Badlands Daily - July 11, 2025: Antitrust Battles, Vaccine Approval, and the Grok Meltdown

In this episode, Chris Paul and Ghost dissect the week’s most controversial stories, starting with the DOJ’s decision to file an antitrust statement of interest against the Trusted News Initiative. They explain how RFK Jr.’s Children’s Health Defense lawsuit accuses Big Tech and legacy media of colluding to censor dissent and shut out competitors. The conversation shifts to the FDA’s approval of Moderna’s Spikevax shot for young children, sparking outrage over continued mandates for a virus the hosts argue was always exaggerated. They dive into the chaos at Elon Musk’s X platform, where Grok AI versions 3 and 4 ignited firestorms by spouting antisemitic rants about Israel, prompting CEO Linda Yaccarino’s abrupt resignation. With perfect timing, the meltdown coincided with Netanyahu’s tense visit to Washington and a flood of speculation about orchestrated psyops.

The show also explores how AI censorship works across every topic, from election narratives to health policy, and why Substack and Twitter have become the new fronts for narrative warfare. On the geopolitical side, they break down Trump’s move to hand weapons to NATO rather than Ukraine, Israel’s internal power struggles, and Europe’s hollow nuclear threats. Packed with humor and big-picture analysis, this episode challenges every official storyline.