Crossroads with Joshua Philipp - podcast cover

Crossroads with Joshua Philipp

The Epoch Timeswww.theepochtimes.com
It's easy to get lost in the daily news cycle, with its constant barrage of headlines and updates. What's often missing, however, is a broader and deeper analysis of what’s behind the headlines. Crossroads, hosted by Epoch Times senior investigative reporter Joshua Philipp, is an opinion and analysis show that presents deeper insights into the news cycle, culture, and society. It connects current events with history, ties various news stories together with analysis and opinion, and goes beyond the headlines to present a clearer picture of what’s happening in the world
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Episodes

Trump Slashes Dept. of Education Down to Basic Functions; RFK Jr Launches ‘Operation Stork Speed’

The Department of Education, as we knew it, has come to an end. President Trump has signed an executive order essentially dismantling the department and returning education back to the states to decide on. In other news, a new campaign to get heavy metals out of baby formula, and to make sure that formula is reliable and nutritious, has been launched by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He’s referring to this campaign as “Operation Stork Speed.”

Mar 22, 20251 hr 11 minEp. 1212

Attorney General Pam Bondi Issues Warning as Attacks on Tesla Grow

The campaign against Tesla as a form of protest against President Donald Trump is growing. Boycotts, incidents of arson, and vandalism are being reported in various parts of the United States and Europe, with some public figures also speaking out against the company. The attacks against the electric vehicle company are seen as an attempt to harm the interests of the company’s owner, Elon Musk, in retaliation for his role in the Trump administration. On the other side of the issue, Attorney Gener...

Mar 21, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 1211

Vance Pushes to Restore American Manufacturing and Undo Globalism

The United States’ manufacturing has been declining, and there’s now a push to bring it back. Vice President JD Vance recently spoke at the American Dynamism Summit about the unseen impacts of losing manufacturing, how this happened, and the emerging policies to restore it.

Mar 20, 20251 hr 4 minEp. 1210

Trump Declares Biden’s Pardons Void; Polls Show New Approval Rating Records

President Donald Trump has declared that the presidential pardons issued under the Biden administration are now null and no longer in effect. He alleged that the documents had been signed with an autopen and that the former president was likely unaware of them. The move could clear the way for new criminal investigations. Meanwhile, new polls on approval ratings are showing new records. Trump has matched his record high, while Democrats are showing record-low ratings. The polls suggest that a ch...

Mar 19, 202559 minEp. 1209

Trump Declares Gangs as Alien Enemies to be Deported; Federal Judge Blocks Move

Over 200 gang members from Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have been deported from the United States, and have now arrived at a prison in El Salvador. Videos were posted online showing the gang members being taken from the planes and sent to the country’s Terrorism Confinement Center. The deportation follows a recent action from President Donald Trump to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, where he declared an invasion of the United States by Tren de Aragua, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. ...

Mar 18, 20251 hr 12 minEp. 1208

Trump to Invoke Alien Enemies Act for Mass Deportations

The push for mass deportations could soon get the backing of a major order. President Donald Trump is reportedly expected to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. He discussed using this order when he was on the campaign trail, and it would give the president broad authority to deport noncitizens.

Mar 15, 20251 hr 12 minEp. 1207

Violence Against Tesla Over Elon Musk Labeled 'Domestic Terrorism' by Trump

The coordinated attacks being launched on Tesla are now being called acts of terrorism. This began with organized protests at Tesla dealerships. It then expanded to dozens of locations across the United States—and then began escalating into threats of violence, arson, and other actions targeting Tesla as a form of retaliation for Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration. Musk went public and alleged that the attacks were being coordinated by a group of far-left organizations and major left-w...

Mar 14, 20251 hr 12 minEp. 1206

US–Canada Trade War Hits Markets; Trump Threatens Historic Retaliation

A trade war is kicking off between the United States and Canada. The new Canadian prime minister is promising to win the financial battle. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, is working on his own response, which he says will include actions that will go down in history.

Mar 13, 20251 hr 9 minEp. 1205

Anti-Suburb Policy Gets Scrapped; CBP One App Remade for Self-Deportations

A policy that could have brought an end to America’s suburbs has now been discarded. The zoning policy under the Obama administration, and later the Biden administration, created a type of equity program that localities had to follow. And the program has now been eliminated by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. In other news, the Department of Homeland Security has repurposed the CBP One app that could formerly be used to schedule illegal entry into the United States. It has b...

Mar 12, 20251 hr 5 minEp. 1204

Trump Establishes U.S. Bitcoin Reserve After Banning CBDCs

Cryptocurrencies could soon be part of the U.S. national strategic reserve. During a recent event, President Donald Trump announced his administration is exploring ways to do this through bitcoin. The move follows another Trump order where he banned central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), or government-backed digital currencies. Both actions could represent a break of the United States from a global trend of mass surveillance in digital payments.

Mar 11, 20251 hr 6 minEp. 1203

Trump Order Expected to Abolish the Department of Education

President Donald Trump is expected to abolish the Department of Education. A draft of the executive order was detailed by several news outlets ahead of the expected announcement, and this also aligns with what Trump had promised early in his campaign. The plan is to have the school systems handled by the states, and not by the federal government.

Mar 08, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 1202

Secret Network of Federal Employees Resists Trump Admin; SCOTUS Rules to Unfreeze USAID Funding

An anti-Trump resistance has formed within government agencies. A secret network of federal workers has organized to fight back against the Trump administration. The group is now working to form strategies and share information on encrypted apps. Alongside this, new U.S. intelligence shows that the Chinese regime is attempting to recruit disgruntled U.S. federal employees. In other news, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Trump’s freeze on some USAID payments will have to go through. The deni...

Mar 06, 20251 hr 10 minEp. 1201

DOJ Recovers Epstein Files; Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Now Ready for Peace Talks

The Department of Justice has recovered files on sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that were allegedly withheld from release. The announcement was made by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who announced plans to make the Epstein files public. In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced he’s now ready to sign a rare earths deal with the United States and be a part of peace talks with Russia. This takes place just days after Zelenskyy argued with President Donald Trump and Vice Pre...

Mar 06, 20251 hr 13 minEp. 1200

Trump and Democrats Fight Over Election Law Control; U.S. Pauses Aid to Ukraine

With the midterm elections coming up, there’s a legal battle starting over election laws and who controls them. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to bring the Federal Election Commission (FEC) under White House scrutiny. Democrats say that this could undermine the independence of the FEC, which is in charge of enforcing campaign finance laws, and a new lawsuit could soon determine the legalities of Trump’s order. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has reportedly paused aid to Ukr...

Mar 05, 202559 minEp. 1199

Fallout From Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting; Europe Faces Defense Crisis

Plans for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine broke down on live TV. In a discussion at the White House, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy argued with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance about the potential agreement. The deal is now on pause, and Trump has said Zelenskyy can come back when he’s ready for peace. In the meantime, Ukraine is turning to Europe for help, and this is sparking new debates on whether Europe could defend itself without the help of the United States....

Mar 04, 202556 minEp. 1198

DOJ Releases First Phase of Epstein Files; Trump Admin's Billion Dollar Plan for the Egg Shortage

The first batch of files on sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has now been released by the Department of Justice. The files were first given to a handful of conservative influencers where photos at the White House showed them holding binders with the label “The Epstein Files, Phase 1: By order of Attorney General Pamela Bondi & FBI Director Kash Patel.” And now the DOJ has publicly released these "Phase 1" Epstein files. Also, you might have noticed that egg prices have skyrocketed. President T...

Mar 01, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 1197

White House Takes Control of Press Pool; DHS Creates Illegal Immigrants Registry

The White House is ending the practice of letting an outside association decide who gets access to the president and who doesn’t. An organization known as the White House Correspondents’ Association used to control a good amount of press access to the White House, and now the Trump administration is replacing it with a new White House Press Pool while promising more access to new outlets. In other news, illegal immigrants in the United States will now need to register with the federal government...

Feb 28, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 1196

RFK Jr. Rolls Out First Stage of MAHA Agenda; Kash Patel’s Day One

A new movement is underway to fix some of the causes of childhood chronic disease. This is being led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In addition to his role with HHS, he’s also the head of the President’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, which has influence over other departments and agencies. In other news, Kash Patel has now been sworn in as director of the FBI. And we’re seeing some of his first moves for the agency....

Feb 25, 202548 minEp. 1195

Trump’s Plan to Remake Washington DC; Kash Patel Confirmed as Head of the FBI

President Donald Trump has a new plan for the District of Columbia, and is suggesting the federal government should take over the nation’s capital. His plan is a counter to those who believe it should, instead, be granted statehood. And in other news, Kash Patel has now been confirmed as the new director of the FBI.

Feb 22, 20251 hr 7 minEp. 1194

New Push for US to Decouple from China; Trump Orders Firing of All Remaining Biden-Era US Attorneys

There is now a new push for the United States to decouple from China, including a campaign for large-scale divestment. These measures could also serve as part of a broader undercurrent to President Donald Trump’s policies on tariffs and, ultimately, could signal the beginning of a new global trade war. At the same time, the Chinese Communist Party shows increasing signs of its preparations for war. And in other news, President Trump has ordered the Department of Justice to fire all the remaining...

Feb 21, 20251 hr 11 minEp. 1193

DOGE's Audit of the IRS Begins; Trump Defends Policies Amid Lawsuits

Despite the legal pushbacks it’s now facing, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is moving forward with audits and reviews of government agencies. And now, just in time for tax season, DOGE staff have arrived at the headquarters of the IRS. The federal tax collection agency is now facing an investigation into any potential waste, and also a review of its practices.

Feb 19, 20251 hr 4 minEp. 1192

Chernobyl Radiation Shield Attacked; Europe Criticizes Peace Talks

An alleged drone attack hit the Chernobyl nuclear reactor site in Ukraine and was able to pierce the shield of the facility that experienced a nuclear disaster during the Cold War. The attack took place as President Donald Trump is trying to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, as well as efforts in Europe that could keep the war going.

Feb 18, 20251 hr 5 minEp. 1191

Pirate Law Proposed to Let Americans Bounty Hunt Cartel Members; Trump Announces Reciprocal Tariffs

It’s possible that Americans could someday get a license to hunt drug cartel members. A U.S. senator has suggested that “letters of marque and reprisal” going back to the early 1800s could again be activated. The program under one of the U.S. Founding Fathers, President James Madison, allowed people to receive government licenses to become privateers to fight pirates, and it allowed them to attack and capture certain enemy vessels. If this is brought back, it could create a type of bounty hunter...

Feb 15, 20251 hrEp. 1190

Trump Gives DOGE New Teeth; New JFK Assassination Inquiry Starts

A battle is taking place in Washington over the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk. Democrats are declaring that the United States is now in a constitutional crisis, as the Department of Government Efficiency moves to halt funding, audit agencies, and fire government employees. In response to this, President Donald Trump has issued another executive action to further establish the legalities of DOGE. In other news, the FBI says it has found an additional 2,40...

Feb 14, 20251 hr 12 minEp. 1189

Judges Block Trump Spending Freezes, But Trump Admin Defies Orders

Many policies of the Trump administration are now being openly challenged by judges. This includes moves to block several of the administration's key policies—including the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—as well as freezes on spending cuts, holds on buyouts of federal employees, and many other measures. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is arguing that the court orders undermine presidential authority.

Feb 13, 202558 minEp. 1188

Trump Serious About Canada as 51st State; IRS Agents to be Sent to Work on Border Security

It turns out President Donald Trump wasn’t joking when he suggested Canada could become the 51st U.S. state. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on a hot mic stating that Trump isn’t joking about the suggestion, and Trump also confirmed the intent during a recent press conference. In other news, it appears that Trump was likewise serious about diverting IRS agents to work on border security. The Department of Homeland Security is now seeking to deputize IRS officers to assist in th...

Feb 12, 20251 hr 4 minEp. 1187

DOGE Investigation Blocked by Judge; Musk Alleges Billions In Social Security Fraud Each Year

The Department of Government Efficiency is facing legal challenges as it attempts to investigate the U.S. Treasury. The case is raising questions over the legalities of the department, which has been uncovering alleged overspending and other issues in the federal government. Yet the program actually isn’t new. It goes back to the Obama administration, which established not only its legality, but also its deep reach into the networks of government agencies. And on this, Musk is alleging that DOGE...

Feb 11, 20251 hr 5 minEp. 1186

New Tax Priorities Unveiled by White House; Trump Admin to Dramatically Slash USAID Staff

The United States could soon have a very different tax system. The Trump administration has now unveiled its list of tax priorities. This includes campaign promises like no tax on tips, as well as other reforms. While it doesn’t go as far as the near elimination of federal income tax that some have floated, it does appear to be aimed at reducing the amount of taxes for the average American. In other news, a spotlight has been shone on the U.S. Agency for International Development, and now the Tr...

Feb 08, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 1185

White House Releases List on USAID "Waste and Abuse"; Democrat Rep. Moves to Impeach Trump Over Gaza

The Department of Government Efficiency’s investigations into the U.S. Agency for International Development have now revealed that several news outlets were receiving millions in government funds. This includes government funding that was going to many corporate news outlets like Politico. Not only that, the White House has also released a list showing wasteful spending by the USAID, including for things like $70,000 for the production of a "DEI musical" in Ireland. In other news, President Dona...

Feb 07, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 1184

Trump Admin Obtains List of FBI Agents Involved in Jan 6 Cases; Trump Details Dead Man’s Switch Plan

The Trump administration has now obtained a list of FBI employees who were involved in cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. Despite early attempts to block the list from being handed over, the FBI has now given the Justice Department a list of all employees who were involved in investigations and criminal cases related to the incident. This allegedly includes the names of 5,000 FBI employees, and it is raising questions over whether they could be fired. In response, a group of FBI ...

Feb 06, 20251 hr 6 minEp. 1183
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