Take a minute to [un]wind with our Sunday morning newsletter. Grab a cup of coffee (make it iced, because it's hot as Hades) and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week – plus, all the anti-fringe news that’s fit to print.
Don’t miss our monthly live Q&A: Tonight!
https://brandikruse.locals.com/post/2457553/monthly-subscriber-q-a-sunday-july-24-8pm-pt
Make sure to catch our July subscriber Q&A, tonight at 8pm PT on Locals. Bring your best questions! If you can’t make it, feel free to leave your questions in the comments and I’ll try my best to get to all of them.
Defund the police is now idea non grata:
Apparently, it took an election year for Democrats to start caring about public safety. It also took reaching a record high homicide rate and the lowest number of police officers per capita in the United States. As I detailed on the show this week (1:10 mark), Washington Governor Jay Inslee finally came out against the defunding movement – two years too late. He also announced a new effort to recruit more police officers across the state (after firing almost 80 Washington State Patrol Troopers over the vaccine mandate). While I am happy Democrats are suddenly on the side of common sense, their motives are questionable at best and duplicitous at worst. I’d be more apt to believe their sincerity if the sudden about face came with an apology.
Trump says he’d rehire soldiers fired over the vaccine:
Former President Donald Trump, who seems like he’s racing toward a 2024 announcement, is redoubling his call for service members fired over the federal vaccine mandate to be reinstated.
“We have to abolish all COVID mandates and lockdowns,” Trump said during an appearance at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit (1:10:50 mark). “Rehire every patriot who was shamefully fired from the military, with an apology — we have to give them an apology — and all of their back pay.”
Around 98% of servicemembers got the COVID-19 vaccine, but hundreds refused and were separated from the military – including around 350 elite Marines.
While I want Trump to run in 2024 about as much as I want a steaming hot poker shoved in my eye, this proposal has my enthusiastic support.
Speaking of Trump ... the J6 hearings continued this week:
The eighth J6 hearing was held Thursday in prime time. It detailed what former President Donald Trump did (and did not do) in the 187 minutes after he gave a speech to his supporters – many of whom then marched up to the Capitol.
As a riot unfolded, Trump was glued to TV news and mostly ignored pleas from his staff, politicians in the Capitol, and prominent conservative media figures who begged him to tell the crowd to back down.
Perhaps the hearing was effective, because it prompted two newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch to issue scathing op-eds against the former president. The Wall Street Journal called him “The President who stood still.”
"He didn't call the military to send help. He didn't call Mr. Pence to check on the safety of his loyal VP. Instead, he fed the mob's anger and let the riot play out."
The New York Post said Trump’s inaction should preclude him from ever holding the nation’s highest office again.
https://nypost.com/2022/07/22/trumps-jan-6-silence-renders-him-unworthy-for-2024-reelection/
"It's up to the Justice Department to decide if this is a crime. But as a matter of principle, as a matter of character, Trump has proven himself unworthy to be this country's chief executive again."
“Swing Seat Showdown”
In case you missed it, be sure to watch our [un]Divided Special Report: Swing Seat Showdown. I sat down at length with three candidates vying for one of the most critical swing seats in the entire country: Washington’s 8th Congressional District. Even if you don’t live in the 8th, the same dynamics are playing out in Suburban seats across the country: Abortion, inflation, crime, and Biden’s low approval ratings. If GOP candidates have a strong showing in the August 2 primary, it could spell disaster for Dems in their struggle to hold onto the House.
https://brandikruse.locals.com/post/2455297/un-divided-swing-seat-showdown
Subscriber note: There will be no show on Monday, August 1. Instead, we will have a live stream after the first ballots drop on Tuesday night (Primary Election night). Ballots are expected to drop around 8pm PT. Stay tuned for special coverage.
Anti-ICE activists are now attacking a group of elderly women who serve soup. Republican state lawmakers say two bills would have stopped self-dealing described in whistleblower report. Major job cuts ahead for Amazon. Another disturbing report of the Mercer Island School District covering for teachers accused of abusing students.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8797200-save-the-soup-ladies-10-28-25
A whistleblower exposes rampant self-dealing within a state equity program. Portland ramps up efforts to control Antifa, but is it too little too late? Governor Bob Ferguson’s insane blind spot on girls’ sports. New lawsuit in parental rights battle. Illegal driver in fatal Florida turnpike cash failed CDL test 10 times in Washington state – got a license anyway.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8796587-enrichment-over-equity-10-27-25
The eyes of the nation will be on Portland once again this weekend, but don’t overlook the real tragedy. Voters report double ballots, other concerns ahead of the November election. Socialist state lawmaker fined for blocking conservatives on X. Florida sues Washington state.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8795310-the-real-tragedy-in-portland-10-23-25
These remarks were delivered to the Snohomish County Lincoln Day Dinner on May 17, 2024.
The following remarks were delivered to the Whatcom County Lincoln Day Dinner on March 23, 2024, in Ferndale, Washington.
I struggled with what to talk to you about tonight.
Well, that’s not true. I didn't struggle with what to talk to you about – I struggled with whether I was brave enough to say what I wanted to say.
When I'm invited to speak to groups, I don't want to offend anyone or be too controversial. So, I reached out to a few of your fellow party members to ask whether any topics were off limits or wouldn't go over well with the crowd.
I got some good advice.
Then I decided to ignore that good advice entirely.
Too much is at stake to be polite.
As we sit here tonight, we are in the final battle of a war.
A war that has pit sanity against insanity.
Pragmatism against idealism.
A war that has sacrificed the public good, in favor of a twisted idea of progress.
It's a war that began long before I moved here 15 years ago. It started silently and it was mostly waged in the shadows.
Most of us didn't even realize that a war was being fought. We were too caught up in our own lives and our own problems. ...
Do you work in the tech sector, or have a job that directly depends on the strength of the tech sector in Washington state?
Halloween Edition! Seattle mayoral candidates are resorting to desperate tactics in the final days. National Guard deployment on hold in Portland. I guess climate change isn’t going to kill us after all? Congressional hearing on political violence. Socialist mayoral candidate gets schooled on Cuba in Miami.
Anti-ICE activists are now attacking a group of elderly women who serve soup. Republican state lawmakers say two bills would have stopped self-dealing described in whistleblower report. Major job cuts ahead for Amazon. Another disturbing report of the Mercer Island School District covering for teachers accused of abusing students.
I was honored this week to join President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and other independent content creators for a roundtable on Antifa.
While a certain joke about TDS is getting a lot of attention, the underlying mission of the meeting was serious – deadly serious.
For years, organized left-wing radicals have sought to influence public policy through coercion: using harassment, threats, vandalism, and violence as their tools. From the Occupy movement, to the May Day riots, to the "Summer of Love" and up to the most recent anti-ICE actions, I've followed these activities closely – and been the target of their tactics far too many times.
Whether you call them Antifa, terrorists, radicals, or just criminals – understanding, investigating, and disrupting violent extremism in all forms should be a nonpartisan pursuit.
Here are my full remarks to President Donald Trump:
Mr. President, you’re going to hear us be very fired up today, as you can tell. It’s because some of us have been covering Antifa for 15 years and have never had anyone in a position of authority even acknowledge their existence.
The single most powerful thing you’ve done to deal with this scourge has been acknowledging that Antifa is a real thing. I genuinely believe there would be people at these tables who would be dead today and would have been killed in Portland had you not called them a terror organization and said you're going to bring the full weight of the federal government to bear.
I talked to Katie Daviscourt in Portland the other day. She’d been assaulted all summer. And she said the same thing. They didn’t seem as quick to violence as soon as you made that designation. They’re worried. There’s been two dozen or so arrested in Portland. They don’t want to go to federal prison.
There’s this video of one of them who was in the face of an ICE agent and then he’s in custody shaking. Once you take the mask off, they’re nothing.
I was told by probably a dozen people not to tell you this. I’m going to tell you anyway because it’s relevant to what we’re talking about. I’m living proof that you can recover from TDS. I had strong Trump Derangement Syndrome for probably eight years. This is one of the reasons I recovered from it.
By the way, it’s much better to not have TDS. I’m happier. I’m healthier. I'm more successful. I even think I got a little more attractive after I got rid of my TDS.
I’m a reporter in Seattle and frankly, I could not care any less what any of you have to say about this meeting (looks to Press Corps). I could not care any less. We’re not here for you. I’m not here to convince any of you that Antifa is a real thing. Because if you have not come to that conclusion by now, you are never going to come to that conclusion because you don’t want to see it. And you’re going to say it’s a bunch of right-wing conservative influencers who are here spinning a tale.
I was one of you. I was a mainstream reporter in Seattle for 10 years. I was a TV reporter, on the streets, doing my job and I was still assaulted by Antifa. So, it’s not about being conservative. It’s about people who go out there and show what they’re doing.
When I saw after all those years that the media wouldn’t be honest about what was happening, that Democratic politicians wouldn’t be honest about what was happening, I thought, well, if they’re not being honest about that, maybe they’re not being honest about President Trump either. It opened my mind to just looking at things for what they were. And now I find you quite funny, actually (looks to President Trump).
Again, I could not care any less the stories that go to print. This is what I care about: We have three and a half years. Nothing is guaranteed. Although, I think if Democrats keep it up, we’ll probably have Republican presidents for the next three decades. But nothing is guaranteed. So, what I want to see over the next three and a half years is a fullcourt press to dismantle Antifa once and for all in a meaningful way. I know Andy Ngo, we talked before this about some ideas. We want the federal government to take as many of these cases as possible and look at the interstate travel between Portland and Seattle when it comes to these people who are committing violent acts.
Hopefully, in three and a half years, they will be a shell of their former selves.
President Trump:
Well I think we're very close, and it’s Antifa and many others. Unfortunately, there are many others, bad ones. Most have been named terrorist organizations. There a couple that we’re going to focus on, but I think we’ve got it pretty well covered, but there are many others. Specifically today is Antifa and it’s really bad and we’re going to get it cleaned up.
Thank you very much. I’m glad you no longer have TDS. I feel very good about that. Thank you.
There will be no live show today, September 29.
Why?
I'm on the ground in Portland, doing my best to sort through competing narratives about what's happening outside the ICE facility here.
President Donald Trump declared the city a "war zone," mobilized the National Guard, and authorized Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to use "full force" to finally bring months of unrest outside the facility to an end.
Democratic leadership, including Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, have called the city "safe and calm," suggesting there is no need for federal intervention.
As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. But after just one night on the ground, it is clear that Portland has failed to address the unrest in any meaningful way for more than 100 days. The federal government has a right to protect federal assets and agents, especially considering the abdication of responsibility from local leaders, but what level of intervention is appropriate?
We will be back on air tomorrow, September 30, at our regular time with a special report. In the meantime, the best way to follow breaking updates is on any one of my social media platforms:
X: @BrandiKruse
FB: @BrandiKruseNews
