Episode Details

Blades, Bullets, and the Trump Doctrine: Why Republicans Bleed for America

From the guillotines of Revolutionary France to the assassination of Lincoln, the shooting of Reagan, and the near-death of Trump, history shows that Republicans have paid the highest price for keeping America free. Murder rates drop when strong leadership enforces law and order, and if we want this nation to survive the next storm — at home or abroad — we need leaders with the backbone to do what must be done, no apologies given.

By: Paul Grant Truesdell, J.D., AIF, CLU, ChFC, RFC

September 11, 2025

Authors Note:

This piece was written five days before the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah and was scheduled to go live on my website on September 11, 2025 — a date I chose intentionally because of its historical weight, not because of what would tragically happen just yesterday. This is not opportunistic writing. The timing is what it is, and frankly, it underscores the point I’ve been making for years: political violence in this nation is no longer a theory — it’s reality.

Yesterday, I was having an “early business dinner, late business lunch” when my phone lit up with a rapid-fire series of notifications. I knew immediately something bad was happening. You see, I have a system of alerts that is highly structured — it covers investment data, wealth and economic events, war, terrorism, and political developments, including deaths and assassinations. The system allows me to engage with others, conduct business, and have a somewhat normal life. Okay, somewhat might be an exaggeration. 

The assassination of Charlie Kirk triggered the system.

I calmly cut my external engagement short, returned to my office, and got to work while driving and immediately upon arrival. Those with me saw my reaction — measured, steady, deliberate. You should know, that when I am loud, that’s no big deal. But when I get quiet and methodical, I’m in the zone. And so, while at the restaurant, I pulled out a legal pad, started writing, making notes, asking the six questions I always ask: who, what, where, when, why, how, and which. Calls and texts flew. At one point, I told someone, “I just completed that piece on this very subject…” and my thoughts went immediately to President Trump, to the attempts on his life, to Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Reagan — and the pattern that Republicans keep bleeding for this country while Democrats keep screaming that we’re the problem. And then I got somewhat sick to my stomach with, who else, what if, and we’re coming up on September 11th.

So much ran through my mind in the afternoon and evening hours of yesterday. So many notes filled so many pages. And one thought kept repeating itself

This assassination just moved the needle. Substantially. And it will continue to do so. 

That is why I am publishing the following exactly as it was written — not to seize a moment, but to demonstrate what connecting the dots really looks like. I didn’t have a crystal ball when I wrote this. I didn’t need one. I simply watched the trends, connected the data points, and refused to lie to myself about where this country is heading.

This is not just commentary. This is a warning. Political assassination has returned to the forefront of American life. And unless this country gets serious about law, order, and leadership, what happened to Charlie Kirk will not be the last.

Part 1: America vs. the Guillotine Crowd

When people talk about the death penalty in America, you’d think we’re running guillotines on every street corner. You’d think the United States is this bloodthirsty nation, obsessed with killing people. But here’s the truth — and I’ll say it the way it needs to be said — America has never, ever been in the same league as the so-called “civilized nations” that turned execution into a conveyor belt.

Take France. Everyone loves to romanticize the French Revolution —