Steve Deace Show Welcome to the American EMPIRE | Guest: Steve Friend | 1/5/26
Jan 5, 2026
Steve Friend, a former FBI special agent and whistleblower, discusses his tumultuous journey through federal law enforcement. He shares insights on the controversial actions of the U.S. in Venezuela, framing them as necessary for American imperial influence. Friend delves into his reinstatement struggles, revealing the backlash he faced after speaking out about the Jan. 6 investigations. The conversation also touches on the challenges whistleblowers encounter, the cultural issues within the FBI, and Friend’s predictions for the future involving extraterrestrial contact.
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Western-Hemisphere Power Projection
- The U.S. operation to capture Nicolás Maduro signals America asserting regional control as a superpower.
- Steve Deace argues empire-style actions in the Western Hemisphere serve American national interest and energy security.
Expansion Over Austerity As Strategy
- Deace frames national survival as choosing expansion over austerity given America's debt.
- He connects energy resources like Venezuelan oil to strategic leverage against rivals such as China.
Venezuela-Taiwan Geopolitical Swap
- Deace predicts a geopolitical swap: the U.S. secures Venezuela while China consolidates claims over Taiwan.
- He frames recent actions as opening dominoes toward that hemispheric-Taiwan tradeoff.
