chair, potential for lowering interest rates benefiting the economy and stock market, the tailwinds that show the market and economy look good in 2026.

This Christmas on Breaking Battlegrounds, we celebrate the history, meaning, and enduring spirit of the season with two beloved guests. First, nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and Amerisearch president William Federer returns to take listeners on a fascinating journey through the true history of Christmas, exploring the real story of Saint Nicholas, the origins of beloved holiday traditions, and pivotal moments when Christmas shaped American history, from Valley Forge to the post–World War II era. Then, #1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans joins the show to discuss his newest novel, The Christmas Stranger, a moving story of grief, redemption, and unexpected hope that reminds us how connection and compassion can transform even the darkest moments. Together, these conversations offer a thoughtful and heartwarming look at why Christmas continues to matter across generations, faiths, and cultures.

Scott Johnson, an original contributor to the blog Power Line, joins the show to break down his decade-long reporting on Rep. Ilhan Omar marrying her brother and the extensive fraud issues tied to Minnesota's Somali community. Johnson walks through the documentation, court records, and investigative reporting that underpin the marriage allegations, explains why the story has been ignored or downplayed by much of the media, and connects it to broader patterns of political protection and accountability failures. He also discusses Minnesota's ongoing Somali fraud scandals, how taxpayer dollars have been misused, and why these cases raise serious questions about oversight, enforcement, and public trust.   More about Scott Johnson Johnson is an original contributor to the blog Power Line. Power Line was named Time magazine's first and only Blog of the Year in December 2004 for its role in exposing the Rathergate story. 

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck Warren and Sam Stone are joined by four expert guests to unpack the biggest issues shaping national security, global stability, media accountability, and the economy. Dr. Mike Waller, national security expert, investigative journalist, and former CIA operative, explains why artificial intelligence is America's most critical strategic asset, how China and Russia deploy espionage and "honeypot" tactics to steal U.S. technology, and why U.S. dominance in AI is essential to national survival. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald journalist and Maria Moors Cabot Prize winner, discusses her reporting on what's happening in Haiti, detailing the horrific toll of gang violence on women and girls and the lasting impact of sexual violence on families and children. Scott Johnson, founder of the Power Line blog, dives into his decade-long reporting on Rep. Ilhan Omar marrying her brother and Minnesota's Somali fraud problem. The episode concludes with Gary Gygi, president of Gygi Capital Management, former mayor, and veteran financial expert, who breaks down warning signs in the global economy, including labor market trends, union pressures, and the deepening economic challenges facing China.