Patrick Henningsen Interview – The Dying American Empire, Lies About Iran & The Coup Within The US

In this incisive episode of *The Last American Vagabond*, host Ryan interviews Patrick Henningsen of 21st Century Wire, a journalist who recently visited Iran and offers a firsthand account of a society deeply unified under national identity despite looming war threats. Henningsen dismantles the mainstream narrative of Iran as a bloodthirsty, totalitarian regime, arguing instead that the country exhibits strong civic cohesion, democratic processes, and deep religious values that are mischaracterized by Western media. He traces the roots of U.S. foreign policy to a symbiotic relationship with Israel, where the Israeli lobby exerts outsized influence over American political leadership—evidenced by massive campaign donations, the selection of key cabinet members like Pete Hegseth, and the infiltration of Christian Zionism into the military and national security apparatus. Henningsen warns that the U.S. is now on a dangerous path toward a potential nuclear conflict, driven not by rational statecraft but by religious fanaticism, geopolitical hubris, and a deep-seated imperial worldview that sees any rising power as a threat. He underscores the existential danger of a world where religious prophecy, military-industrial interests, and foreign lobbying converge, creating a system where the U.S. is no longer in control of its own destiny. The conversation culminates in a call to action: Americans must awaken to the reality of this coup within the system, reject the two-party illusion, and build parallel institutions to reclaim agency and prevent global catastrophe.