01. 10 Ways Trump Has Made America Weaker
02. National Security Expert: America's Biggest Threats
03. America’s Murder Rate Hits 70-Year Low
04. The Problem Parents Will Feel in the Classroom This Fall
05. Time for One More Summer Trip! 10 Hidden Travel Gems
06. Caregiver Fraud: How an Elderly Couple Lost $3 Million
07. 4 Million Americans Have Lost Food Aid. More to Come
08. How White America Learned to Lynch Black Children
09. Forty Years of Life Lessons from an Alaska Garden
10. Life As A Closeted Clairvoyant
11. Let’s Unpack America’s Loneliness Epidemic: Why Life's Hardest Moments Push Us Into Isolation
12. Want People to Listen to You? Six-Steps to Become a More Persuasive Speaker
13. Signs Your Body is Asking for Change
14. Children's Books: The Most Underrated Health Tool
15. Did You Chose This Life Before You Were Born?
1. ==> 10 Ways Trump Has Made America Weaker
Donald Trump has been one of the most consequential presidents in U.S. history, but Stephen Walt says, “Unfortunately, almost all the consequences of his actions have been harmful, not just for most people in the United States but also for America’s relative power and standing in the world. His cronies and family members may be reaping the benefits, but the cumulative impact of his actions will be not a return to greatness, but a weaker and more divided America.” Walt lists ten ways Trump has made America weaker including destroying confidence in U.S. promises reducing U.S. military capability, eroding the rule of law and threatening election integrity. He says Trump’s main accomplishment during his second term has been to enrich himself and his cronies. “His family will be a lot richer when his term ends, but the country will be weaker, sicker, and angrier. If it wasn’t obvious before, it certainly is now: ‘Make America Great Again’ was always just a scam.” Stephen M. Walt is a columnist at “Foreign Policy” and the Robert and Renée Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University. Contact him at stephen_walt@hks.harvard.edu or Leah Marshall at (617) 496-2737; leah_marshall@hks.harvard.edu
2. ==> National Security Expert: America's Biggest Threats
In today’s volatile, fast-moving environment, how do intelligence professionals distinguish headline-grabbing security risks from vulnerabilities that deserve greater attention? Recently retired senior CIA executive Steve Hirsch can explain how the intelligence community assesses threats and makes decisions and reveal the threats America may be underestimating. From biological threats and food security to cyberattacks and critical infrastructure, he’ll discuss what could lead to the next national security crisis and why. During his CIA career, Hirsch served in senior leadership positions spanning counterterrorism, intelligence analysis, public affairs, workforce and organizational transformation, and the Agency’s business analytics modernization. Following 9/11, he served as a President’s Daily Briefer, briefing Cabinet-level officials as the intelligence community adapted to a dramatically different threat environment. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or Erin Bolden at (703) 980-2705 (office)
3. ==> America’s Murder Rate Hits 70-Year Low
Survey after survey finds that Americans believe that crime is getting worse but new crime statistics from the FBI show that 2025 murder rates fell to 4.1 per 100,000 people. That’s the same rate recorded in 1955 and 1956 and is the lowest ever measured. The country’s violent crime rate also fell 9.7 percent, the largest drop since J. Edgar Hoover was running the bureau in 1936. Longtime crime and violence prevention educator and expert Stephanie Mann says there is no single or easy explanation for the historic lows. Invite her to discuss what programs are working to decrease crime and share real life stories of communities and lives that have been transformed. Mann says real, lasting change often starts at the community level and will reveal specific strategies communities are using to take ownership of their environment and reduce dependence on reactive systems. Contact Stephanie Mann at (925) 438-0716; smann@rtirguests.com
4. ==> The Problem Parents Will Feel in the Classroom This Fall
The teacher shortage isn't simply about finding enough people to fill classrooms. Deanna Gilmore, Ph.D., says the bigger problem is keeping great teachers from walking away. On your show, she'll reveal what is driving talented educators away, what could actually convince them to stay, and why rebuilding schools requires valuing the entire ecosystem supporting children, including principals, bus drivers, coaches, cafeteria workers, and paraprofessionals. She'll also share concrete steps communities and lawmakers can take to strengthen schools. With 26 years in the classroom plus experience as a school principal and university professor training future educators, Gilmore has seen the challenges facing schools from multiple perspectives. Her book, “There's a Pig on the Playground: Memorable Stories from the Schoolyard,” celebrates the people who make school communities work. Contact Deanna Gilmore at (208) 285-7567; dgilmore@rtirguests.com
5. ==> Time for One More Summer Trip! 10 Hidden Travel Gems
Thinking about squeezing in a last-minute summer trip? You’ll want to hear from Natalie and Evelyn Kelly, who say many of the country’s most memorable destinations aren’t the ones topping travel lists. After exploring all 50 states together over three decades, the mother-daughter travel experts say some of America’s greatest experiences are tucked away in small towns, scenic byways, and overlooked attractions that most travelers drive right past. From breathtaking natural wonders to charming Main Streets and unforgettable local eateries, they’ll share ten hidden gems perfect for families, couples, retirees, and adventure seekers looking to skip the crowds and discover something new. They’ll also reveal simple ways to plan a more meaningful vacation without spending a fortune. Their book, “Love Affair with the USA,” celebrates the people, places, and stories that make America worth exploring one road trip at a time. Contact Evelyn and Natalie Kelly at (352) 661-2493; ekelly@rtirguests.com
6. ==> Caregiver Fraud: How an Elderly Couple Lost $3 Million
A gas station charge can trigger a fraud alert and temporarily freeze a credit card but according to a lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Commercial Division, three of America’s largest financial institutions failed to detect or stop nearly $3 million in alleged fraud against an elderly New Jersey couple. The lawsuit alleges that JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and American Express allowed a caregiver to allegedly drain millions from Raphael and Jane Bern, despite transactions that the family says should have raised immediate red flags. Charles Gallo, who was entrusted to care for the couple, was later convicted of federal wire fraud and sentenced to prison. According to the lawsuit, in a single month alone, more than $161,000 in questionable charges occurred yet the banks allegedly failed to issue fraud alerts or intervene. Raphael Bernstein is 94 years old. His wife Jane is 89 and living with Alzheimer’s disease. Their sons, John and Daniel Bernstein, are seeking accountability and answers about whether banks are doing enough to protect vulnerable elderly customers from financial exploitation. For interviews, contact Mark Goldman at (516) 639-0988 (call/text); markgoldman73@gmail.com
7. ==> 4 Million Americans Have Lost Food Aid. More to Come
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest food assistance program in the country, is undergoing a massive overhaul, with major changes set to take effect this fall. Already, more than 4 million people – many them children – are estimated to have lost the critical food aid since last July when a sweeping Republican tax and spending package became law. Starsky Wilson, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, a child advocacy group, says he has been alarmed by the speed of the tax law’s impact and warns that more cuts will take effect later this year. “There could be an even greater sense of desperation among children and their families,” he says. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act included major changes to the food assistance program. SNAP has already been tightening eligibility, but the biggest shift will come in October when states will need to pay if they want to keep the program going. If they don’t, neither food banks nor existing government programs would have the capacity to fill the gap, according to Wilson. “There’s no replacement for SNAP if a state gets rid of it,” he says. Contact CDF media relations manager John Henry at (708) 646-7679; jhenry@childrensdefense.org
8. ==> How White America Learned to Lynch Black Children
As the country’s schools, libraries, museums, and government institutions face an escalating campaign to erase Black history—as political leaders are banning books, sanitizing slavery, and claiming to protect white children from the discomfort of America’s racial past—award-winning journalist, author and historian, Stacey Patton, reveals how white parenting culture trained generations of its own children for racial terror. She exposes the grotesque historical contradiction at the center of today’s censorship campaigns: The same nation now insisting that white children are too fragile to learn about racism once deliberately brought them to lynchings, exposed them to communal homicide, and taught them to regard the barbaric destruction of Black bodies as “law and order,” protection, entertainment, and family bonding. She says lynching did more than terrorize Black communities. It functioned as a multisensory public curriculum in racial domination that trained white children through sight, sound, touch, smell, and spectacle so they would become desensitized to racial terror, and so that terror would have heirs. Stacey Patton, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized child advocate. Her writing has appeared in the “New York Times,” “The Washington Post,” “The Chronicle of Higher Education,” and other national outlets. Her new book, “Strung Up: How White America Learned to Lynch Black Children,” will be released in October. Contact Lissa Warren at (617) 233-2853; LissaWarrenPR@gmail.com
9. ==> Forty Years of Life Lessons from an Alaska Garden
With over 71 million U.S. households tending gardens, it remains America's top outdoor hobby. Marion Owen has spent 40 years gardening in Kodiak, Alaska, and built her career on one idea: the garden is a place of healing, not just a hobby. On your show, she’ll reveal life lessons we can all learn from tending the earth, including gratitude, patience, and slowing down in an increasingly hectic world. Ask her: Why do you call the garden "a place of healing" instead of just a hobby? How did a single plant help a hospitalized veteran move for the first time in years? What's one gardening myth you wish would finally die? Marion Owens is the “New York Times” bestselling co-author of “Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul” and is now writing “Cultivating Joy Through Gardening: 365 Daily Meditations.”
Contact Marion Owen at (907) 891-7980; mowen@rtirguests.com
10. ==> Life As A Closeted Clairvoyant
Nearly half of Americans say they've had a spiritual experience they can't explain, yet most never talk about it. Former television executive Kim Bantle spent more than two decades working at Paramount, Viacom, and Group W Productions while keeping her own extraordinary experiences private. She says she could read minds, predict events, sense energy, and communicate with those who had passed – abilities that intensified after a near-death experience in college. On your show, Bantle explores why successful professionals often trust instincts they can't explain, why intuition remains one of society's least-discussed human experiences, and what the growing interest in spirituality says about a culture searching for meaning beyond traditional institutions. She also discusses dreams, signs, synchronicities, and why skeptics and believers may have more in common than they think. Having spent 23 years producing content for mainstream audiences, she knows how to discuss extraordinary topics in a way that is thoughtful, relatable, and engaging. Bantle shares her experiences with honesty, humor and self-awareness in her new memoir “Confessions of a Closeted Clairvoyant.” Contact Kim Bantle at ksbantle@gmail.com; (310) 418-5758
11. ==> Let’s Unpack America’s Loneliness Epidemic: Why Life's Hardest Moments Push Us Into Isolation
America is facing what the U.S. Surgeon General recently called an epidemic of loneliness. Nearly half of adults say they feel isolated at times, and that isolation often deepens during life’s hardest moments: serious illness, caregiving, grief, infertility, or financial uncertainty. Author and loneliness coach Karen Kay Smith asserts these “waiting room seasons” can quietly push people away from the very support they need most. On your show, Smith explains why people often shift into “functioning versus feeling” during crises, how emotional suppression fuels loneliness, and why many struggle to communicate what they truly need. She offers practical, yet life-changing tools listeners can use immediately, including how a simple “breath prayer” can replace pressure-filled spiritual routines, why naming emotions out loud can be more healing than staying strong, and how her “3 C’s” framework—confidence, communication, and community—helps people rebuild connection step by step. Drawing from 15 years caring for her husband during his battle with multiple sclerosis, along with years in women’s ministry and training as a transformational life coach, Smith brings a rare blend of lived experience and practical guidance to conversations about loneliness and connection. She is the author of “Nearsighted: Choosing to See Eating Disorders Differently” and the upcoming “Hope Has a Seat in Every Waiting Room.” Contact Karen Kay Smith at (256) 812-5106; ksmith@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Want People to Listen to You? Six-Steps to Become a More Persuasive Speaker
Most people believe that persuasive speaking is a natural talent. But retired Army Colonel Larry Tracy says it's a skill that anyone can master. Drawing on decades of high-stakes experience briefing military leaders, defending U.S. policy before hostile audiences, and training professionals competing for multimillion-dollar government contracts, Larry developed an easy-to-follow 6-step system to help speakers communicate with confidence, clarity, and credibility in any setting. Praised by President Ronald Reagan as "an extraordinarily effective speaker," Larry shows that persuasion isn't about charisma—it's about preparation. His battle-tested approach can help anyone influence audiences, overcome speaking anxiety, and deliver messages that truly change minds. Larry’s proven system is featured in his book “How to Bring Home the Bacon: Becoming a Persuasive Speaker.” Contact Larry Tracy at (571) 336-0507; Ltracy@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Signs Your Body is Asking for Change
6 in 10 U.S. adults are living with chronic disease, yet many health resets often focus on surface fixes. Lasting improvement requires looking beyond symptoms and asking what the body may be responding to beneath the surface. On this timely show, Marcel Vögeli will share common signs your body is asking for change and explore how long-term stress, suppressed conflict, and emotional overload can influence physical health. Listeners may be surprised to learn why two people with the same diagnosis can heal at very different rates. After eight years of intensive autoimmune treatment that managed symptoms but didn’t restore his life, Marcel began examining deeper stress patterns in his own story. He has been hospital-free since 2012. Marcel Vögeli is spokesperson for The Key to Self-Liberation by the late Christiane Beerlandt. Contact Marcel Vögeli at Mvogeli@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Children's Books: The Most Underrated Health Tool
Most parents see children's books as entertainment. Kenneth Korber, a health literacy expert, believes they can also be powerful tools for improving children's health. After two decades as a clinician, he wrote and published “The Musical Adventures of Grace” series to extend the patient office visit into bedtime reading, helping families reinforce important health and wellness lessons at home. His engaging stories and characters transform complex medical topics into age-appropriate adventures that children actually enjoy. Ken’s approach encourages healthy habits, eases childhood anxiety and fears, and strengthens literacy at the same time. “Storytelling may be one of the most effective—and overlooked—ways to improve public health, empower families, and help children build lifelong healthy behaviors, one bedtime story at a time,” he says. Contact: Kenneth Korber at (847) 238-8936; kkorber@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Did You Chose This Life Before You Were Born?
What if the life you’re living—including its struggles, its losses, and its ordinary moments—was chosen by you before you arrived? Doreen Mary Bray, who has worked between worlds for over 40 years as a naturopath and mystical guide, teaches that souls don’t stumble into human life. They long for it, wait for it, and select it with intention — choosing parents, place, and form for the privilege of embodiment. Bray will reveal what it means to live as a soul that chose this life, and why that single shift in understanding transforms everything. She’ll explore how souls navigate the journey toward incarnation and why being human is not a burden to transcend, but a gift of extraordinary rarity. For anyone who has ever felt that life is happening to them, Bray offers a radical reframe: you didn’t land here by accident. Doreen Mary Bray is the author of “The Angel and the Avatar.” Contact her at (438) 802-0280; Dbray@rtirguests.com
