Trump’s Takeover, AI’s Future, and the Race for Control in a Chaotic World | The Tom Bilyeu Show
Welcome back to Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu! In this episode, Tom is joined by co-host Drew for an unfiltered conversation covering the latest political power plays, global tensions, and controversies shaking up America and beyond. The team dives into Trump’s dramatic maneuvers in D.C., the implications of National Guard deployments, and what’s really going on with crime stats in major cities.
They tackle the ever-blurring line between truth and narrative, from rewriting history to the role of free speech in a digital age where social media can make or break reputations. You'll also hear sharp takes on the economic and cultural impact of AI, tech industry feuds between heavyweights like Elon Musk and Sam Altman, and discussions around the 2024 mayoral race in New York City.
Plus, the episode doesn’t shy away from hot-button topics: they debate the ethics surrounding gender identity, mental capacity, and youth transitions, as well as the political and economic dynamics at play between the U.S., China, and Russia—including what the recent colliding of vessels in disputed seas really signals for the future.
Get ready for an honest, hard-hitting discussion where nothing is off limits. Whether it's sports, politics, tech, or social change—if it’s impacting society, they're breaking it down. Let’s dive in!
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1:12:02
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1:12:02
Inside the CIA: Andrew & Jihi Bustamante Expose Government Spin, Honeypots, Epstein Questions & Lines the U.S. Won’t Cross PT 2
In Part 2 of this electrifying episode, Tom, Andrew, and Jihi Bustamante journey even deeper into the modern intelligence labyrinth—where fact, fiction, and agenda collide. The Bustamantes not only expose sobering truths about personal privacy, data, and AI, but also provide an insider look at how CIA tradecraft and manipulation work at both the institutional and personal level.
This half opens with practical spy tactics for processing information and protecting yourself in an age where digital privacy is vanishing. The conversation then pivots, as Jihi joins, to reveal how real-world targeting and psychological profiling unfolds inside the Agency. Together, they share the wild intricacies and emotional costs of undercover work—especially as a married couple raising kids, forced to navigate secrets and moral ambiguity both in the field and at home. Riveting stories from their new book, "Shadow Cell," bring espionage’s personal toll to life, from perilous captures to the difficulty of reentering “normal life.”
SHOWNOTES
45:07 - Building an ACH (Analysis of Competing Hypotheses) and Thinking in Threes1:05:18 - American Mythology and the Cold Reality of Global Competition1:18:43 - Why You Always Have the Option to Leave1:26:11 - Real-Life Espionage: Uncovering Leverage, Risks, and Moral Dilemmas1:49:07 - High-Risk Missions & The Toll on Family1:55:26 - Gender, Manipulation, and Cultural Profiling in Espionage2:03:12 - Shadow Cell: From Book to Screen (What’s Next for the Bustamantes?)
FOLLOW ANDREW & JIHI BUSTAMANTE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayspy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EverydaySpyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverydaySpyWebsite: https://www.everydayspy.com/
Want to learn more from Andrew?
Find your Spy Superpower: https://yt.everydayspy.com/4l9HmlM
Read Andrew’s CIA book ‘Shadow Cell’: https://geni.us/ShadowCellBook
Follow Andy on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Andrew-Bustamante
Explore Spy School: https://everydayspy.com/
Support Andy's sponsor Axolt Brain: https://axoltbrain.com/andy
Listen to the podcast: https://youtube.com/ @EverydaySpyPodcast
CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS
Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping.
ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box!
Netsuite: Download the new e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at http://NetSuite.com/TheoryShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impactHims: Start your free online visit today at https://hims.com/IMPACT.
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What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here:
If you want my help...
STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER:
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1:17:48
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1:17:48
Inside the CIA: Andrew & Jihi Bustamante Expose Government Spin, Honeypots, Epstein Questions & Lines the U.S. Won’t Cross PT 1
Tom sits down with two extraordinary guests: Andrew and Jihi Bustamante, elite intelligence professionals and co-authors of "Shadow Cell." Andrew, a former covert CIA officer and founder of Everyday Spy, and Jihi, a master targeter, pull back the curtain on the murky world of espionage, information warfare, and the complex dance between truth and spin in global politics.
Andrew delivers a masterclass on how political appointees and intelligence leadership have shifted over the decades, exposing the tension between presidential loyalty and national service. Tom fearlessly challenges both guests to untangle headline-making controversies—from election interference to the notorious Steele Dossier—and explores whether we, as citizens, should blindly trust, fight, or try to decode the signals coming from our own government. This first half sets the stage for an unprecedented look at spin, power, and loyalty in the age of 24-hour news and social media.
SHOWNOTES
00:00 - Fabricating Threats & The Russia Collusion Narrative09:19 - High Turnover at the CIA: Box-Checking and Political Climbing27:02 - Is America Headed for a Hard Reset?32:13 - Go Along to Get Along: Cultural Realities of Government Employment41:02 - Persuasive Headlines vs. Influence: Avoiding Media Manipulation
FOLLOW ANDREW & JIHI BUSTAMANTE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayspy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/EverydaySpyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverydaySpyWebsite: https://www.everydayspy.com/
Want to learn more from Andrew?
Find your Spy Superpower: https://yt.everydayspy.com/4l9HmlM
Read Andrew’s CIA book ‘Shadow Cell’: https://geni.us/ShadowCellBook
Follow Andy on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Andrew-Bustamante
Explore Spy School: https://everydayspy.com/
Support Andy's sponsor Axolt Brain: https://axoltbrain.com/andy
Listen to the podcast: https://youtube.com/ @EverydaySpyPodcast
CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS
Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping.
ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box!
Netsuite: Download the new e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at http://NetSuite.com/TheoryShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impactHims: Start your free online visit today at https://hims.com/IMPACT.
**********************************************************************
What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here:
If you want my help...
STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER:
https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder?utm_campaign=Podcast%20Offer&utm_source=podca[%E2%80%A6]d%20end%20of%20show&utm_content=podcast%20ad%20end%20of%20show
SCALING a business: see if you qualify here.:
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1:00:52
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1:00:52
The Broken American Dream: The Truth About Inequality No One Wants to Say Out Loud | Tom Bilyeu Deep Dive
Tom Bilyeu takes us on a no-holds-barred deep dive into the economic systems shaping our world—and the brutal realities behind rising inequality and declining prosperity. Why do some countries thrive while others spiral into poverty? Is our current system rigged beyond repair, or do we still have the power to course-correct?
Drawing on hard-hitting statistics, historical case studies, and insights from thinkers like Thomas Sowell and Milton Friedman, Tom unpacks the myths surrounding meritocracy, the dangers of well-intentioned welfare policies, and the crucial roles that culture, education, and family structure play in the fate of nations. He doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths about government policies, societal values, and the perils of forced equality.
Most importantly, Tom lays out a clear-eyed, six-part blueprint for rekindling prosperity—from reforming welfare and championing education reform to rebuilding the middle class and dismantling regulatory barriers for entrepreneurs.
SHOWNOTES
00:00 China's Capitalism: Poverty Reduction Irony
08:36 "Human Capital Fuels Economic Power"
15:03 "Cultural Values Drive Success"
26:05 Forced Redistribution's Deadly Consequences
34:57 Reduce Barriers for Entrepreneurs
CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS
Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out
Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511.
SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping.
ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box!
Netsuite: Download the new e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at http://NetSuite.com/TheoryShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impactHims: Start your free online visit today at https://hims.com/IMPACT.
**********************************************************************
What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here:
If you want my help...
STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER:
https://tombilyeu.com/zero-to-founder?utm_campaign=Podcast%20Offer&utm_source=podca[%E2%80%A6]d%20end%20of%20show&utm_content=podcast%20ad%20end%20of%20show
SCALING a business: see if you qualify here.:
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Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here.:
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43:37
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43:37
Ed Mylett: The One Habit, One Belief & One Day That Could Change Everything (Fan Fav)
This is a Fan Fav episode. Ed Mylett’s experience with his father isn’t the kind of experience people anticipate success to be on the other side of, yet he’s joining Tom for a second time to discuss the reason he wrote his new book, The Power of One More: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Success, following the loss of his father.
If you’re in a place struggling with reaching your true potential, meeting you highest self, and achieving greater levels of success, Ed shares why getting on the other side of your day to day inconveniences is the best path forward.
Change your relationship with pain and discomfort and stop allowing your shame and embarrassment to disqualify you from the life you were meant to live.
ORIGINAL AIR DATE: 5-31-22
Pre-Order Ed Mylett’s new book, The Power of One More: https://www.amazon.com/Power-One-More-Ed-Mylett/dp/1119815363/
SHOW NOTES:
0:00 | Introduction to Ed Mylett
1:05 | The One Thing to Turn It All Around
7:47 | Physical Transformation Is Life Changing
17:33 | Success with Kindness & Humility
23:44 | You’re Always One Away
31:40 | How to Manipulate Time For Success
36:32 | Appreciation for One More Day
42:03 | Greatness In Work & Life
48:46 | How to Create A Successful Life
53:56 | Change Your Emotional State
What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here:
If you want my help...
STARTING a business: join me here at ZERO TO FOUNDER
SCALING a business: see if you qualify here.
Get my battle-tested strategies and insights delivered weekly to your inbox: sign up here.
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If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu’s Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you.
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Mondays: Tom Deep Dives. Tuesday and Wednesdays: In Depth Interviews. Thursdays: The Tom Bilyeu show. Fridays: Tom Bilyeu Live!
Uncover the truth behind the headlines and memes in an unbiased pursuit of what’s real.
From interviews and reactions to debates on the most important topics of the day, this podcast will challenge everything you know about current events, the economy, culture, and more. Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory helps you thrive in our complex world.
Hosted by Tom Bilyeu, a prominent entrepreneur and co-founder of the billion-dollar company Quest Nutrition, Impact Theory covers what matters today. From geopolitics and economics to AI, science, future tech, and beyond, Tom breaks down complex topics into their fundamental elements. Learn how to see the world clearly so you can navigate even the most disruptive era.
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