The Philip DeFranco Show - PDS 6.23 IRAN ATTACKS US BASE! All Hell Breaks Loose as Trump MAGA Implosion Grows, & The MrBeast AI Problem

Episode Date: June 23, 2025

Use code “PHIL” for $20 OFF your first SeatGeek order & returning buyers use code “PDS” for $10 off AND your chance at weekly $500 prizes! https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/PHIL Subscribe for New shows every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday @ 6pm ET/3pm PT & watch more here: https://youtu.be/Nc7hBzvbHns?si=YJoc8PahZK5DpBg-&list=PLHcsGizlfLMWpSg7i0b9wnUyEZWI-25N3&index=1  – ✩ TODAY’S STORIES ✩ – 00:00 - Iran Attacks U.S. Military Base, Escalating Conflict 12:21 - MrBeast Faces Backlash for Launching AI Thumbnail Tool 15:41 - Sponsored by SeatGeek 16:51 - Michigan Churchgoers and Staff Prevented Potential Large-Scale Attack 18:57 - Khalil Does First Interview Since Release; Judge Orders Abrego Garcia’s Release 24:25 - Community Builds Box Car Around Child’s Disability so She Can Race -——————————   Produced by: Cory Ray Edited by: James Girardier, Maxwell Enright, Julie Goldberg, Christian Meeks, Matthew Henry Art Department: William Crespo Writing/Research: Philip DeFranco, Brian Espinoza, Lili Stenn, Maddie Crichton, Chris Tolve, Star Pralle, Jared Paolino  ———————————— For more Philip DeFranco: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-philip-defranco-show/id1278424954 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ESemquRbz6f8XLVywdZ2V Twitter:   https://x.com/PhillyD Instagram:   https://instagram.com/PhillyDeFranco Newsletter: https://www.dailydip.co TikTok:   https://www.tiktok.com/@philipdefranco?lang=en ———————————— #DeFranco #MrBeast #DonaldTrump ———————————— Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iran just attacked the United States and fired missiles at American bases after Trump dropped more than a dozen of our biggest bombs on them with now new signs emerging as to what's going to happen next. Mahmoud Khalil is now free after two of Trump's highest profile deportation cases just collapsed in court, but there's a lot happening that people don't realize. Over a hundred lives were likely saved in a Michigan church thanks to quick thinking heroes. While you have top creators right now blasting Mr. V Beast and saying he's stealing from others and ruining YouTube. We're jumping into all that and much more on today's brand new Philip DeFranco show, you daily dive into the news, starting with this. Iran just attacked the largest American military base

in the Middle East, right? And that coming in response to Trump dropping more than a dozen of the US's biggest bombs on Iran over the weekend. And so with that, we got to talk about how we got here and what the fallout has been and will be both for you and I and in the Middle East and what happens next. Right, starting with the US attack on Iran

because you had it coming only a couple of days after Trump said that he would take up to two weeks to make a decision. With White House press secretary, Caroline Levitz saying that the timeframe was, quote, based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.

And with that, you had the Iranian foreign minister actually responding by claiming that his country was absolutely ready for a negotiated solution on their nuclear program. But he also said that he wouldn't take part in the talks as long as the country remained under attack. And that as he also claimed that the Iranian government had a reason to believe that the United States

was involved in Israel's attack on Iran from day one. Telling NBC News, we have come to the conclusion that negotiations by the US was in fact a cover for what the Israelis did. And then with that, he suggested that Trump's two week negotiating window was just a smoke screen, which actually sort of turned out to be the case. Because you have multiple officials telling Axios that the public countdown, it was actually concealing

a plan already in motion with one saying, it was a head fake. He knew the media couldn't resist amplifying it. He knew the Iranians might think he was bluffing and adding, well, everyone was wrong. And then with all that, you know, as far as how the attack went down, well, you had seven B-2 stealth bombers

dropping 14, 30,000 pound massive ordnance penetrators, better known as bunker busters, on the most heavily fortified nuclear site in Iran. With satellite photos now showing several places where the massive bomb seemingly punched deep holes in the rock. And then you had Navy ships launching 30 Tomahawk missiles from submarines toward Iran's other

two major nuclear facilities. With Trump then revealing that an attack had taken place after the planes were outside of Iranian airspace and on their way home with him writing on social media, there is not another military in the world that could have done this. Now is the time for peace. And then Trump soon after saying this in an address to the nation. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Remember, there are many targets left.

Tonight's was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. But of course, peace? That doesn't appear to be in sight right now. Plus, despite Trump's claims, it's far from clear right now that these Iranian nuclear sites

have been completely and totally obliterated. Where with, for example, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Kaine, saying an initial battle damage assessment showed only severe damage and destruction. And then the Israeli military's initial analysis also concluded that the site hit with the bunker busters

suffered serious damage but had not been completely destroyed. And then according to two Israeli officials, there analysis also concluded that the site hit with the bunker busters suffered serious damage, but had not been completely destroyed. And then according to two Israeli officials, there was also evidence that Iran had moved equipment and uranium from the site in recent days. With that, including more than 800 pounds of uranium enriched to 60% purity, which is not that far off from the 90% that's usually used in nuclear weapons.

And if that stuff is still in Iran's possession, then they still have at least one key ingredient for developing nuclear weapons. So notably, well, Trump has said that the attack was because Iran was just months or even weeks away from getting nuclear weapons. The consensus in the American intelligence community, it's actually long been that Iran has not been actively

building or trying to build a nuclear weapon. I mean, you even had Trump's own director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, saying as much when testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee in March. The IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.

But then he had Trump telling reporters before the US attack that he believed that Iran was very close to having a weapon and that he quote, didn't care what Gabbard said. What intelligence do you have that Iran is building a nuclear weapon? Your intelligence community has said they have no evidence that they are at this point. Well, then Your intelligence community had said they have no evidence that they are at this point. Well, then my intelligence community is wrong. Who in the intelligence community said that?

Your director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. She's wrong. And then actually with that, we saw Gabbard responding by echoing Trump's own point of view on social media, writing, America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen and

I agree. Gabbard then also accusing the media of intentionally taking her testimony out of context and reposting the clip of her testimony as proof. Which I'll play now because it does contain some key information. In the past year, we've seen an erosion of a decades long taboo in Iran on discussing nuclear weapons in public, likely emboldening nuclear weapons advocates within Iran's decision-making apparatus. Iran's enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.

And so the fact that a regime like Iran's has been enriching uranium in amounts and two levels far above what's necessary for any civilian use, it's worrying because it has actually put them in a position, according to American intelligence to be able to build a functional weapon, maybe in a matter of months, as Trump said,

but also maybe in a matter of years. We just don't know for sure. One of the big key things is that the assessment that Iran hadn't started building one, as far as we know, that had not changed. And with all that, you've had the Iranian foreign minister accusing the US of violating international law, calling the attack outrageous,

and saying it will have everlasting consequences. And adding, in accordance with the UN charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people. With you then seeing Iran following through on that today with them attacking a US air base on Qatari territory, holding more than 10,000 military and civilian personnel.

But thankfully there, you had the DOD confirming that although Iran fired multiple short and medium range missiles, there were no reports of US casualties. Though actually with that, Iran reportedly gave advance notice of the attack as a way to minimize casualties. With officials saying that Iran needed to be seen striking back at the United States,

but in a way that allowed all signs an exit ring. And with that, Trump has now actually thanked Iran for giving early notice saying, perhaps Iran can now proceed to peace and harmony in the region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.'" And then he added in a separate post,

"'Congratulations world, it's time for peace.'" Of course, we'll have to see if that's actually the end of it. Because Trump, he has warned previously that any retaliation made against the United States of America would be met with even greater force than what was unleashed in the initial US attack. And if that were to happen,

there are obviously concerns about how much more this could escalate, how involved the US would get. And if there's some version of events where we have another version of Iraq or Afghanistan on our hands. Though of course, like even without the US, the situation is extremely volatile right now.

It's because you have Iran keeping up attacks on Israel, though no more have reportedly been killed yet. And then on the flip side, Israeli strikes have killed at least 400 and injured 3000 according to the government. You also have one US-based rights group claiming that the true number is closer to 950. And then beyond the death toll,

Israel has continued expanding its campaign beyond obvious nuclear and military targets. With you seeing them today, for example, striking the gates of a prison famous for holding political activists and the headquarters of the military force known for cracking down on protests. Those sort of being seen as symbolic targets of the regime,

although Israeli officials have continued to insist that they're not seeking to overthrow Iran's government, even as you have Trump hinting at the possibility of regime change. Though notably here you had Netanyahu saying last night that Israel was very, very close to realizing its objectives in the conflict with Iran and saying that he would not be dragged into a war of attrition

with them, and so we're gonna have to wait to see what happens there. And in the meantime, there's obviously a whole debate playing out in the U.S. right now. And it was one connected to the moment that the news broke, with the probably best scene with the news breaking for Bernie Sanders as he was giving a speech as part of his fighting oligarchy tour.

Not only is this news that I've just heard the second alarming that all of you have just heard, but it is so grossly unconstitutional. All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right. It might be a good idea if we concentrated on the problems that exist in Oklahoma and Vermont. (*crowd cheering*) Rather than getting involved

in another war that the American people do not want. Right, and his point there about Trump's actions being unconstitutional is one that we've seen echoed widely by lawmakers and experts across the political spectrum. Because the constitution, it gives Congress the power to declare war and to raise and support armies. But it also makes the president the commander in chief of the US military, which is language which presidents

of both parties have cited to justify military action without congressional involvement. And this long running debate over presidential war authorities has only been further complicated by the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which says that a president can introduce the armed forces into hostilities in only three situations. One, a declaration of war.

Two, specific statutory authorization, both of which have to come from Congress. Or three, a national emergency created by an attack upon the United States. And for presidents, they've often disregarded that language or argued for a narrow definition of the introduction of forces. Congress has actually done very little

to enforce the resolution. And so in this specific case, Trump officials are arguing that this was a limited strike aimed at dealing with an imminent threat, but that it isn't an act of war or anything else requiring congressional approval. There, you have many experts pushing back with, for example, John B. Bellinger III

of the Council on Foreign Relations, arguing that it's also necessary to look at legal interpretations from the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, explaining if the use of military force would be substantial and prolonged or would pose a substantial risk to US forces or American civilians, such as from attacks by Iran

or its proxies against US interests, there is a good argument that it would require congressional approval consistent with Congress's authority in Article 1 to declare war. And that is an incredibly relevant argument now that Iran has attacked a US military base. And then with all this, we've seen a number of high profile Democrats

also pushing back on the Trump administration's justifications here. With that, including Bernie's fighting oligarchy partner, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called Trump's decision to strike Iran without authorization from Congress, absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment. With her then adding,

the president's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the constitution and congressional war power. And he is impulsively risk launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. This also is very notably, we've seen divisions emerging among Republicans as well. For example, Thomas Massey appearing to be the first

Republican to oppose Trump's decision, just simply writing, this is not constitutional. Then then also telling CBS News that there was no imminent threat to the United States from Iran. Though there I'll say Massey stances and exactly surprising, right? Because he just introduced a bipartisan resolution last week seeking to block US military action

against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress. But notably with all that, you had Trump responding by seemingly excommunicating Massey from the Church of MAGA. Trump launching a barrage of insults at Massey and saying he'll be out campaigning in Kentucky for Massey's opponent in the Republican primary. Also, despite the divisions emerging in the Republican party, we saw Trump claiming that there's great unity in the party, perhaps unity like we have never seen before.

Well, you know, that is clearly false. We still have seen many Republicans falling behind Trump here. With, for example, prominent Republicans like Lindsey Graham, Nancy Mace, and Elise Stefanik, all praising the decision. You then also had Ted Cruz, who you may have seen learning a number of things about Iran

from Tucker Carlson, of all people, arguing that the attack was necessary, saying the prospect of the Iranian regime acquiring nuclear weapons represents the most acute immediate threat to America and our allies. And that is you had House Speaker Mike Johnson explicitly arguing that Trump's move was constitutional, writing, the president made the right call

and did what he needed to do. Leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the commander in chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act. And then adding, the president fully respects the Article One power of Congress and tonight's necessary limited and targeted strike

follows the history and tradition of similar military actions under presidents of both parties. Also something that's gone a big spotlight on it is that not all Democrats are against Trump's decision. Right now because you had Democratic Senator John Fetterman backing Trump's move. I'm saying that Trump strikes were the correct move and adding, Iran is the world's leading sponsor

of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. And adding, I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world. But for now, we're gonna have to wait to see what happens both internationally and domestically. How does Iran continue to respond? How does Trump respond to that? And then domestically, it's gonna be very interesting

to watch that play out though. I will say Trump has a majority of Republicans on his side. So like the possible impeachment attempt, I imagine that's gonna be dead on arrival. But we've also seen lawmakers from both sides of the aisle demanding that Congress approve any further military action. And in the meantime, as we wait to see if this is gonna escalate into a full blown war,

I gotta pass the question off to you. What are your thoughts here? What are your reactions to this news? But then next up from that today, MrBeast is stealing from other creators and he is ruining YouTube. That is what many, including top YouTube creators are saying right now after MrBeast announced

that his platform ViewStats is launching an AI thumbnail tool that will allow creators to create a prompt and receive a data-backed viral thumbnail. And while he has since deleted that tweet following the backlash, the ViewStats website still has articles and FAQs about the tool and many have also reshared a previously uploaded video where MrBeast explained some of the functions.

From creating custom results from any channel to literally being able to put your face on a thumbnail, it literally feels like cheating. This is the home of the AI tool where you can type in any channel on all of YouTube and it'll use it as inspiration for the thumbnail it's generating. Right in that video, MrBeast then uses himself as an example

and had it generate a thumbnail of him stranded on a volcano. You also have him saying that there are ways to generate thumbnails without specific channel inspiration or you can take the URL of a pre-existing video and modify its thumbnail like in this example. To demonstrate, I have this F1 thumbnail with an F1 car. And so in the prompt, I'm just gonna simply type in

change F1 car to minivan. That is all I'm typing in. I'm gonna hit generate. Let's see what it produces. And boom, it's done. And so immediately what you saw is you had tons of people pissed off arguing that this tool, it hurts thumbnail artists and editors

and allows people to just blatantly copy and rip off other channels with some writing. So the biggest YouTuber is pushing AI while also posting about how he hopes everyone watches his work because of how much creative effort went into it. So you understand the value of work and creativity, but don't understand that this tech is destroying the concept of both.

As well as some saying, I need every YouTube creator who can afford to take a stand to sue the shit out of this company. They're literally just stealing every single thumbnail on YouTube to feed to their shitty fucking AI and fuck you too, MrBeast. But then some noting that MrBeast in the past has called out other channels for copying his thumbnails

by using face swapping tools and writing. So Mr. Beast gets to complain about channels stealing his thumbnails, then turns around and makes a tool that does the same thing, but faster and cheaper. Way to take out the creator and content creator and the fun that comes from thinking up new ideas. Majorly, fuck this.

If there's any class action lawsuit, count me in. I'm so done with this guy. Right, you had major creators like Jacksepticeye chiming in because his channel's logo specifically appeared in Mr. channel's logo specifically appeared in MrBeast's video when he mentioned taking inspiration from other channels. And so you had Jack writing,

"'What the actual fuck?' And he used my logo in the promotion for it too? I hate what this platform is turning into. Fuck AI." And so far what we've seen is that MrBeast appears to be open to the pushback. With us seeing this one creator saying that he had a conversation with MrBeast

to make these complaints clear. And then MrBeast responding by saying, I appreciate all the feedback. I love the YouTube community more than anyone can even remotely comprehend. Already working on changes like face swaps should only be used to swap your face on your thumbnail. Obviously not others.

And adding overall, I'll build this more in a way to be inspiration for artists slash a tool they use and not replace them. Very good feedback. My goal with the view stats is to build tools to level the playing field between people like me with 300 employees and new creators that can't afford a small army.

And then he also said that he's open to adding a tool that would allow creators to connect with thumbnail artists directly so that he can boost that community. It was far as what actually happens with MrBeast and view stats, as well as what the reaction continues to be from the community that remains to be seen. I mean, MrBeast on that, I appreciate the feedback reply.

He got ratioed. With the main reaction there reading, wanting to level the playing field between those with 300 employees and those without means you wanna make those 300 people redundant, meaning they won't have jobs. Seems like your tool is designed to enable firing your artists whilst getting $50 from everyone else.

Out of touch, evil genius move. For now, I'll have to wait to see how this plays out. And of course, in the meantime, I'd really love to know your thoughts and reactions to this. And then you've got even more news in just a minute, but first, you know, y'all, it is summer, it is officially upon us and you need to get out more. And you know, connected to that,

we've been giving out $500 every week for over a year, thanks to our sponsor at SeatGeek and somehow you still haven't entered for free. And the lineup right now, it's stacked. Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Tyler the Creator, The Weeknd, Beyonce, Chris Stapleton, it's a wild time for live events. And you know, it's been awesome seeing so many

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and then use code Phil and PDS and go make some memories. But then next up from that today, we've got to talk about how a potential mass shooting at a Michigan church was stopped by quick thinking heroes. And we also now know who the gunman was. Right in this horrifying situation, it comes from a suburb of Detroit where over a hundred people on Sunday

were gathered for mass at Crosspoint Community Church. And according to reports, you had children that are part of the church's vacation Bible school. They were pleading the mass yesterday when a gunman arrived outside of the church driving erratically, which caught the attention of staff, as well as a church goer who was arriving late.

With reports saying that the man then got out of his car in a tactical vest, armed with a rifle and a handgun, and he began firing while heading to the church. With him hitting one person in the leg, but then according to local authorities, a parishioner then struck the man with a vehicle and two staff members fatally shot him. As you had the Wayne police chief, Ryan Strong,

telling reporters yesterday. We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church's staff members who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large scale mass shooting. Right, and all of this is you had other footage showing that the people inside the church heard what was going down and figured out what was happening.

With a live stream showing many ducking and running as gunshots were heard outside before a woman instructed them to head to the back of the building. It's just an utterly terrifying moment. And as far as the person who was shot in the leg, they sustained a non-life-threatening injury and they underwent a successful surgery.

And so luckily that was the worst of it. But as of this morning, we then got details about the shooter. And as it turns out, he is a 31-life-threatening injury and they underwent a successful surgery. And so luckily that was the worst of it. But as of this morning, we then got details about the shooter. And as it turns out, he is a 31 year old whose mother was a member of that church and he had been to a couple of masses with her over the last year or so. And with that, you had officers saying

he may have been suffering a mental health crisis and had no prior contact with law enforcement. So right now we just don't have an official motive though you have some outlets noting that he had mentioned the church in two Facebook posts but it's unclear what prompted this. And so far we're just seeing things like officers saying that there's no evidence suggesting it's tied to the conflict in the Middle East. You also have the church's pastor telling the AP that the suspect's mother wasn't present at the

church during the shooting but the pastor said that he had met with him before and told them. He seemed to really have some thoughts that were not threatening or anything like that but he definitely had some thoughts as far as hearing from God. The pastor then applauding those who stopped him from getting inside of the building. And so all in all, while we wait to see if there's more to learn, we can just say, thank God that this is the worst that it was. Because truly, had it not been for the quick actions

of a few, who knows how bad this could have gotten. But then next up from that today, we've got to talk about Trump losing ground in his most high profile deportation case battles. I'm talking about Kilmar Abrego Garcia and Mahmoud Khalil. Starting with Abrego Garcia, he's that Maryland father who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador's mega prison back in March,

despite an order not to deport him. Then the White House apparently resisting orders from federal judges and the Supreme Court to facilitate his return. But then earlier this month, after a lot of delay, he was returned though only for the Justice Department to charge him with smuggling illegal immigrants across the country for nearly a decade

Something to which he has pleaded not guilty So now he's preparing for trial but already before that's even begun the federal judge in his case slammed the government's Allegations with Judge Barbara Holmes saying that they failed to provide evidence that a brego Garcia would pose a threat if he was released And ruling that he must be released from federal custody though That doesn't mean he's actually free since that ruling it only pertains to this case or the DOJ that can just hand him over to ICE instead as it said it would. Meaning that if the government can persuade a court to lift the 2019 order staying as deportation,

Abrego Garcia could be deported again before he even gets the chance to go to trial. But that's a threat that he would have faced anyway and this ruling by Judge Holmes is still being seen as a victory because it casts serious doubt on the evidence that'll come up during the trial. The judge writing the government alleges that Abrego is a long time well-known member of MS-13,

which the court would expect to be reflected in a criminal history. Perhaps even of the kind of violent crimes and other criminal activity the government describes is typically associated with MS-13 gang membership. But Abrego has no reported criminal history of any kind. With her then adding that much of the supposed evidence he is a gang member consists of double hearsay.

Not to mention that some of the witnesses reportedly have serious criminal histories and they're hoping to dodge deportation or avoid prison sentences for helping with the case. So you have the judge saying, for example, one is a two-time previously deported felon and acknowledged ringleader of a human smuggling operation who has now obtained for himself an early release

from federal prison and delay of a sixth deportation for providing information to the government. Then even that aside, you have Holmes noting that their claims, quote, her words, defy common sense. So for example, while they alleged that Abrego Garcia often brought his children on smuggling trips between Maryland and Houston three or four times a week, according to Holmes, the sheer number of hours

that would be required to maintain this schedule, which would consistently be more than 120 hours per week of driving time approach physical impossibility. So for all those reasons, plus the fact that his union is offered to help him return to work if he's released, home sided with a Briegel Garcia. But still you have the White House remaining defiant

with DHS spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin writing on X, Kilmara Briegel Garcia is a dangerous criminal illegal alien. We have said it for months and it remains true to this day, he will never go free on American soil. But notably they said similar things about another high profile detainee who is now free and that is Mahmoud Khalil.

He was the first student protester who was arrested for deportation by the Trump administration back in March. And that even though he was a legal US permanent resident married to his pregnant American wife and a Columbia university graduate. But as a Palestinian and an outspoken activist opposing what he called genocide in Gaza, he put himself firmly within the White House's crosshair.

So one day plain clothes agents arrested him in the lobby of his Manhattan apartment building. And since then, he's been locked up a thousand miles away in Louisiana. Because he had Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoking an obscure law to deport him on the grounds that he had undermined American foreign policy and spread what he called antisemitism.

But then, this last Friday, after three and a half months of detention, during which time he missed the birth of his first child, a judge finally released him on bail. And over the weekend, you had him immediately touring the press circuit, speaking publicly for the first time since his arrest. I felt like I was literally kidnapped.

All the know your rights that I've indulged myself into felt like nothing because at that moment, ICE made it clear that you have no rights." He then had him telling the New York Times that in Louisiana he shared a room with more than 70 other men and adding that he had no privacy and no knowledge of what was going to happen next as he wracked with concern for his wife and then unborn child. But then with that he explained that he tried his best to make meaning out of his suffering there and he says that he began helping other inmates. We're spending a few hours each day translating questions into proper English about things like what had happened

to the money in someone's commissary account or why they hadn't received their medication. And in the meantime, saying that he gathered strength by reading Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, the Holocaust survivor among other books. So they're adding that there was nothing in this world that would compensate me for the time I lost with my family and witnessing the birth of my child.

And all of this is, you know, he's still not out of the woods yet because his case, it's still going through the courts and the White House still wants to deport him. And on that side, you had a spokesperson saying, this isn't about free speech, but rather, this is about individuals who don't have a right to be in the United States siding with Hamas terrorists

and organizing group protests that made college campuses unsafe and harass Jewish students. And adding, the Trump administration won't hesitate to hold Khalil and others who mimic his tactics accountable. But of course right now there's not much evidence outside of a couple of vague slogans like from the river to the sea that Khalil is anti-Semitic or supports Hamas. And that is he insists that he's definitely not. There's no place for any form of racism including anti-blackness, anti-Semitism, and in the Palestine movement.

But also right outside of his case, he says that the struggle for Palestinian justice, it still goes on with him telling the Times, I'm free, but those who made me go through hell are still free outside and actually emboldened. And he says that far from suppressing the pro-Palestine movement, Trump has actually inflamed it and that he's going to continue doing his activism

despite the crackdown on dissent. Mahmoud Khalil is a human rights defender. Mahmoud Khalil is a human rights defender. Mahmoud Khalil is a freedom fighter. Mahmoud Khalil is a refugee. Mahmoud Khalil is a father and husband. And above all, Mahmoud Khalil is Palestinian. But then to shift gears from that as we're winding down today's show,

I wanna talk to you about this little girl, eight-year-old Gabi Brillbrain. And there are two things that you need to know about her. One, she absolutely loves racing. And two, she was born with a birth defect that prevented her legs from developing below her knees. And while Gabi, she got her first taste of competition last year during the local Soapbox Derby

where she was allowed to ride as a second in a two-man vehicle contest. But that, as it turns out, it didn't fully scratch the racing itch for. In fact, it only made her want to drive a car by herself. Well, I've done it last year, and then, not like I did pretty good, that I like to maybe do it on my own.

Last year, somebody drove it for me, so I didn't drive it. So Gabby's family and the local club that puts on the Derby, they work together to design and build a car somebody drove it for me, so I didn't drive it. So Gabby's family and the local club that puts on the Derby, they work together to design and build a car that Gabby could drive on her own. And so traditionally, so box Derby cars, they have a foot pedal brake system,

but since it obviously wasn't an option here, they had to try a couple of different alternatives. And so first they tried a hand brake system, but that didn't work out. David Holland, the club member who custom built the parts for Gabby's car, saying, Rather than pushing a pedal with your legs, you pull back on the handle and it actuates the brake.

What we found after installing that was Gabby, 46 pounds, very difficult to hold and maintain that pressure. She went down four times, she crashed four times. And so then they tried something else, pneumatic brakes. With David explaining that the brakes are made from a paintball gun compression cylinder and all Gabby has to do is flip a switch to stop the car. But then Gabby's dad explaining.

It's a great thing because it puts Gabby on the same level playing field as other kids her age so we can compete at the same activities and at the same level that they do. That's really great to see her take the initiative to want to do things on her own and have that drive to overcome those obstacles. You know, for David, it's been a great experience

working to make this happen for Gabby with him telling a local news outlet. It's the biggest reward of the whole thing. If you'll just pair with a child, it can be Gabby, it can be any child. It's what makes it worthwhile because it does get hectic. And there's a lot of parents, you know, they get involved.

But the kids are true innocent. You know, they're dreaming and they're focused on having a good time. And so now for Gabby, she's just really excited to race this year. But they're also adding that her favorite part's either the actual driving or winning the trophy. So I just want to say good luck, little G.

I'll be rooting for you. And I also want to give the title of Banff of the day to Gabby, to Gabby's family, as well as David Holland and everyone else that's making this little girl's dream come true. How we treat others and especially how we treat those who are not able to do something based off of the systems that already exist, that is so fucking telling

about who people are at the core. And that's where I'll leave it, because this is supposed to be the kind of the more positive story of the day. I'll do my little ranty rant, a different time, different place. But that is where today's show is gonna end. Thank you for watching.

Thank you for subscribing. And I'll see you right back here tomorrow, because of course I've got a brand new show for you every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Pacific. Love you, mean it, bye.