Who?
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) — Sponsor, UAP Disclosure Act
LISTEN: Laslo & Rounds
Ask a Pol asks:
Have you heard of Project Preserve Destiny?
Key Rounds:
“No,” Sen. Mike Rounds asks Ask a Pol. “What’s that?”
It’s supposed to be dealing with NHI — non-human intelligence…
SNEAK PEEK: New Burlison exclusive dropping ASAP
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ICYMI — Ask a Pol exclusive w/ Minority Leader Schumer
Caught our ear:
Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO) tells us he’s in talks with your office about adding the UAPDA to the National Defense Authorization Act — or NDAA — again this year?
“I think just try it again the same way we did, and see what happens. I mean, it came out of the Senate fine,” Rounds tells us. “It’s in the House where the challenge is.”
Interesting. Because some people are thinking it’s been former Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who’s been killing it, but it’s been gutted by the House?
“Yeah,” Rounds says. “Yeah.”
Do you think maybe it was fmr. House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner, and now that he’s gone opposition may evaporate?
“I don’t know. I think there were folks who just didn’t want to disclose anything that could be sensitive in nature,” Rounds says. “And I agree with that…”
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Our new intro music comes from our Nashville — by way of Bowling Green, KY —brothers, the amazing Morning Teleportation. Cheers, gents!
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Mike Rounds (7-29-2025)
SCENE: Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo catches Sen. Mike Rounds in the basement of the US Capitol and the two proceed to hop an elevator together up to the Senate floor.
Matt Laslo: “Hey, how are you, sir?”
Mike Rounds: “Hey! Good. How you doin?”
ML: “Livin the dream.”
MR: “Livin the dream, huh?”
Rounds laughs, as attendant holds an elevator for him.
Attendant: “Here Senator Rounds.”
ML: “Have you heard of Project Preserve Destiny?”
MR: “No. What’s that?”
They enter the Senators Only elevator.
ML: “It’s supposed to be dealing with NHI.”
Attendant peeks head in.
Attendant: “What happened to Olivia?”*
*Olivia’s Rounds’ body woman who usually always accompanies him in the Capitol.
MR: “Good question. She’s just shirking her responsibility.”
They laugh.
ML: “Well, this one publication — like, L’Espresso — claims that Trump got a briefing on the program.”
ICYMI — Keep your questions coming, fam — we ask them!
MR: “What program?”
ML: “It’s called, like, ‘Project Preserve Destiny,’ but it’s an NSA NHI program…”
Laslo scans Rounds’ poker face to see if any lightbulbs go off.
ML: “…non-human inteligence.”
MR: “Hmm.”
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ML: “Have you guys had…?”
MR: “Never, never heard…”
ML: “Have you guys had talks with the White House on that language in UAPDA?”
Rounds shakes head no.
ML: “Why not?”
MR: “No, well, never heard of it before.”
ML: “Well, no, no, no — your language in UAPDA.”
MR: “Oh, no reason to.”
ML: “Cause it hasn’t moved here?”
MR: “Hold on a minute.”
As they near the entrance to the Senate floor, Rounds turns to an aide who caught up to him.
MR: “I think I’ll just go ahead and vote and I’ll come back out and go back down, because I’ve got a meeting that I better be at.”
ML: “Are you guys going to offer that in the NDAA?”
MR: “Yeah. Well, at least I want to anyway.”
ML: “Cause Congressman Burlison says he’s in talks with your office about — you guys still haven’t found the best way to move that?”
MR: “No. I think just try it again the same way we did, and see what happens. I mean, it came out of the Senate fine. It’s in the House where the challenge is.”
ML: “Interesting. Because some people are thinking it’s been [former Senate Leader Mitch] McConnell who’s been killing it, but it’s in the House?”
MR: “Yeah, yeah.”
ML: “Do you think maybe it was [fmr. House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike] Turner, and now that Turner’s gone...?”
MR: “I don’t know. I think there were folks who just didn’t want to disclose anything that could be sensitive in nature — and I agree with that…”
ML: “Yeah?”
MR: “And I had hoped that we had arranged to not have anything sensitive be released.”
ML: “Yeah?”
MR: “I thought this was a path forward, but I think people, it caught em by surprise last time around.”
ML: “Yeah?”
MR: “So I think we’ve got a better shot this time.”
Rounds starts walking to Senate floor.
MR: “I better go in.”
ML: “Is Schumer involved at all?”
MR: “Same as before.”
ML: “Yeah? Not much?”*
*Laslo MAY owe Schumer an apology… let you know on other side of NDAA…
Rounds enters Senate chamber.
ML: “Thank you, sir!”
