Clear-eyed takes on politics and world news — without the outrage addiction.Every episode ends with Biblical encouragement for perspective, courage, and peace. Learn more about the show here.

This was a pressure-building week. Not one where a single headline dominated everything, but one where you could feel multiple fault lines widening at the same time.

The political temperature kept rising, public trust kept straining, and overseas instability continued to simmer in ways that could escalate fast. This wasn’t a breaking-news week. It was a momentum week — the kind where you can sense the system grinding, and where one spark could turn into something much bigger.

In this episode, I break down the biggest stories shaping the country and the world, and what to watch next.

Listen in the player above, or find The Stan R. Mitchell Show on your preferred platform.

👉 Podcast hub — all platforms

Here are the main stories we covered this week:

* Shutdown pressure builds as DHS funding fight escalates (2:53)

* Immigration enforcement surge ends — backlash erupts (6:32)

* U.S. military buildup raises risk of a strike on Iran (14:53)

* Cuba on the brink (25:07)

* Ukraine — two competing views of the war (31:20)

* Epstein — what’s real, what’s noise, and what matters now (40:22)

* Biblical encouragement for anxious times (47:39)

📌 The Intel Packet (Worth Seeing)

If you want visuals to follow along with this episode, here are a few key links:

⏱️ Timestamps

THE HOME FRONT 2:53 — DHS Funding Fight / Shutdown Pressure 6:32 — Immigration Enforcement Surge Ends / Backlash 11:54 — State of the Union Protest Plans

THE WORLD STAGE 14:53 — U.S. Military Buildup Raises Risk of Strike on Iran 25:07 — Cuba on the Brink 31:20 — The Two Competing Views on Ukraine

SIGNAL VS NOISE 40:22 — Epstein

FAITH & FORTITUDE 47:39 — Biblical Encouragement 1:00:39 — About me, the mission, and my books

🎯 If you only listen to one section, jump to 14:53 — it’s the most important part of the episode.

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Books: I write compelling stories that matter — about courage, faith, and the fight for what’s right. I’ve written twelve fast-paced thrillers, with more than 70,000 copies sold. They’re available on Amazon.

Faith reminder

Real peace isn’t found in a country, a party, or an earthly leader. It’s found in God.

If you want to know where to start reading the Bible, check out my Bible resource page here.

If you’re a veteran dealing with depression, PTSD, or thoughts of suicide — please listen to this.

Want more faith content?

I also host a faith-only podcast called The Search for God.

To God be the Glory,

Stan R. Mitchell

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