Mael Time With Daniel Mael

Tal, Oren, and Alon Alexander are on trial in federal court facing sex trafficking charges that have dominated headlines for over a year. But buried inside this sprawling case is one charge that was supposed to be the government's clearest shot — Count 2. No conspiracy. No enterprise. Just one man, one woman, and one weekend in the Hamptons in 2011.That woman is Lindsey Acree. And her testimony was supposed to be the foundation of the government's case against Tal Alexander alone.It didn't hold.In this video, we go through the trial record piece by piece — the shifting timeline, the lease that proved the crime scene didn't exist, the second assailant who may not have been in the country, the email that said "it was a good time," and the story that kept adding new details right up until 72 hours before Acree took the stand.We also look at how Acree's admitted desire to "back up" fellow accuser Liz Kennedy's story raises serious questions about what motivated her to come forward — and whether that motivation shaped what she remembered.The judge said Acree's testimony was "somewhat all over the place." The defense proved the date had to be changed to avoid an alibi. And the only contemporaneous document in the case says the opposite of what the prosecution needed it to say.This is the full breakdown of how Count 2 imploded — and why the government's case against Tal Alexander may not survive it.——Topics covered:• The Alexander Brothers federal sex trafficking trial• Lindsey Acree's direct testimony and cross-examination• The date change from July 2011 to Memorial Day weekend• Erik Yehezkel and the alibi problem• The 26 On the Bluff lease and the missing crime scene• The New York Times vs. Miami Herald account discrepancy• New details added three days before trial• Liz Kennedy and the contamination question• Julia Baldwin's late-disclosed corroboration• Judge Caproni's on-the-record observation

This episode explores the complex case against the Alexander Brothers, linking their social media influence, the infamous Fyre Festival, and allegations of sex trafficking. We analyze key evidence, legal arguments, and the broader implications of the trial.

In a live video broadcast, host Daniel Mael engages in an in-depth conversation with Jonathan Pollard, the former U.S. intelligence analyst convicted of passing classified information to Israel, an allied nation, whose 1980s espionage case continues to spark intense debate. The discussion covers Pollard's decades in prison, his motivations, the personal costs endured, his perspectives on U.S.-Israel intelligence relations, loyalty, justice, and ongoing Middle East geopolitical issues. Shortly after this exchange gained attention, it intersected with broader controversy when Tucker Carlson, in a recent high-profile interview with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee (released in February 2026), repeatedly labeled Pollard "America's greatest traitor" and an "American traitor," portraying his actions as emblematic of a problematic U.S.-Israel dynamic and questioning Huckabee's meeting with him. In response, Pollard issued a sharp public video statement calling Carlson a "contemptible anti-Semitic liar" and accusing him of spreading serious inaccuracies and outright lies about the case. Pollard rejected the "traitor" designation—arguing that treason legally requires aiding an enemy in wartime (which Israel was not), insisted he never spied against the U.S. but shared information that should have been provided anyway, and claimed to possess evidence backing his account. This rebuttal has intensified online debates, with some viewing Carlson's remarks as misleading or propagandistic, while others see them as raising valid espionage and loyalty concerns, though no independent sources have definitively verified specific falsehoods beyond the opposing narratives. The unscripted, candid format of Mael's interview provides raw insight into Pollard's enduring story and its continued relevance amid these fresh controversies.

What are Oren, Tal and Alon Alexander actually facing in federal court?

Evaluating the evidence put forth in the case of USA vs. Alexander after three weeks of trial.

What happened in the Hamptons on Memorial Day weekend of 2009?

A quick walk through the latest federal indictment so people understand what Oren, Alon and Tal Alexander face in court.

Continued coverage of the federal trial of Alon, Oren and Tal Alexander. The #AlexanderBrothers.

A few thoughts from inside the courtroom.

A quick rundown of what went wrong with the Blue Square Alliance's failed Super Bowl ad.

On this edition of the Mael Time Podcast, Daniel Mael speaks with Tzur Goldin about the long and painful journey to bring home the body of his brother, Hadar Goldin, and the lessons that journey has revealed. Beyond the personal story, the conversation focuses on clarity gained through hardship: how Israel can sharpen deterrence, restore moral consistency, and ensure that the principle of “no one left behind” is not just a slogan but a policy. Goldin offers a forward-looking framework for how Israel must reposition itself—strategically, diplomatically, and morally—so that fallen soldiers are honored not only in memory, but in action.

The Mael Time Podcast is joined by Lauren Conlin of Los Angeles Magazine for an on-the-ground breakdown of the Alexander Brothers trial. After spending multiple days inside the courtroom, Conlin brings a perspective that goes beyond headlines — how the testimony actually lands, the tone in the room, and the subtle moments jurors see that never make it into write-ups. Together with Daniel Mael, the conversation cuts through media narratives to examine witness credibility, coercion claims, and the real burden facing prosecutors in a case where perception and proof are constantly colliding.

On this episode of The Mael Time Podcast, Daniel Mael sits down with FDD’s Jonathan Schanzer for a clear-eyed conversation about Israel’s hostage war and the deeper question of what victory really means. They unpack Qatar’s pivotal role in hostage negotiations, Iran’s central responsibility for regional instability, and Hamas’s strategy of leveraging civilians and captives, while also exploring how hostage families influenced Israeli decision-making and how U.S. policy uncertainty shapes the battlefield. The discussion extends beyond Gaza to the cultural and narrative war playing out on social media, where Jewish identity in America is increasingly under pressure. This episode confronts a conflict fought on multiple fronts — military, diplomatic, and ideological — and asks the hardest question of all: how does a war like this actually end?

Herbert Block, executive director of the American Zionist Movement, joined the Mael Time Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on how Zionist institutions actually function and why they still matter to Jews outside Israel. In a moment when the relationship between Israel and the diaspora is often discussed in slogans, Block offered a clear, grounded explanation of the American Zionist Movement as a grassroots umbrella that brings together a broad spectrum of Zionist organizations. He walked through how the Zionist Congress operates, why American Jews have real influence within it, and how budgetary priorities are set, while also addressing common misconceptions around “dual loyalty.” The discussion emphasized unity across ideological lines and underscored the continuing, often overlooked, connection between Zionist decision-making and Israel’s political system.

Understanding the "news" the IDF accepts the figure of 70,000 Gazans dead since 10/7.

Asher Guedalia joins the show to breakdown the latest spat between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US President Joe Biden.

In this episode of the Mael Time Podcast, Daniel Mael sits down with Dr. Tuvia Book to confront a question few leaders are willing to answer: who took responsibility when IDF soldiers went into Gaza without the basics? Drawing on Dr. Book’s new book Heroes of Palmar, the conversation explores how groundbreaking advances in combat medicine saved lives even as critical equipment was missing, forcing civilians and diaspora communities to step in where the system failed. Together, they examine the dangerous gap between frontline reality and political messaging, the culture of deflection that has replaced accountability, and the urgent need for an independent, neutral inquiry into Israel’s military preparedness. What emerges is a sobering but unifying message: the resilience of the Jewish people filled the void—but leadership must still answer for why that void existed at all.

Responding to PM Netanyahu's statement regarding an arms embargo.

A short attempt to tackle the issue of "victory" in Israel.

On the Mael Time Podcast, this conversation with Shira Gvili is about Ran Gvili the hero—and about what it means to love someone for 834 days without knowing if you will ever see them again. While Ran was held in Gaza, Shira lived in a suspended reality where time collapsed and hope became a daily discipline. She spoke about Ran’s bravery on October 7, the unbearable uncertainty that followed, and the moral weight of refusing to let his name fade as the world moved on. In telling Ran’s story, Shira became his voice—pressing leaders, rallying the community, and reminding us that remembrance is an act of responsibility, not emotion. Ran is home now. But as this conversation makes clear, heroes are not only forged in captivity—some are forged in the waiting, the faith, and the refusal to stop fighting until home is no longer a prayer, but a reality.