The Joe Pags Show

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One year after Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University, Joe Pags dedicates the hour to remembering the man, his message and the legacy he left behind. Pags recalls exactly where he was when the news broke—interviewing Ben Carson when the world learned Charlie had died—and reflects on why he believes anyone who truly took the time to listen to Charlie knew exactly where he stood and the kind of man he was. Pags takes us to Utah Valley University as Charlie is remembered one year later and shares Vice President JD Vance's words about his friend. Then the show reaches back into the archives for something special: Pags' 2022 interview with Charlie Kirk, recorded when The College Scam had just been released. Charlie was warning about what he saw happening on college campuses even then, while also talking about the family and faith that would become such an important part of his legacy.

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Pags takes us live to the Republican midterm convention in Dallas as Gov. Greg Abbott takes the stage. Pags gets into the battle for Texas and sounds off on James Talarico before checking in on Mike Lawler's race in New York. Then comes President Trump's huge new promise: $5,000 for American adults if Republicans sweep the midterms. Can Trump actually do it? Pags explains why Congress would have to act and gets into the growing Republican support for the proposal. Then former Secret Service member Darin Kinder joins Pags one year after Charlie Kirk's assassination. Kinder offers incredible insight into how security has changed, what public speakers need to do differently now and the precautions that could save lives.

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Pags dives into what happened to late-night television, looking back at David Letterman and Jay Leno before asking why today's biggest shows have become so openly political. Then Pags gets into Jimmy Kimmel moving his interview with James Talarico to YouTube amid concerns about the FCC's equal-opportunities rules for political candidates. Pags spends time breaking down what those rules actually mean for broadcasters and why putting an interview online changes the equation. Then Pags takes us live to the Republican midterm convention before welcoming Christy Edwards Lawton, who has compiled Charlie Kirk's public statements and positions into a new book. One year after Kirk's assassination, Lawton explains why she wanted to create a reference to Charlie's own words—giving readers a way to see exactly where he stood across the issues he spent years discussing.

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The Republican midterm convention is officially underway in Dallas, but Joe Pags quickly turns to President Trump's striking new prediction: He says the Iran war will end "immediately after" the November election, arguing Tehran is trying to influence the midterms and can't withstand U.S. economic pressure much longer. Oil prices are surging amid renewed fighting, and while Trump says negotiations remain possible, he says they're not what the administration is currently pursuing. Pags also gets into Russia and Ukraine after Trump says the biggest obstacle to a deal is that Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy simply "hate each other," while contrasting Trump's frequent exchanges with reporters with the previous administration. Then Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers the latest on Iran before the phones open up. Plus, former U.S. Marine Mike Jernigan joins Pags for a deep dive into one of the biggest questions of the conflict: Is the Strait of Hormuz actually open or closed? What's happening to ships trying to move through it, why is Kharg Island so strategically important to Iran's oil exports, and what should Americans understand about the battle for one of the world's most critical waterways?

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Pags dives into Secretary of State Marco Rubio's trip to Ecuador, where Rubio is expanding the U.S. fight against drug trafficking organizations, announcing plans for additional security assistance and designating Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization. Pags reacts as Rubio speaks bluntly to reporters about the violent groups behind the drug trade. Then things get personal as Pags gives an update on Mama Pags recovering from hip surgery, talks about why "temporary" really does mean temporary, and celebrates the explosive growth of his bodycam YouTube channel. The midterm convention is officially underway in Dallas, and James Talarico is walking back his past statement about there being six sexes, saying there are two and admitting he "missed the mark." Then longtime political strategist Roger Stone joins Pags for a wide-ranging conversation spanning his days working for Richard Nixon, the 2026 midterms, the Russia-collusion investigation and questions surrounding the origins of that narrative, allegations involving foreign interference in the 2020 election, and Stone's perspective on the political landscape heading toward November.

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Pags keeps one eye on the Republican midterm convention in Dallas as Dr. Mehmet Oz speaks about fraud and Rep. Byron Donalds fires up the crowd, while Pags asks the bigger question: What is the future of the country going to look like—and are Americans actually going to show up and vote? The convention is a two-day Republican gathering centered on the midterms and President Trump's agenda. Then Hunter Biden raises eyebrows by saying he "may have to" run for president in 2028, although he stopped short of announcing a campaign. Things get much more serious when Pags reacts to a senior Anthropic safety researcher estimating a greater than 10% chance that advanced AI could kill all humans within the next decade—an estimate Pags says should be ZERO. Experts emphasize that such probabilities are subjective estimates, not scientifically established odds. And for the stupid story of the day, Seattle police spark ridicule after an official referred to people known for gun violence as "trigger-pullers." Plus, Roger Stone returns for Part 2 of his wide-ranging conversation with Pags.

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Pags dives into the stunning fallout from the Lindsay Clancy mistrial—and somehow the story keeps getting more unbelievable. After an 11–1 jury split favoring a not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity verdict, Clancy's attorney is now publicly asking President Trump to consider a pardon, despite the case involving Massachusetts state charges outside presidential pardon power. Pags wants prosecutors to seek a retrial and reacts to jurors revealing just how close Clancy came to being acquitted of murder, with one holdout refusing to join the other 11. Then another horrifying case enters the conversation: an Illinois mother accused of killing her young son had reportedly shown an interest in the Clancy case. Pags takes calls and sounds off on the disturbing stories and theories people will believe before turning to the tragedy in Miami, where authorities have identified five victims killed in the Amazon cargo plane crash.

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Pags starts with the Republican midterm convention in Dallas and argues it shouldn't simply turn into another Trump rally as Republicans try to make their case to voters. Ken Paxton is campaigning in Texas with major outside support, while President Trump is once again trolling the internet—this time posting a map showing Canada, Mexico, Greenland and more covered in the American flag. Pags asks the bigger question: Do posts like this actually persuade anyone to vote Republican in November, or are they just memes for people who already support him? Then Attorney General Todd Blanche honors Rudy Giuliani before Pags turns to a much more serious moment: the approaching one-year anniversary of Charlie Kirk's death. The Dallas convention itself is planning a remembrance of Kirk, whose assassination left a major void in conservative youth politics. Kay Hill joins Pags for Part 1 to examine where the Republican Party stands today, Kirk's lasting impact on younger voters, whether anyone has stepped up to fill the messaging void he left behind, and what Republicans need to communicate as they head into the midterms.

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