Russell Claims Only 20 Percent of Population Resisted COVID Lockdown Adaptation
"If there was ever a time in my life that a revolution was justified, that was it. You shut down all of the mid and low tier businesses for months. You said you shut down churches in the South. And there wasn't a revolution? I think there was 20% of the population, give or take, that didn't adapt. And those are the people that I look at as kindred spirits."
About this episode
In this episode of the podcast, host Julian Dorey sat down with libertarian commentator and Liberty Lockdown host Clint Russell for an expansive discussion on foreign policy, censorship, and threats to American liberty. Russell delivered his most controversial claim of the episode: that Israel is responsible for approximately $10 trillion of U.S. national debt when accounting for the global war on terror, which he argued was fought primarily to benefit Israel rather than American interests. He cited $8 trillion spent on post-9/11 Middle Eastern wars plus $175 billion in direct aid as evidence. The conversation turned darker when Russell suggested that Charlie Kirk's recent assassination may have been connected to Kirk's apparent shift away from supporting Israel, noting Kirk was funded by Zionist donors who expected him to maintain pro-Israel talking points and that Israel conducts more political assassinations than any other nation. Russell and Dorey extensively criticized figures like Ben Shapiro, Tim Pool, and The Daily Wire for what they characterized as ideological rigidity on Israel, with Russell particularly frustrated that commentators who opposed Ukraine funding won't apply the same scrutiny to Israeli aid. The discussion ranged through COVID lockdowns, where Russell claimed only 20% of Americans resisted adaptation to restrictions, the dangers of emerging AI as warned by Elon Musk's prediction that 2027 represents a point of no return, and the military-industrial complex's astronomical spending. Russell theorized that former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey deliberately exposed his company's censorship practices by allowing a Twitter executive to be destroyed in a 2019 debate with Tim Pool. Throughout, Russell argued from a libertarian anti-war position that foreign entanglements represent both moral failures and economic catastrophes, while Dorey pushed back on whether pure non-interventionism is realistic.
Key takeaways
- Russell claimed Israel is responsible for $10 trillion of U.S. national debt when including the global war on terror, which he argues was fought primarily to benefit Israel.
- Russell suggested Charlie Kirk's assassination may be connected to his shift away from supporting Israel, noting Kirk was funded by Zionist donors who expected certain talking points.
- Russell argued only 20% of Americans resisted adapting to COVID lockdowns, which he characterized as a moment when revolution was justified but didn't occur.
- The hosts discussed Elon Musk's allegedly deleted warning that 2027 represents a point of no return for humanity due to AI, energy dependence, and loss of meaning.
- Russell theorized Jack Dorsey deliberately brought a Twitter executive to be destroyed in a Tim Pool debate to expose internal censorship practices.
- Russell criticized Ben Shapiro, Tim Pool, and Daily Wire for applying different standards to Ukraine versus Israel regarding foreign aid opposition.
- The U.S. military budget of $1.5 trillion annually exceeds the combined spending of the next nine largest militaries, according to data discussed.