How do we get out of this mess?

In this gripping episode of *The Hot Dish*, host Joel Heikamp sits down with former Congressman Denver Riggleman to confront a moment of profound national crisis. Riggleman, a former Air Force officer, NSA contractor, and senior staff member on the January 6th committee, delivers a stark warning about the current state of U.S. foreign policy, which he argues is being driven not by strategic intelligence but by Christian nationalist prophecy, rapture theology, and personal financial gain. He dissects Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric about Iran—particularly the bizarre convergence of the '47th president' prophecy and the 47th year—as evidence of a nation descending into political insanity. Riggleman contends that Trump’s mental state, combined with a complicit Republican establishment, has led to a dangerous erosion of democratic norms and national security professionalism. He accuses the Trump family of orchestrating a self-enriching war economy through massive, transparent contracts in drone warfare, AI, and advanced military tech, enriching themselves at the expense of American taxpayers and global stability. The episode culminates in a call to action: a complete cessation of hostilities, a full reset of national security decision-making, and the urgent need for a courageous leader—beyond the current two-party system—to rebuild trust with allies, repair institutions, and restore America’s moral standing in the world.