Advertise on podcast: The A.M. Update

Aaron McIntire breaks down Vice President JD Vance's lengthy X post-mortem on the midterms, in which Vance wrote that the reason Republicans lost is the Iran war, and that a pollster found disaffected 2024 Trump voters wanted the war ended, a focus on cost of living and inflation, an America First agenda and a changed relationship with Israel. He plays President Trump telling reporters at the White House ballroom construction site that Vance's assessment was largely true because the war drove gas prices up, while saying he would do it again, and notes Trump's Election Day announcement that U.S. military aid to Israel will end at year's end. Aaron reacts to Democrats winning both chambers in a historic wipeout, and to Trump touting the new ballroom the morning after the election, which Aaron says is not going to cut it. He argues the administration should get out of Iran, end tariffs as they are being used, focus on the cost of living and drop the ballroom and reflecting pool talk, and predicts Democrats will overreach. Aaron closes by saying his benefit of the doubt for the administration is running out, while still holding out hope for good things from the White House.

Aaron McIntire breaks down election night, saying Republicans lost ground nearly everywhere they were in competitive races, with Democrats winning the House, James Talarico winning the Texas Senate race and Sen. Darline Graham losing in South Carolina. Recording Wednesday morning with votes still being counted, he says Democrats also led or won in races including Iowa's Senate and governor contests, Georgia's Senate and governor races and Ohio, while Republicans held Kentucky, and he calls Florida the lone Republican firewall. He says the margins were too lopsided to blame cheating and argues the causes were high gas prices, tariffs, the Iran war and a lack of an affirmative Republican message. Aaron credits Governor Ron DeSantis's Florida Republicans for giving voters reasons to turn out, and says Republicans must deliver on promises like limits on eminent domain at the state level. He closes with a call to resist despair and demand that elected leaders follow through.

Aaron McIntire covers Election Day 2026 and the last-minute news before the polls, including a limited U.S. "defensive" strike on Iran's Qeshm Island, the Supreme Court's rejection of the Trump administration's bid to set aside 20,000 California mail ballots, and the Florida Learjet crash that killed nine people. He notes the Learjet crash near Greenacres involved a Texas family of four and a 20-year-old co-pilot and is under NTSB investigation, and that officials called the Qeshm strike a response to Iran firing at a U.S. aircraft rather than a return to major combat. Aaron breaks down what he is watching tonight, including independent voters in Iowa, where he says early Republican voting is up sharply from 2022, and whether a younger generation of voters could be a wild card in states like Texas. He shares his predictions, not results, including Republican holds in Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Iowa and Kansas, Democratic wins by Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and James Talarico in Texas that he says he hopes are wrong, Zach Lahn winning Iowa's governor race, and roughly a 60 percent chance Democrats win both chambers of Congress. He closes by urging everyone to vote and says he will stay up late for the results.

Aaron McIntire covers reports that the Justice Department has intensified a criminal investigation into Alaska's second Senate candidate named Dan Sullivan after a New York Times report on Mary Peltola's campaign, plus President Trump's call for prosecutions, while Alaska's Supreme Court has already ruled the candidacy can stay on the ballot. He plays Barack Obama's campaign pitch on child care and health premiums, and covers the death of actor Patrick Stewart, 86, who died Wednesday after a brief journey with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Aaron also highlights former NFL quarterback Alex Smith telling the Bussin' With the Boys podcast how rehab at the military's Center for the Intrepid helped him overcome shame over his leg injury. In AOTMA, he answers listener questions on YouTube video quality, whether young voters are skipping polls, how likely Republicans are to hold both chambers of Congress, the America Next PAC ad, and the courts, and closes with a faith montage from the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers.

Aaron McIntire covers a New York Times report that staffers for Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola were told in 2025 to find as many people named Dan Sullivan as they could, ahead of a second Dan Sullivan appearing on the ballot against Republican Senator Dan Sullivan; Peltola's campaign denies recruiting him, and Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Justice Department is suing over the ballot. He covers ICE arrests of two more Haitian nationals in Ohio accused of fraudulently collecting SNAP benefits, and Vice President JD Vance's Kinston, North Carolina rally for Michael Whatley, where he blamed Roy Cooper for the killing of Iryna Zarutska, a claim Cooper's campaign disputes. Aaron also covers Hennepin County's felony charges of unlawful voting and identity theft against James O'Keefe and Cam Higby over their August primary polling place stunt, in which prosecutors say they gave election judges the names of real registered voters, while the pair says they were testing Minnesota's vouching law. He plays New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's early voting video saying voters need not bring ID to the polls, which Aaron compares to the Minnesota case. Aaron also marks the Spanish high-speed train collision south of Madrid that has killed at least 68 people, which Spain's transport minister blames on an inexplicable control center decision. He closes with his mixed reaction to America Next PAC's "Full of Hate" ad, which aired during sports broadcasts, and previews Friday's Ask Or Tell Me Anything.

Aaron McIntire covers President Trump's Corpus Christi rally for Ken Paxton, where Alexis Nungaray, mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, spoke about her daughter's 2024 killing by two Venezuelan men who entered the country illegally, and Trump's claims that Democrats cheat in elections. He covers Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro reportedly leaving for the United States two days after losing the runoff to Lula, despite a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports in a money-laundering probe, as the State Department says it will issue visas to him and his family. Aaron also covers U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz's shouting match with Cuba's foreign minister during a General Assembly embargo debate, and former FBI Director James Comey's response to a third federal case over alleged leaks to the New York Times. He plays House Speaker Mike Johnson urging Christians not to sit out the midterms, and Florida Democratic Senate nominee Angie Nixon's answer on whether Cuba is a dictatorship, which drew criticism from Republicans and some Democrats after CBS deleted and corrected its initial post about it. Aaron breaks down Israel's election exit polls showing neither Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot's reaching 61 seats, and Pakistan's Supreme Court upholding the death sentence of Christian Qaiser Ayub in a blasphemy case while acquitting his brother. He closes with DHS General Counsel James Percival's pushback on a 60 Minutes question about law-abiding immigrants and his argument against sitting out the election.

Aaron McIntire covers President Trump's Truth Social pledge of $1 million to anyone who reports voter fraud leading to an arrest and conviction, a plan with no details yet on funding or who would administer it. He covers Trump calling Brazil's runoff "another rigged election" after Lula beat Flávio Bolsonaro 51.8 percent to 48.2 percent and Bolsonaro refused to concede, and he questions the vote swing between rounds, though Brazil's electoral court certified the result and no fraud evidence has been presented. Aaron also covers Barack Obama's Saddam Hussein Cheesecake Factory joke about Trump's gold-accented White House renovations and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's lunchtime response outside a Cheesecake Factory. He plays House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries telling MS NOW that Democrats will hold Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accountable if Trump does not push him aside, ahead of an impeachment resolution expected after the midterms, and a new Gallup survey in which 46 percent of Republicans and 6 percent of Democrats named patriotism among the values the country needs most. Aaron reacts to newly circulating remarks from a 2023 speech by Texas Senate nominee James Talarico on what Jesus would say to the Texas legislature, and Vice President JD Vance's Montana campaign stop, where he said Democrats will bend the knee to Pelosi and Schumer. He closes with Microsoft's voluntary buyout offer to about 60,000 employees, roughly 27 percent of its workforce, which the company ties to its AI spending and which Aaron suspects could signal offshoring.

Aaron McIntire covers President Trump's Michigan rally for Mike Rogers, where he attacked Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who denies claims of Muslim Brotherhood ties, and a viral Oval Office exchange in which Trump snapped at reporter Andrew Feinberg over a golf course question. He breaks down the Pentagon's FORTRESS initiative requiring major U.S. military bases to sustain essential operations for 90 days without outside power or supplies, a planned requirement rather than a forecast of a nationwide blackout. Aaron also covers the full Fifth Circuit's 10 to 7 ruling that immigrants who entered without inspection have no constitutional right to bond hearings while detained, ahead of a related Supreme Court case. He covers Rep. Ilhan Omar's first TV interview since the search of her home, where she said "not to my knowledge" when asked if she is related to her former husband, and a New York Post report on her sister's 1997 marriage certificate listing the surname Elmi, which does not establish whether the two are related. Aaron plays former President Barack Obama's Detroit rally pitch for El-Sayed, the Coast Guard rescue swimmer who saved 16 people from a capsized boat off Baja California where 11 others were never found, and a tally of 64 bear attacks across North America this year.

Aaron McIntire covers the AI-assisted discovery of two critical flaws in PHP, the programming language behind a large share of websites, which led European governments and U.S. organizations to take sites offline Wednesday while the FBI and NSA urged immediate updates. He covers Rep. Ilhan Omar breaking her silence with a fundraising appeal after the search of her home, and a court filing listing her as "Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar," which some conservatives read as evidence of a false identity though prosecutors have not said so. Aaron also covers the Supreme Court leaving in place an injunction that blocks the Bureau of Prisons from ending so-called "gender-affirming care," with Justices Alito and Thomas dissenting. He plays Vice President JD Vance telling Republicans to stop whining about Vivek Ramaswamy's ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother, which Ramaswamy has taken responsibility for, and Senator John Cornyn's CNBC remarks on low-turnout primary runoffs. Aaron covers Elon Musk's claim that the March Austin bar shooter was fired from Tesla after assaulting a coworker, details that match a lawsuit filed in March, and polling firm Wedgewood's admission that it fabricated its poll data. He closes with his weekly poll results and his midterm outlook.

Aaron McIntire covers the Trump administration's new $25 million Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, which pays tipsters up to $30,000 for information leading to fraud charges, along with President Trump's comments urging Ukraine to end the war. He covers the Social Security Administration's record cleanup of about 50 million records, a push to expand Trump Accounts to anyone under 40, and Elon Musk's pledge to give every American child a SpaceX share next year. Aaron also covers an ad circulated by supporters of Vivek Ramaswamy featuring Democratic nominee Amy Acton's estranged mother calling her a liar in the Ohio governor's race, with Acton's campaign saying she was abused as a child and National Review reporting that court records confirm key parts of her history. He plays Senator Elissa Slotkin defending her comments about a deterrence message for Trump administration staffers, and retiring Senator Thom Tillis telling Politico he expects Republicans to lose the House. Aaron breaks down record low pending home sales as mortgage rates climbed, the WNBA's letter to Congress saying Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible because they are men, and a viral Q&A clip on multiculturalism and assimilation.

Aaron McIntire covers Vice President JD Vance's rally message that Democrats are barking up the wrong tree on affordability and gas prices, and President Trump's reaction to the weekend riots in France, where he blamed immigration and urged Macron to close the borders while France's prime minister blamed ultra-left radical groups. He plays House Speaker Mike Johnson telling Larry Kudlow that Republicans will defy the polls, along with pollster Frank Luntz on whether surveys are missing Republican voters ahead of the midterms, now two weeks away. Aaron also covers the Justice Department's Operation Protect the Vote, which charged more than two dozen lawful permanent residents in California with false statements or fraudulent voter registration, and Civil Rights Division chief Harmeet Dhillon's 60 Minutes interview defending the voter roll push. He reacts to Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed comparing scrutiny of his family's Muslim Brotherhood ties to attacks on JFK and Obama, and the news that Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is out for the season with blood clots in his legs and lungs. Aaron plays Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying in a Breitbart interview that he doesn't think it's a coincidence that Latin American politics shifted after USAID closed, while acknowledging he can't prove a direct election impact. He closes by arguing the midterms will come down to turnout, including in Iowa, where Trump is scheduled to rally Thursday.

Aaron McIntire covers Vice President JD Vance's CBS News town hall in Michigan, where he blamed Democratic policies for high energy prices and said there's a chance he doesn't run for president in 2028. He covers the Bend, Oregon elementary school shooting that killed three children and a teacher, and the teacher and armed father who stopped the 16-year-old gunman. Aaron also covers Texas Senate nominee James Talarico saying an assault weapons ban remains on the table, Senator Elissa Slotkin's remarks about creating a deterrence message with prosecutions of Trump administration officials, and a Los Angeles Times report on advocates' claim that a surge in ICE raids aims to discourage voter turnout. He plays Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Meet the Press defending the administration's 60-day review of Russia sanctions and tariffs by pointing to Europe's continued purchases of Russian energy. Aaron breaks down the weekend's mass protests across France, where the interior minister counted 550,000 people, police made about 400 arrests, rioters looted luxury stores, a Lyon tourist office was torched and Limoges's 143-year-old city hall burned. He closes with Vance's response to a student's question about his H-1B comments and ICE, in which he said his rhetoric may have been imperfect.

Aaron McIntire covers a CNN town hall where a Catholic voter told Texas Senate nominee James Talarico that the Bible is not silent on abortion, and NBC's Tom Llamas pressing Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed over his half-sister's old tweets about their mother and the Muslim Brotherhood. He covers Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch warning of double jeopardy problems in the repeat prosecution of Mexican national Jesus Herrera-Salazar, and President Trump announcing that the December 3 firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan will not be livestreamed. Aaron also covers Giants quarterback Jameis Winston's answer about the Jameis Winston experience, in which he says he is called to be the light of the world. In AOTMA, he shares good news on listener Jimmy Moon's Bible project, a Michigan House resolution declaring October Combating Antisemitism Month, his read on the midterm polling, a question about tearing down the high places, and a listener-submitted clip of Ella Langley singing "Jesus Paid It All."

Aaron McIntire covers a new memo from Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley alleging that former special counsel Jack Smith's office and the Biden Justice Department obtained data on at least 639,000 Republican voters and donors in the Arctic Frost probe, including buyers of red MAGA hats. He plays Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling Piers Morgan he feels betrayed by President Trump's diesel deal with Vladimir Putin and his announced energy ceasefire. Aaron also covers a New York Post report that Rep. Ilhan Omar's staff asked Minnesota officials in 2019 to change her listed birth year from 1981 to 1982, a detail that could matter to her citizenship timeline, though the library says its original 1981 entry was undocumented. He covers HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s announcement that CMS ended Obamacare subsidies for 189,000 duplicate or deceased enrollees, and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald's claim that fraud costs more than several federal departments' budgets combined. Aaron marks what would have been Charlie Kirk's 33rd birthday and highlights about a dozen Camas, Washington high school girls walking off a cross-country race rather than compete against a teammate who had switched from the boys' team. He closes with Jim Nantz's story about the late Mike Ditka's habit of carrying $100 bills.

Aaron McIntire covers Pope Leo XIV's lung cancer diagnosis after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirming a federal investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar's financial disclosures. President Trump says he is not taking a position on the search of Omar's home, while the Justice Department has not said whether the financial probe is connected to the immigration paperwork investigation, and Omar denies wrongdoing. He covers Vice President JD Vance's Tyler, Texas rally for Ken Paxton, where he announced a Defense Production Act refinery expansion and attacked Democratic nominee James Talarico, and new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia announcing that Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle was asked to resign amid allegations she denies. Aaron also covers Speaker Mike Johnson's claim that polls are undersampling Republicans and the FBI arrest of OpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national accused of planting a hidden recording device in an executive conference room. He closes with a viral Fayette County, Indiana forum clip in which council candidate Jaime West said she would fire all Republicans and ended by saying they have guns too.