The Dark Side of Joe Rogan, RFK Jr, & the $140 Billion Peptide Industry

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That's why she shops at BJ's Wholesale Club, saving up to 25% off grocery store prices. Beef jerky, microwave meals, laundry pods, even they can't screw up. Have you met my kids? And with BJ's gas, she gets there for less. They call me the road warrior. This is your home, road warrior mom. Home of the save. Join for just $20 at BJ's.com slash mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months. Open soon. Limited time offer, new members only. BJ's. Home of the save. You now have the Joe Roganification of the FDA, thanks to RFK being even crazier than you think. With this peptide controversy now being center stage and growing. The cyclospora diarrhea parasite has now killed two people. The Democrats' secret election autopsy has now gotten even messier. And a top FBI agent who stole a million bucks in crypto just got betrayed by his best friend, ChatGPT. We're talking about all of that and even more on today's brand new Philip DeFranco show. You daily dive into the news starting with this. We need to talk about this peptide situation. Right? It's an industry. Valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars. And it could actually be worth more than double in just a few years, at least partly thanks to health secretary RFK Jr. Giving his friends in the industry a say in how it should be regulated. Right? And the popularity of peptides has skyrocketed over just the past few years as they've kind of become the latest cure-all trend on social media. You look left and right, you see wellness influencers, fitness coaches, celebrities touting their effectiveness. Everything including recovering from injuries, getting jacked, improving cognitive function, fixing your skin. And then you'll also often see many of those same creators guiding their followers to online stores that might sell injectable vials for hundreds of dollars. All while longevity and wellness clinics that are near you, they might offer in-office evaluations and treatments with membership fees, sometimes costing thousands every month. But also, all of this, it starts with a simple question of, well, what are they? Because while seemingly new to many, it's not really, though certain ones are. You can think of peptides as smaller and simpler versions of proteins. They're short chains of amino acids responsible for various important functions in the human body. Thousands have been identified. Many more probably exist. And each one has a unique and very special role. And those include hormone activity, immune defense, tissue repair and growth, control of inflammation. Digestion, you name it. And you're actually probably already familiar with some of the peptides that your body makes. Endorphins, for example, they're released by the central nervous system to block pain signals and relieve stress. And insulin, it's made in the pancreas to regulate the body's blood sugar. And also, of course, it is mass produced in high-tech manufacturing facilities as treatment for diabetes. And then, of course, there are also the GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wagovi that are similarly used to treat diabetes as well as obesity. And actually, overall, there are around 100 peptide medications already approved by the FDA. And that's why you have people like a stem cell biologist at UC Davis saying, there are going to be dozens of other peptide drugs that are going to be proven safe and effective. And to that point, there are already around 150 other peptide drugs in clinical trials. But also, very likely, a number of the ones that you are seeing promoted online are not those. Not already approved by the FDA and not even ones in clinical trials. And a lot of the hype that you've seen has been mostly focused on injectable peptides with names like BPC-157 and TB-500. Which you might have also heard of for another reason because they're banned by international sports authorities as doping substances. But for those who aren't competing professionally, the combination is known as the so-called Wolverine Stack because it's supposed to give you healing powers like a superhero. And you may have also seen it promoted by none other than the world's biggest and highest paid podcaster, Joe Rogan. If you ever get injured, get immediately on BP-157 and TB-500. Here's the thing, BPC-157, TB-500, and many of these other popular peptides, while they may have helped Rogan and others, while they very well may have real therapeutic potential, they've also been barely studied in humans. And instead, like, a lot of the evidence for their purported effectiveness comes from studies in rats and other animals. Because you have this raising concern, that they could cause allergic reactions, metabolic problems, and other dangerous side effects. I mean, just looking at BPC-157, you had a research team from the University of Utah looking into it, and they only managed to dig up three pilot studies on BPC-157 with a total of 30 participants. And so you had one of the team members saying, "The amount of human data that exists for it is of dubious enough quality that you can essentially just ignore it." Saying there are no long-term studies, there are no safety studies, even in animals. And that, I mean, if I even need to say it, is a big deal because even if there is a very real upside, what if there is also a downside? Because if BPC-157 really heals tissue damage purportedly by promoting the formation of new blood vessels, it could also promote tumor growth, right? At least, according to experts like one emergency medicine physician at Elmhurst Hospital in Illinois, who told Nature, it probably could, and we don't know unless there's a trial done. And so the uncertainty you have there, it also goes for many of these peptides that you're seeing being promoted today. And so you have people like Eric Topol, a research methods expert and director of Scripps Research Transnational Institute, arguing, "None of them are proven. None of them have gone through what would be considered adequate clinical trials, but nonetheless, many people are taking these. It's actually quite extraordinary." And then you have them even more concerned because people are stacking multiple peptides together. It's not just this so-called Wolverine stack. You have people online saying they take three, four, even more at the same time. So you have Topol saying, "This is really what I consider dangerous," and adding that, "It's all part of the circus of unproven, expensive, and possibly dangerous offerings promoted in this industry." So then with all this, if you're wondering, "Okay, well, is this legal?" Uh, not really. Any substance that's injected to get a health benefit or prevent a medical condition is classified as a drug, and drugs can't be sold without it. Without FDA approval. And then on top of that, the agency already considers many peptides to be what are known as biologics, which are the most complicated and potentially high-risk types of drugs and require extra safeguards during manufacturing and storage. But there is what's been seen as a loophole. See, in recent years, if you were to buy BPC-157 or something similar, it likely would have been labeled for research purposes only. But since you have people that are actually selling and buying them for health reasons, it's become what's often described as a gray market industry. You also have many pushing back on that, with one longevity expert telling Nature, "There's nothing gray about it," and adding, "It is illegal for people to sell experimental therapies on the internet for human consumption." Then that also brings up a whole other risk to injecting peptides, which is that even if the product you want works, you might not be getting that product, or at least not exactly. For example, in one preprint study from this year, researchers looked at publicly available data for 14 peptides from a third-party testing platform. What you had them finding was that out of these 6,000 samples from 203 companies, more than 40% failed to meet even basic purity and dose standards. The UC Davis biologist explaining, "Research-grade peptides are going to have junk in them. They're going to have chemicals used in the purification process and fragments of peptides that you don't want." Now, with all that, over the past years, the FDA has actually been trying to crack down on the space, at least somewhat. You've had them sending warning letters to businesses promoting peptides with immune-boosting powers. And in 2023, the agency added nearly 20 peptides, including BCP-157, to a list of substances compounding pharmacies are barred from making. But still, despite that, it's believed that most of the injectable peptides sold in the U.S. today, they're produced in them. And if you're not familiar, they're these specialized facilities that can normally only make tailored versions of drugs. For individual patients that aren't available from drug manufacturers. These places exist, at least in theory, so that people who can't swallow pills or who need unique doses of their meds or something, they can get the treatment that they need. But also a huge thing is that they're not regulated by the FDA. And so you have some saying they are more likely to make mistakes. So you have people pointing to things like in 2012, for example, a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts shipped out meds that hadn't been stored properly. And 64 people ended up dead, 750 got sick, and some had new medical issues that never went away. The FDA, they couldn't take any action since compounding pharmacies do not fall under their authority. So that makes them very, very appealing to companies who want to sell a product that lacks evidence. And so with that, during the COVID pandemic, many people got unproven treatments like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin from compounding pharmacies. And now there may also be a loophole that allows the already multibillion dollar peptide industry to really blow up. And it's important to note that the way we got here is that in special situations, namely when there's a shortage of a drug that is mass produced, compounding pharmacies can get permission to make it as well. That's what you saw happen in 2022 with the GLP-1s, for which, like I mentioned earlier, they are peptides and they've also become so massively popular over the past few years. Also, in 2025, the FDA determined that the shortage of GLP-1s, it had ended, meaning that compounders were expected to halt production. But many have also just continued making custom versions of the drugs anyway. And then also some of the industry's new production capacity went into producing unproved peptides like BPC-157. And so with that, you had Nathaniel Lachman, a lawyer who specializes in FDA-related issues, saying that until now, there had never been the monetary incentive to push the envelope of what is legally permissible with compounding before. The dollars weren't there, but now the dollar's definitely out. And so they are, and so may be the political will. Because our resident roadkill lover, RFK, he has long vowed to end what he called the FDA's war on peptides. And his friends and associates, they're among their biggest proponents, including, for example, self-described biohacker and longevity expert, Gary Brucka. He has millions of followers on social media, and he sells peptide injectables, patches, and nasal sprays through his website for 350 to 600 bucks each. And that includes some that the FDA has flagged for serious safety risks. And while if you read the labels, they're only for research, soon, you might even have to bother with that. That whole charade. At least for some of the products. Because back in February, you had RFK appearing on Joe Rogan's podcast, and he was asked about when he'd like to make moves on peptides. And he said this. - You know, I'm a big fan of peptides. I've used them myself, and used them with really good effect. - With him then claiming that the FDA's decision under Biden to bar compounding pharmacies from making certain peptides was illegal. And then just a couple of months later, rather than trying to improve access to peptides by calling for more research to prove their safety and effectiveness, and then make them available to patients, the FDA, they just began the process of removing many of the regulatory barriers to keep peptides from being legally made by compounding pharmacies. And you had it specifically proposing that several be moved out of the significant safety risk category and into one that would allow compounding pharmacies to legally make them without backing. And actually sometimes even without an inspection. It also removed a number of experts from the so-called compounding advisory panel. And then six of the eight people chosen to replace them, they're people who sell or otherwise have a stake in the peptides industry, while some of the others, besides Hawken Peptides, you have them running clinics that offer unproven treatments like ozone therapy and energy healing. But it's seeming like such a blatant conflict of interest that you had people like the president of the Center for Science and the Public Interest saying, "I think we have seen an extraordinary abuse "of the advisory committee process to secure ends "that have no basis in science." But of course right now, there's nothing stopping them. And last month you had the six peptide sellers joining with a compounding pharmacy and a pharmacy exec to vote eight to six in favor of adding BPC-157 to a list of products that compounding pharmacies can dispense. And that's along with several other popular peptides. And while the FDA, it still has to formally adopt the recommendations before the peptides can be legally compounded. And it's not a hundred percent confirmed if and when this will happen, the industry has long been betting on good news. Samsung Biologics, for example, they recently announced plans to buy a Swiss peptide ingredient manufacturing company for about $1.8 billion. And the telehealth company, HIMS and HERS, it already purchased a peptide manufacturing facility last year and they're building out a clinical strategy for the substances, putting them in one of the best spots to capitalize on any changes quickly. And then with that, the initial move by the FDA to get this process going back in April, that it's sending the company's shares soaring, nearly 50% over the course of a single week. And then the advisory panel's vote saw them going up almost another 8% with one estimate suggesting that the company will occupy a whole one fifth of a $2.2 billion expansion of the peptides market in the US just next year. And that's, as I mentioned, overall, it's been estimated that the global market for peptides, which has already been valued at around $140 billion, it could top $295 billion by 2023 if the Trump administration relaxes manufacturing rules. And if the agency follows the panel's recommendation, they make all that money without having to run large trials, publish results, or convince independent scientists. In a situation where this multi-billion dollar industry that's promising to make you feel stronger, better, and healthier, it may get to just keep growing without ever having to prove its products work. And remember, this is not about villainizing all peptides. Again, there are actually over a hundred peptide medications already approved by the FDA, but it's now more than ever turned into a situation of science and safety versus quick profits. And then there's more we gotta dive into in just a minute, but first let me thank a sponsor and say, you know, nothing exposes your age faster than realizing a fun night now. It requires a risk assessment for the following morning. Hey, with my crashing outdoor coming up, I cannot afford to spend the next day moving like my operating system failed to update. 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It works overnight so that you can enjoy the evening and still be ready for what's next. So hey, head to zbiotics.com/defranco and use code Defranco for 15% off your first order. Or hey, just scan that QR code to get started. But then diving right back into the news, we've got to talk about this scandal that just will not stop scandaling, involving the DNC or the Democratic National Committee. Because as you might remember, they drafted that 2024 autopsy that was meant to diagnose how the Democrats could actually lose to Trump in the last election. And when he was elected to reform the party last year, you had the DNC's new chair, Ken Martin, pledging to release the full report when it was done. But then what you saw last December is that he backtracked. He said, actually, we're just gonna release an executive summary with lessons for the future. And so that after promising a full-throttled deep dive, but then just kind of giving the tip and going, ah, it ended up making a lot of people upset, right? Because he had them feeling like party leadership, they weren't being transparent about their failures. So then you had that leading to things like this very contentious interview with Martin on Pod Save America. - Why not release the full report? What's in the report that you wouldn't want to publicize? - Yeah, there's no smoking gun in the report. And I know that's what everyone's so eager to learn. The smoking gun. Guess what, John? - But if there's no smoking gun, why wouldn't you just release it then? - Because we want to keep the focus on the lessons. Because what ends up happening here is that people of course want to weaponize the report in a way to look backwards, to point fingers, place blame in a way that actually doesn't keep us focused on the upcoming election. - So the backlash against Martin, it just gets worse from there. And then in May, you have the DNC finally releasing what it said was the report in its entirety. And while you had a lot of people dunking on what they considered a mess and people going, oh my God, what were the real lessons they were even going towards? Now you've got the guy who wrote the autopsy, Paul Rivera, claiming that the version that the DNC released was actually missing a chapter. And you actually had the New York Times publishing it in full. It's titled, "What Happened in 2024?" And as you might've guessed, it addresses some of the politically delicate subjects that were left out of the report. First off, you have it stating, is there a single point of failure for 2024? Saying perhaps it is a decision of the president to seek reelection instead of passing the torch. Explaining the disapproval in Gallup polls, it dropped below 50% after the Afghanistan pullout, never recovered. Also Biden's own internal polling, it showed the same thing, that he was underwater nationally and in key states. Also in the 22 midterms, turnout from young voters, as well as black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American voters that was down. And while 2024 campaign planners knew that, according to this chapter, they could not fix the problem. And so it concludes, "What Democrats now have to accept is, "no matter the circumstances, "the party should be strong enough and capable enough "to elect anyone, the proverbial ham sandwich, "if necessary, because Republicans have now proven "they can nominate and elect a convicted felon." The chapter, this is a key thing, also argues that what's standing between the Democratic Party that we have and the Democratic Party that we need are the established Democrats themselves. Yes, bitch. Or because you have it noting that an emerging critique of Democratic decisions making is that there are too many people who have become generationally wealthy off politics and drive too much of the decision making within the ecosystem. And you have the chapter adding, "This is deeply frustrating to many Democratic strategists, "activists, and donors who want to try "a different set of politics, "but keep banging their heads up against a system "proven to be inflexible and self-enriching." And it then goes on to say that, "Many of the senior campaign staff, "media strategists, pollsters, and consultants "are financially secure and insulated "from the reality most Americans live." And so as a result, they missed important signals about why people were frustrated with Democrats who seem not to appreciate or understand their situation. Now, I also want to note here for you that there is a pretty heated dispute about whether this chapter was really omitted from the report. Or because you have the author, Ribera, claiming that back in January, he printed out the full report with this chapter included, and he gave it to Martin during a private meeting. But you have Martin actually denying that, saying, "Yeah, we met, and yeah, he gave me the report, "but it didn't include this chapter." And he added, "If I or the DNC had report materials "that went after self-enriching consultants, "we absolutely would have included them." But you've got Ribera telling the Times whether that was a conscious decision on their part to bury the section for the purposes of hiding a paragraph, I don't know. That's a them question. What I can tell you is they had it, and they made a decision not to release it. And with all that, I will say that it is a bit hard to discern who's telling the truth here. Though for his part, Ribera gave the Times a Word doc of the chapter with metadata showing that it was last edited right before the meeting with Martin. And in the version of the report that was released, there is a section where the chapter would have been, but it's listed as pending. And it has an annotation saying, "This section was not provided by author." That's actually not out of the ordinary for this report, because other sections had the same note, including the executive summary. And that then goes to another issue that not just Martin, but many party members have with the whole report. And that's that it's just not very good. But officials have said that they only changed their minds about releasing it after they realized how shoddy it was. And you had them pointing to Ribera's use of cliches, data without sources, and numbers contradicted by public data. Which is then, right when the full report came out, each page included a bright red disclaimer that the DNC was not provided with the underlying sourcing, interviews, or supporting data for many of the assertions contained herein. And it's also why you have some dismissing this omitted chapter out of hand with, for example, the former Biden advisor and current DNC member, John McCarthy saying, "So let me get this straight. The operative behind the botched democratic autopsy on why we lost decided that 90 days before midterm, it is the perfect time to air it all out. And we are supposed to listen? That's political malpractice. We have elections to win, focus on November." But at the same time, whether this autopsy thing has merit or not, there is growing frustration with Ken Martin's leadership in general. And while you have some, you know, pointing to all this drama and the perceived lack of transparency, you have others taking issue with his management of the party's finances and debt. Because as it turns out, the DNC is reportedly so short on cash that its leaders are asking vendors to not send bills until after the midterms. Meanwhile, it looks like Republicans are raking in donations and you have people saying that Martin's nerves appear to be fraying under pressure. And there, you have people pointing to things like the Times reporting that in July, he threw a phone at a desk of a junior aide. And so with all this going on, you have some wanting him to step aside, others still backing him, and yet more arguing that it's not smart to cut off your head right before the midterms. And then actually, from that, let's talk about other news that's a different kind of disaster. Because you've got a man who was convicted of killing his own father, now being arrested and charged with arson for starting the biggest of three major fires wreaking havoc on Spokane, Washington. Right, and the guy in question is 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci, and Arizona court records show that he was initially charged with first degree murder in the death of his father, but he ended up pleading guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault in 2012. And according to local outlets in Arizona, Farinacci killed his father after the two had an argument over cleaning dishes. But he was then later released from prison in 2020 after serving a 12-year sentence, and then discharged from probation in December of 2024. But then, in a press conference yesterday, he went to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office announcing that they had arrested Farinacci and charged him with first degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, which started on August 1st. And you had the Spokane County Sheriff, John Knowles, telling reporters that a witness had seen the suspect kneeling in the grass where the fire had started. And then after seeing smoke coming from the area, the witness called the police, but very notably here, you had Knowles adding. - Mr. Farinacci was contacted in the area about a mile and a half from where the fire started, and was detained, questioned, and ultimately released after being identified by our citizens as a citizen witness. - And you then had him going on to explain that while the deputies who initially stopped the suspect had very little information about the fire investigation at the time, investigators were able to identify him later and determine that the origin of the fire was exactly where he was seen kneeling. - When he was detained in the early stages of the fire, he was found to be in possession of some waterproof matches and a butane lighter. The fire investigator was also to testify in these court documents that the fire was consistent with being set by nothing other than a match or a butane lighter and igniting grass. But also the Old Trails fire is just one of record setting wildfires that have absolutely decimated the second most populated city in Washington state. And with that, you had Governor Bob Ferguson saying that these fires are likely the worst natural disaster in Spokane history. And in fact, according to the most recent update from local officials, around 65,000 people, over 10% of Spokane County's population, have been placed under evacuation orders. And that's as more than 700 buildings in the area have already been destroyed and another 400 still need to be assessed. You've got videos and images being shared on social media showing flames blazing, houses just decimated, and even people fleeing campsites by boat. And while miraculously there have been no deaths reported as of recording, the sheriff did say that yesterday, the department was still trying to get in contact with 14 people who were involved in calls seeking evacuation help. And it's also, as it appears that the situation will get worse before it gets better. Right as of yesterday afternoon, you had officials saying that three fires had burned more than 10,000 acres with 0% containment. But then it's also not just Spokane. There are currently 13 active large fires in Washington as the state continues to grapple with a record setting drought. In fact, things are so bad that you have Governor Ferguson declaring a statewide state of emergency over the weekend. Or because you have these historic drought conditions combined with unusually high temperatures and high winds. And you have the public lands commissioner of Washington telling reporters, "This year has already been one of our busiest wildfire years "on record, and we just started August. "Our firefighters are already stretched thin across the state "and with more heat and wind expected this weekend "and for the rest of the summer." And then at the same time, over in Oregon, there are reportedly 32 active large fires, the most of any state, with new fires over the weekend bringing fresh evacuation orders. And actually now, Oregon's broken its all-time wildfire acreage record. Fires this year have already topped more than 2 million fires. Fires this year have already topped more than 2 million acres burned, and there's still two more months left in the traditional fire season. And that's as all this goes beyond the Pacific Northwest. But according to CNN, wildfires have burned more than 5.1 million acres nationwide this year. That's already bigger than the entire total acreage last year, and again, it's only August. And so as of yesterday, you had at least 29,000 firefighters battling more than 100 uncontained large fires nationally. But the Pacific Northwest, that has been hit especially hard. According to reports, nearly half of the nation's active large fires are concentrated just in Washington and Oregon alone. And you've got the National Weather Service expecting wildfires and poor air quality to continue across the PNW, the Rockies, and parts of the Plains. So something we're gonna have to keep a close eye on, but also in the meantime, if you or your loved ones or anyone, they're impacted, please, please, please stay safe, stay vigilant, and take every precaution. And I'll actually be linking to some resources in the description down below. And then I've got even more for you in just a minute, but first let me thank a sponsor and say, you know, the fastest way to find out how dependent you are on your phone is to just land in another country and watch it become very, very expensive. Just a very expensive little pocket wreck. Tangle. And then suddenly you can't pull up directions, message anyone, or order a ride, but your carrier, they're thrilled to charge you for the experience. And that's what I go to is today's sponsor, Saley. You just download the Saley app. You choose a data plan for your destination and install the eSIM to your phone. And it activates automatically when you show up. And Saley offers affordable plans in 200 plus destinations from a few gigabytes to unlimited data. Right, so you can skip airport wifi, physical SIM cards, and insulting roaming bills. And now Saley also offers instant app-based US phone numbers. It's an optional add-on to your data eSIM with voice calls and SMS, no contract, no physical SIM, and one number that works wherever you go. And that is just especially useful for accessing apps that require a US number or receiving two-factor authentication codes without roaming fees. So hey, before your next trip, scan that QR code on the screen, download Saley, and use code "Phil" at checkout for 15% off. Seriously, scan it now for future you who's standing at baggage claim, desperately trying to load a map. It's code "Phil" for 15% off your Saley data plan and saving your sanity. - FanDuel is now available everywhere in the US. ♪ I've been everywhere, man ♪ ♪ I've been everywhere, man ♪ - So you can get in on the sports action no matter where you are, including these places. ♪ I've been to Georgia, Houston, Cleveland, Minnesota ♪ ♪ Buffalo, Lincoln, Chi-Town, Arizona ♪ - Make this your most rewarding season ever with FanDuel. Gambling problem? 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That's why she shops at BJ's Wholesale Club, saving up to $25. 25% off grocery store prices. - Have you met my kids? - And with BJ's gas, she gets there for less. - They call me the road warrior. - This is your home, road warrior mom. Home of the save. Join for just $20 at bjs.com/mesquite and save 10 cents per gallon for six months. Open soon. BJ's, home of the save. - But then diving right back into the news for your final block today, let's cram in some more news you need to know quickly. Starting with the fact that Michigan just reported the first two deaths from that parasite outbreak that's been giving people explosive diarrhea for months now. And while those people reportedly had underlying health conditions that could have made their symptoms worse, we don't know the specifics there. But also whatever the case, this is causing some concern because cyclospora, it's rarely deadly. Where the symptoms, they can be persistent, but officials say that most people with a healthy immune system, they usually recover. But a big catch there is dehydration. With that, any extra health issues on top of the parasite, it can be the difference between life and death. So that's why you have medical experts saying that these recent deaths show that there are some patients that might not be able to withstand the dehydration that can come with severe cases. And that can end up being scary because there are millions of immunocompromised people in the United States. And that's as you have an outbreak that's hitting record numbers right now, right? And so they're going to have to try to avoid it while you have people complaining about the messaging behind this outbreak being confusing, which just makes the problem worse. And just one of the ways you're seeing that play out is you have a lot of people avoiding lettuce right now, but officials are also saying that one implicated food, it doesn't explain everything. So you've got more and more people saying, it feels like we're being fed information that doesn't really fit with what the data is telling us. Arguing you have officials saying, this is under control, it's all good, while you have case counts exploding. You then also have the news that DHS and ICE officials are now forcing Haitian immigrants with protected status to wear ankle monitors, restricting their travel, even if they haven't committed any crime. And you have it happening in Springfield, Ohio. They're making them go to these check-in appointments at ICE offices. They've reportedly got no crimes, no suspicion of anything. They just show up and leave with ankle monitors being told that they have to stay within a 75 mile radius of their homes. So far, it looks like they've already done it to about 50 people, but also they're reportedly going to be working their way through the community as time goes on. Well, for context, ICE officials have made immigrants wear ankle monitors before, immigration experts say. They have been used with people who have criminal records or had missed court hearings or an order of deportation. But with this move, you've got people saying their motives appear different. Because it's coming after the Supreme Court told the Trump administration that they could end temporary protections for Haitians back in June. A move that many have called embarrassing and saying there is no safe place to return for TPS holders from places like Haiti. And while they can't fully end the program until lower courts officially issue an order to put the ruling in place, with this move, immigration attorneys are saying that ICE is setting up circumstances that make it easier to detain immigrants. And you've got others saying it's the government's way of signaling. We know where you are, we are monitoring you closely, and we have the ability to detain you at any time. So now you're seeing people say, you know, they're worried about where things can go from here and scared that whatever happens next, it's gonna be destabilizing for Springfield. Then also in other news, if you are ever planning a high stakes million dollar heist, and I'm not saying to do it, put down the mask and pencil, just quick word of advice. Do not ask an AI chat bot that saves your search history how to flee the country. Because that is exactly how you had this top FBI agent just torpedoing, his entire life, right? I want you to meet 37 year old Patrick Steven Yurok, a former FBI counterintelligence agent assigned to monitor foreign crypto accounts. Because according to court docs, he got super frustrated that the government was not shutting these accounts down fast enough. And so he decides to take matters into his own hands. And his genius idea was to use his top secret security clearance to quietly siphon around a million bucks in crypto straight into his personal wallet. And the thing is, you had that being the easy part, the hard part was getting away with it. Because he had no idea how to do that, according to the federal affidavits, he decided to log into chat GPT to literally add, literally ask if I had a bucket of money around $1 million and wanted to leave the United States to become an EU resident, what would you suggest? And you would chat GPT's plan being for him to buy a vineyard in Portugal. Because apparently it thinks that a million bucks not only is enough to buy a vineyard, but also retire by the time he was 40 years old. And Yurok, he took that advice as gospel because investigators found that he booked round trip tickets to Portugal and hired a Portuguese lawyer. Or the FBI noticing the missing crypto. And last week you had agents confronting him at his house. And his official response was quote, I fucked up. Which yeah, true, but also an understatement. And he was immediately fired, arrested, and he's now facing major federal charges for interstate transportation of stolen goods. With all of that bringing us to the most important advice we've said for the last 20 years, don't be stupid, stupid. And then finally today, you've got news that has some people worried about what exactly is about to happen to Head Start. - Trump will soon announce plans to gut Head Start without any thought of how it will hurt hundreds of thousands of children. Trump's changes will hurt America's most vulnerable children and leave their families in the lurch. - Where you've got the Trump administration reportedly planning an overhaul, although it cut the program's quality standards. That's over a hundred pages of federal regulations, outlining rules for child to teacher ratio, child health screenings, family engagement. And yeah, all of that, it's apparently gonna be cut down to around a dozen pages with the rest being left up to state and local officials. And so with that, you've got people saying if the administration strikes down those standards, it would set back our nation's educational goals and our efforts to reduce poverty. And you have sources saying that the change is coming. It could require more documentation from parents who are homeless or unemployed and adding extra barriers to get their kids enrolled. And that's as you have others saying people who are undocumented, they won't be able to sign their kids up at all, even if they're US citizens. So the free preschool that those kids need for early learning and early screening to identify any developmental delays that they might have, all of that could go out the door for those families. And apparently those changes could be coming as soon as this week. Right, and just the timing alone is kind of insane. You have this coming down in the middle of an affordability crisis that the president still apparently believes is make-believe, a hoax. Right, because Head Start, it was specifically created as a part of LBJ's war on poverty. Now you've got over half a million kids from low-income families whose enrollment could be in jeopardy. Though you're also seeing publicly the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Head Start, saying this administration remains committed to strengthening the program, and adding that with this move, they just want to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and ensure services are delivered effectively to children and families in need. You also have the official who ran Head Start during the Biden administration saying that if what these sources are saying is true, we'll have the carcass of Head Start. You might have a program that's called Head Start, but in substance, it will not be. And then with that, you have Head Start officials saying that when they see the official proposed regulations, they'll be ready to fight back where they need to. But if they'll actually be able to, that remains to be seen right now. But that, my friend, is the end of your Tuesday show. And while I've got more for you to watch right here, or YouTube thinks you'll really like this one, this video, let me just say, thank you for watching. I love your faces, and I'll see you right back here tomorrow.