Can Ed Sheeran bring peace to the Middle East? Congress shuts down two weeks early. 19% Approval for Trump. The Iran War Grinds On. PLUS: Friday Football!

Congress has left the building — for two months. No AI legislation, no check on an Iran war the American people never signed up for, no oversight while Trump threatens Cuba, threatens Greenland, watches the Fed raise rates, and lets his son throw a Russian-funded wedding party. Trump sits at 19% approval. J.D. Vance and Pete Hegseth are already jockeying to succeed him. Republicans are scrubbing him from their own ads. And the Democrats aren't exactly filling the vacuum. That's the opening for independents — and Paul Rieckhoff lays out exactly where the movement is building, from Brian Bengs in South Dakota to Dan Osborn in Nebraska to Seth Bodnar in Montana to Todd Achilles in Idaho. Then Paul goes below the radar on the Ed Sheeran / Macklemore / Bob Kraft blowup he witnessed live at MetLife Stadium — a Free Palestine chant that split a family-friendly crowd and now has Macklemore dropped from Gillette Stadium dates. It's a window into where most Americans actually sit on Israel and Gaza: not neutral, not extreme, but exhausted with blank checks and demanding the leaders of both sides stop bombing kids. Paul closes with Football Friday — college and NFL picks, a shout to Audioslave, and a message from his New York City Lions youth team: love one another. Stay vigilant. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Millions of American veterans are being locked out of primary elections in the country they served. See what we’re doing to change that. -Visit Kalshi and trade on anything. Use code INDEPENDENT to get $25 when you trade $25. -Head to cozyearth.com and use the code AMERICANS for an exclusive 20% off. -Join Noble Mobile today and get a $100 bonus when you use code PAUL and stay a member for 2 months! -Join IVA and help us get independent veterans elected to office. -Learn more about Paul’s work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It’s a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and <a href="http