Royal treatment for JD Vance & family, taxpayer funded MAGA Europe, and sickening loyalty tests

Rational Response

0:00

-1:10:30

Royal treatment for JD Vance & family, taxpayer funded MAGA Europe, and sickening loyalty tests

Rational Response - Episode 8

Heather Delaney Reese and Pete Reese

Jul 17, 2026

This week on Rational Response, we open with an exclusive MS NOW investigation into the Secret Service detail protecting JD Vance and his family. Reporters describe a growing morale problem driven by costly, last-minute travel demands, including a plan to fly Vance and his young son on Marine Two so the child could attend a golf lesson. Agents say the constant off-the-record trips force them to rewrite security plans and cancel leave, and their frustration has gotten so deep they reportedly made coins and stickers reading “Bobcat OTR Survivors Club.” J.D. Vance claims this is an administration about efficiency while he leans into the VIP perks and expects royal treatment.

From there we turn to a State Department grant program offering European organizations one to three million dollars each for work on migration, censorship, national sovereignty, and “lawfare,” framed around a “shared political philosophy” and “common Western civilizational heritage.” That is not neutral language. It echoes the way Trump, Vance, and Europe’s nationalist right talk, and while the grants cannot go to political parties, they can flow to think tanks, conferences, legal groups, and media projects that shape a country’s politics from the outside. Germany’s chancellor has already warned Washington to stay out of German elections, which makes the contradiction hard to miss: Trump condemns foreign interference at home while his administration openly tries to build a MAGA-aligned network abroad.

Finally, we break down three confirmation hearings that were really three versions of the same loyalty test. Todd Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, wants to be permanent attorney general and slipped into calling himself “his lawyer” before catching himself. Jay Clayton wants to lead the entire intelligence community with no intelligence background and would not simply say that Biden won in 2020. And Dr. Erica Schwartz could not commit to defying RFK Jr. when his directives collide with science. All these nominees appear to have more loyalty to Trump than the American people.

See the full story in the video.

We are living through a pivotal moment for our country, and my goal is to reach as many people as possible with clear, factual information about what is happening. The more people who understand what is unfolding, the better our chances of pushing back against chaos, cruelty, and corruption ahead of the midterms.

Thank you for your continued support. Your paid subscriptions have enabled me to add a video editor and reach more people.

Independent journalism is under attack. You can make a difference with a $5/month paid subscription. Your support allows me to keep telling the truth about the lies and destruction unfolding in our country, defend myself from constant pressure from MAGA extremists, and ultimately spread the message to more people.

I’m fighting to save our country (before it’s too late).

I’ll see you tomorrow,

Heather

*This commentary represents my personal opinions and analysis of matters of public concern, informed by publicly available information. Any references to individuals constitute opinion and commentary protected under the First Amendment.

Sources:

MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/news/veeps-security-detail-fed-up-with-hastily-arranged-personal-and-family-travel-requests

MS NOW: Television report

The Independent: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/jd-vance-secret-service-travel-helicopter-b3015964.html

The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/jd-vances-own-secret-service-agents-leak-jaw-dropping-diva-demands/

AP: https://apnews.com/article/vp-vance-boating-ohio-river-level-raised-de4c773cfffd6cac0b82e96787fea951

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/06/jd-vance-ohio-lake-water-levels

Mike Rowe: Vance interview

Segment 2: The United States Is Funding MAGA’s Expansion into Europe

Grants.gov: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/22c22279-5d25-4e9f-8cc8-77b7c583c0fb

State Department: https://www.state.gov/drl-nofo-developing-civilizational-bonds-democratic-resilience-and-rule-of-law-in-europe

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/15/germany-warns-against-election-interference-as-us-offers-funding-to-maga-aligned-causes-in-europe