Ben Shapiro
Appearances
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
get through this i mean i i think that what antonio is doing here is is so important specifically for that because it seems to me there's actually been a fairly wide consensus among the american population for a very long time what to do about immigration particularly the southern border which is number one just stop the illegal immigration at the southern border after biden blew that out a lot of democrats turned to president trump specifically because of that issue and that has been the signal
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
success of the Trump administration, among all the other successes, the numbers at the border have just plummeted to almost zero. I mean, the lowest numbers in recorded history, and that is an unmitigated success.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And then I think everybody knows that we have to sort of figure out who gets to stay and who gets to go, who's already in the country, and what Antonio is doing by being able to discern who is here and is a net draw on the resources of the American people versus maybe who is a net taxpayer or who's actually contributing. who's a criminal, right?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
There's always been this bizarre supposition in the political realm that there's no way on a one-to-one level to figure out who is who. You have to treat everybody as a class. Either everybody stays, everybody goes. And the reality is that even the way the Trump administration is doing this by first targeting, say, criminal illegal aliens for removal,
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
and then maybe moving on to people who are net drawn resources, who came in falsely under claims of asylum and now are receiving Medicaid or disability.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I've made the argument for, I think, my entire career actually on this, that we should be treating immigrants, illegal immigrants who are in the country, the same way we would treat people who are trying to get into the country, which is to say, are you going to benefit the United States or are you not going to benefit the United States?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And the counter argument was always, well, how exactly are you going to determine who is who? And the answer I always gave was, well, the IRS does it with our tax returns literally every single year. So why should we not be able to do that?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And so the kind of work Antonio is doing, showing you actually can do that by tracking the social security numbers of people who came in illegally, because the truth, the number of unknown getaways is actually really, really, compared to this, it's a small number. Most of the people who are coming across the border, at least during the Biden term,
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I went down to the border last year and visited a Native American reservation that's right along the border where the border patrol basically was not. And they said that what was happening is people were arriving at the border. They were doing exactly what Antonio was talking about. They would literally say, I fear to go back to my home country. They'd be processed.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
They'd be let into the country with a future date to come back. And that was all happening within 72 hours. So being able to track those people and find out who should be in, who shouldn't be, that's huge. And I think that's the consensus.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Well, I don't think it's just the criminals. I mean, I think you also need to go after the folks who are here to take advantage of the welfare benefits, for example, or just draw on the system. But I don't think that the number is 20 million. I don't think President Trump actually thinks the number is 20 million. I don't think anybody realistically thinks the number is 20 million. Got it.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Yes, it's a political campaign and people say that sort of stuff all the time.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Thank you.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Thank you. Thank you.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
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All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
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All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
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All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
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All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Well, I mean, obviously, on a macroeconomic level, I totally agree with Senator Paul. And when it comes to the powers of the presidency, I think that it's pretty extraordinary that we should be able to use the trade deficit as a national emergency sufficient to put down what effectively amounts to a $700 billion deficit.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
tax increase on the american people if you're talking about them paying the price of of the tariffs on on the other end hey congress you know i think that if things get bad enough there are a bunch of you know streams obviously here that cross one of the big things here is that congress is up for re-elect in a year and a half
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And if the Republicans lose Congress in a year and a half, then whatever tricks President Trump is trying to pull in terms of being able to rejigger the rate at which we are paying back our national debt, all that stuff goes by the wayside because if Democrats win Congress, pretty much everything comes to a crashing halt.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And there are a lot of Republicans who are in swing districts or in, say, R plus five, R plus 10 districts who are suddenly going to feel pretty vulnerable. A recession takes everybody with it. It takes Secretary Besant, it takes the president, it takes J.D. Vance, it takes everybody with it.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Recessions tend to crush the president who is in power at the time, regardless of what their long-term plan is. When they say short-term pain for long-term gain, again, I think that there are a few factors here that I would like to see played out. For example... if there is an inflationary effect to the tariffs in terms of price.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Does that mean that Jerome Powell is going to eject additional liquidity into the markets by decreasing interest rates? It's hard to see how. I mean, he's holding the interest rate steady right now without decreasing the interest rates, despite President Trump basically blasting him publicly since before he was even the president formally, he's just the president's elect at that time.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
So again, it's hard for me to see how all of this squares into what looks like a really well calibrated policy. And then beyond that, in the long term,
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
tricks that we play with regard to the rate of interest paying back our national debt are not going to be sufficient to pay back our national debt unless we have robust economic growth and so a lot has to be bet on the robust economic growth out out earning essentially the levels of debt that we are currently racking up and while i love what doge is doing the systemic drivers of our national debt are not actually being touched at this point by doge i mean it's it's the it's the means-tested welfare programs that are really the systemic long-term drivers of our national debt and military i think would be number two yeah
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Military as a percentage of the GDP or as a percentage of the budget has been relatively stable and in some cases decreasing since the end of the Iraq war. True. But when it comes to the means-tested welfare programs, those continue to grow as a percentage of the budget and over time are increasingly unfunded.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Well, I mean, I think one of the things that's really fascinating is the kind of difference in messaging that you hear between the Treasury Secretary, Howard Lutnick, and the Commerce Secretary and the President. I mean, they're all messaging kind of different things. I think Secretary Besant is making the strongest case for what's being done with this sort of long term.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
What's what is reordering look like? And even there, I'm still lacking clarity on what a reordered world trade relationship actually what is the end of the rainbow there? What does that actually look like when all is said and done so that I can kind of grasp exactly what that what he wants that to look like?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I think that Secretary Letnick seems to actually just like tariffs, and President Trump seems to have a picture in his head when it comes to factories, that we're going to revitalize the steel mills, that we're going to be doing the kinds of jobs that we did back in the 1950s.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
It's sort of a nostalgia that President Trump has in sort of his own mind about these sorts of jobs that, by the way, nobody in modern life actually wants to work at. If you were to work at a Ford factory in 1953 in a non-air-conditioned factory riveting for a living, you would actually be quite unhappy. And you should be very happy that actually there are machines that do that now.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And you hear this kind of talk sometimes bandied about, not just with regard to offshoring, but with regards to technology and machines.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I mean, I've talked to, I remember a few years back in 2018, I talked to Tucker Carlson on my program, and he literally said that he would outlaw self-driving cars because it would get rid of white trucker jobs, you know, blue collar trucker jobs in Ohio and Michigan. And when I said, well, that sounds kind of Luddite, he said, well, the Luddites had a point.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And, you know, then suggested that on the basis of safety, he would ban it. And I remember asking him, but those self-driving cars will presumably be more safe than humans driving.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Yes. And what he actually said was, well, you know, you asked me on what grounds I would ban it, not whether that was true or not.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
But I think that that is – I think this is the danger that particularly tech runs when we're talking about these sorts of things is to believe that the animus for trade relationships around the world or the anti-competitive nature of many of the activities that are being taken are relegated solely to sort of the foreign sphere.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I think that you could easily see that turn on quote-unquote job loss that is caused by AI or job loss that is caused by technological gain. I mean, the truth is that if you're talking about job loss in the manufacturing sector in the United States, the vast majority of job loss in the manufacturing sector is not due to offshoring. It's due to technological advancements.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Manufacturing productivity in the United States has actually dramatically risen since the 1980s.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I mean, I totally agree with that. I think one of my questions, however, is if you take a look at some of the examples that Scott is using there, when he talks about the Bretton Woods Agreement, or if you're going to talk about what Nixon did in debasing the dollar, Versailles. I mean, Versailles at least would be a better example in the sense that you didn't have a global hegemon at the time.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
If you're talking about the Bretton Woods system, literally the rest of the world effectively did not exist in the post-World War II era. So what is everybody going to bet on? They have to bet on the American dollar. There's no other choice.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
By the time that Nixon decides to go off the gold standard, essentially he has to rely on the organization of the petrodollar in order to make sure that people don't dissociate from the United States. What is the thing that's going to draw people to the United States as opposed to looking to a rising competitor like a China?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
AI is the only possibility, which is why I think the AI regime inside the Trump administration is so deeply important. I also think this is why I'm warning about, you know, the possibility that these sort of anti-free market forces that are related to tariffs aren't just related to tariffs in some quarters.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
This is where populism can kind of run out of control and start to actually turn against some of its tech masters in some of these cases. And so one of the things that I'm very concerned about is I was talking with Danielle Smith, who's the premier of Alberta the other day, and she was talking about the fact that Like, she's very conservative.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Alberta tends to be a more conservative area of Canada. And she was talking about how if Mark Carney were to become prime minister of Canada instead of Pierre Polyev, that he actually is eager for the tariff war because it allows him to reorient toward China and away from the United States. And there are countries that absolutely would love to do that.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I mean, there's a case to be made that the EU would love an easy off ramp with Russia and China and use this as an excuse as a way of reorienting back toward Russian oil, for example, and then Chinese markets. Because that Chinese market is enormous. These would be lower inputs, right?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
They'll be bringing BYD cars into Europe. And the thing that I'm worried about is when I look at the, forget about Europe and forget about Canada for a second. The tariffs that kind of shocked me when I looked at that list were all the tariffs on the Southeast Asian countries. All of those countries where production has been shifting out of China to places like, for example, Vietnam or Cambodia.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
The production has been shifting to those places specifically because companies know that the United States is going after China. Well, now, why exactly would you manufacture in Vietnam when Vietnam is going to be with a 46% tariff rate on the basis that we have a 90... It's more than that, Ben.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
You're doing great, Trump.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
You have?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Exactly. I had the same exact trajectory as J.D. Vance, except I didn't end up vice president of the United States. But, you know, I think that, you know, again, when we talk about the rollout, the fact that, for example, the meme online right now, and I know we all kind of live in a meme world, that the meme is the president and J.D.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Have you even apologized? Okay. You got no cards. There are no cards. This penguin has no cards. It's just, you have no cards to play, okay? Stop, stop.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And the thing that we had was our trade relationships with all the places that had all of these things that we actually needed, right? And it was super high functioning. Yes, it was quite high functioning. And then beyond that, you also have the problem of what happens if there's just less demand for dollars on the world stage?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I mean, the exit of the dollar as the world's global reserve currency is going to have some pretty nasty spillover effects. And it's going to require the government to start sucking in more dollars from the American population in order to pay off all of these these debts that we're racking up. So, I mean, all these things tend like you could see a world where we magic our way out of this.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
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All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Does anybody here have a suggestion for that? I mean, I actually do have a suggestion and it's actually shockingly easy. President Trump has a visceral connection to blue collar workers in this country. Clearly, he has a visceral connection. He should stop preaching that blue collar workers are getting screwed and start preaching that they're succeeding because it's actually true. Okay, yes.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Yes, I mean, I think that the fib that politicians always make bank on is the idea that, for example, the middle class in America is completely dissolved. That is not statistically true. The middle class has turned into the upper middle class, okay?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And actually, all Americans, I say this on my show all the time, people have this, again, this sort of rosy-eyed view of the 1950s, which, again, was a historical outlier because the rest of the world didn't exist, it had been destroyed. But they also have this bizarre idea that you were better off to be 30 years old in 1980 than you are to be 30 years old in 2025.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And all I can say is in 1980, the only dude with a cell phone was Gordon Gekko and he was a shoebox and he was holding it to his head. Okay, the reality is that everything in your life is better in 2025 on a material economic level than it was in 1980. And the lie that politicians tell in order to gain power is they say, you're getting screwed. Somebody is screwing you. I can unscrew the screwing.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And so there's this constant sort of race to the bottom in terms of this rhetoric. And what you end up with is in the end, what can I promise you? That that I can then blame somebody else for not having fulfilled the promise. President Trump, I think, could avoid that because of this unique connection that he has with blue collar people where he could say, listen, we're all on the same side here.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Right. What we're doing here is innovation. I thought the most important line that I heard from President Trump during his his victory speech the night that he won was he when he said to Elon and it was kind of a throwaway line when he said, we love our geniuses. He said, we love our geniuses. And I thought, yes, that's the thing we need. We love our geniuses. Celebrate success.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Celebrate entrepreneurship. And this could be you. And we're going to have hiring programs, as Marc Andreessen has talked about. We need to have hiring programs that are specifically designed to find the best people, not just abroad, but also in the United States. who might be underserviced in rural areas of the country or in blue-collar areas of the country. Find the next J.D. Vance.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Find the next guy who really needs that hand up. All those things can be done. A rising tide will lift all ships. But this is the problem with the short-term pain plan. Americans have a long memory. And when it comes to politics, I think this happened with the Biden administration. People... their relationship with politicians is sort of like a married couple.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And good married couples, you know, they kind of talk through the minor problems that they're having in their marriage and then things, you know, continue to maintain and grow and get better. Bad married couples, what happens is that they sort of ignore the kind of minor annoyances for years at a time. And then something bad happens and the bottom just goes right out.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And this is the thing that I'm afraid of for the Trump administration. Everybody's willing to ignore the things that are kind of mildly annoying, like penguins at the White House or whatever, up until the point where there's a serious recession. At that point, everybody kind of looks around and goes, why are we even doing this?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I think that's exactly what happened with Biden with the Afghanistan withdrawal, for example. Making a misstep is why I'm being critical of the tariffs. It's not because I want Trump to lose. It's because I want Trump to win, right? I think he's doing too many important things like the stuff that Antonio is doing.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
There are too many important things happening to roll the dice on a strategy that isn't even being articulated. If you're going to make the case for a long-term gain, I need to know what the long-term gain is so I can make the case to the American public as to why they should endure the short-term pain. You know you're having surgery because after the surgery, you're going to feel better.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
But if I say you're having surgery, it's going to be some short-term pain. You say, okay, how am I going to feel after the surgery? You say, well, I don't know. You know, maybe, maybe, who knows? Then why am I having this surgery?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I mean, it'd be pretty horrifying to run for office. It seems like a terrible job. And I think the age to run for president is now in your 70s. So I have like three decades to consider it. But, you know, if I were going to run, I would be running on the basic idea that in this country, the only thing that you are promised is the adventure.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
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And I'm not going to make you promises that I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not going to make you promises that I can't keep about how I'm going to fix your life, because the truth is, I really can't. All I can do is help get the obstacles out of the way so you can fix your life and you can make your life better. And I can help break the institutions that have a stranglehold on your future.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And there, when you're talking about electricians and plumbers, the truth is that we have set up an enormous con game that is our higher education system, particularly in the liberal arts, subsidized by the taxpayer when most jobs that we're talking about right here do not require a college degree.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
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And there's so many things that the Trump administration should be doing and is doing, again, that are great, that they could break the stranglehold on some of these things that allow for more opportunity.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
But I think the thing that people really, you know, the thing that I would say that I really think that maybe no other politician would say, and I can say because I'm not a politician, is your future is, in America, your future is in your hands. It is not in somebody else's hands. It is your responsibility. It is your responsibility to go out and strive.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
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It is your responsibility to go and succeed. We want you to be able to try again if you fail, but we want you to go and we want you to try. Rugged individualism. And also the kind of case that was being made a little bit earlier about China, that basically China is saying that it can do things.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
One of the things that drives me up a wall is when politicians say, I created X jobs or we created X jobs. You didn't create a job, okay? The government does not create jobs. The government can take money from people and then give it to other people, but it is only entrepreneurs who can create jobs.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
And so the way that you fight China off is not by the power of a centralized government directing people in a particular direction. The way that you fight off China is by unleashing the collective knowledge, wisdom, and ambition of the American people on an individual level to go out and do all of these unbelievable things. And that would be the promise that I'd make to the American people.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I'll get everybody the hell out of your way so you can succeed. That would be the only thing I would promise.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Unkind, guys.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Wait, what's the Palmer Lucky one? Can you read that one, Jacob?
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Yeah, that'd be fun. Let's do it.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
220.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Yeah, we're not going bankrupt. You're not going bankrupt.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Yeah, I mean, it has crossed our minds. Yes, for sure.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I mean, I think it's saying a couple of things. I mean, one, it's saying, obviously, look, I think the PE ratios on the Newsmax trade are... you know, ridiculous in the sense that it's going to revert back to something closer to normalcy. I think that it was supposed to trade at 10 bucks and it came out at 14. It spoke to like 240. So it's more like GameStop than anything else.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
There's a lot of retail traders who are fans of Newsmax who bought the stock and then it leapt. And I think it was today back down in the 40s, something like that. It'll end up being, you know, total market cap will probably be somewhere when it lands in like the two to three bill range, somewhere three to four bill. Something like that.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
I think what it says is that the stock market in the short term is a voting machine and in the long term it is a weighing machine. And I think that when you look at stocks that have name brand recognition, then you're going to get a lot of voting in the early going. And then it's a question of whether you can keep that up. So it turns into weighing. Right.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Oh, no. When it peaked, it peaked above $20, Bill. What? Yes.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
$245 yesterday.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Game stopped.
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
DOGE updates + Liberation Day Tariff Reactions with Ben Shapiro and Antonio Gracias
Given the fact that all this has happened, is the Trump administration going to try to claim the social security numbers back, invalidate them? What will be the proper action? Or is it too late? Are they already sort of in the system and now you can't do anything about it?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So again, I'm gonna quibble with the premise of the question because I think that when it comes to, for example, food insecurity, school food programs, again, you can always pour money into any program and at the margins create change. I mean, there's no doubt that pouring money onto anything will create change in a marginal way.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The question is how large is the margin and how big is the movement, right? So the Delta is what I'm looking at. And so I think that the, you're, you're starting at a second order question.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
which is what if we ignore what I would think are the big primary questions of education, namely family structure, value of education at home, how much you have parents who are capable or willing to help with homework. What are the incentive structures we can set up for a society that actually facilitate that? How local communities take ownership of their schools is a big one.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
All of these issues we're ignoring in favor of, say, air conditioning or lunch programs. And so in a vacuum, if you say air conditioning and lunch programs, sounds great in a vacuum. In terms of prioritization of values and cost structure, are those the things that I think are going to move the needle in a major way in terms of public policy? I do not.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And in fact, I think that many of them end up being disproportionate wastes of money. I mean, I've talked before pretty controversially about the fact that an enormous amount of school lunch programs are thrown out, like an enormous amount of that food ends up in the garbage can. Is there a better way to do that?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If there is a better way to do it, then I'm perfectly willing to hear about that better way to do it. But it seems to me that one of the big flaws in the way that many people of the left approach government is what if we hit every gnat with a hammer? And my question is, what if the gnat isn't even the problem?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
What if there is a much bigger substructure problem that needs to be solved in order to, if you're shifting deck chairs on the Titanic, sure, you can make the Titanic slightly more balanced because the deck chairs are slightly better oriented. But the real question is the water that's gaping into the Titanic, right?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And then they used to get married. The vast majority of people in this country with kids used to be married. The vast majority of people with kids in this country now are not married increasingly. That is obviously a societal change. Something changed. It wasn't human evolution.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Do you have the money- People are worse off now than they were 50, 60 years ago when the marriage rates were higher?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So in other words, people are richer now and they have more education now, and yet they're having more babies out of wedlock now because they're richer and have more education?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Because we have changed the moral status of marriage in the culture, meaning that everyone, poor, rich, and in between, used to get married.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
By the way, a huge percentage of marriages in the United States used to be what they would call shotgun marriages, meaning that somebody knocked somebody up, and because they did not want the baby to be born outside of a two-parent household, they would then get married. Do we think that shotgun marriages, though, are a way to bring back equilibrium to education? Yes. Yes. Absolutely.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Sure. Because that is the basis for all of this, including education.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Yes, it was the reasonable direction for nearly all of modern history.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
People don't think that. In what way?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
That's weird. The entire left right now is arguing that we regress social standards by rejecting Roe versus Wade. So that's obviously not true.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The notion of the arc of history constantly moves in one direction is belied by nearly all of the 20th century.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, the first half of the 20th century is filled with barbarism, communism, Nazism. All of that was a regression from what was happening at, for example, the beginning of the 19th century and the 20th century. In what way? Nazism and communism weren't a regression from what was going on in 1905?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I consider that a regression.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
A moral regression, which is what we are talking about now, moral regression. And you're suggesting that moral regression – I wouldn't term a return to traditional values a moral regression. You would. But your suggestion is that history only moves in one direction, and I'm suggesting that history does not only move in one direction. It tends to move actually – back and forth. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
First of all, what the data tend to show is that actually more highly educated people, as you were saying, tend to get married more. So the idea is that women getting an education somehow throws them off marriage. It's the opposite. Usually it's women who are not educated who are not getting married.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Those women aren't having children. Now you're shifting the topic. My topic was how to get more people married. And then you suggested that higher levels of education are delaying marriage and making it less probable.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And what I'm telling you, because this is what the data suggests, is that actually as you raise up the educational ladder, people tend to be married more than they are lower down on the educational ladder. If you're a high school graduate, you're less likely to be married than if you're a postdoc.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There's another confound there. I mean, the confound is that people in stable marriages tend to be the children of stable marriages. And there's only one way to break that cycle, which is to create a stable marriage. And that is something that is in everyone's hands. Again, this notion that it is somehow an unbreakable, unshatterable barrier to get married and have kids.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I don't understand where this is coming from. Why is that such a challenge? It's not a challenge.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I am fine within my local community. We all vote. Again, I've suggested that there's a difference between local community and federal.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I'm fine with my local community voting for school lunches or air conditioning or whatever it is that we all agree to do, because the more local you get, the more homogeneity you get in terms of interest and the more interest you have in your neighbors. All of that's fine. I'm part of a very, very solid community in our community. We give to each other.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We have minimum standards of helping one another. All that's wonderful. When it comes to the actual problem of education, what I object to in the political sphere, and this happens all the time, is everybody is arguing on top of the iceberg about how we can move the needle forward. 0.5 percentage points, as opposed to the entire iceberg melting beneath them. And we just ignore that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We pretend that that's just, you know, sort of the natural consequence of thing. The arc of history suggests that people are never going to get married again. Well, I mean, actually, what the arc of history suggests, realistically speaking, is that the people who are not getting married are not going to be having kids.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And what it also suggests, the people who are married are going to be having kids. And so the demographic profile actually over time is rather going to shift toward people who are having lots and lots of kids. I'm married. I have four kids. Everyone in my community is married. That's like minimum buy-in in my community is four kids.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And so what's happening actually in terms of demographics is that the people who are more religious and getting married are having more kids.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And so if you're talking about the arc of history shifting toward marriage, I would suggest that actually demographically over time, long periods of time, not over one generation, over long periods of time, the only cure for low birth rate is going to be the people who get married and have lots of kids.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I literally just told you that on the local level, I'm fine for people voting for air conditioning.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, the idea there would be that presumably if the society, meaning the state, and I generally don't mean the federal state. I mean, like the state of California, for example, decides that everybody ought to have air conditioning, people will vote for air conditioning, and that's perfectly legal. And I don't think there's anything morally objectionable about that per se.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I also don't think that that's going to heal anything remotely like the central problem. And I think that what tends to happen in terms of government is people love arguing about the problems that can be solved by opening a wallet, and nobody likes to solve a problem by...
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
you know, closing their sex life to one person, for example, or having kids within a stable religious community, like the things that actually build society. I'm fine with arguing about each of these policies and whether we apply them or not is a matter generally of pragmatism. Not morality. It's a matter of incentive structures, not per se morality.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Because incentive structures do have moral underpinnings. There's such a thing as, for example, if you're going to use a welfare program, you have to decide how effective it is, to what crowd it applies, where the cutoffs are. Does it disincentivize work? Does it not? All of these are pragmatic concerns.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But on a moral level, the generalized objection that I have to people on the left side of the aisle is that they like to focus... In these conversations, very often it feels as though it's a conversation with people who are drunk searching under the lamp for their keys. The problems they want to look at are the problems that are solvable by government.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And then all the problems they don't want to look at, which are the actual giant monsters lurking in the dark and not particularly solvable by government, are the ones they want to ignore and assume are just the natural state of things. And I don't think that's correct at all.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And it's actually not the solution to education depending on the kind of solutions that you're talking about. Some solutions, yeah. Some solutions, no.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think these are all pragmatic discussions. Sure, of course. Actually, this is what we used to hash out in legislatures before they turned into platforms for people grandstanding, but yes. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Sure. So in terms of actual job performance, you have to separate it into a few categories. In terms of actual performance in foreign policy, I think Trump's foreign policy record is significantly better than Biden's, the world being on fire right now, being a fairly good example of that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And we can get into each aspect of the world being on fire and where the incentive structures came from and how all of that happened in a moment. When it comes to the economy, I think that Trump's economic record was better than Biden's. Doesn't mean he didn't overspend. He did. He wildly overspent. But he also had a very solid record of job creation.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
A huge percentage of the gains in the economy went to people on the lower end of the economic spectrum. Actually, the gross income to the average American was about $6,000 during his term. The unemployment rates were very, very low before COVID.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think that you almost have to separate the Trump administration into sort of before COVID and during COVID, because COVID obviously is sort of a black swan event, the most signal event change in politics in our lifetime. Governance during COVID is almost its own category, which we can discuss.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
In terms of foreign policy, in terms of domestic policy, I think that Trump was significantly better than Biden has been. That's on the upside for Trump. On the downside for Biden, obviously, you're talking 40-year highs in inflation. You're talking about savings being eaten away. You're talking about everything being 20% to 30% more expensive. You're talking about
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
massive increases to the deficit, even at a rate that was unknown under Trump. The deficit under Trump raised by about a little under a trillion dollars every year up until 2020. Again, 2020 was COVID year, so everybody decided that we're going to fire hose money at things. But then Joe Biden continued to fire hose money at things in 21, 22, and 23.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
That obviously is, in my opinion, bad economic policy. And then you get to the rhetoric and you get to the stuff that Donald Trump says. And as I've said before, My view is that on Donald Trump's epitaph, on his gravestone, it will say Donald Trump, he's had a lot of shit. I think that Donald Trump does say a lot of things.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think that that is basically baked into the cake, which is why everyone who's bewildered by the polls is ignoring human nature, which is at the beginning, when you see something very shocking, it's very shocking. And then if you see it over and over and over and over for years on end, it is no longer shocking. It is just part of the background noise like tinnitus.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It just becomes something that your brain adjusts for. And so do I like a lot of Donald Trump's rhetoric? No, and I never have. Do I think that that is dispositive as to his presidency? No, I do not. When it comes to Biden, again, I think he's underperforming economically. I think that his foreign policy has been really a problem.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Even the things I think he's done right are, I think, band-aids for things that he created by doing wrong. And when it comes to his own rhetoric... You can argue that it's grading on a curve because Trump was coming in with such wild rhetoric that just a maintenance of that wild rhetoric doesn't really change, again, the baseline. For Biden, he came in
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
In the same way that Obama did on the sort of soaring rhetoric of American unity. I'm the president for all. Like Trump came in. He's like, listen, I'm the president for what I am. And, you know, I'm going to say the things I want to say. I'm beyond the toilet. I'm tweeting. We're like, OK, you know, that's what it is with Biden. He came in with I'm the president for all Americans.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I'm trying to unify everybody. And that pretty quickly broke down into a lot of oppositional language about his political opponents in particular, an attempt to lump in, for example. huge swaths of the conservative movement with the people who participated, for example, in January 6th or who are fans of January 6th.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And, you know, the sort of lumping in of everybody into MAGA Republicans who wasn't personally signed on to an infrastructure bill with him. That sort of stuff, I think, has been truly terrible. I thought his Philadelphia speech was truly terrible. And again, I think that you do have the problem of
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He is no longer capable of certainly rhetorically unifying the country when every speech from him feels like watching Nick Wallenda walk across a volcano on a tightrope. It really is like you're just sort of waiting for him to follow. I mean, it's sad to say. I mean, the other day he was speaking for what was in effect his campaign kickoff. And this is in Valley Forge.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And I mean, Jill rushed up there like off that off. As soon as he was done, Jill rushed up there, you know, like she'd been shot out of a cannon to come and try and guide him away. So he didn't become the Shane Gillis Roomba. And, you know, that's not really, you know, let's put it this way. It does not quiet the soul to watch Joe Biden rhetorically.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Again, it's a different problem than Trump's problem. But that's my analysis.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Well, I mean, there's a lot. So, I mean, I want to ask a few questions on each one of these. Yeah, sure. So, let's talk about divisiveness for a second. So... There's no one who can make the case that Donald Trump is not divisive. Of course, he's incredibly divisive. It's a given. Do you treat Biden's rhetoric with the same level of seriousness that you treat Trump's rhetoric?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Or I should probably put that the other way around. Should we treat Trump's rhetoric with the same level of seriousness as Joe Biden or, say, Barack Obama's rhetoric?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Right. So my feeling is – and this is one area where, for clarification, we're going to have a division – is that I, of course, don't treat Trump's rhetoric in the same way that I treat Biden's or Obama's. He's utterly uncalibrated. He says whatever he wants to at any given time, and it doesn't even match up with his policy very often.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, the answer would be yes. And now I've been given a choice between a person who I think in calibrated ways says things that are divisive and a person who in uncalibrated ways says things that are divisive. And so the evidence that Joe Biden is divisive is every poll taken.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
since essentially august of 2021 he he is by all available metrics incredibly divisive a huge percentage of americans are deeply unhappy not only with his performance but don't believe his uniter they're that's just the reality and that may just be a reflection i mean honestly we may be putting too much on trump or biden personally it may just be that the american people themselves are rhetorically divided because of social media and social media can in fact be assessable
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, the reason I would say that Biden is, in fact, historically divisive is because Republicans felt much more strongly about Barack Obama than Joe Biden, actually. But they didn't feel as strongly about Trump as they did about like Romney or McCain. Right. In what way?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Oh, no, there's certainly more allegiance to Trump than there is to Romney or McCain, largely because Trump won in 2016. But beyond that, the point that I'm making is that if you're looking at the stats in terms of divisiveness, Republicans always find the Democratic president divisive. The question is where the rest of the country is.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And right now, there are a lot of Democrats who either don't agree with Biden or find him divisive. There are a lot of independents who find him divisive. So when we're comparing these things, I don't think they're leagues apart in terms of the divisive effects of what they say.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And I'm separating that off from like the inherent content of what they say, because obviously what Trump says is is more divisive just on like the raw level. I mean, if he's insulting people as opposed to Joe Biden doing MAGA Republicans, like if I were to just if I're an alien come down from space and look at these two statements, I'd say this one's more divisive than this one.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But then there's the reality of being a human being in the world. And that is everyone has baked Donald Trump into the cake. And Joe Biden, again, started off with a patina of being non-divisive and now has emerged as divisive. If you don't mind, I actually want to get to the foreign policy questions because this one is actually slightly less interesting to me.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Well, I mean, yes, his Republican base was not in favor of mass spending on infrastructure and neither am I. So there's that. I think that's mostly a state and local.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
That's not a spending. I mean... I mean, effectively it is, right? Effectively, it's not. Well, if you're cutting tax receipts, but you're not changing the level of spending, like Biden did with the IRA... Again, we have a fundamental philosophical difference here. I think that when the government takes my money, that is not the government... somehow being more fiscally responsible.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And when the government allows me to keep my money, I don't see that as the government spending. I see that as my money and the government is taking less of it.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Right. We have a spending problem. It's not a receipts problem is the case that I'm making. The problem with Donald Trump is not that he lowered taxes. The United States has one of the most progressive tax systems on the planet. And in fact, if you wish to have a European style social welfare state, what you actually need is to tax the middle class to death.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, the reality is the top 20% of the American population pays literally all net taxes in the United States after state benefits and all of this. So if you actually wanted to have the kind of social welfare state that many liberals seem to want to have, like Northern Europe, for example, you'd actually have to tax people who make $40,000, $50,000, $60,000. And I don't want that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I agree with that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, if he's like such a uniter. Because I think the Republican Party itself is quite divided. And I think that Trump's- But isn't that his job?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, again, I don't think that Joe Biden has passed wildly historic legislation. The infrastructure bill was the largest. So here's the problem. If you're a Republican, the only bills that you can get consensus on tend to be bills that either – let's be real about this – that are tax cuts because –
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
As you would, I think, agree with, when it comes to polling data, Americans constantly say they want to cut the government. And then the minute you ask them which program, they have no idea what they're... Right, exactly. And so it's much harder to come up with a bill to cut things than it is to come up with a bill to add things, which is why spending was out of control under Trump as well.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But there are some Republicans who still don't want to spend on those things, right? So inherently, the task that... This goes back to the first question. The task that Republicans think government is there to do is different than the task that Democrats think that government is there to do.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So the way that the very metric of success for a Democratic president versus a Republican president, namely, for example, pieces of legislation passed. As a Republican, one of my goals is to pass nearly no legislation because I don't actually want the government involved in more areas of our life. I want to ask a couple questions on the foreign policy issue.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Right. Like, why are there not bills where Donald Trump could take? Well, I mean, first of all, I think that whenever the government says something is spending neutral, it rarely materializes that way. That is not going to be a spending neutral bill. Sure. But there's a difference between like at least they say it's spending neutral versus this is a 500 billion dollar bill over like 10 years.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, well, but again, I don't see a tax cut as a matter of spending neutrality. The big problem is they keep spending, not that they are allowing me to keep the money that I earned and they did not earn, but.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, the opposite. I would consider it a wild overspending.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, the deficit spending, by the way, under Biden is way worse than it was under Trump. Of course, but we're in post-COVID, right? Yeah. COVID ended effectively. I mean, you live in Florida. COVID effectively ended in the state of Florida by the middle of 2021.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, even if you're a vaccine fan, by April, May of 2021, there was wide availability of vaccines, whether or not you like the vaccines. And at that point, we were done.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The definition of inflation is too much money chasing too few goods. So pouring more money on top of that makes for more inflation. That's what it does.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So here's the thing. I don't think that the economy was actually headed for a recession. In fact, if you look at the economic statistics – Every economist said it was.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
They're still saying that there's like a recession coming, right? Right, but that was largely because of the aftereffects of inflation, meaning if you inflate the economy, what you're going to end up doing is bursting a bubble – And then when that bubble bursts, you'll get a recession. I mean, that was the basic idea, right? The question was whether you're going to get a soft landing.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But if you actually look at, for example, the employment statistics or the economic growth statistics in the United States, what they look like under the last year's Obama and then Trump, I mean, this is what the chart looks like. It looks like this. And then it hits March of 2020. It goes like that. And then by like September, it bounces back up, right? It's a V-shaped recovery.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And then it starts to peter out. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Yeah, no, I don't, I'm not going to attribute it to that because the rates of growth in, in job growth from September, October, November were actually very similar to the rates of job growth after Joe Biden took office. Well, you see, it's actually kind of a straight line. I mean, what the chart looks like in any case.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So on the foreign policy stuff, this is getting abstruse, but on the, on the, on the foreign policy stuff. Um, so the, the questions that I have with regard to, to Biden on foreign policy, uh, Very, very simple question. Do you think that the situation in the Middle East is better now than it was under Donald Trump?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Yes. Why did it end up being essentially a client state of Russia? I know that Putin enjoys access to the ports down there. I don't know. I mean, the reason is because Barack Obama suggested that there was a red line that would be drawn in the face of chemical weapons use. Bashar al-Assad then used chemical weapons in Syria.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And Barack Obama was unwilling to then essentially create consequences for Syria in the form of any sort of Western strike. And so instead, he outsourced it to Russia. This is 2013, 2014. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Who was president during Libya?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The point that I'm making is that actually the Middle East, just historically speaking, was historically good under Donald Trump. It's very difficult to make the case that either before or after Trump were better than during Donald Trump.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He didn't wreck ISIS.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There's a spike in violence. And then the Trump, I mean, you get credit for when you're president, presumably. I mean, things got better with ISIS under Trump. I mean, yeah, they did. I mean, things got worse with ISIS under Obama. Yeah. For sure. He called them the JV squad. Sure. And then they became not the JV squad.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, exactly. the opposite, especially given the fact that after the movement of the embassy to Jerusalem, the Abraham Accords continued to sign and actually expand. And that if Donald Trump had been elected, I have no doubt in my mind that Saudi Arabia would now be a part of the Abraham Accords. In fact, that was basically pre-negotiated.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And then when Joe Biden took office, Joe Biden took a very anti-Saudi stance on a wide variety of issues. The biggest single effect in the Middle East of Joe Biden's presidency, and again, I agree with you that not every foreign policy issue can be laid at the hands of a president.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Joe Biden's main approach to the Middle East was very similar to the Obama approach, which is why the Middle East was chaotic under Obama and chaotic under Biden. And that was to alienate allies like Saudi Arabia and Israel, and instead to try to make common cause or cut deals with Iran. What that did is incentivize terrorism from Iran.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
What we're watching in the Middle East is Iran attempting to use every one of its terror proxies in the Middle East, and it was specifically launched in an attempt to avoid what Biden actually was trying to do, which was good, which was After two years of failure with Saudi Arabia, try to bring them into the Abraham Accords, right? That was what was burgeoning at the end of last year.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And Iran saw that, and Iran decided that they were going to throw a grenade into the middle of those negotiations by essentially activating Hamas. Hamas activates, Hamas commits October 7th. Israel, as a sovereign nation state, has to respond to the murder of 1,200 of its citizens and the taken kidnapping of 240.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Israel has to do that not only to go after its own hostages and try to restore them, but also to reestablish military deterrence in the most violent region of the world. He's below gets active on Israel's northern border. He's below is an Iranian proxy. They get active on the northern border. The Houthis in Yemen get active.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
These are all the only reason all this is happening at the same time is because Iran is doing this right. But not just that. They are threatening global shipping.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
You're talking about the effects of global supply lines, which I totally agree had a major inflationary effect on the economy thanks to covid. Mm hmm. Right now, the cost of shipping is nearly double what it was just a few weeks ago.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And that is because a ragtag group of Houthi barbarians are attacking international shipping and forcing everybody to stop using the Bab el-Mandib's freight instead of going around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. All of that is the result of the fact that Joe Biden reoriented the United States in the very early days in favor of a more pro-Iranian stance.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He appointed Robert Malley to negotiate the Iran deal, who, as it turns out, was using proxies. Many of his aides were actually taking money from Iran. The Biden administration, literally one of their first acts was to delist the Houthis as a terror organization and end sanctions against the Houthis. These are all moves that Biden made very early on. They were disastrous moves.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But when it comes to domestic policy, I think he hasn't been nearly as damaging on domestic policy as he has been on foreign policy.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
That means that we're on a road to normalcy with Iran in the 1990s. We do in the, wait, what? That we're on a road to normalcy with Iran in the 1990s.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I find that very difficult to believe, and I don't see a lot of evidence. I mean, we can just disagree on that. Sure. Okay. Yeah, sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But I know that the after effects, just quick note, the after effect of the Iraq war that was the most devastating was the increase in power of Iran.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Originally, it was a Sunni government. Disbanding the Sunni army was one of the worst things that the Bush administration did. Probably, yeah.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Pretty sectarian.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
UAE and Morocco.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, to pretend that anybody even 15 years ago would have been talking about normalization in Saudi Arabia and Israel is insane. I mean, that's insane.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
They had already been collaborating and doing things. That's a wild claim that Israel and Saudi Arabia were going to normalize 15 years ago. 15 years ago might have been a wild claim.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Those were the first steps toward obviously the formation of a new Middle East in which economics would predominate over sectarian conflict. The chief obstacle to that is Iran. The notion that negotiations with the Ayatollah were going to be a solution to any of this is absolutely benign.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, what has to happen is the containment of Iran, which was what was taking place with the increased normalization with the Sunni Arab world and Israel combined with significant economic sanctions.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The notion that there's this far-fetched notion in foreign policy circles that diplomacy can sort of be wish cast out of thin air, that if you sit around a table that you can always come to an agreement with somebody. The Ayatollahs do not have common interests with the United States. They do not.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And this idea that they are willing to take money in exchange for, for example, some sort of peaceful acquiescence to Israel's existence is obviously untrue.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The economy – the economic gains – Well, I mean – And the same thing with Jordan, same thing with – Not to get into Turkish politics, but the situation with Turkey was actually quite warm between Israel and Turkey in the 90s when you had the sort of –
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
secular muslim regime in the 90s but they signed in place and and now erdogan is has joined in the fray and erdogan is significantly more radical sure than what i'm so sorry um if i said turkey i'm in egypt my bad In terms of Egypt and Jordan, we're the first two big ones. Here's the thing. Is it possible that you could theoretically come to a deal with Iran only with a new leadership crew?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
This is true for every peace agreement in the region. Israel could not have made peace with... Well, they made peace with Egypt, and Sadat was the leader for Yom Kippur. They did not make peace with Nasser. The point is that this is a different regime. You need a different regime.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, that's true. It is also true that that is a relationship that could be cultivated specifically because It was Sadat who made clear he was going to come to the table. Have the Iranians ever made clear that they would come to the table over, for example, the existence of the state of Israel? No. That is not a thing that's going to happen. But I think people probably felt the same.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Every single one of their proxy groups, every one of them, not only calls for the destruction of the state of Israel, they also call for the destruction of America. I mean, this is literally the Houthi slogan. They're busy hitting ships, and their slogan is literally, Allahu Akbar, death to America, death to the Jews, death to Israel.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It doesn't fit on a bumper sticker, and it's not all that catchy, but that is, in fact, their slogan. The notion that the regime that propagates that is going to be approached with diplomacy is not only wrong. The problem is that it's easy to say that the stakes of diplomacy are, okay, so we try to talk, right? Jaw-jaw is better than war-war.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Sure, the only problem is that in the Middle East, weakness is taken as a sign that aggression might be an appropriate response. That is how things work in the Middle East. And the fact that Barack, that Joe Biden rather,
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
came into office with an orientation toward continuing the Obama policies in Iran has led to conflagrations, these sort of brush fires breaking out everywhere that Iran has borders with either the West or Israel or both, right?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Any place that's happening, it's leading to brush fires because again, the logic of violence in the Middle East is not quite the logic of violence in other places in the world. By the way, I think the logic of violence in the Middle East is actually closer to what most international politics looks like than we wish that it were. I mean, I think that's part of what's happening in Ukraine as well.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Which brings me, by the way, here's my question about Ukraine.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, frankly, I think that what Israel's doing wrong is if I were Israel, okay, like again, America's interests are not coincident with Israel's interests. If I were an Israeli leader- I would have sloved up and I would have knocked the bleep out of Hezbollah early. What does that mean?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Yoav Galant, who was the defense minister of Israel, was encouraging Netanyahu, who was the prime minister, and the war cabinet, including Benny Gantz. So whenever people talk about the Netanyahu government, that's not what's in place right now. There's a unity war government in place that includes the political opposition.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The reason I point that out is because there are a lot of people politically who will suggest that the actions Israel is currently taking are somehow the... manifestation of a right-wing government. Israel currently does not have a quote-unquote right-wing government. They have a unity government that includes the opposition.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
In any case, Yoav Galant was urging in the very early days of the war that Israel should turn north and instead of hitting Hamas, they should actually take the opportunity to knock Hezbollah out because Hezbollah is significantly more dangerous to the existence of the state of Israel than Hamas. I actually agree with that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
As far as what Israel has been doing wrong in the actual war, I mean, I think that Again, from an American perspective, I think that Israel is doing pretty well. From an Israeli perspective, if I were Israeli, I would actually want Israel to be less loose about sending its soldiers in on the ground level.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So Israel's attempting to minimize civilian casualties, and the cost of that has been the highest military death toll that Israel has had since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. I mean, I personally know through one degree of separation, three separate people have been killed in Gaza. And that's because they're going in door to door. It's because they're attempting to minimize civilian casualties.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And they're losing a lot of guys in this particular war. You know, the problem that Israel has had, historically speaking, is that Israel got very complacent about its own security situation. They believed the technology was going to somehow correct for the hatred on the other side of the wall.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Okay, so our people have to live underground for two weeks at a time while some rockets fall, but at least it's not a war. And that complacence, you know, bred hatred.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
what happened on october 7th so to me what israel did wrong was years and years and years of complacence and belief in an oslo system that is at root a failure because you cannot make a peace agreement with people who do not want to make peace with you so that that's what i think israel is doing wrong i have a feeling there's gonna be wide divergence on this point
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, I mean, I think Israel would love nothing better than that. But that is for sure. One of the big problems in the Middle East is literally no one wants to preside over the Palestinians. Yes. No one. So Arab states, Israel, no one.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I will argue with that. The idea that Israel does not want to end the conflict is belied by the history of what just happened with the Gaza Strip. So when we talk about settlements, for example, Israel did have settlements inside the Gaza Strip. There were 8,000 Jews who were living inside the Gaza Strip in Gush Katif up until 2005. They withdrew all of those.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, took them literally out of their homes. And the result was not the burgeoning of a better attitude toward the state of Israel with regard to, for example, you know, the Palestinian population in Gaza. In fact, it was more radical in Gaza than it was in the West Bank.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The result was obviously the election of Hamas, the October 7th attacks, in which unfortunately many civilians took place, took part in the October 7th attacks. There's video of people rushing who are civilians and dressed in civilian clothing into the Israeli villages.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There's Area B, which is mixed Israeli-Palestinian control, where Israel provides some level of military security and control. And then there's Area C. And Area C was like to be decided later. It was left up for possible concessions to the Palestinian Authority if the Oslo Accords had moved forward. Those are disputed territories.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There is building taking place in Area C by both actually, no one talks about this, but by Palestinians as well as Israelis. And the the question as to whether if Israel stopped building. There have been many settlement freezes in the past, including some undertaken by Netanyahu. And it actually has not done one iota of good in moving the ball forward in terms of actual negotiations.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Again, the biggest problem is that the leadership for Palestinians has spent every day since really 67.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It's not even 48, because between 48 and 67, Jordan was in charge of the West Bank, and Egypt was in charge of the Gaza Strip, and at no point did either of those powers say, hey, maybe we ought to hand this over to an independent Palestinian state, which was originally the division that was promoted by the UN Partition Plan in 47.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Because of that, the leadership post 67 and really starting in 64, the Palestine Liberation Organization was founded in 64 and it called for the liberation of the land in 64. They had the West Bank and they had the Gaza Strip. So they're talking about Tel Aviv when it was founded in 64. The basic idea, as kind of indicated by that, was Israel will not exist.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And that was a promise that's been made by pretty much every Palestinian leader in Arabic to the people that they are talking to. Yasser Arafat famously would do this sort of thing. He'd speak in English and talk about how he wanted a two-state solution, and then he'd go back to his own people and say, this is a Trojan horse, and we're going to...
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If Israel could, if you think that Israeli parents want to send their kids at the age of 18 to go and monitor Janine and Nablus and be in Hanuneth, you're out of your mind. You're out of your mind. Israelis do not want that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
In fact, Israelis didn't want that so much that they allowed rockets to fall in their cities for full on 18 years in order to avoid sending soldiers en masse back into the Gaza Strip.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Well, I mean, East Jerusalem has already been annexed. So East Jerusalem is, according to Israel, a part of Israel. That's not a settlement. Okay, so there's that. With regard to, you know, does Israel have an interest in expanding settlements in the West Bank? Why would they not until there's a peace partner? Sure, that's what I mean.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But I'm saying as long as the conflict continues, like, because even when you talk about the— No, but your suggestion is that they're incentivizing the conflict to continue so they can grab more land.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think there'd be very, let's put it this way. If suddenly there arose among the Palestinians a deep and abiding desire for peace approved by a vast majority of the population with serious security guarantees, I think you'd be very hard pressed to find Israelis who would not be willing to at least consider that I feel like we're not expanding bathrooms in a fraud.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, but the point I'm making is that Israelis now realize that the entire peace process was a sham, meaning the people who are on the other side of the table were using it as a Trojan horse in the first place. The death of Oslo is not the death of Israeli hopefulness. It's the death of the illusion that on the other side of the table was anyone worth bargaining with.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
That's what's happening, and that's why you have this sort of insane disconnect right now between the United States and the Israeli government. Again, it's a unity government. No one in Israel is talking about making concessions to the Palestinian Authority for a wide variety of reasons, including the fact that Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah continues to pay actual families of terrorists who kill Jews.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Sure, the Mark Fund, yeah. Right? Which is from the moderate West Bank. Right, exactly. So, again, the taste in Israel for this is – Even the people who are the Chilonim, right? Those are the most secular people in Israel, which was, by the way, the place that was attacked on October 7th.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, what people should understand is that October 7th was not an attack against settlements in the West Bank. It was an attack on peace villages that were essentially disarmed. And many of these people who were killed were peace activists, were literally trying to work with people in Gaza to get them jobs. I mean, it's just, it's mind-boggling. That's why you've had this ground shift in Israel.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The next 20 years in Israel is going to be about security and economic development, period, end of story. Everything else goes second, third place.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
They involved bilateral peace. mentality. And this is why what I'm seeing right now, this is why, listen, I think that Biden has done better than I certainly expected him to do in terms of support for Israel. Like Obama was way less supportive of Israel than Biden by every metric.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
With that said, the rhetoric that he's been using recently and that Blinken had been using recently about Israel needs to make painful concessions for peace. Re-centering this issue at the center of relations in the Middle East is doomed to failure. The magic, magic is a strong word, the benefit of the Abraham Accords was proof that
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Of what you're saying, which is true, which is that all of the surrounding countries in reality have abandoned the idea that there is a centrality to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. That is not the central conflict in the Middle East. And by the way, one of the reasons it's not the central conflict in the Middle East is because actually, ironically, because of the rise of Iran.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It's Sunni states that are largely signing up with Israel because they're realizing they need some sort of counterweight to a burgeoning nuclear power in Iran. Can we talk about Ukraine? Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
My main problem with Biden's policy with regard to Ukraine is that he outsourced the end goal of the war to Zelensky early on. Now, that might make sense if that goal were something that he was willing to fund to the point of achievement or if Zelensky could have achieved it on his own.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But right now – and this has been true since pretty early on in the war, this point Henry Kissinger made – that pretty early on in the war, it was very clear that, for example – Crimea was going nowhere. The Russians had control of Crimea, barring the United States giving permission to fly F-16s over Crimea. Nothing was going to change over there.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The same thing was true in most of the Donbass, right, in Luhansk and Donetsk. That was not going to change. Zelensky stated goal, and you understand it, he's the leader of Ukraine, right, is that there was a predation on his territory in 2014, and that the Russians sent their little green men across the border, and then they took all of these areas.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And so he is the leader of Ukraine is saying, okay, I want all of that back. Now, the reality is that the U.S. 's interests had largely been achieved in the first few months of the war, meaning the revocation of the ability of Russia to take Ukraine and just ingest it, and two, the devastation of Russia's military capability. I mean, Russia has just been wrecked.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, their military is in serious... straits because of the war in Ukraine. From an American perspective, I'm very much pro all of that. I think that we have an interest in Ukraine maintaining the buffer status against a territorially aggressive Russia.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think that the United States does have an interest in degrading the Russian military to the extent that it can't threaten the Baltic states or threaten Kazakhstan or other countries in the region. The problem I have with Biden's strategy is the As always, I think that it's a muddle. And I think muddles tend to end with misperceptions. War tends to break out and maintain because of misperception.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Misperception of the other side's strength, the other side's intentions, and all of the rest. People misperceive what's going to happen. They say, I'll cross that line and nothing will happen, right? This is what Putin thought. He thought, I'll cross that line. They'll greet me as a liberator. And because the United States just surrendered in Afghanistan, essentially, they won't do anything.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And the West is fragmenting because NATO's fragmenting and all the rest of this. And obviously, he was wrong on all of those scores. As with virtually every war, no end line was set.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And so it became out recently that it was widely reported that actually there was a peace deal that was on the table in the first few months that Putin was on board with that basically would have ceded Luhansk and Donetsk and Crimea to Russia in return for solidification of those lines, American and Western security guarantees to Ukraine, right?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Ukraine wouldn't formally join NATO, but there would be security guarantees to Ukraine. We're ending up there anyway. It's just taking a lot more money and a lot more time to get there.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Yes, and I think that Biden actually did Zelensky a bit of a disservice because Zelensky knows where this war is going to end, and it's not going to end with Luhansk and Donetsk and Crimea in Ukrainian hands. It's just not going to, and he knows that. What actually, in my opinion, Zelensky...
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
needed was for Joe Biden to be the person who foisted that deal upon him so that he could then go back to his own people and say, listen, guys, I wanted all those things, but the Americans weren't willing to allow me to have all those things. And so we did an amazing job. We did a heroic job in defending our own land. We devastated the Russian military, even though no one expected us to.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But we can't get back those things because it's unrealistic to get back those things because America, basically, they're a big funder and they're the ones who want the deal. Instead, what Biden said, and this was reported in the Washington Post last year, the Biden administration said, We're going to fight for as long as it takes with as much as it takes.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And when they were asked until when, they said, whatever Zelensky says. And that's not a policy. That's just a recipe for a frozen conflict with endless funding. Now, it may be that Putin has walked away from the table and that deal is no longer available. If that deal is available right now, I certainly hope that's being pursued behind closed doors. My main critique, again, of Biden is that
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
When you outsource the end goal to another country without stating what America's interest is, that's a problem. I also think that Biden did really quite a poor job of sort of explaining what America's realistic interests are.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I don't like it when American leaders – it's weird for me to say this, but I'm not a huge fan of the we're in it to protect democracy kind of rhetoric because, frankly, we are allied with many, many countries that are not democracies, and that's not actually how foreign policy works. We should, as an overall – 30,000-foot goal, advance democracy and rights where we can.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But the reason that we were fighting in favor of Ukraine, and when I say fighting, I mean giving them money and giving them weaponry. The reason that we were doing that in favor of Ukraine is not because of Ukraine's long history of clean voting and non-corruption. The reason that we were doing that is to counter Russian interests in the region. I mean, it was a pure, real politic play.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And that real politic play is hard to deny no matter what side of the aisle you're on. I think that what many Americans are going to, are reverting to is, we have no interest there. Why are we spending money there and not spending money here? And that kind of stuff.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And that argument can always be applied unless you actually articulate the reason why it is good for Americans beyond simply the ideological for the United States to be involved in a thing. So for example, I think right now, When when Biden is taught, I think that what Biden just did is the United States, as we speak, is striking the Houthis. I think that that's a really, really good thing.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think that's a necessary thing. I think American people should understand why that is happening. It's not because of, quote unquote, ideology. It is, I mean, on a very root level. But really, it's because. you're screwing up the straights. I mean, you can't do that. You can't screw up free trade.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And Americans have an interest in not seeing all of our prices at the grocery store double and triple because a bunch of ragtag pirates, you know, akin to the Barbary pirates from 1800, are bothering everyone, right?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We tried that under Obama with Afghanistan. It was terrible. We'll escalate the troop levels to X, but only for six months.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Do you think Biden should cut this deal on the funding? Meaning there's this $105 billion deal that's been held up by debate between Republicans and Democrats. over border, right? So basically it contains $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, another several billion dollars for Taiwanese defense against China, and then include some border funding and some border provisions.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Republicans want the border funding and the border provisions because we can get into the illegal immigration issue, but that's a pretty serious issue. And Biden and Democrats have been unwilling to hold that up.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And that seems to me like just from, put aside Republican, Democrat, it seems like political malpractice, meaning there's a widespread perception in the United States that the border is a disaster area. Joe Biden wants these things. Many Republicans don't want these things.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If he caves on the border stuff, he gets all the things that he wants, and he's going to be able to go back to the moderates in the country and say, I did something about the border. It seems like such an obvious win. If he caves on the border stuff, you mean on the Ukraine stuff? Yes, because then he gets the whole package.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He can go back to his own base and he can say, listen, guys, I wanted to be easy on the border. The Republicans forced me to it, but we needed the Ukraine aid. We needed the Taiwan aid.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So first of all, I'm glad that Destiny, you're already coming out as a Republican. That's exciting. I mean, we hold a lot in common in terms of the basic idea that people ought to have as much opportunity as possible, and also insofar as the government should do the minimum amount necessary to interfere in people's lives in order to pursue certain functions, particularly at the local level.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So I'm glad you're excited. It's always fun. So there are two elements to incitement of insurrection. One is incitement. The other is insurrection. So incitement has a legal standard. So does insurrection. Neither of those standards are met. So if you're asking me, morally speaking, did Donald Trump do the right thing between November 4th and January 6th?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I said I will continue to say no, he did not. I think he was saying things that are false with just factually false about his theories with regard to the election, about the election being stolen, about fraud. This is all adjudicated in court. He did not even bring many of the claims that he has brought publicly and all the rest of that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If we're talking about incitement of insurrection as a legal standard, it doesn't meet any of those standards. When it comes to incitement, it has to be incitement to immediate lawless action. That's the standard for incitement.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And I'm very meticulous in how I use this because I happen to speak publicly a lot, and that means there are lots of people who listen to me, which means some of those people are probably crazy. And some of them may go and do a crazy thing. Did I incite them?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The media tends to use the word incitement very loosely with regard to this sort of stuff in the same way that Bernie Sanders, quote unquote, incited the congressional baseball shooting. He did not. Bernie Sanders has a lot of things I disagree with. I think Bernie's a schmuck. Doesn't matter. He did not incite that. So saying bad things is not the same thing as inciting violence.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Inciting violence, the legal standard in the United States is I want you to go punch that guy in the face. That's that's inciting.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
With regard to insurrection, typically in insurrection, and there are some descriptions in case law, though none in statutory law as far as I'm aware, the typical description in case law is the replacement of one legitimate government of the United States with another by violent means. The notion that Donald Trump coordinated any such insurrection is belied by the FBI itself.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The FBI put out a report in, I believe it was August of 2021, suggesting that there was no well-coordinated insurrectionist attempt coordinated by the White House. In fact, what you had was Donald Trump thrashing around like that weird alien in the movie Life.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So a lot of governmental discussions on a pragmatic level end up being discussions about where government ought to be involved, but also at what level government ought to be involved. And I have an incredibly subsidiary view of government. I think that local governments, because you have higher levels of homogeneity and consent, are capable of doing more things.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I don't know if you ever saw it with Jake Gyllenhaal where he's like kind of thrashing up against this glass box, just an alien just thrashing up against the glass box. That I think is more what you were seeing from November 4th to January 6th. And then, again, the claim that January 6th itself was an insurrection. So virtually, I'm not aware that anyone was charged with actual insurrection.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There were some people who were charged with seditious conspiracy. There are insurrection statutes that do exist. No one was charged under those particular statutes. There were some people who you could say informally had insurrectionist ideas. Those would be the people who wanted to hang Nancy Pelosi or kill Mike Pence. And those people are in jail right now. And the election went forward.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The election was certified. Mike Pence presided over the certification. Mitch McConnell presided over the certification. Joe Biden has been the president for the last three years. So Donald Trump, by the way, was still president at that point.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If he had actively wanted to do what other people who have actually launched coups have done, he would have theoretically called the National Guard not to put down the riot, but to actually depose the sitting government of the United States in the name of a specious legal theory. He did not do that. He did not attempt that. Nobody working for him did that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The most you can say, I think, about what everybody was doing is that, you know, and I want to say everybody. We can talk about Trump because this is really about Trump. used a phrase that Trump was disseminating knowingly false information. The word that's carrying a lot of weight there is the word knowingly. So knowingly implies a knower.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Do I think the information he was disseminating was false? Yes. Do I think that Donald Trump has a unique capacity to convince himself of nearly anything that is to his own benefit? Absolutely. And I think that that's actually what Absolutely. Absolutely. So I don't, actually.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Would a reasonable person have known that they were? No, it depends on the mens rea standard. So it's not the same in every case. If you have to establish individual intent, then it's not enough to say a reasonable person should have known. That would be enough for a negligence statute.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Usually when you're talking about reasonable people, person statutes, just legally speaking, a reasonable person statute is should a reasonable person have known that's when you get to like manslaughter. You can't do a reasonable person standard on like first degree murder. So you have to establish actual motive in first degree murder.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And as you abstract up the chain, it becomes more and more impractical and more and more divisive to do more things. In my view, government is basically there to preserve democracy. certain key liberties. Those key liberties pre-exist the government insofar as they are more important than what priorities the government has. The job of government is to maintain, for example, national defense,
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
You're reverting to, should a reasonable person have known? Yeah. Yes, a reasonable person should have known. Did Donald Trump know? That's a different question. And so conflating those two questions is going to get you into some message here. By the way, this is why Jack Smith charged the way Jack Smith charged. Yeah, which wasn't – Jack Smith did not charge conspiracy.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Jack Smith did not charge insurrection. He did not charge seditious conspiracy, right? If he – the reason is because Jack Smith is a good lawyer. What he's doing is he's actually – broadly, I would say, pretty obviously expanding statutory coverage in weird areas in order to cover a thing that doesn't quite fit into any of these legal categories.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But the point that I'm making is that Jack Smith is on my side of this. He doesn't think that he can actually establish the intent necessary to convict under a seditious conspiracy or an insurrection.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So I'm sorry that I don't have the memorization. I believe one's a fraud charge that generally does not apply to cases like this. Generally, the fraud charge is like you're trying to steal money from the government. Sure, fraud has been used pretty broadly in the past, though.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Right. So the default of civil rights is usually somebody standing in the actual like voting house door and preventing you from voting. Not you have a specious legal theory that you espouse in court about whether those votes should be thrown out.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Well, If you're talking about the legal cases, I mean, that's not true, but Gore sued in 2000, right? I mean, so if you're talking about the legal cases, right? Well, if this is comparable to Gore, if this is comparable to Gore, then... I'm not saying it's comparable to Gore. I'm saying that if the idea is that espousing a legal theory in court amounts to de facto some form of election...
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
denial or interference in some way that that can't that that's not as a general principle. It's over inclusive. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Right. And Donald Trump had a bunch of legal challenges and then he had a rally and then there was a riot and then he left power.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So I think what I want to get to here actually, so we can be more specific, is why are these terms important? We agree on, largely speaking, what happened. I think the characterization of the term, are we kind of bouncing around between two different categories here?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We're not looking at incitement.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Right. So prevent the peaceful transfer of power with all means or using means that are inappropriate, not quite the same thing.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Okay. Okay, so illegal, I don't think so. I don't think that these charges actually meet the criteria for the various charges, and we can discuss each case if you want. Sure. As far as inappropriate, sure, I think tons of inappropriate stuff.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I'll concede that he's more inappropriate than others. I just don't see that. The most inappropriate. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
protection of property rights, protection of religious freedom. These are the key focuses of government as generally expressed in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. And I agree with the general philosophy of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean— The question to me is the bigger question that I think the Democrats are trying to promote in this election cycle, which is this means he is a threat to democracy sufficient that if he were to win the election, there would not be another. But he tried to do that last time. Could he not try it next time?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, he could try to do whatever he wants, presumably, and he would fail the same way that he did last time.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Because he failed.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Now, that doesn't mean, by the way, that you can't do more on a governmental level, again, as you get closer to the ground, which, by the way, is also embedded in the Constitution. People forget the Constitution was originally applied to the federal government, not to local and state government. But, you know,
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I believe in the checks and balances of American government. I believe they worked on January 6th. So if you're asking me, do I think that Trump has bad intent or could have bad intent with that sort of stuff? Sure. Do I believe that the guardrails held and will continue to hold? Also, sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
You know, if I promise that day one, as Donald Trump has pledged to do, that he's going to deport literally every illegal immigrant into the country, do I think he's actually going to do that? I mean, I really highly doubt it. He didn't do it last time he was in office. There are many examples of this. I agree. Here's my question. Do you think the guardrails are going to fail to hold?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I'm not sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I think that one of the one of the things that happened in 2022 is Democrats ran directly on this platform and a bunch of Republicans lost were running on this platform. Literally every secretary of state ran on the Donald Trump. We should deny elections platform lost in every state. Sure, but other Republicans that have been – A great way to lose local office is this.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
like all of US politics. People who were not born voted against.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If I were going to define conservatism, it would actually be a little broader than that, because I think to understand how people interact with government, you have to go to kind of core values. And so for me, there are a couple of premises. One, human beings have a nature. That nature is neither good nor bad. We have aspects of goodness and we have aspects of badness. Human beings are sinful.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I doubt that he would do that, but theoretically he could.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
What is all this in service of? What's the generalized argument that you're making? Do you believe... I'll go back to my question. Do you think that if Trump wins, there will be no more elections? Put a percentage on it. What percentage do you think that that's a reality?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I can guarantee you he will not do that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Because he's in his second term and he's no longer eligible and he will believe he won and he will leave.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
What has Donald Trump not joked about? I mean, for God's sake.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Hold on. If you want to prevent him from creating a revolution, you probably should actually just appoint him president and then he can't run again.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Oh no, I totally grade Trump. No, I 100% grade presidents on a curve. Are you kidding? Oh, okay. I grade pretty much everybody on the card. I don't treat my seven-year-old the same way that I treat my nine-year-old.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Let's throw him in.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We have temptations. And what that means is that we have to be careful not to incentivize the bad and that we should incentivize the good. Human beings do have agency and are capable of making decisions in the vast majority of circumstances. And it is better for society if we act as though they do.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
You're talking about threats to democracy. That would be a pretty serious one applied across the board, by the way.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I think that the the unprecedented legal theory that a state can simply bar somebody from the ballot on the basis of in an informal way, believing that he is, quote unquote, an insurrectionist is is pretty wild. I mean, that's that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If we're getting into constitutional law, I mean, there are a number of provisions that suggest that this is, number one, not self-executing. Minority opinions in the Colorado Supreme Court case are pretty thorough. The number one contention, which is that this is not self-executing because other elements are not self-executing, that ignores subsequent actual... law that happened.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, the Congress passed a law, for example, in 1872, defining who was an insurrectionist, who was not an insurrectionist for purposes of elections. In 1994, Congress passed a law that specifically defined insurrection as a criminal activity so that somebody could theoretically be convicted of insurrection and therefore ineligible to run for office.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It is unlike, say, the analogs that are used by the obviously this is not the same thing. We can all tell what somebody's age is by looking at their birth certificate. I can't tell whether somebody is an insurrectionist without any reference to a legal statute or a definition of the term.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And I thought that was dumb at the time. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Are you kidding? He would want to. Trump's going to walk around hands up high. He's going to be like, I'm a two-term president. I'm the only president since Grover Cleveland. He wouldn't know. But since Grover Cleveland, who served two non-consecutive terms, I kicked Joe Biden out of office and I kicked Hillary Clinton out of office. Dude would be like, he'd be living large. Are you kidding?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He doesn't want the presidency anymore after that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He didn't. He didn't.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Second, the basic idea of human nature, there is an idea, in my view, that all human beings have equal value before the law. I'm a religious person, so I'd say equal value before God, but I think that's also sort of a key tenet of Western civilization being non-religious or religious, that every individual has equivalent value in sort of cosmic terms.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
OK, so that's a slightly different topic because now you're getting into all the election shenanigans and all this.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It's not beyond the pale for him, right? It's not beyond the pale for him to order them to do it, and then it's not beyond the pale for them to reject him doing that, which is the story of his entire administration. Whereas Joe Biden orders his DOJ to do things, and then they just do them.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
This is one of the big problems that I have with, I mean, for example, all the talk about Trump tyrant, Trump executive power. I mean, Joe Biden has used executive power in ways that far outstrip anything that Donald Trump has.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Joe Biden is going like... Joe Biden has gone well beyond anything Trump even remotely attempted to maintain via just pure executive power. And actually, Trump's use of executive power is nowhere near even what Obama's was.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean... I mean, Joe Biden literally used the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration to try to cram down VAX mandates on 80 million Americans. That's insane. He literally said, I cannot relieve student loan debt and then tried to relieve... hundreds of billions of dollars in student loan debt. Yeah, but what happened to that?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It got struck down by the Supreme Court, and then they still did it. They still did it. Biden brags about it.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Well, I mean, so here's the way I would think of this. think of the guardrails holding as the filter. Okay. Meaning like the, the coffee is in the filter. Some of it's, you know, what, what you want is going to get through and all the stuff that are the guardrails prevent the other stuff from getting through. Now the question becomes what liquid are you pouring into the filter?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Meaning, so if I'm if the filter exists, if the guardrails hold and if Donald Trump can't steal elections, what's the policy that comes through the other end of the filter? The policy I get from Donald Trump on the other end of the filter is a bunch of stuff that I like. The policy that I get from Joe Biden on the other end of the filter is a bunch of bullshit I don't.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So that's the basic calculation.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I told you he's not.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Because he won't be eligible to be on the ballot in, I mean, by the way, you want to talk about 14th Amendment? That's where the 14th Amendment applies. Okay, that's where it actually applies. Meaning you cannot, he is not qualified to be on the ballot in 2028 if he is the president of the United States. States can literally, in self-executing fashion, take him off the ballot.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Just like he's past the age of 35. Once you have been president two times, you're no longer eligible to be president of the United States. Then you actually have a strong location.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
when he's not on the ballot? So now your theory is that he's going to get reelected. And then in 2028, he's not even going to be on the ballot. And he's going to direct his new vice president, Kerry Lake, to simply declare him president of the United States when he has not been on a ballot? I don't know what the scheme would be.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But that does not necessarily mean that every person is equally equipped to do everything equally well. And so it is not the job of government to rectify every imbalance of life. The quest for cosmic justice, as Thomas Sowell suggests, is something that government is generally incapable of doing and more often than not botches and makes things worse.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But I think that- Macho, like with the machine gun, he's going to walk into the-
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And I'll make you the case that if you want him not to make election trouble, you should elect him president in the next election cycle. And then he will be ineligible.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So obviously I'm going to say it's a huge threat. The reason that I think there's a huge threat, I want to give a definition of wokeism because people are very often accused of not using wokeism properly or believing that it's sort of a catch-all phrase. I don't think it's a catch-all term. I think that wokeism has its roots in...
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
postmodernism, which essentially suggests that every principle is a reflection of underlying structures of power, and that therefore any inequality that emerges under such a system is a reflection, again, of that structure of power. That used to be applied in Marxist ways, the suggestion being that economic inequality was the result of misallocation of power in the structure of
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
preserved by an upper crust of people who wanted to cram down exploitation on people. That was sort of the Marxist version of postmodernism.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And then it got transmuted into sort of a racial version of postmodernism, in which the systems of the United States are white supremacists in orientation and are perpetuated by a group of people who are, in fact, in favor of the preservation of white power and white supremacy. That is the
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
generalized theory of critical race theory, as proposed by, for example, Gene Stefanczyk and Richard Delgado in their book on critical race theory, that has taken a softer form that we refer to as DEI. The key in DEI is the E, meaning equity. So equity is a term that does not mean equality. People mix it up.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Equality is the idea that we all ought to have equal rights, that we all ought to be treated equally by the law. Equity is the idea that if there is an inequality that emerges from any system, it is therefore due to discrimination. And the best way to tell whether somebody has been victimized is by dint of their race.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So those are a few key tenets, and that tends to materialize in a variety of ways.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And we can tell whether you're a member of an oppressed group or an oppressor group by the intersectional identity that you carry and by the nature of your group's success or failure predominantly along economic and power lines in American life. This means that if one group is predominantly successful economically, they must be a member of the victimizing class.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And the only corrective for that would be, as Ibram X. Kennedy likes to suggest, effectively, anti-racist policy is racism in the service of destroying racism, that you're going to have to discriminate on the basis of race in order to correct for discrimination that's baked into the system. that's incredibly dangerous.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The easiest way to sum that up would – the traditional kind of three legs of the conservative stool, although now obviously there's a very fragmented conservative movement in the United States, would be a socially conservative view in which family is the chief institution of society, like the little platoons of society, as Edmund Burke suggested, in which –
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It leads to a victim-victimizer narrative that is unhealthy for individuals and terrible for societies. It relieves people of individual responsibility, and it destroys the very notion of an objective metric by which we can decide meritocracy. And meritocracy is the only system human beings have ever devised that has positive externalities in literally any area of life.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Every other distribution of wealth, power, done along other lines that is not having to do with merit has negative externalities. Every system having to do with merit has positive externalities because presumably the most effective and useful people are going to succeed under those systems. That's the very basis of a meritocracy.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And the externalities of that mean that other people benefit from the meritorious and excellent performance of those people.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I think she should have been fired not over the plagiarism allegations. I think she should have been fired based on her performance just at that congressional hearing.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If the word black had been substituted for Jew in that statement by Elise Stefanik that she was asking about, or trans, or literally any other minority in America, maybe with the exception of Asian, then the answer would have been very different coming from Cloudy and Gay. With that said, I don't think the firing of Cloudy and Gay really accomplishes very much. Did she get what she deserved? Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Does that mean that the underlying DEI equity-based system has been in any way severely damaged? No, I think that this is a way for
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
universities, as truthful as McGillipent also, to basically throw somebody overboard as the sacrifice to maintain the underlying system that continues to predominate at American universities, where they spend literally billions of dollars every year on DEI initiatives and diversity hires and diversity administrators and all of this.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, one of the costs of education escalating is in the massive administrative function that is now undertaken by universities, as opposed to teaching and, you know, cost of dorms and such.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Free market and property rights are extraordinarily valuable and necessary because every individual has the ability to be creative with their property and to freely alienate that property. And finally, I tend toward a hawkish foreign policy that suggests that the world is not filled with wonderful people who all agree with us and think like us.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Certainly when you look at certain institutions, I think that one of the things that people on both sides of the aisle are constantly looking at is, has the institution suffered such capture that there is just no capacity to fix it?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And when you talk about the universities, I'm not going to blame conservatives for the failure of the universities because they haven't been present in major positions at universities since effectively the late 1960s. And you can go read Shelby Steele's work on this where he talks about how he used to be – he's now a conservative – black person. He was a liberal black person at the time.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
He was actually quite a radical black activist at the time in the 60s. And he talks about walking into the office of liberal administrators who are largely on his side with regard to civil rights and being a radical, him claiming that the systems of the university were inherently broken, were inherently wrong, unfixable. And he talks about this.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It's a very evocative episode where he's talking about how he's smoking. And as he's smoking, the ash is growing more and more and the ash falls down on this very expensive carpet. And the president of the university who's listening to him rant and rave, Shelby Steele says, I thought he was going to say something about this.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And those people will pursue adversarial interests if we do not protect our own interests.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I was wrecking like a thousand dollar carpet in his office being a jackass. And instead, I could see him wilt inside. I could see him collapse. He didn't have the institutional credibility or the intellect or sort of the spiritual strength to just say, listen, I agree with you on some of these things, but you're acting like a jackass.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And what you see in the late 1960s and early 1970s is, in fact, the collapse of these institutions to the point where, by the time I was going to college, there was this radical disproportion between conservatives and liberals. And the problem is that when it comes to a system like the universities, basically, you have to separate the universities off into two separate categories.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
One is STEM, where the universities are still pretty damn good. American universities, when it comes to STEM, are still leading universities in the world. Harvard's main creations these days are coming from actual hard science fields. Then you have the liberal arts field in which you basically have a self-perpetuating elite because that's actually how dissertations work.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If you have somebody who's very far to the left and you decide that you're going to write a dissertation on the history of American gun rights, the chances that that is going to be approved by your dissertation advisor are much lower than if you happen to write something that tends to agree with the political positions of your dissertation advisor.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Now, listen, I think there are open and tolerant professors even in the liberal arts at these universities. I went to these universities. I went to UCLA. I went to Harvard Law School. When I was at Harvard Law School, one of my favorite professors was Lani Guinier. Lani Guinier, they tried to appoint her, I believe, Secretary of Labor under Clinton, and she was too liberal, and she got rejected.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So she was like a full-on communist. By the time I went there, she was great. We had debates every day. It was wonderful. She used to write me recommendations for my legal jobs after we left. Randall Kennedy, I don't agree with him very much. Randall Kennedy was a terrific professor. There are some professors who are like this. Unfortunately –
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
there tends to be in these echo chambers more and more ideological conformity that is rigorously enforced, and it is by left on left. So for example, when I was at Harvard Law School, the president of the university was another president who ended up being ousted, Larry Summers.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Larry Summers had been the secretary of treasury under Bill Clinton, and he made the critical error of suggesting that perhaps the dearth of women in hard sciences in prestigious positions was due to possibly two factors that people were refusing to talk about. One was the possibility that women actually didn't want to be in hard sciences at nearly the rates that men do, which happens to be true.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And two was the distribution of STEM IQ, right? Which is something that you certainly were not allowed to talk about. The idea that the men's bell curve when it comes to IQ, particularly on STEM subjects, tends to be shallower than women's bell curves. When you get to the very end of the bell curve, what you tend to see is a lot of really dumb guys and a lot of really smart guys.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And so when you're talking about the top universities, maybe that has something to do with the disproportion. And he's trying to explain that to say that our systems are not discriminating. If we end up with more men than women, maybe more men are applying and more men are qualified. He was ousted for that by a left-wing faculty and general alum network at Harvard University.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There's a lot to blame conservatives for, for surrendering the playing field. I totally agree that conservatives should not have surrendered the playing field in some institutions. Colleges were surrendered a lot earlier than 20 years ago. They were surrendered in the late 1960s, early 1970s.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So I think that the alternative to that is that you are seeing on the right a growth of, for example, alternative universities.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
No, I don't think so at all. I think competition is a great way of incentivizing some change on behalf of universities that may have forgotten that there's an entire other side of the aisle in the United States. No, no shot.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So first of all, let me make clear. I think the entire educational system at the upper levels, if you're not in STEM, is a complete scam. I think it's a complete waste of money. I think it's a complete waste of time. And I think that it's all, all it is, is a formalized, very expensive sorting mechanism for people of IQ. That's all it is.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
People take an SAT, you go to a good school, you take four years of bullshit. I know I did at UCLA. And then we analyze based on your degree, where you should go to law school. I could have gone directly from high school to law school with maybe one year of training and then done one year of law school and been done. Okay. The reality is that this is a giant scam.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And this, again, is a bipartisan problem, but it's just a generalized problem. You want to talk about things that hurt the lower classes in the United States? The bleeding of degrees up is so wild and crazy.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There's so many jobs in the United States that should not require a college degree that we now require a college degree to do because there was this weird idea that came over Americans where they mistook correlation for causation. They would say, oh, look, people who go to college are making more money than people who don't go to college. Therefore, everyone should go to college.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Well, maybe the reason is because people who are going to college were better qualified for particular jobs because on average, not all the time, but on average, a lot of those people were smarter and making more money because of that. And so all you've done is you've now created these additional layers of stratification.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So a person who used to be able to get a job with a college degree now has to have a postdoc degree in order to go get that degree. A person who used to be able to just graduate high school, now it's de facto, you got to go to JUCO and then you got to go to college. or nobody's going to look at your resume. It's really, really terrible for people who can't afford all of that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It's led to this massive increase in educational cost that is inexplicable other than this particular sort of bleed up, and by the way, federal subsidies for higher education. Again, one of my problems with federal subsidies for higher education, I'd love for everyone to be able to go to college if qualified to do so and if it is productive.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But one of the things I did when I went to law school is I took loans because a bank said I was going to get my money back if I got a law degree from Harvard. But you know when you're not going to get your money back? If you're a bank, you're not going to lend to some dude who wants to major in art theory because is that a good bet? There's no collateral, right?
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If I give a loan for a house, I can go repossess the house. How do I repossess your garbage college degree from UCLA? There's no way to do that. So this is the broader conversation about education in general. I think the educational system is cruising for a bruising, and I think all that's necessary for it to completely collapse on the non-STEM side where you actually learn things is
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
for people who employ to simply say, give me your SAT score and I will hire you for an apprenticeship directly out of high school. It would cut out so much of the middleman. But as far as the general point that you're making about institutions, I may disagree on the education and how far it's gone, In general, I agree with you. So in general, I agree.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And I get to use my favorite longest word in the English language here. I would consider myself in many cases an anti-disestablishmentarianist. Nice. See, I like to drop that. Because if you're an establishmentarian, it means you like the establishment. Disestablishmentarianism, right.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There you go. Longest word in the dictionary. And so he is also. Oh.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We know long words, and he streams on the internet, and I talk for a living. So anyway, but the point is that I don't disagree that there is a general populist tendency on all sides of the aisle to look at the institutions and then throw them overboard.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I think that some of that is earned by people who are in positions of power at institutions who have completely undermined the faith and credibility of those institutions. I think you have to examine institution by institutions, which ones are salvageable and which ones are not. So I'm not a full anti-disestablishmentarianism. I'd be partially.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
There are certain institutions like higher education in the liberal arts that I think we may be better off without. And then there are certain institutions like, say, participation in American government, where when people talk about we need a revolution, like, no, we don't. That's not a thing. We need an evolution. We need change. We can use the system.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And, you know, but I think you have to establish you have to look at it industry by industry differently. you know, institution by institution. On that position on institutions, do you think Biden or Trump would side with you more? As far as the institutions? Yeah. I think the institutions in the United States at the governmental level are robust. I think the social institutions are fair.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I mean, I think that in rhetoric, Biden would. And then I think that he would tear out the face of the institution, wear it around like a mask, like Hannibal Lecter.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
And yes, because I think that his use of executive power was greater than that of Donald Trump. The power that he had, he used to greater effect than Donald Trump. Donald Trump, again, thrashed up against the sides of the box, but could not get out of it.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Listen, I think a classically liberal idea for many schools would not be a bad thing. I think it would be a good thing. I just wonder if that's salvageable. And if it's not salvageable, then the answer to that—
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I totally agree with that. Certainly.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Ben? Yeah. Marriages are the single most important thing that people can do in the United States because the things within your control are easier to control than things outside your control. People tend to think about big political change, obviously, about things they can do to change the entire system.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But the reality is the thing that you can do that best changes society is to get married and have kids and raise your kids responsibly. That is the single best thing that you can do. Can an open marriage work? I mean, I think that it depends on your definition of work. So in my version of work, the answer is no, because what you actually need in order to facilitate the...
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
healthy growing of a child. It's a father and mother who are committed to each other. All ideas about there being no emotional component to sexual activity are completely specious. It's truer for men than it is for women, but it's not true for either. The idea of a full commitment to a human being
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
with whom you genetically create children, which is typically how we've done it throughout human existence, is in fact the fundamental basis for any functional civilization. It allows for the transmission of culture and values. It allows for the transmission of beliefs and responsibility. And it gives the great lie to both the communitarian lie and the atomistic individualist lie.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The communitarian lie is that you belong to the giant community of man, which is not true because you have a family, uh, and your allegiance should be and is naturally to the members of your family first. That's how we learn. And then we expound that out, uh, And it also is a lie to the notion that we are all atomistic individuals with no responsibilities.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We are born into a world of responsibilities. Everyone is born into a world of responsibilities and rules and roles, and those are good. And if we do not actually socialize our children that way, there will be, number one, no children. Number one, there will be no healthy children. Number two, there will be no healthy children.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Number three, there will be not the foundation for either social fabric, which is the real glue that holds together society, or for a functional government. So yes, yes, monogamous marriage. I'm a fan. 15 years married. Four kids. Yes.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
If you could do it, yes. there is no benefit to pornography. It's a waste of time and destructive to the human soul.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
It's destructive to even the ones who are making a lot of money because when you degrade yourself to being just a set of human body characteristics that other people jack off to, it's bad for you and it's bad for them.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Absolutely.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Have I evolved on this? So... again, I'm going to go to what's the definition of music. My original argument about rap was that music involves the following three elements, rhythm, melody, harmony. Rap typically involves maybe one of those. There may be a melody, maybe, sometimes. So it depends on the kind of rap. With that said, I could be convinced on this issue, but
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Listen, I'm a classical violinist. I mean, that's how I was raised. I listened to Beethoven and Brahms and Mozart, like in the car with my kids. So is it comparable? Is it in the same category as Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart? I have a very hard time sticking it in the same category as that.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Ben? So, I mean, I agree with a lot of that. I think that the easiest practical guide is read a bunch of different things from a bunch of different sources, and where they cross is probably the set of facts, and then everything else is extrapolated opinion from different premises. That's sort of the short story. So read the New York Times and Breitbart, and they're going to disagree on a lot.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But if the core of the story.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Certainly read the Daily Wire. If you read the Daily Wire and you read the Washington Post and there's a nexus of the same thing, then you can pretty well guarantee that at least, you know, if we're all blind men feeling the elephant, at least if we're all feeling the trunk, we know that there's a trunk there. You may not know what the elephant is.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
So I think that on the list of priorities, when it comes to education, the availability of technology is actually fairly low on the list of priorities.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
A lot of the same sorts of things, but it's really fun to see how you do your process. That is a cool thing. That is a cool thing. And it's a gift to the audience because honestly, doing what we do, so much of what we do is sitting and reading and being behind closed doors and educating yourself and talking with people.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
The two things I've heard are food availability and I think air conditioning, I think are the two biggest ones that I hear about. Sure. I mean, the biggest thing in terms of education itself, not just the physical facilities that we're talking about, would actually be two parent family households. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
But getting to watch you do it in real time is a really cool window into how people think and how people learn. So that's a really neat thing.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Communities that have fathers in them is actually the number one decisor, according to Roland Fryer and many studies done on this particular topic. And the idea that money alone, that investment of resources is the top priority in schooling is belied by the fact that LAUSD, which is where I went to school when I was younger- They pour an enormous amount of money into LAUSD.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
We're talking about tens of thousands of dollars very often per student, and it does not result in better schooling outcomes. And so when you say, if we could give every kid an iPad, would you give every kid an iPad? The question is not... if I had a replicator machine from Star Trek, would I give everybody an enormous amount of stuff? Sure, I would. Every resource is finite.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
Every resource is limited. And you have to prioritize what are the outcomes that you seek in terms of the means with which you are seeking them. And so, again, I think that the question is, I quibble with the premise of the question, which is that Again, the chief injustice when it comes to education on the list of injustices is lack of availability to technology or that it's a funding problem.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I just don't think that's the case. Sure.
Lex Fridman Podcast
#410 – Ben Shapiro vs Destiny Debate: Politics, Jan 6, Israel, Ukraine & Wokeism
I totally agree with you. So that's why I think that the fundamental educational problem is not, in fact, a schooling problem. I think that it preexists that.
Morning Wire
Meta Curbs Censorship & Trump's Second Term Plans | 1.8.25
A commitment to free speech by social media needs to last longer than whomever is in the office. And that has not been the case. That has not been the case. Zuckerberg acknowledges as much. He acknowledges that Facebook literally changed its standards because of Joe Biden and Democrats in office.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Here's Shapiro. The sex chats were legitimized as part of the NSA's commitment to, quote, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Activists within the agency used LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign employee resource groups to turn their kinks and pathologies into official work duties.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
According to the current NSA employee, these groups, quote, spent all day recruiting activists and holding meetings with titles such as Privilege, ally awareness, pride, and transgender community inclusion. And the NSA leadership supported every aspect of this, declaring the DEI was, quote, not only mission critical, but mission imperative.
Morning Wire
House Budget Bill Battle & NY’s Wildcat Strike | 2.26.25
Yes, the mission of the NSA, monitoring foreign terror threats. That mission would have been endangered if we did not have intelligent chats between various agents discussing the pleasures of polyamory.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
I think the deal is not good, but that is because my belief is that if Israel does not, in fact, make the strip quiescent, if Israel does not retain control over the Gaza Strip, then they are setting themselves up for further failure.
Morning Wire
Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
I also think that the generalized math in which Israel has participated, and this is Israel's own fault, for decades, which basically says they will trade terrorists, like living, actual, murderous terrorists for innocent people who are taken hostage, leads Israel's enemies to take hostages.
Morning Wire
Pardon Chauvin Petition Launched & LA Mayor Recall Effort | Afternoon Update | 3.4.25
The media decided in the middle of 2020 that they were going to turn a tragic law enforcement stop that ended with the death of a man, but a significant problem with drugs and preexisting health problems into the raison d'etre of the entire 2020 election. And it led to vast chaos.
Morning Wire
Pardon Chauvin Petition Launched & LA Mayor Recall Effort | Afternoon Update | 3.4.25
It led to, again, the destruction of racial comedy in the United States, $2 billion in property damage, and a guy rotting in prison who the evidence demonstrates certainly was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in that case.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
But in a lot of these cases, I think there is overreach, which doesn't mean that it's improper to go to court if you want to challenge something. But some of these rulings, particularly issuing TROs, which are supposed to be unreviewable on appeal, which is why the Supreme Court has had to get involved a couple of times, really are exceptional, let's say.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Well, the executive orders have been very well lawyered. I mean, I was very pleasantly surprised. I was expecting an onslaught, but it even exceeded my expectations how well the administration and its lawyers, the transition team, used that period, the lame duck period, to prepare this stuff.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Ultimately, most of this, the administration is going to prevail, whether it's DEI or the energy drilling or these things that we've already mentioned. They're on pretty solid ground. And so we're kind of arguing around the around the edges of whether that plane full of Venezuelan gang members had already left American territorial waters and whether that's legally significant, things like that.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Right. That's really where the real debate is. It isn't in the heart of the substance of executive power to affect the executive branch.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Well, it's hard to see anything of substance or of controversy passing a filibuster in the Senate. So practically it's dead in the water. I would like to see, for example, a three judge court necessary to issue a universal or national injunction or something like that. Because it really is unseemly to have one judge or a handful of judges in places like Boston and D.C.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
and Seattle that are selected to be on the far left edge of the judiciary more broadly controlling all of federal policy.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Well, the one case that already made it to the Supreme Court, not on full briefing, I mean, this is all emergency stuff happening overnight and things like that, was on the order. It was kind of a breathless order to require the government to pay millions and millions of dollars for USAID programs. And the appellate court stayed that. Then the Supreme Court got involved.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
And the media narrative is that the administration lost at the court 5-4, but really what the justices did was told the lower court to be more specific and narrow, which is what ended up happening. So the district judge again, Judge Ali on the district of D.C.,
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
said okay you do have to pay for the work that was already done under valid contracts which is different than the previous order which seemed to say that you can't cancel future work or future contracts so already that is effectively a win for the administration how about deporting the illegals the administration says are criminals and gang members where does that battle stand
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Well, the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act is a rarity in peacetime, not under wartime situations, but it doesn't mean that that's not the law on the books. And this is the argument over whether the administration's lawyers were in contempt by not forcing the plane to turn around. And they are pushing an aggressive but not facially aggressive.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
ridiculous or implausible or contemptuous evaluation of the law, meaning that the binding law is the order that the judge made in writing, what's called a minute order, not what he may or may not have said in court. And the minute order, and again, there's lots of citations that they present in explaining that the minute order did not require the plane to turn around or anything like that.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
It was affecting planes that hadn't left yet. So they are pursuing arguments that are perfectly valid and may be you know, the judge or on appeal, the law might get changed. But they are not saying, as has been misreported, that the administration is simply ignoring the court order or slow walking it or the lawyers didn't tell their political bosses what the judge said, anything like that.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
It's simply a debate between Article 2 and Article 3 about the president exercising his authority over national security and migration rules.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
There are civil service protections, and it's unclear. I haven't drilled down in this particular case about whether those were followed, and there's different rules for those on probationary periods versus more veteran workers. In theory, there are ways to have a reduction in force.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
It's not just a one-way ratchet and the government can never lay someone off unless they commit fraud or engage in malfeasance of some kind. But I just don't know whether they crossed all the T's and dotted the I's. What I do know is that in the case that has also made it to the Supreme Court on one of these emergency appeals.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Ultimately, the lower courts ruled that the president can fire the head of the Office of Special Counsel. And that kind of ruling might affect these other lawsuits regarding members of the National Labor Relations Board, Federal Election Commission. Just today, he fired two members of the Federal Trade Commission.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
So those kind of high-level heads of departments, heads of agencies, it looks like the administration is on firm ground. Got it.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
Generally, courts give a lot of leeway to the executive branch on regulating the military. And the executive order said that people questioning their gender identity affects negatively the operations of the military, the ability to go to war. It's a kind of bread and butter goals.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
If judges accept that explanation on appeal, which I think is more likely than not, then the lower court's block will be reversed. But that's where this lies. Is it a plausible explanation or is it just irrational or bigoted action against people? Yeah.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
I think the court doesn't like having to intervene so often. And that's all of the justices all over the political spectrum or however cautious they might be, what have you. And so far, they've been unsuccessful in intervening.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
preventing the lower courts from issuing orders that are going to instantly be appealed and get back on the supreme court's doorstep so i think the justices are really in a bind now are going to have to issue some guidance in one of these cases about universal injunctions about temporary restraining orders all of this procedural stuff because that's where the skirmishing has been when it gets to the supreme court the supreme court has not actually decided the merits of any of these thorny issues
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
what we're seeing is a battle over what's known as unitary executive theory which isn't so much about the scope of executive power you know how much power the executive has but about who controls it and so the the trump administration is really pushing the claim that the president, as the head of the executive branch, gets to control what it does.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
You know, he's not trying to invalidate congressional legislation or rewrite it. He's not trying to ignore judicial rulings. But he's saying, look, whether it's the military, whether it's reorganizing government, shifting USAID functions into the State Department or shifting education department functions to the Treasury, what have you, Presidents should have leeway over that.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
And we could see if push comes to shove at the Supreme Court on the merits, as with the issue of appointing heads of so-called independent agencies. I think if the opposition to Trump continues to push these kinds of cases, the Supreme Court is more likely than not to uphold the Trump administration's push for a more unitary executive. Got it. Ilya, thank you so much for joining us. My pleasure.
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
It depends. I mean, I'm sorry to, I can't generalize more than that, but the facts of the case and the specific legal authorities are different as between Doge cutting funding versus the president putting in new personnel policies for the military. But in general, what we've seen is a lot of judicial resistance, if you will, to the administration's actions. In fact, there have been more
Morning Wire
Executive Orders Halted: Are Judges Overstepping? | 3.23.25
TROs, temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions in these first eight weeks or two months of the Trump administration than we saw in all four years of President Biden. So I'm sure there are edge cases where the Justice Department or other administration lawyers are pushing through the envelope, not just pushing the envelope.
Morning Wire
Education Department Exposed & NIL Guidance Changes | Afternoon Update | 2.14.25
This is exactly the sort of issue that lost Terry McAuliffe, his gubernatorial race in Virginia against Glenn Youngkin, this sort of anti-parental movement. And also the bizarre, sick and perverse idea that children are capable of making lifelong decisions about important matters.
PBD Podcast
Trump’s Speech STUNS Congress | PBD Podcast | Ep. 558
led to massive health-related cover-ups. Just horrifying all the way around. And President Trump has taken on a lot of those things.
PBD Podcast
Trump’s Speech STUNS Congress | PBD Podcast | Ep. 558
But when it came to BLM, the inciting event for the BLM riots that caused $2 billion in property damage in the United States and set America's race relations on their worst footing in my lifetime, was in fact the railroading of Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd. The evidence demonstrates that Derek Chauvin did not in fact commit murder of George Floyd. George Floyd was high on fentanyl.
PBD Podcast
Trump’s Speech STUNS Congress | PBD Podcast | Ep. 558
He had a significant pre-existing heart condition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Well, folks, last night was an incredible night in the United States Capitol. President Trump gave an astonishing, just terrific speech at the joint session of Congress, the quasi state of the union address. We're going to break it all down. I was in the room for it, which was really inexperienced. First, if you're not a Daily Wire Plus member, now would be the time to join the fight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And really, it's an amazing team. It's an amazing team that President Trump has put together. Being in the chambers of the Congress for the speech was definitely an interesting experience.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Again, Democrats freaked out about it. He mentioned George Washington. How could he? It's a self-deprecating joke at the end, right? I don't know about that list, but we'll take it. Okay, come on. So President Trump then did something incredibly smart. So again, the entire speech I think was great. It's fascinating how the State of the Union has evolved over the course of time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So I'm old enough to remember when it was a big deal in 2009 when President Obama was trying to push Obamacare and a representative named Joe Wilson from South Carolina got up and shouted at the president, and said, you lie. By the way, he was correct. Obama was, in fact, lying. And this was a national scandal. How could this one guy get up and yell at Barack Obama? Just absolutely awful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
How could something like this happen? And then in 2010, there was another controversy because President Obama said something overtly false about the Supreme Court. And Justice Samuel Alito, who's in the audience, was caught on tape kind of shaking his head. How dare he? Oh, my God. Oh, the decorum. The media apparently have no such qualms about Democrats acting like complete jack
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
yelling, screaming, acting like just spoiled brat kids on a college campus in the middle of a Tuesday, blocking classes for the other students. They have no problem with that. I mean, the entire time Democrats are just heckling Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So what Trump did, very smart, right off the top, President Trump says, listen, I'm not going to play this game where the cameras cut back and you see one side of the chamber standing and one side of the chamber sitting and you figure the president is just too divisive. I'm just going to
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And I say interesting because the contrast could not be starker between the enthusiasm on the Republican side of the aisle, the excitement, the feeling that America is on the upsurge on the Republican side of the aisle, and the absolute murderous depression in which Democrats have now sunk themselves. And you could feel it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
They believe that we're endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As you heard from President Trump last night, a lot of our universities are trash. Not so with GCU. GCU believes in equal opportunity. The American dream starts with purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Let it flourish. Find your own purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. Again, that's gcu.edu. Grand Canyon University, gcu.edu. So what Trump is doing here is he's saying, listen, I dare you not to clap. And in fact, half the night was devoted to things that if you are a sentient, decent human being, you have to clap for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I don't care if you're a Democrat or if you're a Republican. If you don't clap, as we'll see, for a 13-year-old brain cancer survivor becoming an honorary member of the Secret Service, like, I... Really? You're not going to clap for that? But this is the whole setup. So Trump basically double dog dares Democrats not to clap for things. They're never going to clap for anything that I do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
It was not even as though there was an animated sort of point of resistance for Democrats. As they filed into the chamber, they looked like a bunch of depressed college students who had just finished debating philosophy and smoking pot in their dorm rooms. That's what it felt like. It was an amazing thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I'm going to say a bunch of super popular stuff right now. And watch, Democrats won't even clap. And that's why you can't vote for them in the future. That's why they don't deserve power. Very smart move from the president of the United States right here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And he was doing this all night, by the way, this sort of hand motion where he points out at the Democrats. He's like, you guys, you're not. I see you. I see you not, you know, clapping for the obvious, obvious things. And then he says a bunch of obvious things. This is one of the themes. And so this was sort of a combination of Trump saying obvious, excellent things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And also the Oprah Winfrey show, because he did something different. President Trump did, as we'll see during this address, then what other presidents do when they pick people out of the audience. So that's a that's a mainstay of State of the Union address.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Really, since Ronald Reagan, who is also a performer, obviously, Reagan pioneered the use of people in the audience where he would say, and there's Barbara and Barbara is a hairdresser who's had to overcome racism. The problems of licensing in her state. Stand up, Barbara. And everybody cheers for Barbara.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So President Trump did something different during the speech, which is he actually did things. It's kind of like the Oprah Winfrey show. Look under your seat. There's something awesome. There really was a sort of presenter vibe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
He held up an executive order in the middle of the in the middle of the speech handed him by the vice president, establishing and renaming a park in honor of a young girl who was killed by illegal immigrants. Or he called out somebody in the audience who had just received an acceptance to West Point. And all of these are sort of like nice, warm moments.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And it was just dead on one side of the aisle, not just because they've lost the election and now they no longer control Congress or the Senate or the White House, but also because they cannot find the thing to attack President Trump over. And so what they decided to bring were campus tactics. It was like a Columbia University tentafada, but on the floor of Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
It's President Trump taking it to the next level, which, of course, is what he's good at. President Trump originally was an extraordinarily successful TV personality. That's one of the big reasons he's president of the United States today. And Democrats couldn't even clap for stuff like that. So here's an example. So yesterday, President Trump says there are only two genders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And this, of course, is an issue near and dear to our heart here at The Daily Wire. I'm not sure there's any company on Earth that has fought harder on this particular issue. As I told you a couple of weeks ago when President Trump signed an executive order on this matter, from literally the day that we launched this company, we made it a rule that we would never refer to people by false pronouns.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
They would only be referred to by their biological pronouns because there are only men and women, males and females. There is no such thing as a male who is a female. That is not a thing. It is a category error. And we fought that every step of the way. So obviously, Matt Walsh has been a lion on this issue. We're also sitting next to Riley Gaines.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
We've obviously worked with Riley in the past on this. And Riley herself has done amazing work on this. The three of us were sitting together. And so we were like out of our seats for a huge amount of this. There was a point in the speech where President Trump was talking about two genders. men being banned from women's sports, and then he paid tribute to a young woman named Peyton McNabb.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Now, I don't care where you are on this particular issue. Peyton McNabb is a young woman, as we will see, President Trump's going to talk about it, who got hit in the face with a volleyball, hit by a very large male, and sustained actual serious brain damage because of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And Democrats could not clap in support of her because it was attached to the baseline logical motion that men should not hit volleyballs in the faces of women. Democrats could not get on board for that. So here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
You had a bunch of members of the squad who showed up wearing pink, supposedly to protest the idea that Trump hates women or something. Well, by the way, they refused, as we'll see, to applaud for a woman who was brutally injured by a man spiking a volleyball at her. And... The Democrats refused to applaud, but they were wearing pink for women.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Okay, now, Democrats didn't stand for this. Democrats didn't even cheer for this. Why? Because they want men to play in women's sports. These are 80-20 issues Trump takes the right side of, and then Democrats don't know what to do with it. President Trump also bragged on Doge, talked about the creation of Doge. Doge is highly popular with the American people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Despite all attempts to turn Doge into some sort of wedge issue for Americans, Americans want an investigation into waste, fraud, and abuse at the governmental level. Democrats have focused their ire on Elon, but the brilliance of what Trump has done with Elon is that Elon can take it. What does Elon care? He's the richest man on earth. What does he care?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Okay, so he's a little more unpopular with the people. Good news, he's not actually an elected official, Elon Musk. And it was really funny. There was a point here where Trump was saying, we are putting the power back in the hands of the people, taking it away from the unelected bureaucracy. And Democrats started pointing up at Musk. Well, he's unelected.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
He's literally trying to cut the bureaucracy. You understand you're making an argument that he shouldn't cut the bureaucracy because he's a bureaucrat cutting the bureaucracy. No, that is not going to wash. Here's President Trump on Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
This is real. By the way, this is my favorite part of the speech by far. It was just a comedy routine. It's just a comedy routine. I mean, just listing off this stuff. And by the way, those asides are for sure not in the teleprompter. Those little asides was like, and no one even knows what that is. It's true. Now Democrats are like, I know where Lesotho is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Some of them had on kind of hideous jackets that had Black Lives Matter regalia upon them. You had a bunch of Democrats who showed up with little placards and signs, which was sort of a leftover from a Rashida Tlaib thing that she did.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
The president should know where Lesotho is. And the president's like, no one knows. And Americans are like, I don't know. That's true. By the way, the way that he does, he's such a comedian. Okay, I think it is worth noting here, Donald Trump is an amazing performer, like an amazing performer. He has two special gifts as a politician. I've seen... Both of these in action in person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
One is he's amazing in a room, like truly incredible in a room. This is an underrated skill. Many politicians don't have it. He talks to people. He actually likes people. He's a people person. And so working a room, he's amazing. His other skill is that he's funny as hell. He really is funny. And so he has comedic timing and he can't teach comedic timing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
It's either a thing you got or a thing you don't. And so the way that he even reads off these inanities is hilarious, right? He says, you know, we're paying for, we're paying for voter, for voter transparency in Botswana, right? Like he pauses and then the pause, right? The ellipses is before in Botswana. He's saying, we're paying $60 million for voter transparency in In Botswana. Right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So you have a moment where you're like, OK, that doesn't sound that bad. And they say in Botswana. Oh, my God, that's ridiculous. Right. That's great comedic timing. And he did this for a long time in the speech. And it was really funny. And what's smart about this is that the total sort of bottom line cuts that he's talking about are not a gigantic percentage of the American budget.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I mean, let's be clear about this. I've said this a thousand times. I'll say it a thousand more. In order to get America's debt problem under control, you're going to have to touch the third rail of American politics. No one wants to do that. But what President Trump was doing last night was incredibly smart politically because Americans have two simultaneous positions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
One, they don't want cuts to any of these major welfare programs. And two, they want cuts. So what he's doing is he's identifying cuts, but not touching the things that Americans actually don't want touched, which is smart. And just as a political matter, it's incredibly smart. And by the way, extraordinarily funny. And Democrats are sitting there all sour facing. How do you not laugh at this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
The congresswoman from Michigan, the pro-terror congresswoman from Michigan, who herself showed up a couple of years ago at a speech or a year ago to speech, holding one of those little placards. It was incredibly memeable. It looked as though she was their Brazilian steakhouse waiting for them to bring the next round of flat iron steak.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Like, are you in favor of teaching guinea pigs how to transgender themselves in Romania? Like, is that is that a thing that you're like huge on is super duper important or what? And then President Trump got into a litany of talk about waste and fraud in Social Security. Now, at this point, I'll point out it was it was very funny.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I do want to point out that we are not actually paying 360 year olds their Social Security benefits. That's not actually what's going on. Basically, we have an incredibly stupid system for processing Social Security payments in which all the listings are really, really old. And there's like a default date that you list somebody's age at if you don't actually know their age.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
That goes back to 1875 or something. There's actually been an audit of Social Security. There are people who are fraudulently obtaining Social Security, but it is not tens of millions of people who are obtaining fraudulent Social Security. It was, however, a reminder that America's government is filled with kind of inanities and stupidity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So here is President Trump talking about waste and fraud in Social Security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
That was a funny line. It was a funny line. Well, meanwhile, there were some actual controversial sections of the speech. The most controversial section of President Trump's speech was not anything about illegal immigration. It was nothing about foreign policy. It was none of those sort of hot buttons. It was the economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So as I've been saying for a while, I am concerned that the stock market right now is overvalued. The stock market is currently running at an outrageous P.E. ratio. It's the price to earnings ratio. Typically, when you're evaluating a company, when you're trying to determine how valuable a company is, the earnings, unless it has some sort of tremendous growth potential,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
have to be demonstrated in the stock price. And a sort of typical metric that's been used for decades is a metric first put forth by Benjamin Graham, who was a sort of mentor to Warren Buffett, that suggested that the price-to-earnings ratio on a company should be somewhere at the upper end in the 16 to 18 ratio. Right now, the entire Dow Jones Industrial Average is trading at a 28 ratio.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
That's way too high. The so-called Magnuson 7 stocks, that'd be stocks like Nvidia and Amazon and Apple, they are trading at a PE ratio that exceeds 55. Certain stocks like Tesla are trading at a PE ratio that is almost 200.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Now, it may be that Tesla justifies that stock valuation by suddenly leaping forward in AI in new and unbelievable ways and totally revolutionizing the way, for example, shipping is done in the United States. I think that's one of the promises that Elon is trying to make with Tesla. However, it seems that the stock market is currently inflated. Inflation itself remains stubbornly high.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And so apparently all Democrats thought that was a genius idea. A bunch of them did that as well. The Democrats acted like puerile, spoiled children with no point of opposition. It felt terrible for them, truly. It wasn't even an organized opposition. This is a party that is out of control on the Democratic side of the aisle. The Republicans are in lockstep with regard to the Trump agenda.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
In other words, there are vulnerabilities in the American economy, for sure, for sure. And we've been talking about this for, at this point, several months. And if you go back to the Biden administration, longer than that. I think there's some systemic vulnerabilities in the American economy. So President Trump is trying to do some stuff about that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
One of the things he's been trying to do, which is radically revise how regulations are done. Excellent. Unleash Doge to get rid of the waste, fraud, and abuse. Great. Increase productivity. By, for example, unleashing America's energy resources, which you talked about last night. Fantastic. And then there are tariffs. President Trump has talked a lot about tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And last night, he talked a lot about tariffs. And he's using the phrase retaliatory tariffs. And there's sort of two sets of tariffs that he's talked about. One is the set of tariffs that went into place this week on Canada and Mexico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And already there is some sound that those tariffs are going to be revised pretty quickly because Canada and Mexico are going to make concessions with regard to, say, fentanyl or with regard to border security that will allow the United States to then lower our tariffs. The other thing that President Trump has talked about are reciprocal tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Reciprocal tariffs are the idea, as President Trump explained last night, that if a country is tariffing our goods at 20%, we should retaliate by tariffing their goods at 20%. We are a far larger market than they are. Now, if the goal of that is to leverage their tariffs down, totally in favor. That's great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
We should, in fact, use our market power in order to flex on those countries and force them to lower their tariffs. If, however, the idea is that tariffs are in and of themselves an economic good for the United States, that is generally untrue. Tariffs are very good for the industries that are protected, at least for a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then when those tariffs are removed, those industries tend to be bloated and problematic. This is what happened to the American auto industry in the 1950s and 60s. We had high tariffs on foreign autos. We signed incredibly lucrative union contracts within our auto companies. Our cars became too expensive and not good enough.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then when we opened up any of those tariffs and we allowed, for example, Japanese cars like Toyota into the market, suddenly the American auto manufacturing sector just took a nosedive. Tariffs tend to protect bloated industries. And so the only purpose for tariffs that I think is legitimate is in order to get other people to lower their tariffs or as a matter of national security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
You're trying to protect industries that even if they're bloated, you need them shored in the United States. President Trump has sort of a different take on tariffs. He seems to suggest over and over and over that tariffs are actually a net benefit to the American economy overall. It's just good for the American economy, tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
The evidence suggests that that is not, in fact, the case because Americans are both producers and consumers. So, again, what that means is if you're in an industry protected by a tariff because other countries now have to. The American consumer now has to pay an inflated rate for, say, a Japanese car as opposed to an American car.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
That's good for an American car manufacturer for the domestic market. It is very bad for the American consumer who now has to pay a higher price. And every American is both a producer and a consumer. And so if you're not in the industry that is positively affected by the tariff, then you're just getting hurt as a consumer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And overall, if there are lots of tariffs, then everybody gets hurt more as a consumer. You end up with a restricted supply of a product while the demand remains similar. And that is a recipe for actual inflation. Now, President Trump was talking about tariffs last night. He laid out a very commonsensical case for reciprocal tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
The Democrats have no capacity whatsoever to even get together in opposition. You have Nancy Pelosi, who is down there, looking fairly sober, and she was not one of the people screaming at President Trump, for example. And she herself has been demonstrative in the past.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Again, the question for me on a going forward basis, and we'll get more into this, is whether the emphasis in the phrase reciprocal tariffs is on the word reciprocal, meaning you lower yours and we'll lower ours, you raise yours and we'll raise ours, which again, that's a great way to leverage other countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Or if the emphasis is on tariffs, like tariffs are in and of themselves a positive beneficial good. As I've said before, I think President Trump likes to make the case that tariffs are a positive beneficial good, but he also could be doing that as leverage. He does this all the time. He could be saying, listen, I love tariffs so much. I love them. They're unbelievable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I'm totally willing to do it because I love them anyway. You're going to have to convince me not to do it. That's a good piece of leverage. Here's President Trump last night on tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So, again, that may be true in the short term. I don't think that's true in the long term. In the short term, it's good politics. Most presidents do engage in some sort of protective trade barriers around key industries in which they are seeking to win votes. That's a longstanding policy going all the way back to Ronald Reagan and before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
However, it remains to be seen whether that is going to have a large negative impact on the economy if, in fact, a durable set of high tariffs are to become a regular part of the American political landscape. This is the thing that I fear most. President Trump requires a strong economy. Now, the thing I know about President Trump also is he doesn't like a weak economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So if it turns out that the stock market takes a dump, I don't think he's going to keep sticking with the thing that is negatively affecting his presidency. He's not stubborn when it comes to actual results. He lives in the world of reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So he is not the kind of person who just keeps banging his head against a wall, seeking to achieve a different result from the same action over and over and over. OK, back to the other portions of the speech. And one of the key messages of the speech is Democrats can't clap for anything, right? He said it right at the top.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So for example, President Trump announced that we had captured an ISIS terrorist who was responsible for the Abbey Gate massacre.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
It is worth noting at this point that Joe Biden's complete unwillingness to even reach out to and meet the families of those murdered at Abbey Gate is one of the signal blots on a not only unremarkable, but insultingly terrible political career for the former president of the United States. President Trump announced
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I mean, you remember when President Trump was president the first time, and he gave a State of the Union address, and she literally tore it up. on camera in performative fashion. She was actually the adult in the room on the Democratic side of the aisle last night. Hakeem Jeffries was basically a non-entity on the floor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
at the State of the Union, the capture of one of the terrorists responsible, and Democrats sat on their hands.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
That's a great thing, right? Well, not for the Democrats. Again, I was sitting right above the Democratic side. The speaker's box is on the Democratic side of the aisle. And so I'm looking right down at Democrats who are all on their phones, texting, taking selfies, exploring X. I may be doing some elicit. In any case. they wouldn't get up and cheer for that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I mean, that's just a win for America. I don't understand. If a terrorist gets captured, that is good for America, is it not? Or how about if I were to tell you that President Trump brought home a man who was essentially held hostage by the Russians for 14 years and that he was in attendance? Would they clap then?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
The people who were getting all the attention were members of the squad, some members of the Senate. Bernie Sanders performatively walked out looking real old, walked out about 15 minutes before the end of the speech. It was a bad look for Democrats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So, again, Democrats, where were they? They're sitting on their hands. Hey, how about if I told you that the president of the United States called out a young man who wants to go to West Point and told him in the room that he had been admitted to West Point? Again, Trump took it to the next level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
As I say, most of the call outs are typically not anything beyond we're going to call you and give you a hand. President Trump actually sort of handed out prizes in the room. This is a great moment. Democrats couldn't cheer for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Did Democrats stand for that one? Nope. And then he gets a high five from this next person. It was actually a little bit earlier in the speech that the moment of the night came. So President Trump called out a young 13-year-old boy. And this 13-year-old boy had brain cancer several years ago. He had scars on his head from where he had surgery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And this boy has wanted to join NYPD, so they made him sort of an honorary member of NYPD. And then President Trump called in the new head of the Secret Service, Sean Curran. And Curran, of course, is one of the agents who was protecting Trump on that terrible day in Butler, Pennsylvania last year when the president nearly had his head blown off on live television.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And meanwhile, President Trump was taking the 80% side of every 80-20 issue it was possible to take in the speech, and Democrats were wrong-footed the entire speech. Which is the reason, by the way, that by every available poll statistic, a large majority of people who watched the speech liked what President Trump had to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And the president makes this kid an honorary member of Secret Service. It was great. It's like a wonderful moment. I don't care who you are. It's just fun and wonderful and charming and delightful. And there was literally one Democrat, one, who stood up and clapped. If you can't clap for the cancer kid, I don't know what's wrong with you people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I honestly, God, don't know what's wrong with you people. You have a screw loose. I mean, just on a pragmatic level, put aside this sort of moral and empathetic level. On a pragmatic level, a politically pragmatic level, what are you thinking? What in the world are you thinking? Do you like the split screen of you guys sitting on your hands? Well, a young black kid who has survived brain cancer
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
is given a Secret Service membership and gives a hug to the head of the Secret Service. I'm sorry, this is like American as apple pie. It's like one of the most American things I've ever seen in my life. All it required was a yellow glow put on by a sepia light and an upswelling of music and a giant American flag unfurled in the background. It's like all that it needed, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
This is like Americana times a million. And you guys are sitting there on your hands looking like you're sucking on lemons. It's unbelievable. Here was the president last night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then his dad holds him up, right? And like, and then he ended up giving Sean Kern a hug and one Democrat applauded. What the hell is wrong with you people? Are you insane? Have you lost your ever loving minds? You're so unlikable. You're so terrible. Like an aggregation of all the most annoying human beings on literally planet earth. That's who you are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And you made that absolutely clear last night over and over and over again, over and over and over again. And the president of the United States called out the family of Lakin Riley. Of course, we all know Lakin Riley's name. She was University of Georgia student who was murdered by illegal immigrants. He called out her family in the crowd. Again, Democrats sitting on their hands. No applause.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
According to CBS News, the party identification of speech watchers who were polled, 51% were Republican, 27% were Independent, and 20% were Democrat. Among speech watchers, the approval rating was 76%, which means pretty much all the Republicans and pretty much all the Independents approved of the speech.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And again, big applause in the chamber, except from the Democrats. It was amazing. President Trump, there are some again, there's so many great moments last night, truly. And it was an amazing pleasure to be in the chamber of real honor because it was historic moment. It really feels like America is on the upswing when President Trump speaks in tones of optimism. There's a reason for that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I will say it was very funny in the room when when President Trump was talking about the Panama Canal and Greenland, like highly enjoyable. First of all. Secretary Rubio has already gone down and visited Panama. And Panama has already pledged they are going to get rid of Chinese ownership at both ends of the Panama Canal. We've talked about this on the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
There are several problems with the Panama Canal. The biggest problem is that you have two Chinese-owned companies that basically have stations at the end of each side of the Panama Canal. And should they decide to, for example, just... obstruct the canal in either direction, that is a massive threat to America's naval might on both sides of the North and South American continent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Like it's a real problem. And so Rubio had already, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, he'd already negotiated an end to that. He also already negotiated a win for the United States in lowering fees for the transit of American naval military ships through the Panama Canal. President Trump then says in front of Rubio and the entire crowd, we're taking the entire canal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And you can see that the secretary of state seems a little surprised. He, too, had a surprise under his seat as it turned out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
One of the things President Trump did during the speech that I think was quite clever, and again, we're going to go through it in detail. So if you missed it last night, we'll go through the highlights. We'll go through the bizarre Democratic opposition. In some ways, my guess is it was better to watch it on TV.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then President Trump would go on to also claim Greenland. And it was very funny. At one point he says, we're going to have the ability to join us if they want to become a state. but we'll get it one way or another. The invasion of Greenland is imminent. There were two really actually important moments last night, two quite important moments.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I think that the single most important moment came when he was talking about illegal immigration, because this is where President Trump, I talked about this yesterday on the show, this is where President Trump has experienced his biggest success. He has lowered the illegal immigration rates of the United States by 97 percent, 97 percent. That's an astonishing number.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And again, we spoke with the borders are Tom Homan, who is straight from central casting as a law enforcement bulldog. And we talked about that with him yesterday on the backstage live. You should give it a listen. Here is the president saying the obvious. Joe Biden left the border open. He left. It was Joe Biden. It was not Congress. It was not anybody else. It was Joe Joseph R. Biden.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I thought this was the takeaway of the night. Here was the president of the United States last night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Be the first to know what's happening at the Daily Wire. Head on over to dailywire.com right now. Become a member and join the team. So last night was amazing. A couple of days before President Trump's quasi state of the union address, we were invited by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to join him in the speaker's box at this address to a joint session of Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So some of this I'll be watching for the first time with you on TV because I got to see it live. But the truth is that some of it probably played even better on TV than it did in the room because Democrats were so loud and obnoxious. In many cases, it was very difficult to hear actually what President Trump was saying on the microphone. The sound system is not unbelievable in the room.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Again, this is like his moment when he said we didn't need a new piece of legislation. We need a new president. That's the whole ballgame. It's the whole ballgame. When people look back on this historical era and they wonder how President Trump was reelected, there are many reasons why President Trump was reelected. Obviously, he's a unique political figure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
He is sort of a colossus bestriding the American political scene. There's just no other way to see it. What he's done is historic here. But Joe Biden's signal failures on two particular issues led to his party being out of power. Those two issues were illegal immigration. He left the border wide open, wide open. And inflation. Those were the two big issues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then there was a third issue lurking in the background of everybody's mind. That was really sort of the ghost in the machine of American politics. And that was the just patent insanity of saying that boys can be girls. Those were the issues. And Trump is on the right side of those issues. He is. And now, there was one moment where Democrats actually applauded. What was that one moment?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
When Trump talked about how the United States has spent the last few years funding Ukraine in its war with Russia to defend against Russian predation. And I will say, I think it was very smart of Vladimir Zelensky to finally back off the Idiotic line that he took on Friday trying to force President Trump to say things he didn't want to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Zelensky issued a letter yesterday before the State of the Union address in which he essentially said, thanks to the United States for all of the aid, that he wanted to sign the rare earth minerals deal, that he's looking forward to moving toward peace. These are all things Zelensky could have said on Friday and should have said on Friday, but I'm glad that he said them yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
He's again, the off ramp is clear here. The question is not really whether Ukraine will get there. It's really whether Russia will get there. President Trump is trying his hardest to get Russia there. President Trump talked about funding Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And the Democrats, the only time they applauded all night, not for the cancer kid, not for the young woman with brain injury, traumatic brain injury from being pulverized by a volleyball hit by a man, not for the man who got into West Point, Not for the family of the 12-year-old girl who was murdered by illegal immigrants and now a national park is going to be named after her.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Not for any of those people. They cheered for Ukraine. Now, the only reason they're cheering on Ukraine is because they believe that President Trump is a Russian tool. That's the only reason they care. Because I'm old enough to remember in 2012 when one Mitt Romney was running against Barack Obama and said that our largest geopolitical opponent was Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And Barack Obama said to him in open debate, the 1980s called and they want their foreign policy back. So you guys are just liars. I don't believe you at all, at all. But they actually unfurled Ukraine flags. They've shared for Ukraine. And again... I want Ukraine to beat Russia. I would love for that to happen. I'm also realistic about what a final settlement looks like here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
This led to perhaps the funniest moment of the night. We got a big laugh in the room where President Trump is talking about the war and Elizabeth Warren decides to clap very loudly. And she was in the front row and she was in the front row of the Democratic side of the aisle. And here's how it went.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
But what President Trump did, just in terms of content, he spent nearly the entire speech on domestic policy, which is smart. The American people care much more about domestic policy than they do about foreign policy. Now, listen, I care deeply about foreign policy because I think that foreign policy affects Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Oh, my gosh. Just wrong-footing them from beginning to end. An amazing performance by the President of the United States last night. He closed with some pretty inspirational talk. You know, talk that I've been... I've been saying for a while, the United States is a country of pioneers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And President Trump, I thought that the closing of the speech is one of the best closings of any of his speeches I've heard.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Again, this is all just great stuff. And the entire night was just Trump wrong-footing Democrats. And even Democrats kind of recognized this. So in the aftermath, not only was there great polling data suggesting that the American people really liked the speech overall, but even Democrats on the cable news channels were freaking out about the lackluster Democratic response.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
We spoke about this just a couple of days ago with regard to, for example, the use of the United States dollar as the world's reserve currency. It has a massive impact on how Americans live, even if we don't think about it a lot. But what President Trump understands on an innate kind of gut level is that Americans care when he says America first, when most Americans here is not 1930s isolationism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So Jake Tapper properly pointed out the Democrats just seemed to absolutely demoralize the whole night. They did. I was in the room. I was watching them the whole night. They looked as though they just wanted to crawl in a hole. They looked like they couldn't believe they had to be there. And they had no unified point of opposition. Truly amazing stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I mean, that is right. That is totally right by Jake Tapper right there. And by the way, neither do some of the hosts. So last night, in one of the more disgusting moments, actually, MSNBC host Nicole Wallace, she was talking about T.J. Daniel, who's a 13-year-old cancer survivor. And after expressing her warm feelings for him, she then somehow turned it into a referendum on January 6th.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Unbelievable. That's your take? That's it? Really? That's where you went with that? Really? You're doing an amazing job. Rachel Maddow flipped out, which is her usual mode. You never know whether she's going to laugh, whether she's going to cry, Rachel Maddow. I think that's kind of her resting confused face. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Really? Calm down. It's fine. He wanted to be there. The kid got to become a Secret Service agent like it was good. It'll be all right, guys. You'll survive. Even Stephen Colbert was mocking the Democrats for their feeble response. He was celebrating Al Green because Stephen Colbert is such an idiot. But here is Stephen Colbert basically. Why can't you all be Al Green? OK. All right. It's a take.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Well, most Americans here is not some sort of racist buzzword. What they hear is that American citizens should be taken care of first as a first priority. And that is inarguable. Of course, that is 100 percent true. And so the entire speech last night was directed at this thing. And President Trump kept picking, again, the issues where he is clearly the winner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And there's Stephen Colbert holding up a sign that says, try doing something, and to cheers. Well, they can't do anything because they lose. Apparently, President Trump's strategy here is, I win, you lose. So, and Democrats buying right into it. So, slow clap for the genius Democrats. Really an amazing job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Alrighty, coming up, we're going to get into the Democratic response, the official response to President Trump's State of the Union address. First, a couple of reminders. One, Please go to PardonDerek.com, that's P-A-R-D-O-N-D-E-R-E-K.com, PardonDerek.com, to join our campaign to get a federal pardon for Derek Chauvin, the man who was clearly railroaded in the George Floyd death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
A federal pardon won't free him from jail, but it will reset the table on his conviction in state court. And of course, it will rectify a grievous judicial wrong. Whether you believe that he was responsible for George Floyd's death or not, there's no question he did not get a fair trial. There's just no question about any of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
By the way, he is not responsible for George Floyd's death, in my opinion. Make sure that you go to PardonDerek.com right now and sign up because we are going to be putting some pressure inside the administration for precisely this. Also... Before we discuss anything with regard to Elise Slotkin's response to President Trump last night, you have to become a Daily Wire member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I mean, it's just required. We have so much great content there. Not only are you going to get to hang out with me behind the paywall for All Access Live or in the mailbag, you're also going to get all of Matt Walsh's amazing content ranging from his show to What is a Woman to Am I Racist? You can check out Run, Hide, Fight and other amazing entertainment content.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
The two biggest issues that he mentioned over and over last night, illegal immigration and boys are not girls. These are 80-20 issues in the American public mind. Even Democrats understand that the Joe Biden open border was totally unworkable and, in fact, was a deliberately evil attempt to open America's southern border and endanger America's economy and endanger her citizens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
There is literally no excuse you can think of that is good enough to explain why he opened the border, a non-nefarious excuse for why he opened the border. And Americans know that. So President Trump spent an awful lot of time on that last night. President Trump also spent an awful lot of time on the basic proposition that boys are not girls.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And I have to say, I have a lot of friends who are Democrats, and I keep asking them the same question. You know, you guys, you lost the last election. You didn't get totally blown out. Republicans only have a very slim majority in the House, a very slim majority in the Senate. And President Trump won all the swing states. But it's not as though he won 360 electoral votes or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
He didn't win a 49-state landslide. So why do you guys keep holding on to an issue in which you guys prove that you are insane? You guys keep saying on the trans issue, it's a small issue. Why do you guys keep talking? Who cares? It's a tiny percent of the population. Here is the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
When you pick an issue and say a totally loony thing about that issue, it implicates your views on all the other issues. If I am interviewing to be your accountant and we have a great interview and all of it is going just fine, and then I drop the idea very seriously that birds are not real, that birds are a mythical creature and actually all birds are robots.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Even if I mention that for 30 seconds out of our two-hour interview, are you hiring me? The answer, of course, is no, because you now know that I'm insane. So if Democrats choose to take the insane side of what is a clear issue, then they are going to lose. And President Trump knows that, and he hammered it home time and time again last night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
By the way, again, kudos to the people who are sitting next to me in the speaker's box, Matt Walsh and Riley Gaines, two people who have fought endlessly on this particular issue. So many of us fought for freedom on the issue of men are not women. But this country was founded on freedom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea into the ocean. How'd that work out for you, Brits? Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
By we, I mean me and Matt Walsh. And it was truly a terrific experience. In our row was our friend Riley Gaines, who, of course, has taken such a lead on the trans in sports issue. Tom Homan, the border czar, was also just a few seats down. We had the opportunity to sit with Tom Homan a little bit beforehand for the backstage live episode.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
That's puretalk.com slash Shapiro and claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company. Again, visit puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. Go check them out right now. Get the special deal, puretalk.com slash Shapiro and claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Again, they're the company that I use for all of my cell phone needs, my cell coverage. Go check them out right now, puretalk.com. Also, you know what's frustrating? Spending hours searching for the best car insurance rates. I used to spend the entire weekend comparing quotes way back when, only to end up more confused than when I started. And so I was thrilled to discover that Insurify exists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
It's the insurance comparison site that revolutionized how everybody shops for coverage. They have dozens of top insurers competing for your business, and that means better rates for you. The best part? Everything happens online. No phone calls, no fees, absolutely no spam. In just 10 minutes, you can secure coverage from trusted insurance providers across the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Their privacy matters at Insurify. They never sell your information. With their decades of experience and excellent Trustpilot ratings, you know that you're in great hands. Go to Insurify.com to compare car insurance quotes in real time and start saving today. That's I-N-S-U-R-I-F-Y.com, Insurify.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Average potential savings based on initial quotes received by 183,234 customers seeking insurance through Insurify. Actual savings may vary depending on the state of residence, individual circumstances, coverage selections, and insurance provider. Savings results are not guaranteed. Go check out your rates today at Insurify.com. That's Insurify.com. So I want to get into the actual speech.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
So President Trump comes into the chamber. Obviously, Republicans are ecstatic because America is back. And that was the feeling. Here is the opening of President Trump's very optimistic speech about the future of the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And again, you can see President Trump is in such a great mood. You can see it in the hand motions. I will say that it is a little tiring being in there for like an hour and 45 minutes during the speech. And, you know, you're standing up and sitting down and standing up and sitting down. You get your squats in. I will say that your hands get a little tired from from all of the applauding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
You should take a listen to that and hear what Tom has to say about the status of the American southern border. The enthusiasm was tremendous. Before the actual address to the joint session of Congress, there's sort of a big meet and greet inside the speaker's office and in the hallways surrounding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
I've done more applauding last night than I think I've done probably in my entire life combined, mainly because I don't applaud for things all that often. But it was amazing. And again, the feeling in the room on the right side of the aisle was absolute enthusiasm. We're back, baby. We're going to do this thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And on the left side of the aisle, it looked as though everyone had just taken a cyanide pill. I mean, really, it was that bad for the Democrats. And so it was in that moment that a hero for the Democrats arose. That hero's name is Representative Al Green. Representative Al Green from Houston, Texas, is an old man. I mean, he just, there's no other way to put it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Representative Al Green is a 77-year-old man. He walks with a cane. And he decided that it would be a wise move to get up at the beginning of the speech and start yelling at the president of the United States and never stop yelling at the president of the United States. Now, we've spoken with Speaker Johnson before. He had expected all sorts of antics from the Democrats. Some of those materialized.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Some of those did not. There were rumors Democrats were going to bring empty egg cartons and wave them at President Trump because the price of eggs is too high, a phenomenon that started, of course, under Joe Biden. been too high for a while. There was some talk that Democrats were going to chant, they were going to yell, they were going to bring props, all of the rest of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
He did say that he thought there was a very good shot he was going to have to pound the gavel on the table and then invoke congressional rules of order to bring some sort of order back to the situation. Well, Al Green decided that he was going to be the man who stood up. He was going to be the guy who set up the breach.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Now, Al Green is also one of the people who, as we'll see, has been calling for President's impeachment from literally the first day that President Trump became president again. He is a leader of the resistance, but like the old guard of the resistance. And he started shouting at President Trump, bizarrely enough, about a topic that is really stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
One of the things about Trump that befuddles Democrats is that many of the key issues that they have yelled at Republicans about are not Trump's issues. So, for example, last night, Democrats were holding up these little signs that save Medicaid. President Trump said he's not going to cut Medicaid. or save Medicare, or save Social Security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
President Trump, to my chagrin, has said that he doesn't want to touch any of those large-scale entitlement programs. So this totally falls flat. So President Trump says, I have a mandate. I won the seven swing states. We have Congress. Democrats have been rejected across the board.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And Al Green starts yelling at him that he does not have a mandate to change the entitlement programs, a thing that Trump himself has said he does not want to do. I mean, if that is your resistance, playbook. I just don't understand. It doesn't make any sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
A lot of cabinet secretaries stopped by, so I got a chance to say hello to many of the cabinet secretaries we've had on the show, many of whom you know and I know. And it's great. I mean, this administration is just filled with terrific people. Everybody from the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, to the treasury secretary, Scott Besson, to the commerce secretary, Howard Blutnick was there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And by the way, the optic of the man who's going to lead the resistance is a 77-year-old man waving his cane at the president of the United States. Not a great optic, my dude. If you're going to get somebody to do this, get one of your hot, fresh-faced new people to do it. Go get yourself an Ilhan Omar or an AOC or Rashida Tlaib or an Ayanna Press. Get somebody who's got some juice. The
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
Al Green, this was your move, guys? And then he yelled long enough that he had to be taken out by the sergeant at arms. Here's how it looked.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And look at the other Democrats. The Democrats are sitting there, and even they are like, there's nothing we can do about this. Now, you can imagine a scenario where Democrats had actually planned a quote-unquote act of resistance, where Trump said something, and they knew he was going to say it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then one of them got up and shouted at the president, had to be removed, and the rest of the Democrats walked out as a show of solidarity. That at least would be like an interesting optical move. But Democrats' move was, Al Green was going to yell at the president from the outset about a dumb topic that President Trump is not even taking on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
And then they were all going to sit there looking half-depressed. Cheers to you guys. I mean, just optically genius. And then Al Green leaves the chamber and proceeds to say that he's initiating impeachment against President Trump. I'm sure it's going to go well, my dude.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2151 - Trump’s HOME RUN State of the Union!
OK, so you're going for another. Congrats to you. This is the face of your Democratic Party. I can't imagine why you guys are doing so poorly. So back to the speech. President Trump announces correctly that he has been the most active president in the first month of his administration of any president in modern history. This, of course, is absolutely true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Hey folks, Ben Shapiro here. Do not miss our latest episode of Daily Wire Backstage. Join me and Matt Walsh from Washington, D.C. Jeremy Boring, Andrew Klavan, Michael Mullins, they were stuck at HQ. As we discuss everything State of the Union related, we'll give you a behind-the-scenes peek. We were joined by Tom Homan, our border czar. It's awesome stuff. Take a listen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Well, I mean, I think that you're going to expect a very enthusiastic Republican reception. We heard from the speaker that we are expecting a bunch of Democrats to show up with empty egg cartons and they're going to wave them at the president about egg prices. That'll show him. Noisemakers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Folks, I need to tell you about a great way you can improve your quality of life. It's something I've been doing for years that I cannot recommend enough. Is it transcendental meditation classes? Nope, me meditating? It sounds unbelievably boring, so it's not going to happen. Is it Reiki energy healing? I mean, that looks relaxing, but nope, I'm not going to be doing that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I don't know about you, but that kind of stuff is not for me. So what do I do to improve my health and energy if wacky self-care schemes are out? Well, it isn't complicated. It's Bull & Brand Sheets, baby. With their 100% organic cotton sheets, I get a great sleep every single night, and I wake up refreshed to tackle the day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
They're going to try and disrupt as many things as possible, but they've been unable to disrupt the agenda thus far. And so I think they're going to have a rough time of it tonight. But, you know, we'd be remiss. We don't get to sit with the borders are very often. So borders are on home. What are you expecting tonight?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Oh, it is going to be great. And first of all, I think there's a good shot that President Trump is going to announce this rare earth mineral deal with Ukraine. So it'll be a big win for him. And I think it'll rectify a lot of the breach that happened last Friday in that extraordinarily combative press conference between Zelensky, President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
He's obviously going to talk about his accomplishments on immigration that Borsar Homan just mentioned a moment ago. He's going to be talking about the investments that were just made by a number of companies in America. The TSMC, which is, of course, the gigantic semiconductor maker in Taiwan, has announced they're going to spend $100 billion additionally in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
The Honda Civic is now going to be produced entirely in Indiana as opposed to in Mexico. I'm sure he's going to be talking a lot about that. There's been a lot of winning. He's going to talk about DEI. I'm sure he'll talk about Matt's big issue, the issue that if one person really helped push over the line, it was Matt Walsh, the death of men in women's sports.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I'm sure he's going to mention that as well. It's been a I mean, this has been, as we discussed last time we were together, the fastest moving administration in modern American history. I mean, this administration is moving like absolute lightning. It's going to give Trump a lot to talk about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And of course, it's going to get spicy because I would be shocked if there's no dramatics from the fainting couch left out there. Some of them are not showing up. And frankly, to me, that seems like the best tactic for some of them. I think that the ones who are idiots are going to show up and make fools of themselves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I mean, I think there's some of that. I also think that there is something else happening, too, and that is that there's been this myth in democratic politics really since 2012 that you could create a permanent minority-majority coalition. And so it was almost a no-loss proposition for them. They figured that they were going to win more Hispanic votes in the United States by opening the vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
by opening the border, and they could simultaneously bring in new voters. And at the same time, they'd be pleasing all of their white liberal college graduates who believe that the United States bears blood guilt for ever having won Texas and California from Mexico. And so it was sort of a win-win for them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And what they didn't understand is that you are now creating a backlash that's going to make for your undoing. If there's one issue more than any other that really swung the election, it was the illegal immigration issue. And number two was the trans issue. And Democrats are unable to kind of let go of both.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
But I want to ask my buddy Matt here, because he's been sitting here silently as is his wants during our backstage. He's always very excited to be here, as we know. And he's even more excited to travel. Matt, do you feel the electricity? Do you feel the energy? Are you just, like, ecstatic to be here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I'm going to note that right before this, by the way, Matt actually did up his tie. Like a few minutes ago, before we began, Matt had not buttoned his top button. Well, it's still not buttoned. Yeah, but you've got the tie tight enough that you can masquerade. And his shirt was pretty loose. And he kind of looked as though, and he had the cup of whiskey in front of him and the glass whiskey.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And he looked as though, you know, he'd worked a long day at the accounting office. Right. And now he'd been finally released to his local pub where he could, you know, just let this high down a little bit. And that was actually him dressed up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I will say it was pretty cool. We met with Speaker Johnson right before this, and he actually took us to take a picture, which I'm sure has now been posted online. And he actually showed us a room that apparently has never been used in the Capitol building, which was a prayer room. It was actually like a prayer room off to the side. It's really cool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
It is a beautiful stained glass window of George Washington kneeling in prayer, you know, the famous painting, and emblems from all 50 states. And George Washington was the last one to use it. Yes, exactly. Well, I mean, at least use it for prayer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I mean, I'm hoping that none of the other Congress people discovered it because the one rule about Congress is you never want to blacklight anything here. It's just a huge mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Yeah, exactly. I mean, I would be a little surprised if he rolls back the tariffs that quickly. I think that he has to have some sort of headline that he can latch on to in order to do that, some sort of win that he can say that he prized out of Canada or Mexico in order to do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
The one thing about President Trump that I've said many times, but I think you're going to see it play out with regard to these tariffs, is that President Trump likes good headlines and he does not like bad headlines. Once the Dow Jones Industrial Average drops by 1,500 points in two days, and suddenly the lights start blinking red.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I don't think that President Trump is so wedded to the magical idea of tariffs that he won't reverse himself in order to sort of preserve economic health. That's one thing. There have been some rumors.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I doubt that he'll do it tonight, but obviously I was pushing very hard today to pardon Derek Chauvin, which I think would be a good move for the country because while he was convicted on state charges, it wouldn't free him from prison, I do think that it would be very good and salutary for the country for the federal government to make clear that it is not going to
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
hold to account people for crimes they did not commit and in which the jury was pretty obviously poisoned by everybody surrounding the court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Anybody who thinks that Derek Chauvin got a fair trial, regardless of what you think of the actual outcome of the trial, anybody who pretends that that was even remotely a fair trial or the evidence stacked up to the conviction in that case, I, honest to God, don't understand what you're thinking, to be fairly frank with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And again, I think it would be a shocker if President Trump said anything about it tonight, but I would not be surprised if something in the near future is done about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Yeah, yeah, bye. Catch you later.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Well, I mean, right now we're just wondering why we're here. Cause I mean, well, we're exhausted. I mean,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
very long evening yeah and and my annoyance is a you sent the two most easily annoyed people in america to this and uh and and now you're bringing us back and it's 11 35 at night so i have not i have not clapped and i have not clapped that much like in total in my entire life as i did in the room so it's a lot of clapping i will say that um
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
There was one point when Trump thanked them for voting for Marco Rubio for Secretary of State. They didn't even clap for that. I mean, it really was an impressive show. And they kind of were gradually walking out. You could see Bernie Sanders maybe 15, 20 minutes before the end. He gets up and he walks out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
You can see a bunch of the Democratic Congress people starting to file out kind of slowly during the actual event. Now, President Trump's energy was really good. I mean, President Trump is happy to be there. He's in a very good mood. Obviously, Republicans love him. They're really pumped. They're really ready to go. A lot of enthusiasm. And I got to tell you, the Democrats felt dead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
They felt dead. I mean, it felt like the air had been sucked out of their side of the room, not just because they were depressed because they lost, but also because there's just no juice to the resistance anymore. It feels as though they have kind of lost their point of opposition. And so they're kind of sitting there in weirdly... Oh, my gosh.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And again, when they applauded Ukraine, which which, again, was less about their love of Ukraine and much more about their belief that President Trump is a caspaw of Vladimir Putin. So as far as the speech itself, I think that it is very clear that President Trump was focusing in on two really, really big themes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Aside from the tariffs, which I heard you guys talking about, the two big themes that he kept coming back to. And he actually did come back to them multiple times. He actually would go away from them and then come back to them again. Illegal immigration. He beat the border to death tonight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And I think that that was actually a really smart strategy because it is the greatest single success of the administration so far. I mean, we were talking to Tom Homan earlier. The stats that he was citing are extraordinary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And when President Trump brought that up and talked repeatedly about the damage that criminal illegal immigrants have done in the country and kept going back to that, that is a huge issue. It is an entire country moving issue. And then the other big issue was, of course, one that is all near and dear to our hearts. I mean, obviously, we all care about illegal immigration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
But the one that maybe The Daily Wire has taken the lead on as a company more than any other company in America is the trans issue. President Trump spoke about it. He left it. He came back to it. He came back to it repeatedly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And we had the pleasure, Matt and I, of sitting next to Riley Gaines, who, of course, has also been a big sort of character in pushing forward the notion that traditional sex actually is the metric for how we measure human beings in terms of, for example, sports. And the energy in the room for those two issues was extremely high.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
He gave what I thought was properly short shrifted foreign policy, actually, because he is a domestic policy president. He said, we're going to strengthen the military. We're going to we're going to rebuild our shipping. We're going to build Golden Dome, which is a take on Iron Dome, even though Iron Dome, for the record, is actually a system for shooting down short range rockets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And Golden Dome would be presumably a large missile defense system designed for shooting down, say, supersonic sort of low, low altitude Chinese missiles. You know, same difference. He kind of talked about that, but it was all domestically focused. And I think that's totally appropriate for a president who is, in fact, domestically focused. And I know you guys are talking about the tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
It's interesting to see how he's playing the tariffs and it'll be interesting to see how they materialize. The big question going forward, I think, for both the economy and for President Trump is whether the key word in the phrase reciprocal tariff is reciprocal or tariff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
So if the key word there is reciprocal, I think that, you know, what he's going to do is what, Jeremy, you were talking about, leverage other countries to lower their own tariffs in order so that we can get our tariffs lower and then more free trade for everyone. Yay, hooray. If the key word there is tariff and not reciprocal, meaning what he actually just likes are the tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
economic theory and history tell that that is a dicey proposition. You can see the effects on the stock market almost immediately. You've seen it over the course of the last couple of days alone when Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,500 points. Again, that is a dicey game that he's playing right there if he's fighting inflation. Large-scale tariffs tend not to lower inflation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
They tend to increase prices of goods and services because you're limiting supply while leaving demand exactly the same, which obviously increases prices. And then the question is just going to be whether it is a leverage play or whether it is a principal play that he sort of likes tariffs and has a vision of the world in which everyone reshores to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And we export, but we don't import, which, again, I think that that is likely to result in some pretty dire economic side effects.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I mean, I think what's in it for us is actually a pretty good pitch. What's in it for us is a pretty good pitch. I think the thing that we do have to remember, however, is that we are also, there is something in it for us, which is namely that our gigantic national debt is actually funded by other countries who are buying our bonds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I mean, so it turns out that actually there are two sides to the story. It's not just the United States funding everybody else. The reality is that everybody else is also funding us by holding the dollar as the global reserve currency and then holding bonds that they can easily transfer into dollars. So, again, economics is a bit of a sensitive game.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And, you know, the one thing and this is the thing that I really fear for President Trump's administration. The one thing that can send things south, because the Democrats are so gone. They're so gone. I mean, that's what you can see in the room. They have lost it. They've lost it. When it comes to the trans issue, they've completely lost it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
When it comes to illegal immigration, they've completely lost it. They're just so far from common sense. The one thing that could really hurt Trump is an economic downturn. It's the one thing he cannot afford. No president can afford it. President Trump more than most because he's seen as a pro, correctly, as a pro-business president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And so anything that can be done to avoid an economic downturn is the thing that he really has to do. The good news about Trump, I think, is that even if he loves tariffs, like adores them, President Trump also, even more than that, likes good headlines and does not like bad headlines. And so if the economy starts to go south, This is one area where President Trump will stick and move.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
By the way, credit to Zelensky for recognizing that he really, really needed to put out a statement before this speech. I mean, seriously, Zelensky blew that meeting on Friday in a massive, massive way. I went through on my show, like the entire details of that meeting, like went through all 50 minutes of that particular meeting. And Zelensky really blew it. And then he continued to blow it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And then today he came back and he said the thing he was supposed to say, which is we're very, very grateful for all the support. We're ready to sign a rare earth mineral deal. We're trying to get to the end of this war. And so tonight, instead of President Trump spending half the speech shellacking Zelensky in Ukraine, instead, President Trump did what he does, which is he pocketed the victory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
And again, I think we're all saying very similar things here. I don't think that President Trump, when it comes to these policies, is sitting there thinking, OK, if I move my rook here, they're going to move their knight here. And then if they move their knight here, I'm going to move my bishop here, checkmate. That's not how President Trump thinks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
The way that he thinks is much more like, I'm going to do this thing. And if you respond in the way that I want, then we can make a deal. And if you respond in a way I don't want, I'm going to hit you. And you know what? Most policy can actually get done fairly well that way. I will say, I did enjoy the break with tradition that was pretty evident from the beginning of the speech.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I think this is what he meant when he said, remember, he put out this truth social in all caps. I'm going to speak plainly tonight. And everybody's like, I don't know what that means. Like, when has he ever not spoken plainly? Where is the subtlety, my man? But, you know, I think what he meant, I'm going to speak plainly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
What he meant was, I'm just going to, if I feel like banging on the Democrats, I'm just going to bang on the Democrats. When he started off, right, I mean, it's hysterically funny. When he started off right near the top and he said, listen, I've been doing this for five years. Five years, five times I've come to you. They never clapped once. I don't even care anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
I'm sorry, that's really funny. And it cuts through the bullshit of the entire sort of evening, which is, you know, propped up as this sort of almost post-imperial event. I've spoken on the program a thousand times about how much I generally hate State of the Union addresses. I will say it was kind of funny because it felt like kind of a post-State of the Union, State of the Union.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
He's just hilarious. In the room, it was very funny. There were a lot of things that we were chuckling at in the room, for sure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
At the very beginning, they're clapping for him, and he actually did the Trump dance. I don't know if you guys can see that on camera. He actually did. When they were giving the big ovation, I don't know if they're panning in the crowd or whatever, he literally stepped to the side of the podium and did this thing. Yeah. I noticed this. It was really funny, like really funny.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
Yeah, and when you talk about this, it's very clear that the Biden administration, it was an act of will for them to leave the border this way. I was talking to you before we were on air that I was actually down at the border in Arizona. There's a Native American reservation right along the border.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
There's no fencing there because the Native American reservation doesn't want there to be fencing there. And so basically it's wide open. And the Biden administration, I was told by Border Patrol, had assigned them to process people as a number one priority. The drug cartels would essentially drive up with a truck filled with people. They would unload them at the border.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
There was actually a button they could hit at the border that would call Border Patrol to them. Border Patrol would then have to take them for processing, and that would leave the rest of the border completely wide open for the predations of the drug cartels. I think one part of the story that hasn't been told here is just how much the Biden administration enriched the drug cartels.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage: Trump’s Address to Congress
The drug cartels made literally billions of dollars off of human trafficking and drug smuggling during the course of the Biden administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Folks, a lot of news breaking today. We'll get to all of it. First, if you want more from The Ben Shapiro Show and The Daily Wire, the time has come to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Get member-exclusive shows, ad-free streaming, early access to our new releases. Watch premium films and documentaries you're not going to find anywhere else.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
I mean, again, if you read the chat, what's fascinating about the chat, as I mentioned yesterday, is that the most responsible and intelligent commentators on foreign policy in the chat are Waltz and Hegseth. It's not particularly close. They're the two most informed, most reasoned people in the chat about what should be done about the Houthis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
For example, I do not think it is a coincidence that many of both the isolationists on the right and the Obama foreign policy pseudo-realists on the left are gunning for Hegseth and Waltz. I don't think that is merely about the handling of classified information because there are a lot of people on that chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
So now everybody was on that chat and no one else is being gunned for, which is rather curious, shall we say. In the end, it is left to Jasmine Crockett, the new hot leader of the Democrat Party. And she's sort of the fresh faced AOC. AOC is still out there. She's now a veteran. But Jasmine Crockett is trying to steal her thunder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And that is what the evidence, by the way, is showing right now. Harry Enten over on CNN, he says that despite all of the Democratic attempts to paint President Trump as deeply unpopular, the numbers are better for President Trump than literally any time in his political career.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
This is the congresswoman from Texas, the incredibly voluble congresswoman from Texas, who was left to sum up the real problem that happened in the signal chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Yeah, that was the problem. There's no black woman in the room. That would have solved everything. Thank you, Jasmine. That wasn't even the dumbest thing she said yesterday. So meanwhile, you wonder why President Trump continues to ride high? Like there can be botchery at Doge. There can be mistakes made in signal chats and all the rest of it. However, the Democrats are completely lost.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
They're in the wilderness right now because their leaders are people like Representative Jasmine Crockett. They're attempting to show that they are, in fact, the resistance. And they think that the way that you show you're the resistance is by cursing a lot and by saying deeply insulting, terrible things. So Jasmine Crockett, this is hilarious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
She was at the Human Rights Campaign, which is all about equality. It's about LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign. And it's supposedly about marginalized people. And she proceeds to drop this insane line.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
So that is some very inspiring talk there. They're in the hot-ass streets with the Hot Wheels governor because he's a hot-ass mess, according to Jasmine Crockett. Now, there are a few problems with this. Number one, Jasmine Crockett grew up in a rather privileged precinct of St. Louis, and so she's cosplaying this sort of attitude.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
But beyond that, when she refers to Governor Greg Abbott as Hot Wheels, she is literally insulting a person who is in a wheelchair, who is a paraplegic, She's insulting a paraplegic for being in a wheelchair by calling him Hot Wheels. And she is being laughed at and cheered by the members of the Human Rights Campaign. which is all about supposedly the inclusion of marginalized people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
I don't think that you're about the inclusion of marginalized people, guys. I actually don't. I have doubts that that is your actual political agenda. And Jasmine Crockett then tried to walk this back because it turns out that it's actually not a great thing to insult the disabled and to characterize them as, quote unquote, hot wheels. So she tried to walk this back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
She tried to pretend she wasn't talking about the fact that Governor Abbott of Texas is a paraplegic. She wrote on X, quote, Now, do you remember at that time? that Trump supposedly made fun of a journalist who had a condition. And it actually was not him making fun of the journalist who had the condition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
It's the same weird hand motions he does whenever he's talking about someone he thinks is stupid and weak. And then they played it as though this particular journalist was being mocked by Trump and became a national news story. She literally called the paraplegic Hot Wheels. And now she's claiming the reason she called Greg Abbott Hot Wheels is not because he is in a wheelchair.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
It is because he is sending migrants on airplanes to, to various cities led by black mayors. I don't think that that's what you meant. And the reason I don't think that that's what she meant is because it turns out that in 2021, she liked a post referencing Governor Abbott as Hot Wheels, which was before the migrant transfers. Oopsie-daisy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
That was uncovered by the Washington Free Beacon, which, of course, is tremendous reporting. So... This, of course, has generated angst and antagonism in the House of Representatives, which has basically descended. Much of the House of Representatives is staffed by good, responsible people who actually care about their constituents.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And then there is, in fact, a contingent of the House of Representatives that is basically Jerry Springer running for various gubernatorial seats. That is what the House of Representatives has become in large part. It is filled with some of the dullest knives in the drawer, for sure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
That includes Representative Ayanna Pressley, who is now complaining about the Trump administration for, wait for it, being too white.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Oh boy. This is what you got. You got the cabinet's too white and a Hot Wheels governor. These are your leaders, Democrats. You chose your fighters. Well, Democrats have chosen a bunch of idiot leaders and people who actually reflect some of the worst in humanity and back that. Well, that worst of humanity still exists and threatens people all over the globe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
After more than a year of war in Israel, the need for security essentials and support for first responders remains absolutely critical. Even during periods of ceasefire, Israel must maintain constant vigilance and preparedness for potential threats that could emerge from any direction as the nation continues to face hostility from surrounding adversaries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Throughout this challenging time, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has stood firmly alongside the people of Israel, providing essential security resources that save lives. We remain committed to that vital mission. Your gift today,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
will directly contribute to lifesaving security measures, including bomb shelters to protect families during rocket attacks, armored security vehicles, ambulances that provide critical medical care, advanced firefighting equipment for emergency response teams, protective gear like flak jackets and bulletproof vests for those on the front lines, and numerous other crucial resources.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Thank you, and God bless. Let's talk about something that's on every parent's mind, your kid's nutrition. You know how most kids' vitamins are basically candy with a vitamin label? Loaded with sugar, they've got artificial ingredients. This is where Hya comes in. They've created an amazing chewable vitamin that kids actually love. The best part? Zero sugar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Even the pickiest eaters would give these a thumbs up. They've packed in 12 organic fruits and veggies plus 15 essential vitamins and minerals. We're talking vitamin D, B12, C, zinc, and more. They've thought of everything. It's non-GMO, vegan, allergen-free, and thoroughly tested for safety, which means you and I can both feel confident giving our kids this high-quality product.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Are you tired of battling with your kids to eat their greens? Hyatt now has Kids Daily Greens Plus Superfoods, a chocolate-flavored greens powder specifically designed for kids, packed with more than 55 whole food ingredients to support brain power, development, and digestion. Just scoop.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
shake, and sip with milk or any non-dairy beverage for a delicious and nutritious boost your kids will actually enjoy. We've worked out a special deal with Haya for their best-selling children's vitamin. Receive 50% off your very first order to claim this deal. You have to go to hayahealth.com slash Shapiro. This deal is not available on their regular website.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Go to H-I-Y-A-H-E-A-L-T-H.com slash Shapiro. Get your kids the full body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults. And I think that many, many people in the country, there's a whole democratic campaign right now, which like, do you regret your vote for Trump? And the answer so far seems to be absolutely not. for the vast majority of people who voted for Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Connect with a community that shares your values, not one that cancels you for them. Watch anywhere, anytime on desktop, mobile, and TV apps. And with new content added every single week, there's always something worth watching. Join the fight right now at dailywire.com slash subscribe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Okay, that is absolutely right, which means that unless a scandal actually goes to sort of the core of the Trump administration, and by that I mean his actual agenda, not how the agenda is carried out, but the actual agenda itself, it's not going to harm Trump in any serious way. And President Trump knows precisely that. So yesterday there was large-scale controversy over that signal chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And the reason for that is because the specter of Democrat rule is just that scary. Why? Well, because one of the ousted members of the squad, Ayanna Pressley, as I've mentioned before, is the Ringo Starr of the squad. They're far left radical progressives in Congress led by AOC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Well, one of the ousted members of the squad, Cori Bush, Representative Cori Bush, she admitted what the Democrats were going to do next if they had gained power. And this is terrifying.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
They were going to shoot for $10 trillion, $10 trillion in that climate deal. If they'd unified control of government, they would do it again. No wonder people are still resonating to President Trump's message. Speaking of which, President Trump signed a couple of consequential executive orders yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
He signed an executive order, according to Politico, seeking to change how elections are administered across the country, especially rules related to citizenship and mail-in voting. The Trump order asserts that federal law requires all states to reject ballots not received by Election Day, directing the Justice Department to take all necessary action to enforce that requirement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
That, of course, makes perfect sense because it's very difficult to determine. You can try to do it based on postmark, theoretically. But how exactly are you going to determine quickly and easily how an election was conducted if people are still having their votes counted five days after the election?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
The trust and veracity of the American electoral system is deeply undermined by this idea that you can receive a ballot three days after an election and still count it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
In Florida, we know the election results literally day up, like within an hour, because they pre-count all of the mail-in ballots, and then they add on day of voting, and then they're done, which is the way it should be done across the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
President Trump's order asserts that federal law requires states to reject ballots not received by Election Day, directing the Justice Department to take all necessary action. Across the country, states have wide latitude to administer elections differently. None allow votes to be counted if they are cast after Election Day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Some accept absentee ballots after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. Many others require ballots to be in possession of election officials by the time the polls close. For example, in Florida, a ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. In California, a ballot must be postmarked on Election Day but can arrive up to seven days later.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Again, which is incredibly messy. The executive order also requires the Election Assistance Commission, an independent agency, to add proof of citizenship to the national voter registration form. States are required to accept that national form under federal law. They can still create their own voter registration forms.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
But if you're going to use the federal voter registration form, you should have to show that you're a citizen. That does not seem particularly controversial. And this bizarre idea that has been put forward by so many people that impoverished citizens can't show proof of their citizenship is insane and ridiculous. You have to show proof of your citizenship every time you drive a car, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
What do you think a driver's license is? There are lots of poor people in America who are able to drive or able to buy alcohol using an ID. It actually is not all that difficult. This is an 80-20 issue and Democrats find themselves on the wrong side of it. President Trump also signed an executive order
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Members of the Trump administration were testifying in Congress and talking about whether classified information was actually revealed. It was maintained by Tulsi Gabbard, who is the director of national intelligence, that there was no classified information that was revealed. John Ratcliffe of the CIA said the same thing. He said that that chat did not include any real classified information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
directing the FBI to immediately declassify files concerning the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. As Fox News reports, the agency probe launched in 2016 was seeking information on the Trump campaign. It was deeply corrupt, the Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
It was rooted in a false report that was basically crafted out of whole cloth by Fusion GPS, a firm that was hired via Perkins Coie by Hillary Clinton in order to whip the Steele dossier into existence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
The Crossfire Hurricane investigation also included impropriety, including the improper surveillance of Carter Page, a member of sort of the Trump foreign policy team, although a very low-level one. President Trump is declassifying all those files, saying you might want to go through this stuff if you're talking about government corruption.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
OK, so as he says, you probably won't like what you're going to see. And that's right. Then the media are not going to look into these files because the files show exactly what was going on during the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, which, again, is one of the most deeply corrupt investigations in modern American history. No one was fired for that one, by the way. I'll point out as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Meanwhile, the Republicans on the Hill are moving steadily toward their one big, beautiful bill. According to Politico, congressional GOP leaders are coalescing behind President Trump's demand that their massive party line bill include a debt limit increase. Senate Republicans are seeing if they have the votes to make it happen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Those plans were cemented during a White House meeting on Tuesday with the senior Republicans in both chambers, top tax writers, and Treasury Secretary Scott Besant. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said his conference still needed to make a final decision. In order to get that strategy going, President Trump will need to force several key Senate GOP hardliners to get behind it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Again, the goal here would be to be able to increase the spending limit under President Trump, which is the thing that he wants. It is likely that this will be achieved by President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
In an acknowledgment that the gamut of linking a debt ceiling increase to a filibuster squirting reconciliation measure might not work, Thune has been careful to leave the door open to striking a deal with Democrats to avoid default in the coming months on the debt limit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
But many of Thune's members are clamoring to put the debt ceiling hike in the reconciliation bill in order to get all of it done at once because they don't want to actually make concessions to Democrats. So the argument that President Trump is making and that Thune and Johnson presumably are going to be making is you can either
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
negotiate a debt limit hike with Democrats, in which case you have to make concessions to Democrats, or you can stick the debt limit hike in this one big, beautiful bill and then pass it along with everything else. And you don't have to make any deals with Democrats. Thune said, I think that's clearly a preferable outcome. Obviously, the House has it in their version.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Tulsi Gabbard suggested that the conversation is under review. Here she was yesterday in front of Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
So we have to determine whether or not the Senate can get on board with that idea. The Senate's blueprint right now does not have that in there. Thune stopped short Tuesday of promising Republicans finally had a plan for addressing the debt limit. He believed there was a consensus that was forming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Some GOP lawmakers say they may have to strip out the debt limit measure from the massive bill to extend tax cuts if the U.S. approaches the debt limit too early, like before the lawmakers can come to an agreement. But again, I think that the senators come around. I think it is highly likely that Republicans get their one big, beautiful bill done. And that's a big victory for President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
It's absolutely necessary because, again, the sort of trade war that's being unleashed on the world is a pressure in the other direction. Trade wars tend to lead to economic stagnation and inflation. The one big, beautiful bill leads to economic certainty. It leads to deregulation in certain areas. It leads to lower taxes. One of these things makes business happy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
One of these things makes business more unhappy. And so if you're going to do the tariff thing, then it just makes what's happening on the other end, on the legislative end, that much more important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
As the Wall Street Journal reports, barriers to open trade are rising around the world at a pace unseen in decades, a cascade of protectionism that harks back to the isolationist fervor that swept the globe in the 1930s and worsened the Great Depression. It isn't just President Trump's new tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Even before Trump retook the White House, many countries were increasing trade barriers, often against China. Now those efforts are proliferating as countries brace for a new wave of goods redirected across the globe by the U.S. 's rising tariff shield.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
The EU said this month it plans to toughen measures to protect its own steel and aluminum producers from imports diverted from the United States by Trump's 25% tariffs on those two metals. Economists suggest that the world could be heading toward the largest, broadest surge in protectionist activity since the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which was a large contributing factor in the Great Depression. Now, economists don't think that we're headed toward a Great Depression or anything remotely like that, but the economic slowdown could be significant, which is just one reason why if you're going to do one thing, you certainly have to do the other.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Meanwhile, that is something that the administration is pursuing in terms of deregulation and cuts. Doge continues to be popular with the American people as a general rule. They may not like Elon Musk. They may not like the way that this is being pursued. But the basic idea of going through the government with a red pen and just line iteming out all of the bad spending ideas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
That's something the American people certainly like. And the Trump administration is coming, I think, to a better version of this, which is a more concerted and targeted version of these cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Frank Bisignano, who's the Social Security Administrator nominee for President Trump, who's asked yesterday in the Senate about cutting Social Security staff, said, listen, we're not going to cut half the staff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very much. I don't know. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I don't know. I don't know.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Now, again, members of the Trump administration are saying there was no classified material on the chat. The reason that they are saying that is because if there was classified material on the chat, that could theoretically breach actual law. It wouldn't just be an impropriety. It might be a legal problem. And so they're all saying that there was no classified information on the chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, says, fine, well, if there's no classified information on the chat, then I guess I'm just going to put everything out there, because there had also been a debate over whether there were actual war plans in the chat or whether it was sort of broad-ranging discussions, what was going to happen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
The kinds of stuff that you could actually say to each other in text as opposed to in a skiff or in some sort of classified venue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
According to the Wall Street Journal, President Trump and two of his top intelligence officials denied Tuesday classified materials about military strikes in Yemen were shared by officials on a group chat on a non-government service, while Democrats denounced the security breach as both reckless and dangerous.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
As I mentioned, Gabbard and Ratcliffe said that this did not include classified information. The information was not, in fact, classified information. Meanwhile, the Atlantic has now responded by publishing the rest of the information. They say, fairly enough, if it's not classified, then you'll have no problem with us putting that out there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
., a, men P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P, P, P, gener , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . a in
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Well, the left feels that finally has some room to run after the supposed scandal of a bunch of Trump national security officials who are on a signal chat together and... Someone from National Security Advisor Mike Walz's office accidentally invited Jeffrey Goldberg, the execrable editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, into the chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Jeffrey Goldberg this morning put out a story about this. They had emailed the White House press secretary, Caroline Leavitt. And Levitt had responded, quote, as we've repeatedly stated, there was no classified information transmitted in the group chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
However, as the CIA director and national security advisor have both expressed today, that does not mean we encourage the release of the conversation. This was intended to be an internal private deliberation among high-level senior staff and sensitive information was discussed. So for those reasons, yes, we object to the release.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
A CIA spokesperson asked to withhold the name of John Ratcliffe's chief of staff, which Ratcliffe had shared in the signal chain because CIA intelligence officers are traditionally not publicly identified. But Ratcliffe had also testified earlier that the officer was not undercover and said it was completely appropriate to share their name in the signal conversation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
The Atlantic, for purposes of caution, is refusing to release the name of the officer. Otherwise, the messages are unredacted. So what exactly do the texts say? Well, at 1144 Eastern Time, this is Saturday morning. The Secretary of Defense posted in the chat, team update, weather is favorable. Just confirm with CENTCOM we are a go for mission launch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And then the HEXA text continued, 12.15 Eastern time, F-18s launch, first strike package. 13.45, 1.45 Eastern time, trigger-based F-18 first strike window starts. Target terrorist is at his known location, so should be on time. Also, strike drones launch, MQ-9s. So Jeffrey Goldberg says, why exactly is this not classified? He says, the signal message shows the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Secretary of Defense texted a group that included a phone number unknown to him at 1144 a.m. This is 31 minutes before the first U.S. warplanes launched in two hours and one minute. Before the beginning of a period in which a primary target, the Houthi target terrorist, was expected to be killed by these American aircraft.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
If that text had been received by someone hostile to American interests, the Houthis would have had time to prepare for what was meant to be a surprise attack on their strongholds. The consequences for American pilots could have been catastrophic. The Hegseth text continues, 2-10, more F-18s launched, second strike package. 14-15, 2-15 p.m., strike drones on target.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
This is when the first bombs will definitely drop, pending earlier trigger-based targets. 3-36, F-18, second strike starts, also for C-based Tomahawks launched. More to follow per timeline. We are currently clean on OPSEC, that is Operational Security Godspeed, to our warriors. So again, the Atlantic is saying, okay, these texts are obviously supposed to be classified.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Why is this happening inside a signal chat? So let's separate the legal issue for a second from the actual. national security issue, because there are two real issues here. One is the legal situation. If this was classified information, was it mishandled? If so, is that a violation of criminal law? As we've said, usually violation of criminal law requires some level of intent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
This was exactly the standard that was set up for Hillary Clinton in the emails case. If you agree with James Comey on that, that basically you have to have intent to spread classified information. It's not just negligence. It's intent to spread classified information beyond its boundaries. then you're guilty of some sort of crime, then obviously there was no intent here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
No one meant to include Jeffrey Goldberg on purpose in the middle of the chat, obviously. So on a legal standard, very difficult to say that this would be violative of law as actually reinterpreted by James Comey and the FBI and pretty much everybody else going forward from that point, which means 15 years ago, maybe a crime. Today, not so much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And there, a conversation ensued all about when and how to strike the Houthis in Yemen. And people are pretending to be extremely angry about this. When I say people are pretending, what I mean is that there used to be a time, say 15 years ago, when national security breaches based on revelation of classified information would have been a national scandal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And then you reach the question of the political here. Does it look good that this sort of thing happened, that Jeffrey Goldberg was included in this chat? Obviously, it doesn't look good. It was messy and it was a mistake. However, is it going to damage President Trump? The answer here is no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And the reason the answer here is no is because the strikes went forward, the Houthis were in fact eviscerated. The terrorist was in fact killed. The strikes were in fact successful. And the discussion that was actually had, as I mentioned yesterday, the discussion was quite fascinating because it illuminated
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Differences inside the president's team over foreign policy and showed that both Secretary of Defense Hegseth and NSA Waltz in particular are very strong defenders of President Trump's peace through strength agenda. This is what Mike Waltz was saying yesterday on national television on Fox News. He said, listen, we're knocking the crap out of the terrorists, which is the central issue here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
President Trump, for his part, did the right thing. He defended Waltz. And I say it's the right thing here because the idea that Waltz or Hegseth or anyone is going to get fired over this in the wake of the reality about how national security information has been treated is ridiculous. It's particularly ridiculous in the aftermath of the Afghanistan withdrawal for which no one was fired.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
So a slap on the wrist is appropriate. A firing is not. Trump's national security team is really, really good. I mean, that's actually the message that you get from the internals of the deliberations. Again, put aside the actual negligence of including Jeffrey Goldberg in the chat. The actual internal deliberations are fascinating, interesting, and high level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Here's President Trump defending Waltz.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Well, President Trump is defending Mike Waltz, as he should. Meanwhile, other things that you should be doing, you should be protecting your data. Well, tax season is upon us. While we may be weary of numbers, some deserve our immediate attention. $16.5 billion in IRS refunds flagged for potential identity fraud last year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Identity theft tax fraud surged by an alarming 20% in 2024 alone, affecting thousands of unsuspecting Americans. But there's hope in these numbers as well. LifeLock vigilantly monitors 100 million data points every second, creating a shield around your financial identity when it matters most. Their sophisticated systems work tirelessly to protect your personal information.
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Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Should the worst happen, their dedicated U.S.-based restoration specialists will make it right, backed by their comprehensive million-dollar protection package. They don't just promise help. They guarantee restoration or your money back, no questions asked.
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Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
One of my producers, Jess, currently uses LifeLock and has emphasized the peace of mind that comes with knowing their experts are always monitoring her sensitive information for any suspicious activity. This tax season and beyond, do not face the growing threat of identity theft alone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Find peace of mind and unmatched security with LifeLock identity theft protection because your financial identity deserves nothing less. Join now. Save up to 40% your very first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code Ben or go to lifelock.com slash Ben for 40% off. Terms apply.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And now we have been through this many times and no one has been prosecuted. And so the idea that anyone takes this stuff super seriously at the top level is kind of ridiculous. Of course, I mentioned this yesterday when Hillary Clinton was let off the hook by the FBI. and by James Comey. At that point, basically, it was open season on screwing around with the classified information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Also, Grand Canyon University, private Christian University in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, believes we are all endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
gcu believes in equal opportunity and that the american dream starts with purpose gcu equips you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and create a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come by honoring your career calling you impact your family your friends and your community change the world for good by putting others before yourself to glorify god whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's master's or doctoral degree gcu's online on campus and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic personal and professional goals
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Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others, that's yours. Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. Again, that's gcu.edu. There are so many terrible universities all over the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
One of them that is good, Grand Canyon University. Go check it out right now, gcu.edu. Now, Democrats, of course, are jumping all over this, and they are pretending that this is a deep breach of national security. Again, it is very difficult for Democrats to have a leg to stand on here, considering their past treatment of classified information ranging from Hillary Clinton to Joe Biden.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
The bottom line is neither party takes this stuff particularly seriously at this point. Should both parties take it more seriously? Absolutely. Sure. Is it something that anyone takes seriously at this point, especially when it's kind of no harm, no foul? The answer is going to be no going forward here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Democrats who are trying to seize on this as sort of their moment in time to make hay, they're making a very large tactical mistake, I think, because, again, most Americans don't care about this. Most Americans don't really understand why this is such a major issue other than somebody got messy in the signal chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia ripped into John Ratcliffe, head of the CIA, and Tulsi Gabbard, DNI, over the carelessness and incompetence and all the rest of this. I can just say this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Again, this sort of outsized outrage is kind of rich coming from these people. John Ossoff, the senator from Georgia, who is not long for the Senate, by the way, went after John Ratcliffe and said, oh, this is totally so unprofessional, just terrible. You guys had literally a person who is dead as president of the United States for several years and you covered it up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
You guys presided over the worst American humiliation since the Vietnam War with the withdrawal from Afghanistan, where you turned over an entire country of 38 million people to the world's worst barbarians while getting American service members killed. People were dropping out of the wheel wells of airplanes. This is where you're drawing the line of being embarrassed?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Okay, I'm sorry. From these people, I'm just not willing to hear it. I'm not. I'm not. It's ridiculous. Susan Rice, who is national security advisor under Barack Obama, said this is just terrible. Just absolutely, absolutely awful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And so the idea that Americans are sitting around their kitchen tables today saying to themselves, oh my God, I can't believe that they invited a reporter into a signal chat and then nothing happened and the Houthis got hit with missiles. I just don't think that that is going to motivate the American public to move away from President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
So that's the biggest national security debacle anyone can remember. I know. Again, I remember when you were a part of the Biden administration, like a top domestic policy advisor to the Biden administration that presided over the collapse of Afghanistan, among other things. So, yeah, I can remember much worse debacles than this. Now, is this great? Absolutely not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Is this something that you would recommend? No. Is it on the order of... a complete destruction of Western presence in Afghanistan and turning over the country to the Taliban or say doing nothing when Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine twice, once. And again, Susan Rice was there for all of this. She was there for the invasion of Ukraine in 2014 by the Russians and she did nothing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
And then she was there for the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. And again, totally ineffective. So I'm noticing like a lot of problems with the idea that this is where you draw the line. It's such a procedural approach to government sin. Well, the procedures were not done. Again, I agree. The procedures were not done. That's really bad. Slap on the wrist is appropriate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
Public humiliations for all. Does that amount to a fireable offense? In this era, the answer, of course, is no. That, of course, is really silly, and Trump is not going to fire, and he shouldn't fire these people. The reality is that many of the people who are gunning for members of the administration, it's interesting which members of the administration they are particularly gunning for, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2166 - Democrat Launches Verbal ASSAULT on Disabled Texas Governor: “HOT WHEELS”
They're gunning for Waltz because Waltz included Goldberg in the chat in the first place, but also because Waltz happens to be a hawkish backer of Trump's peace through strength. They're gunning for Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, who, again, is the hawkish backer of peace through strength.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Well, President Trump's winning streak continues. It doesn't just continue because of President Trump. It actually is continuing because Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is doing an extraordinary job in the House where he has an unbelievably slim margin. His margin in the House is somewhere between one and three votes, depending on who actually shows up for the vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
The reason that he pursued one big, beautiful bill is because he figured that if you separated all of these issues out, what you would get is a bunch of bills that would never pass because you'd have too many purists on too many issues who would be able to sink the boat. So instead, wrap it up in one big ball, make people vote up or make people vote down. That was the strategy here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
So this led to conflict clearly publicly between Zelensky and President Trump. The new text does not do that. The new text does not overtly include security guarantees. Under the terms of the agreement, Ukraine would pay some proceeds from future mineral resource development into a fund that would invest in projects in Ukraine. So what does that mean?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It means that all the stuff that's already being developed in Ukraine, that stuff is not going to be subject to this joint American investment. It's future development that is going to be subject to joint American investment. Now, one of the big problems for the United States with this is that much of the rare earths material that we actually need is in the Russian occupied areas of Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
So presumably the United States is not going to gain access over all of that. The size of the U.S. 's stake in the fund and joint ownership deals will be hashed out in future agreements. President Trump did celebrate the actual deal, suggesting that this was the beginning of a security arrangement between the United States and Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
He said, listen, what this basically does is it makes sure that the United States is investing in the future of Ukraine. And now we have a pretty strong interest in Ukraine actually not becoming just a Russian precinct.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Now, again, the New York Times is citing a draft document. The U.S. would own the maximum amount of the fund allowed under American law, but not necessarily all of it. And it appears that the sort of generalized change to the agreement does not require Ukraine to pay back some $500 billion in revenue from rare minerals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
And apparently, again, it doesn't include a firm security guarantee from the United States, but you can hear from President Trump's language that he is essentially pledging a continued security guarantee from the United States, which is the preliminary to an end to this conflict.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Everyone knows Ukraine is not going to come to the table unless there is a security guarantee provided to it by the West. And by the way, Ukraine would be foolish to come to the table with anything short of that. They'd be absolute idiots to do that. After all, the United States and the West sold out Ukraine. Let's be clear about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
In the early 1990s, Ukraine had literally thousands of nuclear weapons on its soil. In an attempt to denuclearize the area, the United States and its allies in Europe pledged security guarantees to Ukraine in return for them denuclearizing, getting rid of their nuclear weapons. In retrospect, Ukraine never should have done that. It was an idiot move.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
And so now the Ukrainians are saying, listen, we are not going to give up our right to fight for our country unless somebody else is going to come in and guarantee this. That is perfectly rational. And I think President Trump knows that. President Trump says Zelensky is actually coming to the United States on Friday for a joint signing ceremony.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
And if you don't like it, then maybe more Republicans should have been elected to Congress. It turns out that if you have a very slim majority, the bill that comes out is likely to be more quote-unquote moderate in its approach than if you had a much larger majority where you could lose a few moderates in the vote and still maintain a majority. According to Politico,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Okay, so in the end, we end up where we're basically supposed to be is the United States. We're going to be able to make future rare minerals deals with Ukraine, which is great. And we're also going to ensure that Russia doesn't walk into Kiev, which, as I've suggested all along, was never the policy of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
There are some people who are associated with sort of MAGA world who'd be eager, apparently, to see Vladimir Putin walk into Kiev. I do not think that President Trump is one of those people. I do not think he actually wants that. He wants the Europeans to pay up. He wants the Europeans to staff the peacekeeping force. He wants... more redress for America's taxpayer dollars in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
And it appears he's going to get all of those things. So we are moving toward a speedy consolidation of position between actually the United States, the Europeans, and the Ukrainians. And now the Russians need to get on board. And I think that the American position with regard to Russia, which is, we'll stop saying mean words about you, but why don't you guys get on board?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
That may bear fruit as well. That remains to be seen. Well, obviously, there's a ton going on in the news. And in this fast-moving news cycle, there's an important issue that very often gets overlooked, supporting expectant mothers facing difficult decisions. There are women in our own communities who need support and guidance during one of life's most challenging moments.
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Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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Just dial pound 250, say baby, or visit preborn.com slash ben. Your support today can help create lasting positive changes that impact multiple generations, writing new stories of hope and transformation. Go check them out right now. Visit preborn.com slash ben or dial pound 250 and say keyword baby. That's pound 250 and say baby.
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Also, feeling like my best self means I'm energized, clear-headed, confident, balanced. My mind is clear. My body feels strong. I can tackle each day with purpose and determination. To help us feel our best each day, my team and I have partnered with LiveGood.
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House Republicans approved a budget framework for President Trump's sweeping domestic policy agenda on Tuesday, a major victory for Speaker Johnson, who worked with Trump and fellow leaders in a chaotic last-ditch effort to win over naysayers within the Republican ranks. And Republicans, again, were very split on this.
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My executive assistant Kelly recently tried their bioactive complete multivitamin as well as the organic complete plant-based protein powder because this year she wants to stay on top of health and wellness.
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Since taking them and getting all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals your body typically needs, she's noticed a big difference in her overall health and strengthened immune response, even with a lot of the bugs that are going around recently. The protein powder is so convenient for throwing in smoothies after gym recovery as well.
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With Live Good, my production team and I can always feel like we're at our best. And what's better than that? All their products fit conveniently into your day. Kelly takes their multivitamin after breakfast. She throws some of the protein powder into smoothies after workouts.
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She's really noticed just how much energy and focus she has throughout the day compared to before she added the Live Good products into her daily routine. If you're ready to make the switch and start saving, we'll make it even easier for you. Use our link. You can save an additional 10% off your first order on top of the already lowest prices. Just head on over to livegood.com.
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Save 10% on your first order. That's livegood.com. Don't miss out on this opportunity to invest in your own health without overspending. Meanwhile, President Trump has made a new proposal with regard to immigration. One of the big questions with regard to immigration is how do we bring the best immigrants here?
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Very few Americans, right, left, or center, want to bar all immigrants from the United States. There are some that is a very low number. Most Americans do not want vast swaths of illegal immigration, people who are impoverished, who are coming to the United States, who are not going to actually adhere to American culture. They're not going to assimilate. They'll be dependent on welfare.
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That's not something most Americans want. However, what most Americans want is some way of finding the best immigrants and bringing them to the United States to enrich our economy and to make America stronger. And again, this is a perfectly rational calculation. The reality is it's very difficult to make the case against full scale like any immigration at all.
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When President Trump has Elon Musk standing next to him, Elon Musk is an immigrant. If you look at the founders of the Magnificent Seven, right, the top stocks in the stock market, several of them, the CEOs of these places are immigrants to the United States.
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Again, this does not mean that there needs to be some sort of antipathy between domestically born Americans and immigrants coming to the United States. Far from it. One of the great strengths of the United States has been its status as a powerhouse commercial republic that basically draws like a magnet the most talented people here in a competitive global environment.
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Of course, we want the smartest people coming here. Well, President Trump actually understands this on a root level. Again, there's all sorts of battles that sort of simmer underneath the lid of the pot in MAGA world between immigration restrictionists and people who are a little softer on immigration. But the reality is that President Trump in the end is a business person.
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Democrats were already celebrating the prospective loss of this bill, and somehow Johnson cobbled it together. For all the talk about how Mike Johnson is inexperienced at this position, how Mike Johnson is simply a stand-in for Trump – Mike Johnson is actually quite good at this. He's very good at this.
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And because he's a business person, he understands the implications of saying no more immigrants. So one of the things that he's doing now is he's proposing that wealthy individuals pay $5 million for what he calls a gold card that would grant them permanent United States residency. Ending an existing program that offers green cards to people who invest in the country.
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He said, quote, wealthy people will be coming into the country by buying the card. They'll be wealthy. They'll be successful. In other words, if you want to come here and invest like five million bucks to come to the United States, that seems like a pretty good investment in the American taxpayer. Here's President Trump explaining.
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Now, again, there's this sort of weird debate that was happening just a few months ago. You'll recall about H-1B visas and foreigners coming to the United States to work in tech. And it sort of devolved into the world's stupidest version of that debate, which was there should be no immigrants at all. Immigrants are bad. And we should involve everybody in the world in our immigration process.
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And that's really a very stupid version of the debate. There are many practical things you can do to make immigration more restrictive while drawing the best and brightest to the United States. And it is in the interest of America, again, to do that.
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Because while autarky sounds fun, meaning the idea that we can produce everything in the United States, the reality is that smart people are going to go somewhere. And if smart people don't go to the United States, they will go to countries that oppose the interests of the United States in all likelihood.
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President Trump says that companies like Apple could pay $5 million to get approval for highly skilled workers to reside in the United States. And he estimated the United States could sell 1 million or more gold cards. He says that it would replace the EB-5 system, which was launched in the 1990s to channel foreign investment into economically marginalized areas and create local jobs.
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And the reality is that Mike Johnson is also significantly more conservative on pretty much every policy issue than any speaker of the House, probably since Newt Gingrich on the right side of the aisle. So originally last night, it appeared that the vote was going to go down to defeat and Democrats were preemptively celebrating.
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It offers green cards to people who invest at least $900,000 or $1.8 million, depending on the area, into qualified U.S. projects and show they've created at least 10 jobs. Spouses of investors and their kids under 21 would also get green cards. The program has had cases of fraud. Obviously, this always happens. I mean, any government program has a lot of fraud.
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You have to do a better job of policing that, obviously, which is why you hope that Doge is going to do exactly that. Under EB-5, every country gets no more than 7% of the program's 10,000 visa annual quota, which creates long backlogs for countries with large numbers of applicants, especially China. Now, again, that seems to me a really dumb way of doing it.
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I'm not sure why we should have sort of quotas by country as opposed to individually looking at candidates and determining whether or not they should come in. Why should there be a quota on, say, France or England or Germany or anywhere else, as opposed to just doing it on the basis of merit?
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who was at the Oval Office on Tuesday, according to The Wall Street Journal, criticized that EB-5 program, pointing to fraud. He said people who apply for the gold card would be vetted. Quote, we're going to make sure they are wonderful world-class global citizens.
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Well, presumably the idea would be that they're wonderful world-class global citizens who want to become American citizens. Trump, he was asking about if Russian oligarchs would be eligible. He said, I know some Russian oligarchs who are very nice people. And then Letnick started laughing and Trump said, they're not as wealthy as they used to be.
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Now, again, it is unclear exactly how Trump would be able to, quote unquote, unilaterally change this law. But the generalized approach that Trump is taking is draw money and investment to the United States, draw smart people to the United States. That is not a bad approach. That is not a bad approach.
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Again, those who are arguing otherwise, if we're not talking about failures of cultural assimilation, I get that and I'm with you. If somebody wants to pay $5 million to come into the United States and promote Qatari propaganda, for example, the answer should be no. If somebody wants to come in from China and pay $5 million to end up stealing IP on behalf of the Chinese, the answer should be no.
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If you are talking about somebody who will make an excellent American citizen, we go through vetting. And again, this is a very small program. It's like 10,000 people a year. If you're talking about vetting those people and they bring their money and they bring jobs and they bring their know-how, I fail to see how this is a terrible thing for the United States.
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I think President Trump is correct about all this. By the way, President Trump was having fun in the Oval Office yesterday. He started handing out hats that read, Trump was right about everything.
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And yet somehow last night he was capable of pushing through this gigantic House budget bill. Now, there are all sorts of problems with these gigantic bills. The biggest problem, of course, is that no one in power ever has any interest in serious cuts to the things that matter in American government. Instead, they sort of shuttle those cuts off down the road. They make commitments to commit.
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Democratic Representative Pete Aguilar from California suggested that Republicans had been hiding from the vote. As it turns out, he was wrong.
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I mean, hilarious, hilarious stuff. Again, look at the image of this. And then he's got like a map behind him that says Gulf of America. Trump is a world-class troll. He always will be. The greatest troll in world history, probably, President Trump. And second is the guy who's leading Doge, Elon Musk.
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Speaking of which, Elon Musk's super controversial email, you know, the what did you do last week email, which seems not all that controversial to me. It may not be. He's sort of most controversial. sophisticated way to determine who is a good government employee and who is not, because you can just go to ChatGPT and type out five things you did last week.
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Or possibly you're in a department where actually you can't say publicly what it is that you did last week. But the idea that this is some sort of massive attack on the federal bureaucracy for people to actually explain what they did last week
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I mean, if I asked any of my employees, name me five things that you did yesterday, they would probably be able to name me five things that they did yesterday. Just because you're on the taxpayer dime does not mean that you should be basically held as some sort of immune person when it comes to accountability.
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Apparently, over a million federal employees have already responded to last weekend's controversial email. The White House, eager to present the email demand as part of its coordinated attempt to dramatically scale down the size of the federal government, made that announcement at Tuesday's press briefing, according to Politico.
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Caroline Lovett, the White House press secretary, said all federal workers should be working at the same pace as President Trump is working and moving. This is to ensure federal workers are not ripping off American taxpayers. By the way, that is literally one third of the federal workforce. That is a big number.
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Again, there's been a lot of confusion as to whether people are, quote unquote, resigning. Now, they could theoretically be fired. Trump could theoretically fire them, but there are protocols and procedures for firing them. The email said failure to respond to this email will be considered a resignation. That's not how resignations work.
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But again, the sort of general approach here, which is to make the federal bureaucracy scared for their jobs, seems to be a useful thing. And in the absence of a large enough Doge department to go through every single one of those 3 million federal employees and determine who's a good employee and who's a bad employee, this is sort of a self-windowing process. That is not a terrible idea.
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Well, the Democrats are, of course, very, very upset about this. Jasmine Crockett, who has taken the lead, she's sort of, I will say, she's sort of stolen AOC's thunder. Remember that time AOC was so fresh and so faced? She was fresh-faced and had a fresh face and all that. And now she's just that kind of, you know, tired lady on Instagram who's,
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who's putting her face in ice water and babbling nonsensically about Bernie Sanders' proposals. Jasmine Crockett is the hot new version of the resistance because she says spicy things on the TVs. Here she was yesterday saying F off to Elon Musk. If you could speak directly to Elon Musk, what would you say? That's it. That's genius level stuff there from Jasmine Crockett.
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That will certainly stop Elon Musk in his tracks. No one has ever said that to Elon before. Meanwhile, Rashida Tlaib, who is in a run and gun battle with Ilhan Omar for most pro-terror member of Congress. She suggests that government spending being cut is a real – it's horrifying. It's just horrifying because it affects the workers.
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Now, again, this demonstrates – it's amazing how disconnected Democrats are. The argument you want to make, if you're going to make this argument, is cuts to government affect the people. When you cut the government workers, that affects the people to whom the government workers are providing services. You know who no one has sympathy for?
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People on the tax paradigm who whine about how they are going to lose their jobs. Because it turns out that if you're in public service, the people who actually should matter are the people you are serving. But again, Democrats do not get this on a fundamental level because the people who are cutting checks for their campaigns are, of course, the people in the federal government.
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Oh my gosh, these people, these people. But again, this is a very highly popular program, Doge. It's going to continue to be popular because most Americans do want this stuff rooted out. In just a minute, we'll get to a wide variety of Biden-appointed judges who are now attempting to stop the Trump train. The question that has everyone talking right now, however, is what did you do last week?
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No idea why that causes so much drama, but fine. Here's what we did at The Daily Wire last week. The entire Daily Wire gang went back to D.C. for Backstage Live at CPAC. You heard Chris Ruffo on this show breaking big news, sharing tapes exposing Department of Education contractors supporting sex tapes in schools.
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Michael Moles faced off against 25 LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign trans activists in Jubilee's most explosive debate yet. Matt Walsh released clearing the air, a behind the scenes look at the number one documentary of the decade, Am I Racist? And that list is just us being compliant with Doge. Well, it seems simple enough. Don't miss a moment of the news shows and entertainment.
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Become a Daily Wire Plus member now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. Meanwhile, judge after judge appointed by Joe Biden is trying to slow the roll of the Trump administration. Yesterday, in less than 90 minutes, three separate Biden appointed judges tried to put nationwide injunctions on President Trump's policy.
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Now, again, this is a very controversial matter, legally speaking, as to whether a local district judge has the capacity to stop nationwide a gigantic presidential action, for example, or say a piece of congressional legislation.
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Why should some district court judge in California be able to block the enforcement of a piece of legislation or regulation or an executive order across, you know, all 50 states? That's a wild proposition. And in the past, up until the 1960s, it was never even requested. Typically speaking, you could...
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enforce an injunction against the government with regard to the specific plaintiff, but you wouldn't have a gigantic nationwide injunction. And it really does break down the system of law and order when any judge anywhere can simply enjoin any action by the federal government wholesale over the entire 50 states. That's a wild notion. And yet three separate judges attempted to do it yesterday.
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First, according to the Wall Street Journal, a federal judge in Seattle ordered the Trump administration to restart the refugee admissions program that legally resettles people from across the globe. Trump had shut that down on day one. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead, a Biden appointee, issued the injunction on Tuesday.
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During a court hearing, he said that President Trump had acted outside his authority by shutting down the program completely.
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Before leaving office, Biden had set up a program to take in as many as 125,000 refugees this year, and Trump halted the refugee admissions program through an executive order on his first day in office, part of a series of immigration actions meant to shut down the southern border.
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And so a bunch of local refugee-serving agencies, you know, left-wing NGOs, decided to sue the federal government, and they argued that this overstepped the authority that was provided by Congress for the president to do this.
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Now, again, I'm finding it bizarre that the same people who are very much in favor of executive authority when it came to Joe Biden are suddenly turning around and saying that it doesn't apply as soon as the president's name is Donald Trump.
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So, in other words, you can use executive authority to completely ignore immigration law for years on end and let 10 million illegal immigrants through the border, but the minute You reverse yourself and you say, no, no, no, hold up. We're now going to enforce immigration law. Then the NGOs and the judges step in. So that was federal judge number one. Then again, it's all within 90 minutes.
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Federal judge number two indefinitely blocked President Trump's freeze of federal funding. U.S. District Court Judge Lauren Alicon, again, a Biden appointee, enjoined the government from, quote, implementing and giving effect to or reinstating under a different name. The White House Budget Office's directive to freeze federal assistance while the court reviews the spending.
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Ali Khan said defendants either wanted to pause up to $3 trillion in federal spending practically overnight, or they expected each federal agency to review every single one of its grants, loans, and funds for compliance in less than 24 hours. The breadth of that command is almost unfathomable. I have a question. Why is that unfathomable? We have 3 million federal employees.
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What is it you would say you do around here? What is it you would say you do? Federal freezes have been a common, longstanding part of American public policy in the executive branch, going all the way back to like Thomas Jefferson.
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So you may not like the extent of the freeze, but the idea that it's unconstitutional to freeze federal spending for a defined period of time to review whether that spending is going to useful things under the auspices of actual legislation. What's your legal case right there? Now, the OMB had put out a memo. The memo had suggested almost an indefinite freeze.
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Okay, but here's the reality. $880 billion is not going to be cut from Medicaid. The reason the Democrats are saying this is because, of course, they're going to claim that the most vulnerable will be hurt by this gigantic House budget bill, which again, expends extraordinary amounts of capital.
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And so that seemed suitable because that was akin to basically the executive branch saying that they were going to never spend money allocated by the legislative branch. But temporary freezes, again, are within the ambit of the executive branch. Kevin Friedel, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said, quote, it's an administrative priority to end wokeness.
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And they're backing this with the cudgel of withholding billions, perhaps trillions in funding. On Tuesday, the judge said the plaintiffs had more than met their burden for further relief. So that is number two. So they've blocked President Trump's attempts to stop Biden-era resettlement programs that, again, were put in place by Joe Biden.
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They were not put in place, my understanding, it was by Congress itself. It was Biden who put it in place. But as soon as Trump strikes him out, then no. The answer is no. That's now congressional authority. When it comes to the federal freeze, the idea is not a narrowly driven decision that says, well, you can freeze it, but only for so long.
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Instead, it's just temporary injunction on the whole thing. And then finally, U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali, again, another Biden appointee, expressed frustration that the Trump administration was ignoring his two-week-old order to unfreeze dollars at USAID. The judge said, oh, no, I can't get a straight answer from you.
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He apparently wants to make sure that $15.9 billion in foreign assistant grants get out the door so that we can't get them back. Earlier this month, Ali ordered an end to the blanket freeze after grant recipients and foreign assistance organizations warned of catastrophic consequences. Ali said the State Department freeze likely violated the law. So the idea was that USAID could not be zeroed out.
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Well, I mean, its spending could be transferred over to the State Department. The State Department does have power over USAID. But again, these are all judges who are standing in the way of the will of the American people, not on the basis of constitutionality or balance of powers. They're doing so specifically because they don't like the decisions that Trump is making.
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The job of the judicial branch is to enforce the separation of powers between Congress and the executive branch. You can make a case. that the Trump administration needs to be more specific. That's not the case that's being made. The case that's being made here is that they just don't like the policy implications of what Trump is doing, and so they're simply stopping it.
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You want to undermine the credibility of the judiciary even further? Great way to do it. Speaking of credibility. I got to say, the media are just blowing out their credibility each and every day. It truly is amazing. Apparently, it can now be said.
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There's a new book out by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson titled Original Sin, President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. I'm glad that we can do this now, you know, like four months after the election. And I will never stop saying Joe Biden's collapse on stage was the death knell of the legacy media in this country.
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I mean, the debt ceiling is going to have to be lifted by something like $4 trillion over the course of the next 10 years in order to pay for this budget bill. So spending is not really the problem.
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Destroyed it because for years, the legacy media said it was all cheap fakes. It was all exaggerated. Joe Biden was totally fine cognitively. And then Joe Biden went out there and he crapped his pants on national television. He looked as though he was staring into the open maw of death in an open televised national debate with Donald Trump.
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He didn't just finish his own presidential candidacy at that point. He finished off the legacy media who'd been lying to you because they all had access. They all knew. They all knew. I've never met President Biden. They all have. I've never dealt directly with President Biden. They all have. And I could see because I have retinas and a prefrontal cortex.
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Exactly what was happening with Joe Biden. And we'd all been calling it out since like 2019 when he first ran, saying this guy is obviously in a state of cognitive decline. And that became even more obvious day after day after day when they were hiding him in the basement and then releasing him like the cryptkeeper from the coffin. Creak open. He'd get out.
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He'd wobble on up, say a couple of nonsensical sounds from his face hole. And then they put him back in the coffin at night. And we were saying this for years. And the legacy media said that we were exaggerating. It wasn't true. He was fine. Behind closed doors, he was doing hand springs and backflips and reciting all the numbers of pi up to a thousand digits.
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The reason that they are saying all of this is because this budget bill basically kicks back to a bunch of different committees an obligation to cut somewhere else in the budget in order to make up for the supposed lost tax revenue from the Trump tax cuts, among others.
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And then it turned out that he was a senile old dodder. And the entire media knew it. So when he exposed that on national TV, the entire media had to then shift into we're shocked mode. None of them were shocked. But they had to shift into, how could we have known? And now they're reporting on their own failures.
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Now they're reporting on, oh my gosh, you know, it turns out that he was always, yeah, we know, guys. We know. We are aware. The human centipede that exists between the Democratic Party and the legacy media is the untold story of the last 50 years in American politics. the insane conciliation between the media, which is supposed to be a watchdog, and the Democratic Party. I mean, it's full scale.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It is just a revolving door at this point. And this is why there's all sorts of controversy that is now broken out over the White House picking who is in the press pool. According to The New York Times, the Trump administration said on Tuesday it would start handpicking which media outlets were allowed to participate in the presidential press pool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
That's the small rotating group of reporters who relay the president's day-to-day activities to the public. That change breaks decades of precedent. It allows the White House to assert more control over which journalists can witness his activities up close and ask him questions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Now, the White House Correspondents Association, a 111-year-old group representing journalists who cover the administration, has long determined on its own which reporters would participate in the Daily Pool. But the White House is like, well, we don't trust you guys because it turns out that, for example, the White House Correspondents Association head is now apparently joining MSNBC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Eugene Daniels, the WHCA head and political reporter, is now headed on over to MSNBC. And so the Trump administration is like, why would we allow you, the staffers at MSNBC, to decide who covers the president? When it comes to the White House Correspondents Association, they're not going to allow the Daily Wire to be part of the press pool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Not going to allow Daily Caller or Breitbart to be part of the press pool. Not going to allow the Free Beacon or the Examiner to be part of the press pool. The only people they will allow are legacy media outlets that hate President Trump. Obviously. Caroline Lovett said, well, you know what? I don't understand who exactly made, who died and made the WHCA Kings, but they are not Kings any longer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
According to NPR, in order to get the budget plan just to this stage, Johnson was forced to concede to a demand from some conservative holdouts for $2 trillion in spending cuts. Under the budget framework, the exact details of those cuts will be sorted out later by those individual committees in the House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Okay, I mean, that seems perfectly reasonable to me. If the White House doesn't want to designate that, then perhaps they should just pull the room. Meaning there are alternative ways where it's not the White House dictating who's part of the press pool, but it also isn't a corrupt organization run by Democratic acolytes who work for MSNBC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
That might be a pretty good way of, you know, allocating responsibility for this. Caroline Leavitt said, we are giving power back to the people instead of to the press. And of course, the press is like, no, no, that can't happen. What you're really doing is consolidating power in the way. Again, you're ignoring the elephant in the room.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
The press have been the willing partners of the Democratic Party for as long as I have been alive. They literally covered up Joe Biden's decline. They were all complicit in it. Joe Biden stood up there at the podium.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
with actual note cards, with the faces and names of reporters from a variety of mainstream legacy institutions, all of which were part of the press pool, and pre-printed questions from them. And you were all complicit in it. You were all complicit. Now you have the balls to come back and say, oh my gosh, how can the objective media cover the administration if they're just going to pick?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
You already did it. The Biden White House was already picking who was part of the press pool via the WHCA, which basically worked for them. And now you're complaining? You blew it. This is your fault. If you didn't want to be treated as opposition media by a Republican administration, perhaps you shouldn't have been Praetorian Guard media for a left-wing administration. Unbelievable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Here's Caroline Levitt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
So the House Energy and Commerce Committee is responsible with coming up with $880 billion in the savings. But the reason the Democrats are saying it's all coming from Medicare and Medicaid is because the House Energy and Commerce Committee presides over programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Now, again, WHCA is complaining about all of this. Eugene Daniels, who's moving over to MSNBC, said, quote, this move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps. They have been for literally years, for years. We know.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Utter insanity from the press. That's how you got here. That is how you got here. Amazing stuff there. Just true. Slow clap for the media who destroyed their own credibility in order to save the Democrats. And now it turns out that no one actually cares whether they are allowed in the press pool or whether they're not allowed in the press pool. This is your fault, guys. You broke it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
You bought it. FAFO. By the way, the sort of underlying theme here seems to be that President Trump is not transparent enough that you need the media like in his private spaces in order to with the press pool in order to find out what he's doing. President Trump is the most transparent president in American history. It is not close.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
President Trump answered in the first month of his administration. I'm not even kidding. One thousand and nine questions from the press. One thousand and nine. President Trump loves it like nobody else. Let me give you a contrast in numbers. Joe Biden in his first month took 141 questions from the press. Donald Trump in his first month, the first time around, took 199 questions from the press.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Barack Obama took 161 questions from the press. Donald Trump in his first month took 1,009 questions from the press. 1,009, as in like eight times higher than any of his predecessors, including himself last time around. And they're complaining that there won't be enough access to him. I'm pretty sure that access is not going to be the problem. I really don't think that's it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
All right, coming up, we'll get to a hot debate on HBO between Bill Maher and John Lovett on the trans issue. Plus, we'll get to President Trump tweeting out. an amazing AI video of the Gaza Strip, Mar-a-Gaza, Gazalago, as it's said. First, you need to head on over and become a subscriber. We have so much great stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
We've got Jordan Peterson's entire compendium of amazing content, ranging from Exodus to the Gospels to Depression and Anxiety. We've got Matt Walsh's amazing, groundbreaking, massively hit documentaries, What is Woman? Am I Racist? All sorts of good stuff, all accessed with me. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans.
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Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
So House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, he, of course, is suggesting that's exactly where all the cuts are going to come from. They're going to come from Medicare. They're going to come from Medicaid. They're not going to come from Medicare. President Trump does not want any cuts to Medicare.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Medicaid is a bit of a different story, and we'll get into that in a moment, because the truth is Medicaid is one of the great boondoggles in American public policy. We expend literally hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
We expend literally hundreds of billions of dollars a year on Medicaid, and the returns on Medicaid are truly atrocious, just speaking in terms of public policy, speaking in terms of health outcomes. There's some good studies that actually demonstrate that Medicaid coverage is no better than you having no coverage and just going for emergency care to the hospital. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Because the reimbursement rates on Medicaid are so low that doctors don't even take Medicaid. Good doctors don't like taking Medicaid because the reimbursement rates are pennies on the dollar of what they could earn from private insurance. Medicaid is in fact a giant government make-work program that does not have particularly good outcomes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
But just as with every giant government make-work program, it has now become a third rail of American politics. Hakeem Jeffries and Democrats are of course going to suggest that it's tax cuts for the 1%, and on the basis of that, it's going to be cuts for the poor. Let's be realistic about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
The only people paying taxes in the United States of America on an income level are the people in the top quintile. In terms of net taxes paid, Net of benefits received from the government. The only people paying any level of net income taxes in the United States are people in the top income quintile. Everybody else is receiving on net money from the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
All of that has just been a regular feature of American government from Republicans and Democrats for as long as I've been alive, which is why the line in terms of national debt keeps going up and to the right. However. What this budget bill does is it enshrines the Trump tax cuts of 2017. It provides additional funding to defense, which is necessary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
So if you're going to cut taxes, who else presumably is going to have their taxes cut? How would that work? By the way, it also happens to be the case that the Trump tax cuts disproportionately affected people in actually the middle income quintiles. Anyway, here is Hakeem Jeffries pushing the lie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
OK, so we'll see if Democrats are able to play this off. The only Republican who voted against the bill was, of course, Thomas Massey, who's basically just Ron Paul reincarnated as a congressperson from Kentucky. He, of course, says this is going to add to the national debt. And the answer to that is, well, duh. If you have an alternative anytime, it would be welcome.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Congressman Massey, like, you know, an actual credible alternative that people will vote for. I, too, would love a situation in which we eliminate vast swaths of the welfare state. I would love that. On principle, I don't disagree with Thomas Massey. I just think that Thomas Massey's entire approach to governance seems to be standing aside and shouting at things. And, you know, fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
If that's what his constituents want, that's fine. But I will say that his approach is not actually aimed... at the sort of horse trading that you see in Congress in order to gain actual support for proposals, it is aimed mostly at sort of virtue signaling on the basis of public policy. And Massey, again, is sort of inconsistent in the sorts of public policy that he will sometimes back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Sometimes he is perfectly in favor of things that increase the national debt. For example, he wants to get rid of quote-unquote double taxation on Social Security. Now, I agree with that, but let's be clear. That does, in fact, increase the national debt because it lowers the tax expenditures taken in by the government. In any case...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
217 of the 218 Republicans who are present voted in favor of the budget yesterday. Mike Johnson put out a statement yesterday. After the passage of the budget, his statement, along with Steve Scalise and the House GOP Chairwoman Lisa McClain, said, quote, Today, House Republicans moved Congress closer, delivering on President Trump's full America First agenda, not just parts of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
This momentum will grow as we work with our committee chairs and Senate Republicans to determine the best policies within their respective jurisdictions to meet budgetary targets. We have full confidence in their ability to chart the best path forward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
While there's still much more to do, we are determined to send a bill to President Trump's desk that secures our border, keeps taxes low for families and job creators, restores American energy dominance, strengthens America's standing on the world stage, and makes government work more effectively for all Americans. Now, again, it is very difficult to do Speaker Johnson's job. It is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It's very difficult to do the job of Congress. Because as I say, on principle, I agree very much with many of Thomas Massey's recommendations with regard to cuts, not with regard to the Defense Department, where I think he's delusional, but with regards to so many other parts of the government. There is no American consensus. Unfortunately, I wish there were.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It provides additional funding to the border, which is necessary. And it pledges to actually take a look at cuts that will offset some of the loss of tax revenue theoretically to be achieved by the Trump tax cuts. And last night, there was all sorts of consternation about whether House Republicans would be able to get it together.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
There is no American consensus on restructuring the entitlement programs that are the systemic drivers of our national debt. You can either recognize that or you cannot recognize that. Again, I wish reality were not what reality is, but that is the reality. That is a fundamental reality, by the way, that Donald Trump understands, which is why he and J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Vance ran on the prospect of never touching Social Security and Medicare, among other gigantic entitlement programs. Those are systemic drivers of the national debt. They're not touching them. The reason they're not touching them is because they understand the American people don't want them touched. Let's be clear about what's going to happen to America fiscally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Over the course of the next 10 years, America is going to lurch toward precisely the same sorts of austerity measures that Europe had to put in place because the United States is lurching toward a national bankruptcy. We are. That's just what it is. There are only two things you can do about that. One, you can push outsized growth. You can try to outgrow the debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
You can essentially grow the economy so fast that as a percentage of GDP, the national debt shrinks. I think that is one aim of Republicans. Or theoretically, you can radically increase taxes, which is going to sink the American economy and probably won't solve the national debt. You can't really tax your way out of a $37 trillion national debt right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It's going to get much larger over coming years. Or you could restructure the entitlements. All this government spending, not great, because, you know, it all cuts against freedom. And this country was actually founded on freedom. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea into the ocean.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk America's
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
You might not discover anything is wrong until collection notices or foreclosure warnings start showing up in your mailbox. So when was the last time you checked your home title? If you're like most people, the answer is probably never. And that's exactly what these scammers are counting on. That's why so many people, including our senior video editor, Adam, trust Home Title Lock.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Originally, it seemed as though there were some House Republicans who were going to object to the House budget bill and who are not going to get on board with it because they believe that it didn't cut enough. A lot of these were fiscal conservatives. And again, I agree with them on principle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
That's HomeTitleLock.com, promo code Shapiro250. Get the protection and peace of mind you deserve. The American people, and their elected Congress people always, forever, prefer to kick the can down the road on all this sort of stuff. And so recognizing that inherent reality and that you can yell as much as you want, but if you're not getting elected, you don't got the power to do anything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
This budget is probably the best that you could do. Now, it goes to the Senate. The Senate has already voted for a couple of different bills that cover so much of this area. There's going to be a plan to reconcile the Senate with the House bills, try and come up with some sort of workable compromise, and then we'll have to go back to the houses, the respective houses, for a revote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
But all the talk about how there was going to be an ineffective Republican majority in the House, Speaker Johnson has proved that wrong. He's played this about as well as you could possibly play an incredibly difficult hand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
And in the Senate, I believe that the majority leader, Senator Thune, is going to do a good job of working with Speaker Johnson to come up with a bill that Donald Trump is then going to sign. And that is going to provide some quiescence to the markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It is going to make people feel as though the tax regime is not going to change anytime in the near future, which is a good way of getting people to feel comfortable in their investments. The last thing you want to do, as somebody who invests a lot of money, the last thing you want to do is put your investment into something knowing the government could change the rules literally tomorrow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
I also understand that the only way a bill gets done here where you have Republicans in purple districts and where you have such a slim margin. is with bigger spending than you would want. This was Mike Johnson's entire proposal as Speaker of the House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
This bill is also, as we say, going to increase funding for border security. This bill is going to change some of the rules with regard to immigration, which are necessary. This bill is going to increase defense funding, not decrease defense funding, which is something that actually does need to be done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
We live in a rough world with aggressive enemies, and America's defense budget is actually not in line with our obligations globally. And those are obligations that are good for the United States. I think there are plenty of places in the world where we ought to go hands-off and say, you know, do we have a real national interest here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
However, there are also a lot of places where a significant American capacity to deter is absolutely necessary, and this bill does cover that stuff as well. So as I said from the very beginning, when it came to this budget bill, if you have one giant crap sandwich, there will be more sandwich, but there will also be more crap. However...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
It is a triumph for Johnson and for Trump to get this thing passed through such a narrowly divided Congress. Okay, meanwhile, President Trump has achieved another victory with regard to Ukraine. So apparently, Ukraine has now agreed to a mineral rights deal with the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
Now, you'll recall the United States originally, reportedly, proposed a mineral rights deal in which pretty much all rare earths minerals projects by the Ukrainian government would be split 50-50 with the United States in terms of upside. The United States would invest in some sort of joint fund, and then all profits would be split 50-50.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
That's not precisely the deal that is now emerging out of Ukraine because Zelensky had rejected that deal. He said, that's unfair to our country. It takes $500 billion out of our economy and gives it back to the United States. The United States has only paid in at $160 billion, $170 billion in terms of aid to Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
So even if you're trying to sort of redress the aid the United States has put into Ukraine, It's significantly more than that in terms of the mineral rights deal. This mineral rights deal is a little bit more perspective just in terms of content.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States actually dropped its previous demand for the right to $500 billion in potential revenue from the development of Ukraine's mineral resources.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2146 - MORE WINNING: House GOP Passes BIG, BEAUTIFUL Budget!
The Ukrainian president had said for months Ukraine's allies in the war against Russia could have access to the country's mineral resources, but he said he couldn't sign an agreement that did not include security guarantees for Ukraine. And originally, the United States had demanded the right to up to $500 billion in revenue from mineral development.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Folks, you got a lot to get to today on the show. We are going to get into Cory Booker speaking for like 25 hours. Oh my gosh, Democrats are celebrating. And we're going to get into election results from Florida and Wisconsin. And we're going to talk in depth about the assassination of JFK. We can get into that like really in depth today on the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Oh my goodness, these people. I do, I love that the best they can do is get Mr. Potato Head to jabber at you for 25 hours. This is how badly they are doing right now. They can't stop anything. They can't actually push an agenda that makes any sense to Americans. But what if we have a guy whose job it is to talk, talk for a super long time while standing there? Then will you be convinced?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Then will you be convinced? The reality is that the only hope for Democrats right now is for Trump to fall on his face. That's really the only thing that can save Democrats right now They, of course, are hoping very much for the economy to collapse. Later today, President Trump is scheduled to make his announcement about what exactly is going to happen with the Liberation Day tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Right now, investors seem, you know, kind of skittish. It's not clear exactly where their heads are at on what Trump is going to do. They seem a at this point. But according to the Wall Street Journal, stocks calm this week shows investors continue to bet that clarity on trade will bring stability to markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Major indices have retreated since President Trump began hiking duties on the country's largest trading partners, not nearly as much as would be expected if investors thought the economy was barreling toward a recession. As of Tuesday afternoon, the S&P 500 was down around 8% from its all-time high reached in February.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
It has ticked up over the past couple of days, extending a rebound off its lows from just a few weeks ago. So what are the reasons for this? One, investors' continued confidence that Trump won't stick with any tariff policy that would cause a serious drag on growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Again, I've made that case myself, that if President Trump starts to see negative effects of the tariffs that are affecting his presidency and the economy, then he's going to just back off of them. Two, their view that they need to see more signs the economy is actually in trouble before they bet on a recession.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Well, the answer in California, by the way, was that they would just continue to deny it, which is why Democrats have been losing nationally. This is a major issue, and Democrats have been disconnected from reality. That disconnect from reality doesn't mean they'll never win another election. Yesterday, there were some election results out of Florida and Wisconsin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And three, a belief that as we get more information, there will be more certainty in the markets. So we are going to find out
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
In recent days, according to the Wall Street Journal, analysts at Goldman Sachs forecast the effective US tariff rate would rise by 15 percentage points this year, subtracting a little more than a percentage point from economic growth, partly through its tax-like effect on consumers. That bank now sees a 35% chance of recession over the next 12 months, up from 20% previously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
But again, everything is sort of up in the air at this point. The White House continues to preach confidence about whatever tariffs are going to come out. And again, we have no idea. President Trump loves a surprise announcement. It is his M.O., Here was Caroline Lovett at the White House saying whatever he does is going to work, which of course is her job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So, again, that's her job. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, he says that the plan here is to get everybody else to lower their tariffs. Again, if this is the plan, I'm in. Sounds great. Everybody lowers their tariffs. Free trade for all. Great distribution of products. Excellent supply chains. Lower prices for American consumers. All the tariffs on us stop so we can actually start exporting more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So again, his mouth to God's ears. The problem is it could easily go the other way. So there are a couple of different paths that this could take. Israel is taking one path. The EU is taking another. So Israel is immediately ending all tariffs on all American products, which is great. That sounds awesome. That is a great way to get other countries to do that sort of thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And that's what I'm hoping that Trump is doing here. It's leverage to get everybody else to lower their tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
According to the Times of Israel, Finance Minister Batala Smotrich on Tuesday signed a directive to scrap all remaining tariffs on all imports from the United States with immediate effect in an apparent attempt to a reprieve from the Trump administration's levy of reciprocal duties expected to be announced on Wednesday. I guess the idea is ain't no reciprocal duties if we ain't got no duties.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The order was coordinated with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Economy Minister Nir Barkat. It's subject to final approval by the Knesset Finance Committee. That is one approach. The EU is taking a totally different approach, which is we're going to tariff the living crap out of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The election results out of Florida are good. The election results out of Wisconsin were not good. The election results out of Florida, there were two districts in which the Congress people either took another job or retired from their district. One was Matt Gaetz's district. Jimmy Petronas ended up winning that seat, holding it for Republicans. And then there was Mike Waltz's district.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
According to Politico, the EU is considering opening up a new battlefront as President Trump prepares to impose so-called reciprocal tariffs on all of America's trading partners on Wednesday. Liberation Day, as Trump has called it, would mark the biggest escalation in the trade war he first launched against Canada, Mexico, and China following his January 20th inauguration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Universal tariffs soon followed on steel, aluminum, and then on cars. Brussels has so far played by the traditional trade war rule book, matching Trump's broader tariffs on industrial metals with equivalent levies on iconic American brands like Harley Davidson. The idea is to mirror the response.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
But now with Washington threatening to push the EU further, not only for its existing tariffs, but what it sees as non-tariff barriers like tech regulations, Brussels is preparing to up the ante. EEC President Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission, she said, we'll approach these negotiations from a position of strength. Europe holds a lot of cards.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
From trade to technology to the size of our market, this strength is also built on our readiness to take firm countermeasures. All instruments are on the table. So what exactly could that involve? Well, they could be thinking of putting tariffs on like JP Morgan or Bank of America or on X or on Google or on Amazon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
A senior EU official said, quote, we are certainly not excluding a bigger response, a better response, and even more creative response through services like intellectual property rights. So things could get heavy very, very quickly. It remains to be seen exactly what Trump is proposing or what is going to come down the line. So we will wait to see that come down later this afternoon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Meanwhile, controversy continues over President Trump's immigration plans. Trump can't stop and will not stop with regard to the deportations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
According to the Washington Post, the Trump administration has transferred 17 alleged gang members to El Salvador, the second such removal in two weeks, as the president pushes forward with his plan to send migrants to a notorious jail in Central America, despite mounting concern over whether he can lawfully do so. U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday a military plane flew the alleged Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members to El Salvador on Sunday evening in what he described as a counterterrorism operation. And those migrants included 10 Salvadoran and seven Venezuelan men who were previously being held at Gitmo.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Meanwhile, controversy again has broken out over the case of this supposed Maryland father. That's how he was described by The Atlantic. Was this guy actually a member of MS-13, an immigration judge? So there's credible evidence that he was some six years ago. Caroline Lovett was asked about this particular story, as we talked about yesterday in The Atlantic, about a supposedly innocent child.
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Salvadoran immigrant who had a stay on his removal because theoretically he was going to be tortured in El Salvador if he went back. And the administration made an administrative error and deported him and now they can't get him back. Here's Caroline Leavitt saying, well, it's an administrative error. That doesn't mean the guy should be in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
He, of course, is the national security advisor, his district. Florida 6 is a R plus 30 district for President Trump. And Randy Fine, who's a state senator here, ended up winning. That was expected to be a pretty close race. It turned out not to be a particularly close race. I was involved in a tele town hall that we did just before the election. So...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Okay, and she is right about all of those things, presumably. You know, more evidence to show who this guy was would obviously help the administration's case. But as we mentioned yesterday, the Atlantic kind of ignored a huge part of the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is ordering diplomats overseas to scrutinize social media of applicants for student and other types of visas, basically saying you don't get in the country if you hate the West, which seems, you know, pretty fair. Seems like a good way to screen out people who should not be in the United States in the first place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
First, yesterday, our colleague Matt Walsh testified before the California Assembly on legislation to ban male students from competing in women's sports, which, of course, is just common sense. The fight is not over because of one bad day at the legislature because it turns out that California said no. Shocker, because that's California. But here's the thing. When we take on a cause, we go all in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Like if you're here spreading pro-terrorist content, what exactly are you doing in the United States? We don't need more of you. So Secretary of State Rubio is pursuing that. Meanwhile, Democrats taking the wrong side of an 80-20 issue, as always, Representative Jamie Raskin, he's demanding the return of illegal immigrants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And this is gonna make an easy commercial for Republicans, Democrats claiming that we need more people who are suspected or have credible evidence of ties to MS-13 or Trandaragua reentering the United States to make Jimmy Raskin feel better about his life. Again, President Trump continues to operate on solid bases with the American public.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The biggest threat to his administration, I will say it over and over and over again until I'm blue in the face, is bad economic policy that leads to a downturn. I'm very hopeful that the president today is going to announce tariffs that are less extraordinary in scope than the kinds of tariffs that he is talking about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I'm also hopeful that there will come a point where the president of the United States, if it starts to have a negative effect on the economy in a serious way, starts to back off of some of those policies because what works works and what doesn't doesn't, and the proof is going to be in the pudding. Well, protecting your finances is important. Even more important is securing your family's future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
With PolicyGenius, you can find life insurance policies starting at just $292 per year for a million dollars in coverage. Some options are 100% online and let you avoid those unnecessary medical exams. The process is fast and simple. Their licensed support team handles everything, answering your questions, managing paperwork, advocating for you throughout the entire process.
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Don't just take my word for it. Thousands of satisfied customers have left five-star reviews on Google and Trustpilot. No matter what stage of life you are in, PolicyGenius helps you find the perfect coverage for your specific situation. Secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Head on over to policygenius.com slash Shapiro or click that link in the description, get your free life insurance quotes, see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com slash Shapiro. Also, were you ever so intimidated by the complexities of investing or felt you lacked sufficient knowledge about the financial markets, you found yourself continually postponing your first investment?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I'm not going to say we put him over the finish line, but the reality is that he won by a relatively decent margin in Florida 6. So both of those are holds for Republicans. That is good news. The piece of bad news yesterday is that Wisconsin had the opportunity to elect to the Supreme Court of Wisconsin somebody who is going to be the balancing vote on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Plus, Acorns will boost your new account with a $20 bonus investment. Offer available at acorns.com. That's A-C-O-R-N-S.com to get your $20 bonus investment today. Okay, meanwhile. The House Committee Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets held yet another proceeding on the JFK assassination. Now you ask yourself, why exactly is there another hearing on the JFK assassination?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And the answer is that the administration, put out a new tranche of 80,000 documents that basically added nothing to the case on the JFK assassination. Now, as you know, a couple of weeks ago, I got myself in hot water because I said I didn't care about the JFK assassination.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
What I meant by that, pretty obviously, to anyone who was actually listening and not taking me out of context deliberately, was that I know who shot JFK, and it's Lee Harvey Oswald. The truth is that I was very into conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination maybe 20 years ago, and I did an awful lot of reading about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And then it turns out that there was no evidence for any of the most prominent conspiracy theories. So yesterday, the House Republicans decided they were going to have an Oliver Stone as an expert on the JFK assassination, which is an absurdity. It's an absurdity. JFK, the film. which is, in fact, an incredibly well-produced film because Oliver Stone is a terrific director. It's a load of tripe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
JFK, the movie, is just crap in terms of historical accuracy. It's absolute sheer nonsense. I know this because it was the JFK movie that got me into looking into this. I remember watching this in law school. And when I watched it in law school, I thought, wow, this is fascinating. What a great movie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And then I started reading pretty much everything I could get my hands on about the JFK assassination. And after reading all the evidence I could get my hands on, I came away with Lee Harvey Oswald did it and he did it alone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
which would have been really important because Wisconsin, under Governor Scott Walker years back, pushed forward things like right-to-work legislation that suggested that you actually did not have to be a member of a union to work in particular sectors of the economy and that those particular sectors could not simply remove union dues from you without your will. Scott Walker did that years ago.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And so now when people are trotting out new theories about JFK and the assassination, I have the same feeling about that that I have about somebody giving me a new theory about how that magician pulled a handkerchief out of his thumb. Once I know how the trick was done, then it's no longer an interesting trick.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And so the Oswald assassination of Kennedy takes on the same historic importance as the assassination of, say, Abraham Lincoln or the assassination of William McKinley or the assassination of James Garfield. Or the attempted assassination of Gerald Ford twice or the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan or the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
By the way, there's still more questions about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump than I have questions about the assassination of JFK at this point. And yet still the Republican members of Congress, many of whom seem to enjoy kind of swimming in the swamps of conspiracy theories. They went deep yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Here was Lauren Bober questioning Oliver Stone while thinking that he was another non-credible source on the JFK assassination, Roger Stone. Here's how it went yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Now, again, do I think that Oliver Stone should be your credible House committee source on the JFK assassination? I don't. I don't think that Oliver Stone should be a credible source on pretty much anything because I don't know his historical bona fides on these things. So here's the thing. I'll take a step back for a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Right now, conspiracy theories are running wild on X about virtually every possible topic. Now, there's a difference between a conspiracy and a conspiracy theory. A conspiracy is a thing that actually exists in the real world. In fact, we have an entire statute devoted to uncovering conspiracies and prosecuting. That would be the RICO Act.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
It was an act directly tied to the idea of conspiracy connected to crime. And so there are lots of conspiracies. And the thing about a conspiracy is you can tell when it's happening because of the evidence, which is the thing that you actually should be taking a look at.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So, for example, when you say that there was a conspiracy from Anthony Fauci and his buddies to silence people who did not take his viewpoint on, for example, the Wuhan virus, that is true because there are emails showing that Anthony Fauci did that exact thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
When you say, for example, that there was a conspiracy of silence around Joe Biden's health condition, that is obviously true, not just because of your eyes and you watching the media basically cover it up, but because we know from actual contemporaneous and now And now contemporaneous reporting that everyone around Joe Biden knew exactly what was happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The evidence makes it not a conspiracy theory, but a conspiracy. Conspiracy theorists, however, that's a different thing. And conspiracy theories are a different thing. Conspiracy theories aren't just creeping into the fringe anymore. They're staging a full-blown takeover in the public square. You've seen it pretty much everywhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
That could easily be reversed by a liberal Supreme Court. Also, that liberal Supreme Court is very likely to redraw the congressional boundaries in Wisconsin, thus adding a couple of Democratic seats to the Democratic minority in the House, which could be enough to put Democrats over the top in the next election cycle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You know that we've reached peak absurdity when even Alex Jones, who himself has done a lot of this, is suddenly demanding evidence from certain malefactors. This isn't skepticism, conspiracy theories. They're not skepticism. Skepticism would be that you question a thing and look for the evidence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Not skepticism is where you question a thing and don't look for any evidence before you throw out a theory that is not backed by the evidence. This isn't skepticism. Conspiracy theorizing is not skepticism. It is usually intellectual cowardice dressed up as critical thinking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And if we don't torch the rhetorical playbook, we end up with a society where the facts are optional, where actual people who know things are mocked, where every basement-dwelling keyboard warrior thinks that fan fiction trumps reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And again, there are people who are in the basement on the keyboards who are actually doing real hard, good work that's important if they're basing it on the evidence. But that's not happening right now. In order for us to have a functioning polity, you have to have a common set of facts. Conspiracy theories are directly tied to no facts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So today, I want to talk about how we can tell the difference between a conspiracy, an actual conspiracy, and a conspiracy theory, and what are sort of the hallmarks of somebody who's retailing a conspiracy theory to you. This is what I call the QED of conspiracy thinking. It's a simple framework. Q is for fake questions, E is for fake evidence, and D is for fake defenses.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So this framework is designed to expose the intellectual dishonesty at the core of conspiracy thinking. And once you see it, it's difficult to unsee it because you'll see these tactics almost everywhere with regards to people retailing particular narratives. So let's dive in. First, Q, fake questions. The fake questions are the foundation of conspiracy theories.
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The first pillar in the conspiracy theory playbook Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
All of this despite the fact that Elon Musk put gigantic tens of millions of dollars investments in that Wisconsin Supreme Court election. The liberal judge in this particular case, Judge Susan Crawford, Secured a victory, obviously. The state Supreme Court race was technically nonpartisan, but it set a spending record for a U.S. judicial contest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Wisconsin awarded Trump his narrowest state margin in November, and the race was closely watched for how swing state voters have digested the 10 weeks since his inauguration. It's very difficult to tell, by the way, in special elections how people are actually going to vote in a presidential.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You can't translate a special election into a good read on either congressional elections or on a presidential election in the future because they're weird. Usually only the base turns up and like the base of the base. Democrats are trying to suggest that this is the beginning of their comeback.
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Crawford said, I never could have imagined I'd be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin. And we won. Now, again, she was replacing a liberal justice in Wisconsin. Crawford's win means the court keeps that 4-3 liberal majority. Crawford won pretty handily with 98% of the expected vote counted. She was leading Schimel 55 to 44.
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The hallmark of pseudoscience, things that are not scientific. And again, there are many things in life that are not scientific. That's fine. You can't falsify love, for example. It's a personal feeling. But when it comes to claims about the world itself, you should have a falsifiable theory. As Karl Popper, pointing this out, the philosopher, conspiracy thinking is non-falsifiable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You structure a claim so it can never be proved false. A good theory makes predictions that could be disproven. I've asked this. You heard me ask this about the Derek Chauvin trial to, for example, Stephen A. Smith. I said, is there any evidence that could possibly change your mind about this? And he said, no. So, well, that's not a rational inquiry.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Because if nothing can change your mind about a thing, it is now a religious belief. It is not a rational inquiry. And there's a place in life for religious beliefs. but that's not the place for unspooling a theory about like an assassination. Conspiracy theories rarely do this because their theories are designed to be immune to evidence. They don't want to actually provide a falsifiable thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Brad Schimel was the Republican candidate for the judiciary there. In 2023, when the court first flipped to a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years, the liberal candidate won by about 11 percentage points. So again, yeah, I don't think you can read this as a broad national trend and Democrats still have an uphill battle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Then there's moving the goalpost. When it comes to global warming, for example, global warming, there are a couple of things you can say that are plausible and falsifiable. One, is the world getting warmer over time? Two, does it correlate with human activity with regard to carbon? The answer to both those is yes. What is the level of causation is still an open question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
What is a conspiracy theory is where they said the world's going to end in 2012. And then it doesn't end in 2012, Greta Thunberg style. And then you're like, okay, well, and she's like, well, I really meant 2024. And then it doesn't end. And then it's like, well, what I really meant was 2036. You see this in Nostradamus a lot. Okay, we'll just move the timeline out. Just move the timeline out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Okay, well, usually in the real world, if you have a predictive fail, you have to revise your theory. In conspiracy thinking, you simply revise the prediction. One of the most common tactics here is circular reasoning. So what you say is we know that you're corrupt because you won't report on this conspiracy theory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And we know the conspiracy is real because you won't report on the conspiracy theory. It's a closed logical loop. No external information is possible. You're lying because the conspiracy theory is true. The conspiracy theory is true because you're lying. And around the circle you go. And at no point does evidence ever enter the equation at any point. Then there's the Kafka trap.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The Kafka trap is named after Franz Kafka's short story, The Trial, where denial of guilt is taken as evidence of guilt. This is so common on X. So you'll say, no, I'm not involved in a conspiracy, nor do I think that that conspiracy is probable. Say that, ah, because you're involved in the conspiracy. That's why. So it goes directly, it's a character attack, essentially.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
It makes the accusation unfalsifiable because whether you deny or whether you confirm, both take it as confirmation. Denial, silence, and confirmation are all the same under the Kafka trap. If somebody accuses you of complicity, for example, in putting microchips in the blood of your enemies and you deny it, well, you're only denying it because it's true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And if you confirm it, it's because it's true. And if you stay silent, it's because you won't answer because it's probably true. That's the Kafka trap. There's information overload as well. So you see this a lot. One challenge for evidence, what you will get is a bunch of unrelated gobbledygook facts that are stacked on top of each other super fast.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
That sort of thing is very difficult to combat because it's sort of, The equivalent of a terrorist rocket barrage is a bunch of $50 rockets that are sent up. And then it requires $50,000 in Iron Dome to take down each one of those argumentative rockets. And by the time you've done that, they're already firing the next argumentative rocket.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Speaking of which, they are lacking any sort of real leadership at the top of the Democratic Party. So, Cory Booker, who once ran for – I know you forgot about that. He actually did. He ran for president, and he totally flamed out because he's a big weirdo. And Cory Booker has been a big weirdo for a long time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
That has nothing to do with the central argument, but is incredibly time consuming. And so people just sort of give up defending the truth because it's so tiring. Again, good tactic, bad logic. Another tactic here, weaponizing doubt. Conspiracy theorists excel at weaponizing doubt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So what they will do here is they find a minor error in the official account of an event, and then they're like, okay, well, the entire thing is wrong. So they'll say, well, you know, there were initial reports from the government. They got the time wrong by five minutes. That means the whole report is BS. The whole report is flawed. This usually comes right after an event.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So right after a complex event is reported, there are usually errors. This is why the best thing you can do on X or anywhere else in social media when there's a controversial event, wait 48 hours. Wait 48 hours to comment on it because usually it takes a while for the truth to be established. But what usually happens is people jump to a conclusion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
That conclusion is then used to discredit the actual truth because somebody made a mistake when they first reported the thing. And then there is false equivalence. Again, this is a defense mechanism for a bad conspiracy theory where you say all sources are equally biased.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Sure, my evidence comes from some schlub in a YouTube video who doesn't know anything about the topic and has no credentials and hasn't studied anything, but also the legacy media lies. Okay, well, yes, the legacy media does lie. That does not mean that all people are equally dishonest or that all cases are equally verifiable or have equal veracity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You have to actually establish this by the evidence. The reality is that people say, after COVID, I don't trust my doctor. I promise you that if you break your leg, you trust your doctor much more than you trust the random guy on the internet who may have been right, by the way, about the COVID vaccine. Because the reality is that it depends what you're talking about. It depends on the topic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
It depends on the level of expertise. Trying to equate everything, to flatten everything is a great way of making everything unfalsifiable. Another tactic, the no true Scotsman tactic. This is where somebody says no true conspiracy researcher would deny the moon landing was faked. Right. Which allows the community to maintain ideological purity. You just excluded a center.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You say that person is not actually a member of our community. They're not they're not pure enough. And then there is the deep play in the mountain. Again, you see these tactics all the time. The deep play is really devious. This is where every debunking becomes evidence of a deeper conspiracy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So the fact that the legacy media is so intent on focusing on this theory, it shows that they're hiding something. The fact that they keep spending time on this thing that I'm bringing up, it shows that they, they are, they must be, they're part of it. And then there's the Mott and Bailey tactic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So this is usually where somebody will make a totally implausible claim, like the government is run by lizard people. And you're like, well, that's not true. The government is not run by lizard people. And then they will say that that would be the Bailey, like the outside of a castle. And then when that's overrun, they'll say, well, I'm just claiming that the government lies to us sometimes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
As I've said before about Cory Booker, he is the least authentic politician perhaps I have ever seen. I call him Mr. Potato Head because in his back pocket, he has angry eyes. And every so often, in the middle of a speech, he will go, take out – Mr. Potato, take out your angry eyes. He'll take out his angry eyes and – And there was a lot of that yesterday because he spoke for 24 hours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
OK, like I agree the government lies to us sometimes. That does not justify your main claim. Now, again, in all of this, I am not saying that questioning established narratives is bad. We have to do it. Skepticism is healthy, but a healthy skepticism is rooted in a request for evidence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
There is a world of difference between evidence based skepticism and just stringing together random events or stretching the truth beyond what it can bear or speculation. These are not the same thing. Skepticism leads to better understanding through a search for actual truth and evidence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And if you're not doing that, then you're just entering an intellectual rabbit hole from which pretty much nobody returns. So that QED framework that I just outlined, fake questions, fake evidence, fake defenses, it's a great way to distinguish between legitimate inquiry and the just asking questions kind of conspiracy thinking. This is not about left versus right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You see this all across the political spectrum, like all across it. The difference is how we approach all of this. We need to approach all of this with an intellectual rigor. We need to actually be willing to change our minds based on actual evidence. You have to hold your own side to the same standards. And by the way, this is a great way of telling who exactly is lying to you and who is not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
If people keep insisting they don't need to provide you evidence, they're just asking questions, or if they just retail theories without any evidence to support them, And then use any of the tactics that we've just discussed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
We are going to continue fighting on this front. We've won nationally. Now it's time to win in the States. With your support, we can keep covering the issues that matter. We can keep making the content that shapes culture. We can keep making a difference. Join the fight right now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. By the way, I may as well just lead off with this. Matt did an amazing job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
It is an excellent way of telling who actually cares about the truth and who does not and who's making money off of you because this stuff tends to go viral, particularly things that confirm your preexisting bias. So the next time you hear somebody throw out a wild theory, Maybe the theory is true if they can provide you evidence, and this is what you should ask. Are they asking real questions?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Is it a real, serious question? Are they presenting real, serious, credible, verifiable evidence? Are they open to real critiques that might actually correct the theory? If the answer to any of those is no, you might want to click somewhere else. So today I wanted to have on somebody to talk about the JFK assassination who literally wrote the book on the JFK assassination. It's Gerald Posner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
He's the author of the book Case Closed, which is the first book that I read that really put to bed a lot of my questions about the JFK assassination and the various conspiracy theories. Again, I spent a lot of time on this when I was at Harvard Law School and came to the conclusion it was Oswald, which is why I no longer find this topic all that fascinating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
But it's fascinating, obviously, to tens of millions of Americans. I sat down with Gerald Posner today to talk over the various conspiracy theories surrounding the JFK assassination. Gerald, thank you so much for stopping by. I really appreciate it. Thanks, Ben. Good to be with you. So I'm really glad you're taking the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So a few weeks ago, I got myself in very hot water because on my show, I said, I don't really care about the JFK assassination any more than any other historical American assassination. What I meant by that is that I actually know who killed JFK, and it was Lee Harvey Oswald. And the reason that I don't care about it so much right now is because I know the answer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I used to care a lot about the assassination in terms of these sorts of various conspiracy theories about who killed him. Because if I go all the way back to my law school days, it was dim and dark in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the winter. There was nothing to do. And so I used to go over to the local video store and just rent videos.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And so I picked up a copy of JFK, Oliver Stone's JFK, which is a really well-made, insane conspiracy theory. And so I watched the movie. And like everybody else, I'm kind of taken in by the movie. And I proceed to read probably five, six books about the JFK assassination. And then I start going deeper and deeper. And then I read your book. case closed about the JFK assassination.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And I read the Warren report and all the rest of it. And I came away with the conclusion that it was Lee Harvey Oswald. And so now I don't find it any more interesting or noteworthy than I would any other assassination in the same way that once you see a magician, how the magician does the trick, then the trick is no longer nearly as interesting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
He spoke for 24, he wasn't filibustering anything, by the way. This isn't Mr. Smith goes to Washington where he's filibustering a bad piece of legislation. This is Mr. Potato Head goes to Washington where he decides to set a record in the Guinness Book of World Records for jabbering for the longest period of time. Apparently, the question everybody was asking, of course, was,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I wonder why you think that there is so much continued focus on the JFK assassination, given the fact that the actual evidentiary record is really, really clear, both on a physical evidence level as well as a documentary and witness level. And yet this stuff continues to persist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So let's talk about the evidence in the case and why it is that this thing continues to persist. So as you talk about in your book, you go through a wide variety of the various theories that are put forth. Obviously, there are new theories that now crop up all the time, shockingly, ones that were very fringe and now have become quite mainstream on X, on the Internet generally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I want to go through a couple of them. The one that seems to be hot at the moment is the idea that LBJ was behind it, that that was made hotter by a purported tape that was put out by Alex Jones and then pushed by Glenn Beck as well. That has an associate supposedly of LBJ talking openly to another associate of LBJ about how they had hired somebody to kill the president of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The Mike Mulligan question, how does he poop? The answer apparently is that he dehydrated himself. He talked about this, that he didn't eat for like a day before. And then he stopped drinking maybe 10 hours before. So he was totally dehydrated and somewhat deranged. And then he stood there and he spoke. And Democrats are like, this is amazing. It's just amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
As you said earlier, I think that one of the reasons this is so live and people get animated is because it would, in fact, be incredibly relevant if, for example, LBJ had been behind the assassination of JFK or if the CIA had been involved because that would change your perception of what the CIA is and what it can do and who's still there and what are the sort of systemic problems inside the CIA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The CIA is, of course, another sort of target of the idea that they were behind the JFK assassination. Is there any evidence to that effect?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
That man stood there and he spoke for 24 hours. For 24 hours, he just stood there and he spoke. That's true heroism. And every human being on planet Earth went, well, I have like a friend of my spouse's who speaks like that. And they're really annoying. And that's really what it was. So here was Mr. Potato Head. He popped in those angry eyes and ranted about Trump for like 24 hours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So Oliver Stone actually appeared as a witness at a House committee this week to talk about the JFK assassination and talk about how there needed to be more material that was released. How much material has been released on the JFK assassination? Why is Oliver Stone non-credible for people who think he might be?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So let's talk for a second about the brand new conspiracy theory that is now being aired, one that I didn't see coming. And again, I read a lot about this back in the early 2000s when I was in law school. And there are many theories that have been put out there. This is a new one. It's rare that you get a new sort of conspiracy theory about an event that happened 60 years ago.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
But there's a theory now that's being trafficked online that the Israelis were behind the murder of JFK, either because... JFK was going to list AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, as a foreign institution and then somehow sanction it. Or because JFK wanted to shut down the nuclear reactor in Israel at Dimona, and therefore the Israelis must have done it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
As far as I can see, zero evidence has been deduced to this proposition, like literally zero. And yet this has become the hot story. It's now taken as point of fact, actually, by many of the conspiracists online. It's remarkable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I think one of my favorite things is the trafficking round of a document that shows that redacted in the documents was the word Israel because Israeli intelligence had been helping American intelligence. As you point out, there's one factor that's missing there, among others.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So let's talk about sort of the dispositive facts that stand behind the fact that it was, in fact, Lee Harvey Oswald. Because there are certain questions that the conspiracists simply can't answer. In fact, most of the questions are. are unanswerable because, as you say, the documentary and physical evidence record is overwhelming in this particular case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So why don't you talk about the things that you find the most convincing for people who are skeptical, that they still think it's conspiracy. What would you say to those people?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
So you've spent an enormous amount of time, obviously, looking into the most conspiracized event of the 20th century. But one of the things that's happened is that conspiracy theories have become more and more prominent in American life just generally. And we should differentiate here between actual conspiracies and conspiracy theories.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Obviously, there are actual conspiracies in which people get together and they actually do things. And the way that you can tell the difference is the thing called evidence, where you actually look at the evidence of people getting together and doing the things as opposed to just theorizing that there was a motive to do it. And motive alone is evidence that who benefits.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
He was testifying before what appeared to be the world's tiniest committee room. It was very bizarre, but he was testifying about a bill that would have said that you actually should only be allowed in the ladies' locker room if you are, wait for it, a lady. Here was Matt doing what Matt does best yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
If somebody benefits, it must have been that person. Or if or you take a piece of evidence here that has nothing to do with the piece of evidence here and kind of string it through a variety of knots and somehow come up with with a theory. Conspiracies are provable. I mean, we have them all the time in court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
We actually have an entire RICO Act that is designed to uncover conspiracies and prosecute them. But conspiracy theories themselves, wilder and wilder conspiracy theories, have sort of taken place over time in American life. And you can see it in the polling about the JFK assassination. At the very beginning, a majority of Americans thought that Oswald had had not shot the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
It was bare majority. It's like 53 percent. Then it drops a little bit. And then in the 70s, it starts to climb and climb really rapidly. And now some 80 percent of Americans think that it wasn't Oswald who was acting alone. So between 70 and 80 percent of Americans become sort of the common writ of American public life. And then if you do believe it, it means that you're a credulous dupe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Oh, good Lord. He went for a little over 25 hours. The reason he went for a little over 25 hours, again, like... Slow clap for that ridiculous performance by Cory Booker. A laughably bad performance by Cory Booker. It is like watching a horrifyingly bad high school version of Jimmy Stewart and Mr. Smith goes to Washington and then everybody cheers at the end.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
The reason he went for 25 plus hours, by the way, is because he wanted to actually outdo Strom Thurmond's 1957 filibuster against a civil rights bill. So he did do that. So I guess congratulations for talking for a super long time, politician who says nothing for a living. That's really inspiring stuff. By the way, Cory Booker, we should note, was an opponent of the filibuster.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
He's an opponent of the filibuster because he thinks the filibuster is a Jim Crow holdover. But now when he's doing it, when he's doing it, it's totally great. If that sort of thing is your bag, I suppose that, you know... Good for you. By the way, this is an amazing way for senators to actually make a name for themselves. Obviously, we've seen this in the past.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Senator Rand Paul did a really long filibuster with regard to the droning of a terrorist who was also an American citizen years back. And Ted Cruz, of course, did a filibuster against Obamacare. And now you have Senator Cory Booker doing this because he, of course, has presidential aspirations to grab the leadership of the party. And there's nothing at the top of the Democratic Party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
They're treating this as though this is some act of tremendous self-sacrifice that he didn't have to calf himself for 25 hours or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
According to the New York Times, Senator Cory Booker, his voice still booming after more than a day spent on the Senate floor railing against the Trump administration, on Tuesday night surpassed Ron Thurmond for the longest Senate speech on record in an act of astonishing stamina that he framed as a call to action. Astonishing stamina! Because he stood for 24 hours and yelled at the walls.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Wow, good for him. I'd like to introduce him to my toddler daughter who can do precisely the same thing. I've seen her basically stay awake for 24 hours yelling at us. It's happened. So good for Cory Booker, equaling the achievement of every small child who won't go to bed at three o'clock in the morning and is caterwauling about missing her Barbie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Mr. Booker, a New Jersey Democrat and one-time presidential candidate, began his speech at 7 p.m. on Monday, vowing to speak as long as he was physically able. Oh, the heroism. Oh, oh, God bless America. In a show of physical and oratorical endurance, he lasted past sunset on Tuesday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Assailing President Trump's cuts to government agencies and crackdown on immigration, he ended his speech at 8.05 p.m., 46 minutes, after eclipsing Mr. Thurman's 24-hour, 18-minute filibuster of a civil rights bill in 1957. So congratulations to two Democrats on really, really long filibusters. He finished by quoting John Lewis, the civil rights hero and congressman.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
He said of Lewis, he said for us to go out and cause some good trouble, necessary trouble to redeem the soul of our nation. I want you to redeem the dream. Let's be bold in America. And then he said, to hate him is wrong. He's talking about Strom Thurmond. To hate him is wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Maybe my ego got too caught up that if I stood here, maybe, maybe, just maybe I could break this record of the man who tried to stop the rights upon which I stand. I'm not here, though, because of his speech. I'm here despite his speech. So, I mean, he clearly was aiming at like, oh, my gosh, Guinness Book of World Records. Here is your certificate, Mr. Booker.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
You can put it right there on your wall next to the guy who made the largest card house. Just really impressive, impressive stuff. Well, Cory Booker, it feels like he's been speaking since the 1990s and the internet of the 90s promised a democratic virtual world where individuals, not governments or corporations held power. Today, that vision seems distant.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I was on the road yesterday. I was at an airport. I was using ExpressVPN because public Wi-Fi means somebody could be monitoring what you do. ExpressVPN also masks your IP address, the digital identifier that companies use to track and manipulate your online experience. It's easy to use, just one click. ExpressVPN works seamlessly across all your devices, laptops, phones, tablets, smart TVs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Right now, you can get up to four months free if you go to expressvpn.com slash ben. That's E-X-P-R-E-S-S-V-P-N dot com slash ben for an extra four months for free. Also, the IRS is ramping up enforcement efforts in 2025. April 15th is approaching and time is now running out. If you're facing back taxes or unfiled returns, delaying action only compounds the problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by. While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS alone can be a costly mistake. This is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit TNUSA.com slash Shapiro. April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first. And, of course, the Democrats looking for a moment of glory. Democrats looking for a moment. They are just beyond stunned by the bravery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Senator Adam Schiff, another gigantic intellect of towering proportions of California, he got up to call Booker a towering intellect, which, yeah, my dude. I'm going to go no on that one. It's a no from me, dog. Here's Adam Schiff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I have so many jokes right now. So many jokes, and I will not tell any of them. Chuck Schumer. So what they would do is every so often they would toss to one of the Democrats in the crowd to give him a round of applause. And in the meantime, according to the New York Times, Mr. Booker's staff members jumped into action. Kleenex for dabbing sweat from his brow was replenished. My God.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I mean, it really is just impressive. Just so impressive. Like D-Day, basically. A fresh binder thick with printed material was placed on the podium. Printed material. Can you believe it? Representatives who had crossed the Capitol from the House, filtered in, drawn by the spectacle. They arrived, lingered, departed, each bearing witness to the endurance test unfolding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
I love the New York Times writing here. Honest to God, whoever wrote, who wrote this totally crappy piece? Seriously. I want to name, this is a three-author article, so I just want to name all three authors of this poetic nonsense. Tim Balk, Mike Ives, and Matthew M. Polk Big. I would really like for you guys to take a bow. I'd like for you to take a bow. Really solid stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Mr. Thurman had sustained himself by sipping orange juice and munching on bits of beef and pumpernickel. It was not clear if Mr. Booker had eaten anything on Tuesday, but two glasses of water rested on his desk in front of his lectern. He had prepared for the speech by fasting for days, he told reporters on Tuesday night after the speech.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Before he began on Monday, he had not had food since Friday or water since Sunday. The approach took its toll, said Mr. Booker, a vegan and former Stanford football player who has chronicled his efforts to stay fit and eat healthy. Instead of figuring out how to go to the bathroom, he said, I ended up, I think, really unfortunately dehydrating myself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
During the speech, he recalled, he really started to cramp up. I'm sorry, he wasn't running a marathon, guys. It turns out this is the Senate. Sir, this is a Wendy's. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my God. It's just... And the New York Times is cheering him on because, again, they are completely lacking. in anything like a heroic moment right now because Trump's just running roughshod over them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
Senator Chris Murphy, another clown from Connecticut, he said it's a stunning biological feat. Okay, can we, like, a stunning, is he a triathlete? He stood there and he talked for 24 hours. Like, congrats to him. Really stunning biological. I understand that the average age in the United States Senate is 178 years old.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2171 - Who Shot JFK?
And I understand that you had a president five minutes ago who couldn't even stand for like 30 seconds at a time without keeling over. A stunning biological feat. Truly stunning. Okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Folks, America is in the middle of a great comeback, but the culture war is not over, which is why tomorrow we're releasing episode two of our five part series, The Case for Derek Chauvin, The Incident. In episode one, we analyze the criminal background of George Floyd and the professional record of Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And this judge, Judge Theodore Chuang, has now ordered Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to immediately give USAID employees access to their email payments, security notification, and all other electronic systems. The basic notion here, apparently, is that they have a right to their jobs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The astronauts have said that they were actually prepared to stay longer, and they were eager to pitch in by conducting science experiments and maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory. I'm sure they were. I mean, it probably gets pretty boring up there for a year. I hope that they at least liked each other.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Now, presumably that right springs from the USAID enabling legislation, but USAID was originally set up by executive order, as in by the president. So in his ruling, he goes out of his way to suggest that then it was sort of recodified in the late 1990s by Congress, and that now USAID is almost untouchable by the president of the United States. Only Congress could change USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I think there's a very flawed interpretation of the history of USAID. It seems like not a particularly strong argument. This is another Obama judge who is, again, trying to intervene here. He also claims that Musk does not have the ability to fire people. But, of course, it's not Musk technically doing the firing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
He's making recommendations via Doge to actual government actors who are approved by Congress who are actually doing the firing. That's particularly true in USAID. It's the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who's presiding over the dismantling of USAID, which, by the way, under the original executive order that established USAID, it was placed under the auspices of the State Department.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Judge Chuang, again, tried to bash Musk, saying that he, quote, usurped the authority of the public's elected representatives in Congress to make decisions on whether, when, or how to eliminate a federal government agency and of officers of the United States duly appointed under the Constitution to exercise the authority entrusted to them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And this is a very flawed reading of the balance of powers. Basically, the case seems to be that if Congress sets up an executive branch agency and then creates sort of general rules and allocations to that agency, that is now untouchable by the executive branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
NASA officials said the decision about when and how to get them home was made based on safety and keeping the space station occupied, not politics. They were joined on their return trip by the NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov. So that is a very cool thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And even the people inside the executive branch can't be fired by members of the executive branch, in which case you have now set up an unanswerable fourth branch of government. That branch of government firings and hirings can't be done by Congress. Cuts can be done by Congress. And meanwhile, the president apparently can't either cut or fire
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
This, of course, is to maintain the size and scope of the federal government. The entire Trump administration is oriented against it, of course. Meanwhile, President Trump is challenging the legal order by firing two Democratic commissioners at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
A White House official confirmed that Democratic commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter had been fired. The firings drew criticism from Democratic senators. The FTC has a bipartisan structure. No more than three of the five commissioners can come from the same party. Both of these fired FTC members plan to sue to reverse the filings.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The Supreme Court did rule in 1935 upholding a law allowing FTC commissioners to be fired only for good cause like neglecting their duties. So presumably, there will be some sort of case made by the Trump administration that these particular FCC commissioners did in fact neglect their duties, and then he will find some titular Democrats to fill the seats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
FCC Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Republican Commissioner Melissa Holyoak have said that they support the administration's legal position that the White House actually has the power to fire those agency officials. They say that legally speaking, the White House does in fact control government agencies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And so it'll be interesting to see whether the Supreme Court takes that up and then overturns that 1935 decision pointing out that the unitary executive is in fact a feature of the American government. Meanwhile, to economic news. So the greatest threat to the presidency is not, in fact, the judiciary. The Supreme Court, as I say, is going to hash out a lot of these questions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And I have faith that the Trump administration is not simply going to ignore the Supreme Court. It's one thing to say a district court judge does not have the power to enjoin action at the USAID. or that a district court judge can't magically turn airplanes around that are in international waters. It is another thing to ignore the Supreme Court of the United States wholesale.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I do not think there's intent inside the Trump administration to do just that. The real threat to the Trump administration is not that. The real threat to the Trump administration, in the end, is the economy. If the economy should go south, the Trump administration will go south with it. This is true for literally every president. It is not unique to President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The stock market has been bouncing around a lot lately. On Monday, the stock market jumped significantly. On Tuesday, the stock market dumped significantly. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped about 260 points. Right now, investors are not quite sure what to do. And apparently, neither is the Federal Reserve. There's been a lot of talk about the Federal Reserve lowering those interest rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Apparently, the reentry process is pretty rough because if you spend a lot of time in space, then that creates changes in your body. So it's not going to be there's a ticker ticker tape parade tomorrow or anything. So whenever I don't know something about a topic, the first place I go is to my friends over at Perplexity. This search, by the way, is sponsored by Perplexity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The problem is that the inflationary curve has not yet stopped. Stock prices still seem to be too high. The P.E. ratio at the Dow Jones Industrial Average remains significantly above historical averages. It remains at about 25. Normally, you want the P.E. ratios, the price to earnings ratio, to be down in the 16 to 18 range. Now it's unclear what the Federal Reserve is going to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
According to the Wall Street Journal, not long ago, it looked like Jerome Powell's final test as Federal Reserve Chair would be to stick the soft landing. Now, with about a year left in his term, he faces a serious complication, navigating a trade war that threatens to push prices up while simultaneously weakening the economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
During a seven-year tenure that included President Trump's first trade war, pandemic historic inflation, and high-profile bank failures, says the Wall Street Journal, Powell's final act also unfolds with an imperative to preserve the institution's apolitical DNA that protects its autonomy in setting interest rates. So President Trump is pushing him to lower those interest rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
But again, inflation continues to hover in the 2.8% to 3% range. Everybody is sort of holding their breath to see what the Fed does. I think it's very unlikely that the Federal Reserve is going to drop the interest rates. And if inflation were to accelerate, then officials would have to think about the idea of actually increasing those interest rates again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
a lot of the sanguinity about the economy, sort of satisfaction with the economy, would return if there weren't such high levels of dyspepsia over President Trump's tariff plans, because nobody actually knows what's going to happen on April 2nd. President Trump has said that April 2nd, everything's going to change.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
His Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, has said the same, that a giant set of reciprocal tariffs are going to be put in place. Now some of the details are sort of being spelled out. According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump administration officials are roiled in debate over how to implement the president's pledge to equalize U.S. tariffs with those charged by other nations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
But tomorrow we're going moment by moment through the infamous videos of that fateful day. If you want to be a part of the movement fighting for truth and reason, it's time to become a Daily Wire Plus member. So, a very cool piece of news. Yesterday, after nine months on the International Space Station, 286 days in space, according to the Washington Post.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Officials have recently weighed whether to simplify the complex task of devising new tariff rates for hundreds of U.S. trading partners by instead sorting nations into one of three tariff tiers. That proposal apparently was later ruled out, adding that the Trump team is still trying to figure out how to implement an individualized rate for every separate nation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And Trump has repeatedly said that reciprocal tariffs would mean what they charge us, we charge them. But the problem is that it's not just like the country has one giant tariff rate on the United States. There are different tariff rates on different goods from every single country. So it's not as easy as, oh, Canada just charges a blank at 5% rate. We'll charge them a 5% rate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Let's say that they tariff, for example, American lumber, which they do. Well, how do we respond in kind? If we tariff their lumber, that makes no difference to them since, again, they are importing our lumber and we're not importing their lumber, presumably. You have to find some sort of equivalent in the market and then tariff that. It's a very, very complicated procedure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I wanted to know what actual physical effects would a year long stint in space have on astronauts. And here is what my friend. Perplexity told me, quote, a year-long stint in space would have significant physical effects on astronauts due to the microgravity environment and other factors associated with space travel. Those effects include musculoskeletal changes like bone density loss.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said on Fox Business on April 2nd, each country will receive a number that we believe represents their tariffs. So for some countries, it will be quite low. For some countries, it will be quite high. And again, there's been talk about these sort of three-tier tariff proposal, which is really a blunt instrument.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I mean, like there's a big difference between many of the countries that would end up in the same tier. Well, tariffs may be making the market a little bit uncomfortable, but you should be comfortable in your brand new boots. Anywhere worth going is worth going in good boots. Find your perfect pair with Takovas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The first time I put my Takovas boots on, it was like they were already broken in, which makes sense because every single pair goes through over 200 meticulous steps of hand crafting. I used to think Western boots were just for cowboys. I am not a cowboy, you may have noticed. But since these folks started in Texas back in 2015, they've been changing that story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Whether you're a lifelong rancher or you're just looking for your first pair of Western boots, Takovas makes it feel easy. You can wear them from sunup to sundown. They're built tough enough for long days, but stylish enough for a night out. They really are great on the feet, like really. You think the boots are going to... You're going to put them on. They're going to be awkward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
They're going to feel... No, they're terrific. No matter your size or style, they've got the perfect boot waiting for you. Plus, with Tecova's Best in the West guarantee, you get free returns and exchanges for 30 days. Pretty hard to beat. Right now, get 10% off at tecovas.com slash Shapiro. When you sign up for email and text, that's 10% off at tecovas.com slash Shapiro. tecovas.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
See site for details. Tecovas. Point your toes west. Also... Tax season is now upon us, and while we may be weary of numbers, some deserve our immediate attention, like the $16.5 billion in IRS refunds flagged for potential identity fraud last year. Identity theft tax fraud surged by an alarming 20% in 2024 alone, affecting thousands of unsuspecting Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
There is some hope in these numbers as well. LifeLock vigilantly monitors 100 million data points every second, creating a shield around your financial identity when it matters most. Their sophisticated systems work tirelessly to protect your personal information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Should the worst happen, their dedicated US-based restoration specialists will make it right, backed by their comprehensive million-dollar protection package. They don't just promise help. They guarantee restoration or your money back, no questions asked. One of my producers, Jess, uses LifeLock.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
She's emphasized the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the experts are monitoring her information for suspicious activity. This tax season and beyond, do not face the growing threat of identity theft alone. Find peace of mind and unmatched security with LifeLock Identity Theft Protection because your financial identity deserves nothing less. Join now, save up to 40% your first year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code BEN or go to lifelock.com slash BEN for 40% off terms apply. Meanwhile, apparently, Vice President J.D. Vance is taking on a larger role in Trump's trade agenda. He's been helming policy discussions, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
There were several lengthy meetings in recent weeks among top Trump aides, including an hours-long meeting at the Naval Observatory, which is, of course, where the vice president lives. The meetings have centered on how to create a comprehensive tariff policy that achieves Trump's goals, but also has some more flexibility.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
You can lose 1 to 1.5% of bone mineral density per month in space. Wow, that is like a lot, actually. Basically like you get osteoporosis. You have muscle atrophy because the muscles weaken and waste away because you're not using them all the time. It can cause fluids to shift upwards, so you'll have a puffy face and some chicken legs. You don't get amazingly great looking in space, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The reciprocal tariff plan is expected to be introduced April 2nd, along with additional 25% duties on a handful of industries like autos, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals. And again, one of the big questions here is what does the U.S. Trade Representative's office do? They have like 200 people. How do they handle all of this? All of this is a very complicating factor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The markets aren't quite sure whether this is going to be a rough Trump proposal where the edges get sanded down or whether it's going to be a blunderbuss that hits everybody. Vice President Vance. did an event yesterday in which he spoke about tariff policy and economic policy more generally. The vice president has sort of a foot in both camps.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
He obviously is a representative of the sort of MAGA protectionist position on some economic proposals. At the same exact time, Vice President Vance has a long history of warmth towards Silicon Valley. And tech bros do in fact rely on a wide variety of free trade and technological advancements. He's trying to square a circle that I'm not sure can be totally squared right here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Again, the vice president's a super smart guy, and this attempt is probably as good as an attempt can be. However, you're talking in some cases about mutually exclusive policies. If you're talking about radical increase in tariffs at the same time as you talk about the technological advancements to be made by the United States amid economic advancement, that is a tough road to hoe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So here is Vice President Vance standing up for tariffs as a quote-unquote necessary tool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Okay, well, I mean, let's be real about this. When he says, combined with the right policy, you end up with the jobs of the future and we bring everything back. Okay, here's what a tariff does. A tariff protects the industry that it is designed to protect and it taxes everybody else. That's what a tariff does. It raises prices for all the other people who are using inputs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
that are covered by this area. It subsidizes some businesses at the expense of others. Now, if there are national security oriented businesses and we got to protect them because God forbid there's a war, you need to have all of that living in American shores. Totally agree. I've said this a thousand times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
If the goal of a tariff war is to get everybody else to lower their tariffs so that you end up with a freer trade regime than when you started, that's great too. And again, I'm not sure exactly where the president stands on all this because he obviously is dedicated to a large portion of the sort of free trade agenda when it comes to, for example, freedom of the seas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
This would be one of the reasons why we are currently bombing the Houthis in Yemen, who've been holding up free trade via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. However, when you say that tariffs, combined with the right technology, create the jobs of the future, I do not see how that is in any way, shape, or form correct.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
He says, when you erect a tariff wall around a critical industry like auto manufacturing, and you combine that with advanced robotics and lower energy costs and other tools that increase the productivity of you as labor, you give American workers a multiplying effect.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Well, or you could not erect a tariff wall and you could combine the non-tariff wall with advanced robotics and lower energy costs and lower taxes and better tools to draw businesses to America. You could do that without, you know, taxing the American consumer, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I mean, one of the great sort of fibs that's been told about free trade is that free trade is the largest reason for the decline in manufacturing jobs in the United States. That is not real. It is not true. In fact, the reality is that increases in productivity via technology have been the largest contributor to job loss in the manufacturing industries in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Apparently, you have significant arterial stiffness, like a 17 to 30% increase in arterial stiffness. You can also have eye structure changes, vision problems. You will get taller, so maybe I should try it. You know, I've been ripped a lot about my height, so, oh, worthwhile. I don't know, I'll have to talk to my wife. And space anemia, decreased production of red blood cells occurs in space.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So when Vice President Vance yesterday suggested that globalization and its hunger for cheap labor, that's somehow preventing innovation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Well, I mean, to be fair, globalization is also the process whereby people trade good services and information so as to create significantly more sophisticated products, which is why the stuff that you have now is way, way, way better in quality and price than the stuff you had in, say, 1990.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Okay, but the American car industry became the envy of the world before, before the imposition of, for example, the Smoot-Hawley tariffs. In fact, large-scale tariffs, protectionism and subsidization of the American auto industry in the 1950s and 1960s meant that Toyota ended up out-competing the hell out of the American auto industries by the 1970s.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
There's this kind of – I understand what he's trying to do. He's trying to square a couple of different policies. One is a very robust tariff regime that President Trump seems entranced with, and the other is technological innovation. But if that were true, that tariff policy made for better innovation at home by artificially boosting the price of labor –
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
and thus driving innovation to actually, what, make labor more productive and then lead to the ability to fire some of the laborers? That is a bit of a different argument, and I'm not sure it's an argument that really holds a lot of water, economically speaking. If that were the case, then we should put our tariffs at 100% everywhere, and boy, howdy, would we be innovating like nobody's business.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Innovation is not merely a process of create pressure and wait for innovation. Innovation is a process of the free flow of information, the free flow of goods and services. That is how innovation happens. Innovation isn't some guy in a shower thinking up the flux capacitor. That's not how it works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And if the Trump administration continues down the sort of subsidization and tariff line as opposed to the deregulatory and tax cut line, then I think that they are in for some hurt on the economic front. That's not really a theory. That is proved out pretty strongly by past market indicators.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And again, this is coming from a place of I want President Trump to succeed wildly on the economy because if he does not, then the agenda that I hold dear and that he holds dear are going to be an awful lot of trouble. Meanwhile, the president of the United States had for a long time promised that there would be additional documents coming in the JFK assassination. I know it happened in 1963.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Here's the president a couple of days ago announcing that the documents were coming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So it requires extensive rehabilitation. In other words, just for these astronauts to sort of re-enter the Earth's gravitational pull and then be made healthy once more. But good for Elon Musk, good for SpaceX, and it's good to have these astronauts home. Meanwhile, the other big news of the day is that President Trump had his long-awaited two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin of Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So 80,000 or so pages of the JFK files were in fact released. It was all put together in something like 1,123 PDF documents. So people are combing through these in search of the detail, the smoking gun that shows that it was the Cubans or the Russians or the CIA or the Israelis or something. I'm just going to break it to you right now. It was Lee Harvey Oswald.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Spoiler alert, it was Lee Harvey Oswald. It was always Lee Harvey Oswald. The most credible theory about Lee Harvey Oswald is that he was some sort of Soviet agent considering that he literally went to the Soviet Union and then he came back from the Soviet Union and he was at the Cuban embassy. Other than that, you know, not much is my expectation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
There are going to be some pages here of people who showed up to law enforcement and then made statements about things that they thought had happened, people that they knew, which does not constitute any real sort of evidence. There's tons of documentation on this. Again, 99% of all JFK files had already been released.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
You're talking about literally millions of pages of documents that have been released before. These documents are not categorized or presented in any real organized way. It's possible some of them are not really new. David Garrow, who's a historian who's written a lot about intelligence agencies, he said this dump is profoundly more impenetrable than all the previous more annotated ones.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Tim Naftali is a historian. He said he hadn't had much luck so far. He told the New York Times, I'm trying to find stuff that's been re-reviewed and re-released with new information because some of it's unredacted. Some documents have, some have not. Historians said that they really didn't expect anything earth-shattering. So, you know, it'll take some time to go through it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Every legit historian who has gone through the JFK files has come to the same conclusion, which is Lee Harvey Oswald did it. That is what the physics demonstrates. That is what the wounds show. That is what the tape shows. All the conspiracy theorizing around JFK, while entertaining... is, in my opinion, specious and not just specious, in some case, maliciously oriented.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
If you want to see a fuller breakdown of that, we have a series behind the paywall over at Daily Wire Plus called Debunked, in which I did a full episode about the JFK assassination, going through some of the most common accusations about the JFK assassination. In any case, I'm for more transparency. So I'm very happy that Trump did this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I think he should do exactly the same thing on the RFK assassination. I think he should do exactly the same thing on the MLK assassination. Let all of it come to light. I think the more that the public sees, the better. Now, is it going to shut up the conspiracy theorists? Of course not. Because then the answer will be, well, of course the government didn't take account of any of these files.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I mean, it was the government that did it. Or there's probably a secret box of documents somewhere. A sort of conspiracy theorizing that's become incredibly popular on the right these days. It was popular on the left, and now it's become increasingly popular on the right. The kind of, let's just ask questions. Who really killed JFK? Wink, wink, nod, nod.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And then you're like, well, do you have any evidence of the thing that you are presupposing? Well, no, I'm not. I'm not making any accusations. I just know I don't believe the story that I'm being told. I know not to trust the authorities. Well, that's fine. But do you have like any evidence, like evidence, not just supposition as well? You're part of it, aren't you? You, you, you. Yes, you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And the account from President Trump and the account from Putin, they don't quite match up. There's some good things that happened on this call. We can be hopeful that this is the first step toward a longer-lasting ceasefire. Let's just say that Putin is being extremely cagey about these negotiations and the United States really needs to take that under advisement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
You're part of it. The reason that you're that you're so defensive about all this is I care to kill JFK. I mean, I do because it's really interesting. But I noticed that the calendar says 2025, and he was killed in 1963. And so my opinion about who killed JFK has about as much relevance as who killed William McKinley or James Garfield, which is to say not an enormous amount.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
It's not going to change the world in any real way, barring the revelation that many of those same people are still in the government today. But I don't expect that any of that is going to be in there. I would be, shall we say, rather shocked if that were the case. But it's not going to put conspiracies to bed because conspiracies have a life of their own.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Meanwhile, the Democrats continue to just flail around. They have no idea what to do with President Trump. It is amazing to watch them flail. It truly is. Chuck Schumer, this is an amazing term of offense. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, who is quite awful, he wrote a book about anti-Semitism. As a Jew, and I don't do an as a Jew all that much actually, but as a Jew, no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The answer is no, Chuck Schumer. You do not get to speak as a Jew about how you're fighting anti-Semitism while you greenlit the Iran nuclear deal, made room for every anti-Israel, anti-Semitic person in your party, refused to condemn the worst excesses of your own party, The answer is no, absolutely not. Hey, so he actually had to cancel his book tour.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Hilariously enough, he did not cancel his book tour because he really shouldn't be speaking about anti-Semitism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Ridiculously, the reason he had to cancel his book tour is because so many Democrats are ticked off at him over greenlighting the continuing resolution, which shows you where the violence is on the American spectrum these days when even the Senate minority leader can't face his own constituents in New York, afraid that they'll yell at him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
According to Politico, he's postponing that book tour for security reasons as he faces intense backlash from the party base in the wake of last week's government funding vote. Again, that's pretty incredible. Right-wingers who are canceling events these days, Republican Congress people, they are doing so because of the violent left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And when Chuck Schumer cancels an event, it's because of, wait for it, the violent left. I wonder who's violent. I was told only the right was violent. The right has a violence problem. Schumer was expected to make several stops in coming days to promote his new book, Anti-Semitism in America, How I Did It. No, sorry, it's called Anti-Semitism in America, A Warning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Due to security concerns, Senator Schumer's book events are now being rescheduled, according to a spokesperson for Schumer. That didn't stop Schumer from appearing on The View. Now, again, I have to admit, I am jealous of Chuck Schumer for appearing on The View. It has been a lifelong... I don't have... I have a wonderful life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I've gotten so many things I want out of life, and I hope to get many more. And it's a great life. One of my unfulfilled aspirations as a human is to be on The View. I just... It would make some of the best TV ever. It would just be wonderful TV. I mean... kind of intellectually clubbing a baby seal, but amazing TV. Chuck Schumer was invited, not because he's a woman.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So President Trump put out the following statement after the two-hour phone call, quote, my phone conversation with President Putin of Russia was a very good and productive one. We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all energy and infrastructure with an understanding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
I mean, I don't know the answer to that. Only he can identify, but he was invited to talk about all of this, where he then explained why he had not signed on to the filibuster of the continuing resolution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
OK, so that's actually not a horrible explanation of why he voted in favor of the continuing resolution. If the government had shut down, Trump would have the ability to decide who the essential workers were and then fire a bunch of people. So that's actually a pretty good explanation. However, Sonny Hostin was having none of it. She ripped into Schumer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
She's really mad because if Trump says black, you have to say white. If Trump says day, you say night. That's how it works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
They'll be working quickly to have a complete ceasefire and ultimately an end to this very horrible war between Russia and Ukraine. This war would never have started if I were president. Many elements of a contract for peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed and both President Putin and President Zelensky would like to see it end.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
to gut social security to gut medicare to gut medicaid why did you lead democratic senators to play by that book that the republicans are not playing by um all right so that's the battle inside the democratic party it's going great if you thought that chuck schumer however was the reasonable side of the democratic party i beg to differ here he was explaining that americans are stupid he was mocking americans who want to keep their money
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Oh, man. I mean, the fists of uniting. Wow. Go, go, Power Rangers. But let me just put out there that that's actually my viewpoint. We, not I, we, our team, built this entire company. The government did not help us. The government provided the basic law and order necessary to the preservation of private property in the United States and the protection of free speech. Those were the things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
That's all the things. We built it, not Chuck Schumer. He is not entitled to our money. Chuck Schumer is not entitled to the money that I've earned on behalf of my family. He is not entitled, and I don't think many Americans believe that Chuck Schumer is entitled to that money or that he's likely to use it in good ways. So again, the Democrats, they cannot help themselves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Even the divide inside Chuck Schumer is pretty amusing. Meanwhile, the 2028 race is getting significantly more amusing on the Democratic side of the aisle, I do have to say. So Gavin Newsom is trying a sort of late turn in time to become a moderate. It's really funny. So he has his new podcast, and he had on my friend Charlie Kirk, and Charlie really kind of ripped him up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And then he had on Steve Bannon. And He played footsie with Bannon, and this caused him to be ripped up and down by the inflatable off the side of the freeway to use car lot, Tim Walls. You remember him. He ran for vice president that one time. He was real weird.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Here was Tim Walls with Gavin Newsom, praising Steve Bannon as a person who he can talk with and who really reflects a lot of Democratic principles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
That process is now in full force and effect and we will hopefully, for the sake of humanity, get the job done. Now, you will notice, first of all, that this is not a full ceasefire agreement by the Russians. So the Ukrainians have already said, President Zelensky has already said, that they are willing to engage in a full 30-day complete ceasefire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Oh, man, I'm up for these fights between Gavin Newsom and Tim Walz. Walz, by the way, is now walking around saying that he can kick Trump supporters asses, which... Which ones? Can we name them? Like, really? Like, you, sir? Okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
These are the 2028 candidates, guys. They're doing great. They're just doing amazing. Alrighty, coming up, we'll jump into President Trump now investigating the Joe Biden auto pen. First, you have to become a member. And we have tons of great stuff when you become a member. You haven't seen Pendragon yet. I've seen parts of Pendragon. It looks amazing. Really, truly amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
We have things like Matt Walsh's movies, Am I Racist? What is a Woman? We have all access live. You can come hang out with us. The only way you get to do all this stuff is to join Daily Wire. Plus, if you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Not on energy, not on infrastructure, completely. Remember, energy and infrastructure, that's the sort of stuff that is generally civilian-oriented in places like Ukraine. However, what Putin does not want to do, apparently, is stop attacking the actual military of Ukraine, and he refuses to do so. Ukraine is saying, listen, we'll go weapons down right now. We will stop this moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And Putin is saying, no, I don't think so. We're just going to keep pushing. That shows that he believes that he has the military momentum. He wants to keep killing as many Ukrainian soldiers as humanly possible. Meanwhile, there is a story that emerged originally from Russian sources and now has been picked up by the U.S. Sun.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
that President Putin kept Trump waiting for today's phone call and did not leave until one hour after the chat was actually set to begin. And apparently he even laughed off a warning that he was getting late for his phone call with the American president. The host of the event, a guy named Alexander Shokin, was actually looking at his watch, like openly on tape. And Putin laughed it off.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So that is, in fact, a sign of disrespect to the United States and should be taken as such. If Zelensky was disrespectful in the Oval Office, which he was, then Vladimir Putin, being an hour late to talk to the most powerful person on planet Earth, is also a sign of disrespect. Putin has made this one of his tactics, it's sort of his negotiating tactic, is to keep world leaders waiting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The conference took place right before the high stakes call was scheduled with Trump between 4 and 6 p.m. Russian time. As the clock ticked past four, Putin's pal and the host of the event, Shokin, looked at his watch saying the call was scheduled for before 6 p.m. And Putin said, don't listen to him, that's his job. To which Shokin replied, now we need to see what Trump says about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And then Putin said that he was referring to the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. Eventually, he arrived about 5 p.m. According to a variety of different reports, the Russian takeaway from the call was not the same as the American takeaway from the call.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
According to the White House readout, quote, the leaders agreed the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. So there will be no full ceasefire until technical negotiations, which means that Putin can keep pushing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East, presumably Saudi Arabia. The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has actually been achieved. Now, again, I think that the takeaway from this
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
the Russian side is not quite the same as the takeaway from the American side. And the reason that you can tell this is because while President Trump mentioned Russian commitment to an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, Moscow did not quite say the same thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Instead, Moscow apparently was taking the opinion that the ceasefire would begin with energy and transportation and infrastructure when it began, because minutes after the announcement of all of this, There was, in fact, a Russian guided bomb that took out the power in the Ukrainian city of Slovyansk. Fox News has added that Kiev is already under drone attack.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore splashed down in their SpaceX Dragon capsule off the coast of Florida just before 6 p.m. on Tuesday. So originally, that flight on the Boeing Starliner was supposed to last eight days, and they ended up up there for 286 days. Which has to suck, to be honest with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
It is unclear if Russia violated the energy infrastructure ceasefire or the energy and infrastructure ceasefire, because maybe they're just attacking infrastructure as opposed to energy infrastructure. Whatever the case, it is clear that at this point, the Ukrainians are far more willing to come to the table than Vladimir Putin is. And the distinction between what the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
said and what the Russians said is that the U.S. said that the Russians had committed to an energy and infrastructure ceasefire. But the Kremlin talked of only energy infrastructure. In other words, they won't attack power stations, but they'll still attack roads. They will still attack freeways. They will still attack trains and all the rest of it. So Russia seems to be playing around.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The one thing that they said they would not do was, again, agree to a full ceasefire because they feel like they have the momentum at this point. Apparently, Trump was, in fact, able to secure one element of the ceasefire proposal. The Kremlin announced that Russia and Ukraine would release 175 of each other's prisoners of war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And apparently Moscow would also free 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen to receive treatment in their home country. The Kremlin specified, again, that energy infrastructure would not be attacked, but then apparently they hit infrastructure within an hour, basically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The Ukrainian member of parliament, Inosov, said in post-attacks, Putin backed Trump's 30-day pause on energy strikes and then broke his word in less than an hour. So the president of the United States should hold Russia to its word. If they want to get to stage two of a ceasefire, then they need to stop attacking energy infrastructure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And we need to know what their conditions are for actually getting to a stage two, whatever the next step is. Because the conditions so far that Putin has actually articulated for a full-scale ceasefire or an armistice agreement are totally unpalatable. That's just the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Vladimir Putin, for example, is demanding that literally all Western arms supplies to Ukraine be halted for him to conclude a ceasefire agreement. That is not going to happen. That would be nuts for Ukraine to simply agree that they will receive no more weaponry from the outside in exchange for what a promise that maybe Russia will come to the table into a ceasefire would be totally insane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
According to Bloomberg. Russia wants to stop all arms supplies to Ukraine. Its minimum goal is to cut off American aid. So Putin is hoping that these sort of baby steps are going to lead the United States to cut off the Ukrainian aid again. Again, that would be a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The United States needs to ratchet up the pressure to get Putin to the table because he clearly is not taking this seriously enough. Unnamed European officials say it's unlikely Europe would agree to Russia's demand that allies block arms supplies to Ukraine during any truce. Because, obviously, Ukraine would then be left naked, and Russia would just rearm with help from the Chinese.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So that is the current status. Obviously, Vladimir Putin believes that he has the upper hand in negotiations. It is up to the allies to demonstrate to Vladimir Putin that he does not, in fact, have the upper hand in the negotiations, and he needs to start making concessions. The Ukrainians are willing to come to the table. That's made very clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Imagine that you're going to space and you tell your family that you're going to see them in a little over a week. And almost a year later, you're still up there. Now, depending on your family situation, maybe that's an unpaid vacation. But whatever it is, it's not great. And the failures of the Biden administration to work with Elon to actually get those people down is pretty astonishing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Now it's time for Vladimir Putin to do the same, if, in fact... He is telling President Trump the truth and would like to see an end to this war. Listen, there's a lot of uncertainty out there. Smart investors prepare ahead of time for that uncertainty, just like keeping a life jacket handy before you set sail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
That's why a lot of people are adding gold to their portfolios, leading to record gold prices in early 2025. Now there's still a great opportunity for you to diversify and strengthen your financial future amid the market volatility. When it comes to diversifying into physical gold, I personally trust Birch Gold. They're the people I turn to for my own gold investments.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Their specialty is helping you convert your existing IRA or 401k into a tax-sheltered IRA backed by physical gold without any out-of-pocket costs. One five-star view says it perfectly. Knowledgeable, helpful, non-pressure. Well, those are the reasons why I've stood behind Birch Gold for years. They deliver what they promise.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
And I tell you that when you call them up, you should actually ask all of your questions. Get informed answers. And then once you feel comfortable, then think about diversifying into precious metals. Get your free info kit on gold by texting the word BEN to the number 989898. There's no obligation, just useful information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
With an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau and countless five-star reviews, text BEN to 989898. Let the experts at Birch Gold help you secure your future today with gold in uncertain times, precious metals. Always a good investment. Go check them out right now. Text Ben to 989898. Also, the IRS, they're getting ready to ramp up their enforcement efforts in 2025.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
With April 15th approaching, time is now running out. If you're facing back taxes or unfiled returns, delaying action only compounds the problem. Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by. While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS alone can be a costly mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
This is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart? Well, unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels. This means they know exactly which agents can help resolve your case effectively.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Whether you owe 10 grand or 10 million bucks, their team of attorneys and negotiators brings proven strategies to settle your tax issues favorably. With over $1 billion in tax debt already resolved, they have the experience and expertise to handle your situation. Talk with one of their strategists today. It's free. Stop the threatening letters. Stop looking over your shoulder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Shapiro. April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first. Meanwhile, the president of the United States is running into some headwinds with regard to the judiciary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
An enormous amount of what's happening with the judiciary will in fact be solved by the Supreme Court. It will be taken up eventually. Chief Justice Roberts felt the necessity to sort of wrap President Trump on the knuckles on Tuesday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The reason being President Trump demanded the impeachment of a federal judge who's been hearing a challenge to the removal of Trenda Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Now, I'm not sure why it's necessary for Chief Justice Roberts to sign into chat here and talk about this. President Trump says a lot of things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
But he did put out a statement, quote, for more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose. Well, it was never going to happen. So I'm not sure precisely what the point of that is. And why is Roberts doing that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
It really is. Because we are now... a couple months into the Trump administration, and Musk is sending SpaceX, the much maligned Elon Musk is sending SpaceX to, you know, rescue astronauts where they are stranded in space, which also probably is the beginning of an amazing rom-com that'll come out in a year or two.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Obviously, I don't think that President Trump should be calling for the impeachment of judges based on decisions not going his way. That's why the appellate procedure exists. With that said, why is Roberts signing in here? Presumably to earn some sort of public credibility with a left that has already learned to despise Chief Justice John Roberts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Tuesday's statement was not the first time that Roberts had scolded politicians for disparaging the judiciary. Roberts did this back in 2018 after Trump attacked an Obama judge for ruling against him in an immigration case. And Roberts said, then we do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal rights to those appearing before them. which, of course, is very silly. Of course, you have Obama judges and Bush judges and Trump judges and Clinton judges. It's a fairly decent litmus test for precisely how they're going to view the Constitution of the United States. Trump was right at the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
He said, quote, sorry, Chief Justice Roberts, you do indeed have Obama judges. They have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country. So again, Roberts is an institutionalist. He believes that somehow he's shoring up the credibility of the institution by sort of wrapping Trump over the knuckles on this sort of stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
Instead, all he's doing is annoying everybody on the right who understands that Trump says a lot of things and know that he is not going to attempt to impeach these judges. Meanwhile, the DOJ continues to be at war with this particular judge, Judge Boasberg, who is in fact an Obama appointee.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The Trump administration on Tuesday defended its deportation of those Tren del Agua members, saying that two of the three flights that supposedly had been held up by the judge had already left before the judge ordered them not to. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg initially ordered those flights to return to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
The administration argued that the planes were already in international waters and the ruling no longer applied. Robert Cerna, an acting field office director, according to Axios within ICE, said in a court filing, two of those three planes carrying migrants had departed for El Salvador before 7.25 p.m. Eastern time when the judge issued the order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
A third plane departed after that, but its passengers were not removed solely based on Trump's executive order, Cerna said. A separate filing says the government maintains there is no justification to order the provision of additional information and that doing so would be inappropriate because even accepting plaintiff's accounts of the facts, there's no violation of the court's written order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2161 - NASA Astronauts Return, Trump Brokers Putin CEASEFIRE?!
So as of Tuesday, there are still 54 alleged Tren de Aragua gang members in detention. About 172 are on the non-detained docket. So that is going to be battled out in the courts. Meanwhile, another district court judge has now decided to basically enjoin the enforcement of the Trump cuts to USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Folks, tons of news to get to today. We're gonna get to the Trump-Elon interview on Sean Hannity's show. We're also going to be talking about negotiations over Ukraine, which are getting quite fraught. And of course, Hamas has now announced that the Bibas family is dead, which many people had suspected, but is going to be a sort of earth-shattering piece of news over in Israel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
This was suggested by the Azoria CEO and co-founder James Fishback, who said, we wanted to help make Doge real for millions of Americans. They deserve a portion of the savings Doge will deliver under President Trump's leadership. And again, smart politics. Now, the opposing side, people who don't like these sorts of cuts, they're looking for any point of opposition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So they have tried, as we have seen over the past few weeks, to blame, for example, air crashes on cuts to the FAA or Doge going into the FAA. They've yet to actually make that connection. See, here's the thing. There are certain areas where Americans have direct interface with the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Those areas usually come in the form of direct payments like Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid. Those are the ways that people tend to interface with the federal government. Otherwise, in your daily life, you're really not interfacing with the federal government. If you're interfacing with the government, it's usually the local government, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I remember after 2001, a whole new security boom happened in which people, particularly suburban moms who had traditionally voted Democrat, suddenly were voting Republican. And then COVID apparently shoved a bunch of young people to the right. Wokeness shoved a bunch of young people to the right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You're interfacing with the cops or maybe the post office, but you don't really go to the post office all that often anymore. So you just don't have that many sort of moments where you interface with the federal government and then are annoyed by a cut to the federal government. Because the reality is the vast majority of stuff that the federal government does is done indirectly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So, for example, if you're looking at the Department of Education, they're subsidizing loans that go through a whole series of machinations and then ends up with the universities in the form of paid off grants or in the form of indirect payments or all the rest. The sort of direct interface that you have on a daily basis with the feds is usually relatively limited.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So given that fact, Democrats, if they're looking for kind of stories to focus in on, things they can say that are getting broken by the move fast and break things philosophy of the Trump administration. They have to focus in on parks and museums and that sort of thing. Because again, those are the only place where you might actually drive up and be told no by somebody who's a federal employee.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You just don't have that many opportunities in your normal life. That is why there's been outsized focus over the course of the last 48 hours on the supposed shutdown of the national parks. So according to the Associated Press,
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The Trump administration has fired about 1,000 newly hired National Park Service employees who maintain and clean parks, educate visitors, and perform other functions as part of its broad-based effort to downsize government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The firings, which weren't publicly announced, but were confirmed by Democratic senators and House members, come amid what has been a chaotic rollout of an aggressive program to eliminate thousands of federal jobs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Adding to the confusion, the Park Service now says it is reinstating about 5,000 seasonal jobs that were initially rescinded last month as part of a spending freeze ordered by President Trump. So, just to be clear... They are getting rid of 1,000 new employees who were just hired like a moment ago, but they are reinstating 5,000 seasonal employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So you really should not have a staffing shortage at the national parks just on the basis of those numbers. Seasonal workers are routinely added during warm weather months to serve more than 325 million visitors who descend on the nation's 428 parks, historic sites, and other attractions every year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Parks advocates say that the permanent staff cuts will leave hundreds of national parks understaffed and facing tough decisions about operating hours, public safety, and resource protection. Okay, now, the sort of idea that the national parks are somehow going to be unworkable if they have a couple fewer employees, like 1,000 employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You're talking about, on average, by the way, they just said 428. 428 national parks and areas under the governance of this particular agency. 1,000 employees cut. That's two. like two employees per national park. If you're just going to average it out,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
That is a good reminder to everyone in politics that while you think that the pendulum will never shift back over to the other side, it absolutely will. And so two things ought to be taken from that. One, you ought to be very careful in how you use your political power. That doesn't mean you shouldn't move fast and break things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
So supposedly this is going to mean that trash will pile up and restrooms won't be cleaned and maintenance problems will grow and guided tours will be cut back or canceled. And they say public safety will be at risk. No, I'm sorry. No. So first of all, they do this every time there's a government shutdown. So there have been several government shutdowns over the course of the last decade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And every single time there is some dumb ass story about how you can't visit the World War Two Memorial because it's been shut down. Barack Obama famously would do this. Every time there was a government shutdown, he would put out a bunch of pylons around the World War II Memorial and say, you can't walk here because of the federal government shutdown. I'd be like, well, why can't I walk there?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It's literally just statuary. Why can't I just walk through this area where there are statues? If I go visit the Vietnam War Memorial, which is a giant wall, why exactly do I need federal employees there? Why can't I just walk over there? What exactly is the problem?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
And by the way, if you are a regular visitor to national parks, and I've gone to several national parks with my kids and with my wife, when you go to a national park, the interface that you have with the employees at the national park, unless you're taking a guided tour, is typically you paying for parking at the opening. Producer Zach goes to the national parks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He says once every couple of months. And so I'm now going to ask producer Zach to tell me in my ear, how often do you interface with federal employees at the national parks? Or is it mostly like you arrive and then you have to pay for parking and maybe, maybe they have like a gift shop and then you basically just go explore the park on your own.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
It's the people who take the parking money. It's the people who take the parking money. So first of all, you can cut all those people by just having an automatic parking meter like every other parking lot in America, which has had an automatic parking meter since 1972. You don't actually need, I mean, like, I like those people. They're nice people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But you don't actually need those people standing there and telling you it's five bucks to enter the national park, to go to the Everglades or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So this idea that you're talking about like a wildly staffed, like deeply staffed agency at the national parks and you must shut down the entire, you have to shut down hundreds of acres because you don't have the dude who's taking the parking ticket at the front. That's an absurdity. That is ridiculous. So what is this really? It's a mockery. It's just acting. It's just performative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It's, oh my God, we're going to shut down the one place you interface with the federal government in order to show you the cuts to the federal government can impact even you. In reality, could we run the national parks unless then we are currently running the national parks? I am sure that we could. Is it possible that all those people will be hired back or some of them will be hired back?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
I'm sure they will. But again, this is the sort of thing that happens every time. Every time there is any level of funding gap in the government, from a government shutdown to what Doge is doing, the left immediately claims millions will die. They're like, okay, how? Like, well, the FAA, like, no, that's not gonna do it. Well, probably, probably you won't be able to go to a national park.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It means that you should be very careful that you don't set into motion a tripwire that is going to blow you up. And number two, it means that you actually do have to move with alacrity while I got to power because the left always does and the right rarely does. This is one of the differences between MAGA and prior conservative Republican movements.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, why not? Why can't I just go to that national? Like it's trees. The trees have been there for literally billions of years at this point. Why should I not be able to walk through the trees? I don't even use a guide. Like why? Well, but you can't. You can't because there will be a fire probably. Will there be a fire probably? Will there be? And if so, won't they just hire back the fire?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Like aren't the firefighters the first people that are going to get hired back after these cuts? The reason that you're seeing the outsides hysteria is because it is performative hysteria. Clearly performative hysteria. Well, people are going hysterical over the national parks. You know, they're worried about whether they can take their family to a national park. But here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Their platform uses real licensed insurance experts who work for you, not the insurance companies. Thank you so much for joining us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
policy genius helps you find the perfect coverage for your specific situation secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today head on over to policygenius.com slash shapiro or click the link in the description get your free life insurance quote see how much you could save that's policygenius.com slash shapiro also when it comes to our business efficiency is like the most important thing we can do because you only have so much time and so many dollars in the bank account and on the clock and what that means is that can you afford to waste the time or the money
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
When we launched Daily Wire, we knew the frustration of getting trapped in endless busy work and chasing down receipts, wrestling with those expense reports. As a business owner, if you feel like your finance software is not cutting it, you need to know about RAMP. It's really important. It's something that can completely transform how you and your business handle finances. So here's the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Most finance teams spend about 80% of their time doing that busy work, chasing down expenses, reconciling statements. Only 20% is left for strategic thinking, which is the stuff that actually saves you time and money and fixes your business. Thank you so much for watching. which is why they were just named number one in spend management by G2.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Prior Republican movements have taken that first bit of advice, move cautiously, don't break too many things, but they've neglected that if you don't break enough things, There's sort of a perfect mid point here that if you don't actually move fast enough and break enough things, well, then you don't get enough done. And the left comes back in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Now, for a limited time, listeners of this show can get $250 when you join Ramp. Just go to ramp.com slash Shapiro. That's ramp.com slash Shapiro, R-A-M-P dot com slash Shapiro. Cards issued by Sutton Bank, member FDIC, terms and conditions apply. Again, the goal of the Trump administration is not to create bad headlines.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
That means that when it comes to things like the firefighters, I guarantee you within two days, there'll be a rehiring of many of these firefighters. Because President Trump doesn't want the bad headlines on that sort of stuff. But the people who are like, oh my God, I can't visit Yellowstone anymore. They're only shutting down Yellowstone in order to make you say that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
You want to talk about actual deep state and media intervention. That's what this is. I promise you they can open Yellowstone without the guy who's the ticket taker at the front. I promise you it's fine. And they're doing this with like everything. They're doing this with the FAA, preemptive panic over everything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
So the Washington Post has a piece today, quote, a team from billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket company will help envision ways to overhaul the nation's aging air traffic control systems, beginning with a visit to the Federal Aviation Administration's command center on Monday, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. SpaceX rocket launches are regulated by the FAA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
The agency has alleged the company violated safety rules in the past. Oh, you see. So now the bad guys are taking over the FAA. You see, SpaceX is bad because it's regulated by the FAA. Probably this is regulatory capture. Probably SpaceX is just going to randomly blow crap up on the tarmac, you know, because they can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Does anyone truly believe that it is worse for SpaceX, one of the most technologically sophisticated companies on planet Earth, to have its employees taking a look at the FAA, which is using computers that are like Apple computers from 1997? Ridiculous. By the way, The FAA has not laid off massive numbers of workers. It has laid off roughly 400 probationary employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That represents a small fraction of the agency's workforce of almost 47,000. Frontline workers like air traffic controllers and radar technicians are spared. So they're all preemptively freaking out about cuts to the FAA that don't actually exist. This is why, again, what Trump and Musk are doing here is deeply, deeply important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And it is extending, by the way, over to the contracting rules for federal contracting. So one of the things that the Biden administration did is they said, if you wish to have a company that gets a grant from the federal government or does business with the federal government, you have to abide by DEI. The White House is now killing that. According to the Wall Street Journal,
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And when they get in power, they move fast and they break things. Barack Obama was not shy about using his power in 2009, 2010 in order to shove forward Obamacare and a vast expansion of the federal government. President Trump is doing precisely the opposite. So yesterday, President Trump set about issuing a number of new executive orders. Some of them are incredibly consequential.
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The Trump administration is directing federal agencies to no longer consider a company's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices when deciding whether to procure its goods or services, according to an announcement from the General Services Administration.
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But begin today with a fascinating realization by Derek Thompson over at The Atlantic, talking about the radical shift that has happened with young people in the United States as far as their voting patterns. What he finds is that COVID and BLM basically shoved an entire generation of people to the right. Quote, for decades, America's young voters have been deeply and famously progressive.
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That new policy reverses a Biden administration initiative that asked the government to weigh a company's internal DEI practices as one of many factors when considering whether to purchase that company's products or services.
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The GSA is also ending federal efforts to get rid of plastic straws in favor of the worst thing ever invented, paper straws which do not work, turn into pulp, and make your drink taste like trash. And all of this is going to be popular stuff.
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So the Trump administration thus far is finding that balance between being careful enough not to, for example, mass fire all the FAA employees and also moving fast enough to actually break many of the things that need to be broken. Now, the other big story of the day from the Trump administration is the ongoing negotiations over the end of the Ukraine war.
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And there are some slightly different messages that are emerging from Trump world over these negotiations. On the one hand, you have people like, for example, the special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who's now arrived in Kiev, who says, quote, we understand the need for security guarantees.
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We're very clear about the importance of the sovereignty of this nation and the defense of this nation as well. which, of course, is a very pro-Ukraine message. And then there's some of the messaging that's being put out by President Trump himself. So according to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. and Russia agreed to appoint teams to negotiate a settlement of the war in Ukraine.
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Mike Walz, the national security advisor, he says, we are now talking to the Russians. We are also talking to the Ukrainians. Here he was yesterday. It's common sense.
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Mike Walz added that the goal here is to just get to the end of this war, like continue death and destruction. That's not in the interest of the United States or anybody else.
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Okay, that of course is true. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was there as well. So was the special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Here was Rubio explaining that, you know, the Europeans are complaining about not being part of the negotiations. Guys, you could have involved yourselves at any point over the last four years.
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As we discussed yesterday on the show, one of the goals of the Trump administration in this negotiation is to get the Europeans to actually involve themselves in the process. He wants the Europeans in. He wants the Europeans to pay more. He wants the Europeans to take care of peacekeeping. In fact, President Trump did a presser yesterday and he said this.
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One of them is just a reinstatement of his stated purpose, which is to create more governmental transparency. He put about an executive order titled Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending, quote, the United States government spends too much money on programs, contracts, and grants that do not promote the interests of the American people.
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He said, listen, you want European peacekeepers there? Sounds great. You know, pony up. In other words, you want to be part of this negotiation. Anytime you want to put some skin in the game, guys, we're willing to hear it.
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Okay, so again, all this is part and parcel of a solid negotiation. And then there is the sort of public facing side of the negotiation. And here is where things get a little bit complicated. So yesterday, President Trump, in this particular press conference, went extraordinarily hard on Ukraine, much less hard on Russia.
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Now, you can make the case that pragmatically, what he is attempting to do is sort of wheedle Vladimir Putin into coming to the table. That basically what he's saying to Vladimir Putin is, listen, I'm not taking an antagonistic position toward you. I share some of your concerns. Let's just get to the end of this thing. That is a positive read.
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The negative read is that President Trump is getting some of this stuff wrong. And that includes some of the demands that he is now making on Ukraine, which are harsher than the demands that he is currently making on Russia. Now, again, from a pragmatic point of view, perhaps the idea here is that it's harder to bring Russia to the table than it is to bring Ukraine to the table after all.
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The United States has the ability to cudgel Ukraine. The United States is giving billions and hundreds of billions of dollars in aid. The United States has power over enormous swaths of the European continent. And it's hard to get Russia to come to the table, and so you have to make more – maybe that's the pragmatic concern here.
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However, negotiating from a position of weakness with regard to Putin is likely to result in a worse deal in the end, unless you think that basically the terms of the deal are already set and we're all just dancing to the tune until the clock runs out, essentially, at which point everybody knows what happens.
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There are security guarantees to Ukraine, including money flying to Ukraine, European peacekeepers in the region, Russia keeping Donbass and Crimea safe. And so here's President Trump saying some stuff about Ukraine. Again, I have some moral objections to the stuff that he is saying about Ukraine here, because I don't think that it is true.
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So for example, at one point during this press conference, he made the signally false statement that Ukraine started the war. This is not true. Ukraine absolutely did not start the war. You can argue with Ukrainian policy toward both Europe and Russia over the period 2013 to 2022, but Russia invaded a sovereign country
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For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest. The American people have seen their tax dollars used to fund the passion projects of unelected bureaucrats rather than to advance the national interest.
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tried to take Kyiv and has killed tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people. Here's President Trump suggesting sort of the opposite, that somehow Ukraine is the problem here.
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So President Trump there saying Ukraine never should have started it. Ukraine did not, in fact, start it. You can blame them for not coming to the table sooner. You can say that a deal should have been taken sooner. I've said that myself. But Ukraine absolutely did not start the war and Russia should have stopped this war at any point.
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President Trump then continued by suggesting that he wants elections in Ukraine. This has been in demand of the Russians, mainly because the Russians wish to intervene in that election. It turns out it's very difficult to hold an election in wartime conditions where literally hundreds of thousands of fighting age men are still on the front lines in Ukraine.
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That is a situation rife for election manipulation by the Russians, who of course are bordering on Ukraine and many agents inside Ukraine as well.
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It is also noteworthy here that if you're going to call for new elections, perhaps Russia at some point should hold, you know, an actual decent election in which Vladimir Putin does not win 98% of the vote while throwing his opponents off third-story buildings. Here's President Trump.
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The American people have a right to see how the federal government has wasted their hard-earned wages. President Trump therefore directed the heads of the executive departments to take all appropriate actions to make public to the maximum extent permitted by law.
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OK, it is not coming from any other countries. I mean, the reality is, by the way, that Vladimir Zelensky's approval rating. And again, I think Zelensky has botched many things here, including his relationship with President Trump. But his approval rating is at 52 percent. It is not, in fact, at 4 percent. The election was due in May of 2024. They are currently under martial law.
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Again, it is very difficult to hold an election in the middle of a gigantic existential war with your much larger neighbor. And if he's talking about how the people should really sound off on whether or not they liked the war, You kind of have to have that on both sides. There needs to be an election in Russia as well. But Trump, I think that some of this is just personal peek at Zelensky.
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I think that President Trump does not like Zelensky's approach to him. He doesn't like Zelensky's approach to Joe Biden. And so he's sounding off about that. And again, I don't disagree with him on how Zelensky has approached both Biden and President Trump.
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But when he is ripping on Zelensky in the middle of the negotiation, that obviously is going to strengthen whatever hand Vladimir Putin thinks he has to play here. Here's Trump saying that Zelensky is not getting the job done.
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The complete details of every terminated program, canceled contract, terminated grant or any other discontinued obligation of federal funds. Again, this is all part and parcel of the sort of Doge approach to American government. As part of that, President Trump also issued an executive order yesterday, quote, ensuring accountability for all agencies.
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Again, this sort of... this sort of reversal of blame here that they've allowed a war that never should have happened. Again, why exactly is he doing this? Now, again, there are a couple of different reads here. One is the personal peak read. He doesn't like Vladimir Zelensky. He's going to say whatever he wants about Vladimir Zelensky.
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It makes no difference to the final status of negotiations because in the end, the United States' realist position in the world is that Russia should not take over Ukraine and we should pay for as little of that as possible. There's the sort of personality clash Now, that wouldn't be unprecedented either.
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And the fact is that we've actually seen something like that with regard to Joe Biden and Bibi Netanyahu in Israel. Joe Biden, in the middle of an existential war that Israel is fighting with its enemies, deployed all of his Democrats to basically call for a new election in Israel in which Netanyahu would be ousted. And Netanyahu used that as the basis for increasing his own popularity in Israel.
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So it's possible something like that could be going on, whether that is conscious or unconscious, between Trump and Zelenskyy. And then finally, there's the possibility, which is that everybody's just kind of saying things. And in the end, none of it's really going to matter very much. Whatever the reality. Vladimir Putin is, in fact, a cruel dictator.
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He's a vicious dictator who kills his political opponents domestically and internationally. He is, in fact, an expansionist. He's always been a territorial expansionist, whether you're talking about Georgia, whether you're talking about Ukraine, whether you're talking about Crimea. He likes territorial expansion because the history of Russia is a history of a territorially expansionist power.
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For President Trump to put the blame on Ukraine, again, I am not in favor of that. I don't think that that's a good thing. Is that going to sink negotiations? Is that going to have any real effect? I think the real effect of that is going to be to scare the hell.
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It might actually have one more counterintuitive impact, which would be salutary, which is that it might force the Europeans to actually step up. If they don't like all the stuff that Trump is saying, anytime in here, they can step up and say, listen, we're going to take the lead here. We're going to pay the money. We're going to provide the peacekeeping forces.
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You don't want to lead the way on this peace deal? Fine, don't lead the way on this peace deal. We'll do it. Maybe the Europeans will finally do the thing they should have done all along in this war. And again, the Europeans have been dilly-dallying around all this stuff for quite a long time. wild incompetence from Europe.
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According to Axios, Europe has experienced subpar economic growth for a generation and has underinvested in its own defense. Both problems are coming to a head with the Trump administration's hostility as the catalyst. European elites are increasingly acknowledging a lack of competitive fire in both the economic and national security arenas, which has resulted in over-dependence on both U.S.
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companies to drive innovation and the U.S. government to defend Europe from Russia. So if President Trump's language about Zelensky causes Europe to step into the gap, that is actually a very good thing for Europe, for Ukraine, and for the United States as well. All right, in just a moment, we'll get to the latest on the illegal immigration front.
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The goal here is to re-enshrine the unitary executive theory of the federal government. You go back to the Constitution, there is no unelected fourth branch of government that is sort of half run by Congress and half run by the executive.
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Plus, Hamas announces that they killed a couple of babies, which is, of course, not a shock at all. If you were with us for election night or the inauguration, You already know the Daily Wire doesn't just show up. We take over. Now we are headed back to D.C. to do that at CPAC.
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Join me, along with Matt Walsh, Michael Moles, Andrew Klavan, and Jeremy Boring, all on stage live tomorrow night, February 20th. Check it out. No scripted talking points, no corporate-approved narratives, just real conversations that actually matter, streaming live on Daily Wire Plus. And we are taking your questions. Don't just watch CPAC, be part of it.
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Live tomorrow night, February 20th on Daily Wire Plus. Meanwhile, President Trump is moving forward with alacrity with regard to illegal immigration. And one of the things that has happened is that the signals sent by this administration... are very consistent and very strong. Do not come here illegally. You will not get in.
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Illegal border crossings have plummeted even further in the first weeks of the Trump administration, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Border Patrol made roughly 29,000 arrests in January, according to newly released government data that is down from 47,000 in December. Those arrest numbers continue to drop precipitously because no one is showing up at the southern border.
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President Trump calls it the Trump effect, and of course that is exactly right. The kind of notion that this is all a coincidence is clearly wrong. Meanwhile, Democrats are freaking out because it turns out that actually it's pretty popular for illegal immigrants not to mass immigrate to America.
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If Congress delegates power to the executive, it is now the job of the executive to perform those powers, which means that if you have an executive branch agency, that executive branch agency is headed by the president of the United States. This, of course, is the point of this particular executive order. Quote,
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According to Politico, the close relationship between congressional Democrats and immigration advocacy groups has grown strained since last year's election as lawmakers shift rightward on border issues. Now those groups are asserting themselves as Republicans prepare to pursue a crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities.
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Failing to rally together in opposition to planned GOP legislation, they say, would risk a more profound break between the Democratic Party and its progressive base. So it's fun to watch Democrats.
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They're now caught between a rock and a hard place, the rock of reality in which Americans really do not like illegal immigration and the hard place of all of these interest advocacy groups that they have been feeding for literally decades who now are angry at them. Again, this administration continues to be incredibly aggressive about its approach to all of these issues.
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Meanwhile, in other international news, horrifying news, Hamas has now announced, as was suspected, that that it would release dead bodies, four dead bodies. In exchange for these four dead bodies, Israel is going to release all Palestinian women and minors under the age of 19 who were detained in Gaza after October 8th and who, quote unquote, weren't involved in the fighting.
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But again, those are detentions. When they say under 19, you're talking about 16, 17, 18-year-old people and recognized. And in the Gaza Strip for Hamas, those are like military age recruits. Many women are also involved militarily with Hamas.
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The bodies that are being released include the bodies of Shiri Bibas, who's 33, and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, who were four years old and nine months old when they were kidnapped, not by Hamas. Okay, this is important. They were not kidnapped by Hamas. They were kidnapped by Palestinian civilians who joined in on the murder spree of October 7th.
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The reason this is important is because the great lie that there is a vast gap between the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and Hamas, that has always been a lie. It remains a lie. That does not mean that Israel and any other military power shouldn't attempt to distinguish between members of Hamas and civilians.
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Israel has expended hundreds of its own soldiers in efforts to do precisely that, which is why it's achieved such a signally successful kill ratio in terms of terrorists killed to civilians killed in battle. With that said, the civilians in the Gaza Strip supported Hamas. They supported the agenda of Hamas for a year, for a year.
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The bodies of a mother, a toddler, and a baby were held as hostages in the Gaza Strip, and not one Palestinian turned over information to the Israelis. While these people were alive, they were taken alive into Gaza. They were coming out dead. While they were alive, there was no attempt by any Palestinian to achieve their liberty. There was no attempt to shield them from the predations.
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In fact, they were held by civilians, as we know. Many of the hostages were, in fact, held in civilian homes. Just so you remember who these people are, here is a video of the kidnapping of Shiri Bibas and her toddlers. This is what Hamas is. This is who the people who celebrate Hamas and have sided with Hamas are. Human trash.
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The people who do this kind of stuff and who support this kind of stuff. Here's the imagery from October 7th. There's a mother, a terrified mother, who is now dead, who's been murdered, carrying a toddler and a baby. She's being kidnapped by, again, these are people in civilian garb. These are not people in Hamas terrorist garb. Those children are dead. The mother is dead.
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Anybody who suggested Israel's war in Gaza is not, in fact, justified. is morally blind at best and complicit in evil, much more likely. Now, there are still hostages who are being released, apparent live hostages. Some six hostages are supposed to be released on Saturday. That includes Ethiopian-born Israeli Avera Menjistu and Bedouin Israeli Hisham Al-Sayed.
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Okay, that's an Arab and an Ethiopian. So for all of those who claim that Israel is sort of homogenous, that of course is not true. Hamas is famous for staging these celebratory releases of hostages and hostage bodies. Just horrifying, horrifying stuff. And by the way, there's still an American being held hostage.
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The last American being held hostage is a young man, 20 years old named Don Alexander. I know his family. His family lives in Tenafly, New Jersey. I introduced them to President Trump on the anniversary of October 7th. And they're still waiting for their son to come home. Hamas is evil. Hamas needs to be extirpated. That is something that President Trump full well understands.
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And President Trump also understands that the great lie that there will ever be a two-state solution involving the sorts of people who kidnap babies and celebrate their kidnapping and cheer in the streets is the body of Shani Luke. The broken, murdered body of Shani Luke is paraded through the streets of Gaza City.
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Moreover, these regulatory agencies have been permitted to promulgate significant regulations without review by the president.
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that that is not going to be a peaceful two-state solution in any way, shape, or form, because one side is interested in peace and the other side is interested in murdering every Jew they can find and extirpating the state of Israel utterly. Meanwhile, some clouds on the horizon with regard to the economy. So inflation continues to hover around 3%.
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There are significant worries that it might go the wrong way. President Trump did, in fact, address this a little bit yesterday. He was talking about inflation during his interview with Elon Musk. And he suggested... that inflation is in fact back, but he also suggested that it would militate and that he had nothing to do with that. Now that's true. He suggested during this interview,
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that we inherited the inflation. Inflation is back. I'm only here for two and a half weeks. Inflation is back. They said, oh, Trump, I had nothing to do with it. These people have run the country. They spent money like nobody's ever spent. That is true. That is 100% true. But moving forward, it's going to be on his permanent record. So obviously inflation is going to be an issue.
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Therefore, in order to improve the administration of the executive branch and to increase regulatory officials' accountability to the American people, it shall be the policy of the executive branch to ensure presidential supervision and control of the entire executive branch. And again, this is a restatement of the constitutional principle that the president runs the executive branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There are a couple of ways of bringing down inflation. One way is through productivity growth. When you have brand new products and services and more competition, the prices are going to come down. That is something that President Trump is trying to do by having more companies founded in the United States, deregulating. Tariffs are probably not going to help that purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Tariffs at the best are going to be neutral in terms of pricing. They're certainly not going to lower prices. So when President Trump says that tariffs are somehow going to lead to an economic boon that somehow lowers inflation, he's playing a little bit with fire here economically speaking, just in terms of the basic doctrine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Here's President Trump saying companies want to return to the United States specifically because of tariffs.
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And by the way, it is true that as we become a more deregulatory environment with lower taxes, businesses will want to come back here. But if the idea is that we were short business because of tariffs, that also means that there is limited supply. Limited supply with retained demand tends to increase prices over time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So when President Trump is pledging more reciprocal tariffs, again, if he's doing this as a tactic, I've said this all along, tariffs as a tactic to get other countries to lower their tariffs, not a bad idea. Tariffs is sort of a panacea that that is not a great idea. Here's President Trump on tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, not a bad idea to get them to lower their tariffs. If the idea is that somehow makes us stronger, economically speaking, that tends not to be true, which is why many Republicans are trying to curb Trump of some of the tariff talk. According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Trade Representative nominee Jameson Greer still doesn't have a slot for confirmation before the full Senate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick was confirmed last night. But in their absence, a singular figure has risen as leader of the trade agenda. You'll remember him from Trump at number one. That would be Peter Navarro, the president's special counselor on trade and manufacturing, known for his pugnacious personality and maximalist approach to tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so all of these sort of pseudo shock that you are seeing from Democrats on this particular point is because they had always assumed that an independent agency means it's run by Democrats. They'd always assumed the career bureaucrat means Democrat. There was, in fact, a deep state.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, again, I think that the influence of Navarro is, in fact, going to be sort of washed out in terms of the rest of the cabinet. The rest of Trump's cabinet understands that meritless tariffs only increase prices in the United States and make things significantly less expensive. affordable and efficient.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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However, we'll have to make sure that we keep an eye on that because the last thing we want is some sort of economic downturn under President Trump. Joy Behar, who is entirely an idiot, she is making a case about inflation. And right now it's a stupid case. But if the inflation remains this way for another year, then it's going to be hung around Trump's neck whether he likes it or not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, now again, that's a stupid take because the airplanes are not coming down because of President Trump, and the egg prices are up because of Joe Biden. But... Inflation is an all-purpose acid that eats through everything. Everything. It is the single biggest factor in Joe Biden losing his re-elect. So that does need to come down and come down quickly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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All right, coming up, we'll get to Democratic responses. Their desperation is setting in at pretty much every level. First, you need to head on over to Daily Wire Plus and subscribe. And we've got so much great stuff over there. Everything from Run, Hide, Fight to Lady Ballers. Everything from Matt Walsh's hit movies to all access with me. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro.
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I check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It was permanent political appointees who were supposedly insulated from any Republican president who would take power, and Trump is saying, nope, that's not the way this is going to work. As part and parcel of that, President Trump announced on Truth Social last night, quote, over the past four years, the Department of Justice has been politicized like never before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Therefore, I've instructed the termination of all remaining Biden-era U.S. attorneys. We must clean house immediately and restore confidence. America's golden age must have a fair justice system. That begins today. And again, there's a lot of hue and cry over this, but this is not, in fact, a rarity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Barack Obama, when he came into office, cleared out the justice system of a bunch of people who were appointed by George W. Bush. The sort of changeover of career bureaucrats in these particular agencies, including the DOJ, is not a rarity. It is a regular part of American government. It's only Republicans who are chided about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, one of the driving forces behind the sort of radical transparency slash and burn approach that Trump has taken so far is, of course, Elon Musk. Elon has really contributed a huge amount to the government so far, again, with zero pay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
In 2008, a youth quake sent Barack Obama to the White House. In 2016, voters ages 18 to 29 broke for Hillary Clinton by 18 points. In 2020, they voted for Biden by 24 points. But in 2024, Donald Trump closed most of the gap, losing voters under 30 by a 51 to 47 margin. In one recent CBS poll, Americans under 30 weren't just evenly split between the parties.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
And he has done so because he feels that it is necessary, presumably, to cut the regulatory burdens on the American people and on business, to get rid of the wasteful spending, the waste, fraud, and abuse, and to reorient the American people toward the idea that they don't actually need the government to take care of all of their problems. And President Trump, to his great credit as a human being,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
has allowed Elon to take sort of a front-leading role in doing all this. Now, that is smart politics by President Trump, because it means that Elon is both going to get the credit and also mostly take the slings and arrows, which is what has happened so far. Also, President Trump does not actually have to fear for any reason, that Elon Musk is a threat to him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Because Elon, of course, can't run for president. He wasn't born in the United States. Elon's the most successful businessman of our age, which means he's actually not dependent on President Trump for anything. Keeping Elon as part of the system is much better than having Elon outside the tent peeing in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
While President Trump says Elon Musk is smart, and of course that is correct, you should be smart as well. Smart investors prepare ahead of time, just like keeping a life jacket handy before setting sail. That's why many people are adding gold to their portfolios, leading to record gold prices in early 2025.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
There's still a great opportunity for you to diversify and strengthen your financial future. When it comes to diversifying into physical gold, I personally trust Birch Gold. They're who I turn to for my own gold investments. Their specialty, helping you convert your existing IRA or 401k into a tax-sheltered IRA backed by physical gold without any out-of-pocket costs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
One five-star review says it perfectly. Knowledgeable, helpful, non-pressure. That's exactly why I've stood behind Birch Gold for years. They deliver exactly what they promise. Get your free info kit on gold by texting the word BEN to the number 989898. There's no obligation, just useful information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
With an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau, countless five-star reviews, text BEN to 989898. Let the experts at Birch Gold help you secure your future today with gold. Again, I've been working with Birch Gold for years and in uncertain economic times, and let's be real. All times are economically uncertain. Even ones that look good can turn bad before you know it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
You need to at least diversify a little bit into precious metals. Go ask all your questions. Text Ben to 989898 and contact my friends at Birch Gold. Also, the IRS is ramping up its enforcement efforts in 2025. April 15th is approaching and time is running out. If you're facing back taxes, unfiled returns, delaying action will only compound the problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by. While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS by yourself, that would be a very large-scale mistake. This is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels. This means they know exactly which agents can help resolve your case effectively. Whether you owe 10 grand or 10 million bucks, their team of attorneys and negotiators brings proven strategies to settle your tax issues favorably.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
With over $1 billion in tax debt already resolved, they have the experience and expertise to handle your situation. Talk with one of their strategists today. It's free. Stop the threatening letters. Stop looking over your shoulder. Protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Instead, call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first. So yesterday, President Trump and Elon Musk did a joint interview on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News. And it's sort of fascinating, the dynamic between the two of them and some of the statements they were making. So obviously, Trump's admiration for Elon Musk is quite real.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Here was President Trump talking about Elon's hope to go to Mars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
They were even more pro-Trump than boomers over the age of 65. So what exactly is happening? Well, Derek Thompson suggests that essentially this is a reaction to the government overreach during COVID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Okay, so again, you can see that they have a pretty good dynamic between the two of them. They're very friendly. They get along. President Trump says, I couldn't find anyone smarter than Elon to help me out here, which again, makes sense since Elon is pretty smart.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
So again, the dynamic is pretty important here because President Trump likes to get along with the people that he works with. And one of the things about Musk is that Musk isn't a Trump sycophant. So one thing that President Trump actually does not like is people who are too sycophantic toward him. And you can see this with a number of his former staffers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
There's sort of a fine line with President Trump between not offending President Trump. President Trump does not like to be insulted, for example, but also not just bending the knee to him at every possible turn. He likes a little bit of independence. So that dynamic is good between Trump and Musk, despite all the attempts to divide them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Here was Elon Musk talking about Trump derangement syndrome in one of the more colorful moments of the interview.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Now, hilariously, many members of the left took this particular clip and went nuts on it. Why is Elon making weird hand motions again? Guys, stop focusing on Elon's hand motions and start focusing on the fact that he's going into every government agency and finding hundreds of millions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse. That seems a little more important
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
that the bizarre institutional failures during COVID, ranging from the suggestion that you got to riot in the streets if you had the proper political credentials and COVID wouldn't attack you, to the idea that kids had to be locked out of schools, shoved an entire generation of young people to the right and radicalized them. And this, of course, is true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
then these sort of bizarre hand motions that he makes when he is talking about Trump derangement syndrome. Musk and Trump did talk about the media's attempts to divide them one from the other. Here they were.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Elon himself obviously went out of his way to point out that he and Trump were friendly. He was very praiseworthy of President Trump and Trump was praiseworthy of him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
This dynamic is the thing that the media are having a very difficult time with because historically speaking, the best way to divide Trump from his advisors is to basically suggest that they have ambitions on the presidency or on controlling Trump. But Trump clearly does not feel controlled by Elon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
And Trump feels like they're working in tandem together and that he is, in fact, Elon's superior, which is a pretty good feeling, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
If you're the president of the United States and you're direct inferior, the person who reports to you is the richest person on Earth who launches things into space and owns the most lucrative car company in existence, that seems like that's pretty flattering to President Trump, actually. So here is Elon talking about Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
OK, so again, is Elon laying it on maybe a little thick there? Sure. But you know what? This working relationship is the most important working relationship in possibly modern political history. So, you know, it probably merits that. Here is Elon talking about Doge specifically. And he says, look, the goal here is to carry out the president's will.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
This is not an independent agency operating outside the purview of President Trump. This is working for President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
But this does demonstrate, again, this is the warning, that people are incredibly variable and vacillating when it comes to their politics. Exogenous events can shove entire generations of people one way or another. And this has happened several times over the course of my lifetime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Okay, so President Trump yesterday, he did another separate press conference in which he talked about some of the idiotic spending that he was targeting. Here he was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2141 - The Trump-Musk Show ROLLS ON
Okay, so one of the things that Trump and Musk are now proposing is the possibility of what they call Doge rebate checks, which is all the money that they are saving, goes back to the taxpayer in the form of actual direct payments. That's something that Elon posted yesterday on X, that he would check with the president on the possibility of sending out Doge dividend checks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Folks, as you know, tons going on in the news. Everything from tariff wars to the Department of Education being slashed and burned first. You've seen the headlines, I'm sure. The Daily Wire has stirred up the usual nutjob leftist voices on CNN and MSNBC talking about our new effort to attain a pardon for Officer Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I've noticed on the right it includes many people who are deeply exercised over H-1B visas for Indians coming here to, you know, do tech. But they really don't want the Indians coming here to do tech, but they must, they must maintain the rights of a green card holder who supports terrorism. Very important, so long as that person's attitude is anti-Jewish. I noticed that. Just the thing I noticed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
If you look at the Department of Education by subcomponent for fiscal year 2025, what you find is by far, by far, the largest outlay is the Office of Federal Student Aid. You can see that their total budgetary obligations, $68.77 billion just on that federal student loan aid. Remember, Joe Biden wanted to radically expand that. Why? Because those are all his friends. They're all his friends.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Very strange juxtaposition. We hate all immigrants and they should be out of here, except for this guy who really, really hates Jews. Notice, it's weird. It's a little weird. In any case, this is not a free speech case, as Andy McCarthy over at National Review points out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
When you openly support terrorism and when you take over buildings to openly support terrorism in a way that amounts to a threat, which is what he actually did as the head of this organization at Columbia University, you have now violated the law. Andy McCarthy has a good rundown on this over at National Review. He says, it's not clear how old Khalil is or when he began matriculating at Columbia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
He came to the United States to study at Columbia after receiving his undergrad degree in computer science at the American University of Beirut. Apparently, he worked for the British government as an intern at its embassy in Beirut and for an NGO called Jasur, which is Arabic for bridges.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
But apparently, he also worked as a public affairs officer for the UNRWA, which is basically a terrorist front group for Hamas. Last spring, at the apex of the pro-Khamas agitation in Colombia that followed the October 7th atrocities, Khalil reportedly told The Verge, quote, I am here on a foreign visa. That's why for the past six months I barely appeared on the media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
That's why I'm not suspended. I did not participate, fearing I will be arrested and ultimately deported from the country. So, does he have a student visa? Does he have a green card? Not totally clear at this point. But, again, a permanent green card holder can be deported if that person espouses terrorist activities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Section 1182 of federal immigration law controls the categories of aliens who may be excluded from the United States. In the category of national security, the statute mainly targets aliens who have engaged in terrorist activities, but there's additional latitude. An alien may be excluded if he has endorsed or espoused terrorist activity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
That includes violent attacks and the planning of such attacks. So if you support Hamas, you have now violated that under the law. Once an alien has entered the United States and then has residential status, then they have some additional rights.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
However, the claims should fail because when it comes to support for terrorism, our law does not privilege green card holders over other classes of aliens. So, yeah, again, the reality is that Secretary Rubio is correct. An alien, even a green card holder, has no right while in the United States to join with groups that endorse or espouse terrorist activity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So all the government has to do is show that Khalil was in a campus group that endorsed or espoused Hamas atrocities. And as we talked about yesterday on the show, he did that like a lot, like a lot, and he didn't hide it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And yet you see people who are out there defending Mahmoud Khalil on, again, the bizarre right and the entire left, the Senate Judiciary Democrats, put out a tweet yesterday saying, free Mahmoud Khalil. I noticed they didn't have a similar tweet saying, free Idan Alexander, the actual American hostage still being held by Hamas in terror tunnels.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
In any case, Caroline Lovett was asked about this, and here was her answer yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Okay, so again, you want to defend that? Go for it. Seriously, it's all you. And we all know, by the way, that if this person had been on campus as an immigrant, handing out Ku Klux Klan flyers, that person would be deported and there wouldn't be anybody batting an eye. We all know this to be the fact.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
It is only that there are certain subgroups in the United States, particularly on the left, who are seen as too successful to be determined as quote unquote minority groups. That's what's going on here. So another win for the Trump administration. Speaking of wins for the Trump administration, obviously the talks between Ukraine and Russia have been incredibly fraught.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
When you talk about the pipeline of dollars flowing from permanent employees in the federal government to permanent staffers in the blue infrastructure around America, the number one place this happens is in higher education, which is in fact subsidized by the American taxpayer. It should not be. This could all be done privately. All of it. And it would be better if it were done privately.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
There are no direct talks between Ukraine and Russia. Yesterday, there was a meeting in Saudi Arabia between representatives of the United States government, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, both of whom are excellent diplomats. at their jobs, both terrific appointees by President Trump. And they met with the Ukrainians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
They then put out a joint statement. The joint statement said, suggested, one, that Ukraine would agree to a 30-day ceasefire, conditional on Russia's reciprocal implementation. The U.S. would resume intelligence sharing and security assistance. During the ceasefire, Ukraine would propose a prisoner exchange, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of Ukrainian children.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Delegations would establish negotiation teams to work toward a lasting peace. Ukraine wanted Europe involved in the process, and the president's agreed to move quickly on a critical minerals deal to strengthen Ukraine's economy. So, This is a win. It is a win for the United States. It's also a win for Ukraine because now the ball is in Russia's court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Because Ukraine has now agreed to a ceasefire without any other preconditions. The restoration of aid and intelligence is good because, again, this is what Ukraine needs. They need American support so that if Russia does not come to the table, Ukraine doesn't collapse. Here are Rubio and Waltz explaining yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And yeah, again, this is a good move by Ukraine. It's a good move by the United States. The ball is in Russia's court. And Russia needs to be held accountable for not coming to the table now because Ukraine is at the table. And it took some cuddling. It took some pushing. It took some shots. Ukraine is at the table. That's all. They've accepted the ceasefire deal. Now Russia needs to do the same.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Early indicators, by the way, say that Russia is not going to do the same, that Russia is too interested in pushing forward. According to the Wall Street Journal, the ceasefire plan, which is contingent on Russian acceptance, envisions opening negotiations between Kiev and Moscow on halting the war. According to that joint statement, President Trump reinforced that message at the White House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
He said, now we have to go to Russia and hopefully President Putin will agree to that and we can get the show on the road. We want to get that war over with. Now, it'll be interesting to see whether Vladimir Putin actually comes to the table, whether he futzes around, whether he lies. President Putin is not famous for being particularly truthful in his foreign negotiations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
The National Security Advisor, Mike Walsh, said that his talks with the Ukrainians did involve discussions on, quote, how this war is going to permanently end, what type of guarantees they're going to have for their long-term security and prosperity. He said, we're going to really look at what it's going to finally take to end this horrific fighting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So it's unclear exactly what the United States' role in that is going to be, which is presumably why the Europeans want to be involved and Zelensky wants the Europeans involved. Zelensky, for his part, said yesterday that the conversations in Saudi Arabia were good and productive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I've made this case before. The reason it would be better is because then you would actually be forced to consider whether you need a degree in lesbian dance studies as opposed to simply taking the money from the federal government subsidized over the course of 30 years to go get a degree in lesbian dance studies. We have artificially inflated. the necessity for a degree in this country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of the war. And we want to do everything to ensure that that peace is lasting. And that is Zelensky's take. So again, the administration has moved the Ukrainians. Now it's up to the Russians to move the other way. Folks, earlier on the show, we talked about failing educational institutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Let me give you one that actually is not one of those institutions. Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, they believe were endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
gcu believes in equal opportunity and that the american dream starts with purpose gcu equips you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and create a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come by honoring your career calling you impact your family your friends and your community change the world for good by putting others before yourself to glorify god whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's master's or doctoral degree gcu's online on campus and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic personal and professional goals
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others, that's yours. Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. That's gcu.edu again. This is actually a college that is worth your time. gcu.edu.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Also, the IRS is ramping up its enforcement efforts in 2025. April 15th is approaching and time is running out. If you're facing back taxes or unfiled returns, delaying action only compounds that problem. Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS alone can be a costly mistake. This is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart? Well, unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
This means they know exactly which agents can help resolve your case effectively. Whether you owe 10 grand or 10 million bucks, their team of attorneys and negotiators bring proven strategies to settle your tax issues favorably. With over $1 billion in tax debt already resolved, they have the experience and expertise to handle your situation. Talk with one of their strategists today. It's free.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Stop the threatening letters. Stop looking over your shoulder. Protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Shapiro. April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first. Meanwhile, Democrats are distracted with the most bizarre issues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So yesterday, the biggest blow up of the day happened in the House of Representatives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
where there was a House committee that was meeting, one of the members of that House committee, where a person formerly known as Tim McBride, who is a biological male, who says he is a female, and calls himself Sarah McBride, Representative Keith Self of Texas, referred to McBride as Mr. McBride, because of course, Sarah McBride is a man, and all hell broke loose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
There are many, many jobs in this country that now require a degree that didn't before. Why? Because when you increase the number of people going to college, well, then you increase the expectation that people will have gone to college. There is a signal category error in higher education in the United States that was made back in the 1960s.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
No matter how much the new Trump administration works to undo the damage caused by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris over the last four years, the woke movement in American politics won't be over truly until this injustice is righted. Derek Chauvin was railroaded to appease a mob.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
OK, so I will notice here that the Congress member who is chiding Keith Self right there and Representative Bill Keating, the one who's losing it on him from Massachusetts, when he says, have you no decency, sir? That is a paraphrase of something that was said by a Boston lawyer back in the McCarthy era to Joseph McCarthy when McCarthy was going after people for supposedly being communists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
He said, have you no sense of decency? So just to come right now, the thing that Democrats are most concerned about is that a man must be called a woman, even if he is not a woman. You geniuses, you. Slow clap for you guys. You're really on the ball these days, really doing great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Meanwhile, Alyssa Slotkin, who for some reason, the Senator from Michigan, is being promoted as a sort of new hot face of the Democrats. I'm not sure what the supposed skill set is that elevates her to this position, but she appeared on that great presidential testing ground, The View, Total IQ, 72. I mean, total, like for all of the members.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And there, she proceeded to insult Americans, which is always a great idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
No, no, no. It doesn't feel like... We're just a bunch of angry Americans. Angry teenagers. Angry teenagers. And we don't know what's coming next. Just... Great. I'm so glad that you've characterized the American people this way. This is definitely the way to win them back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Now, meanwhile, the reality is, I've been saying for a while here, is that the only way Democrats are able to get back into power, given their dedication to some of the world's worst causes, truly some of the worst causes, from the pro-Homasnics to the idea that men are women, The only way for them to gain power again is if the economy slows or goes into recession.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
That is the only way for them to regain power, which is why I am quite wary of what has been going on in this ongoing sort of tariff war that President Trump has now declared. So President Trump yesterday was asked about the tariff war. And again, the tariff war is escalating, according to the Associated Press.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
the dunderheads in the federal government looked at the stats, and what they saw is that college grads made more than high school grads. Their conclusion was not that college grads make more than high school grads because they were going into professions that made more money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
The European Union on Wednesday announced retaliatory trade action with new duties on U.S. industrial and farm products, responding within hours to the Trump administration's increase in tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to 25%. The EU measures will cover goods from the United States worth about $28 billion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
They're not just targeting steel and aluminum products, but also textiles, home appliances, and agricultural goods. Motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter, and jeans will be hit. Now, of course, this also happened during President Trump's first term. This is more an early indicator. It's not like these tariffs in and of themselves are going to destroy the American capacity to export or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
These are relatively small in the grand scheme of things, but they're sort of a shot across the bow. According to the AP, the EU duties aim for pressure points in the United States while minimizing additional damage to Europe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
The tariffs primarily target Republican-held states, hitting soybeans in House Speaker Mike Johnson's Louisiana, but also beef and poultry in Kansas and Nebraska, as well as Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia. Ursula von der Leyen put out a statement saying that they will always remain open to negotiation. She said, as the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
are applying tariffs worth $28 billion, we're responding with countermeasures worth 26 billion euros, which is the same amount. She said, we firmly believe in a world fraught with geopolitical and economic uncertainties. It is not in our common interest to burden our economies with tariffs. And she said jobs are at stake. Prices will go up in Europe and in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
President Trump tried to lay out his defense of the sort of tariff wars that he is now declaring. Here he was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Their conclusion was that this was a lack of opportunity in general for high school grads, and that if we could artificially boost the number of high school grads who are going into college, that that would somehow boost overall income in the United States. Well, all it did was it pushed everybody up one level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Okay, I should just point out at this point that actually manufacturing in the United States, in terms of its actual GDP, in terms of its actual output, has risen dramatically, dramatically from its low point in about 2010. So manufacturing, employment has dropped. It's been rising steadily since 2010, actually, manufacturing employment. However, The output has risen dramatically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
What does that mean? It means manufacturing got more efficient. One of the things nobody wants to talk about in manufacturing is that the reason we lose jobs in manufacturing or are not generating more jobs in manufacturing is because manufacturing in the United States via union employees is so expensive that people simply replace the employees with capital machinery, with robots, in other words.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Hey, the real reason why manufacturing is not more of a thing in the United States than it currently is is because of the high cost of doing business in the United States in the manufacturing arena. It is cheaper to do business elsewhere. You can relieve all that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
You can fix all of that through tax cuts and deregulation as opposed to tariff regimes that really kind of subsidize bloated industries. Now, the actual thing that is happening is manufacturing as a share of America's employment has dropped. But in absolute numbers, the number of manufacturing employees actually has risen somewhat substantially over the course of the last 10 years or so.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So this kind of notion that we need to re-industrialize and the way to do that is tariffs. You can reindustrialize and have more factories, but it's going to cost you. It's going to cost the consumer. It's going to take money from certain parts of the economy to subsidize those parts of the economy. Again, if you want to do that for national security purposes, I get it.
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But if this is just a redistributive mechanism that harms the American economy, forces investors not to invest, rips away people's 401ks. That is not going to be a good, that is not going to be a good and beneficial thing for the American consumer or for Trump's agenda because of the economy tanks. Now, President Trump may have a long-term vision of what he wants the economy to look like.
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But it turns out that the American electoral cycle is two years. And whichever party is in power when a recession happens gets absolutely hammered. If you want to see Trump's agenda actually win, what you need is for the Republicans to retain power and actually grow their power in the next round of elections in 2026.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Again, one of the indicators I think that the market is taking away from what President Trump is doing is that he just likes tariffs in general. And this has been the big question for the market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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When it comes to President Trump's economic policy, and my take for a very long time has been that he uses tariffs as leverage, that he uses tariffs as a way to get other countries to do things, that he might want to protect certain national security-based industries, and all that is fine and dandy.
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So now grad students make a lot more money than college students who make a lot more money than high school grads who just prolonged the time before entering into the workforce. So a bunch of people who don't need a college degree to do the job they are currently doing spend four years incurring $100,000, $200,000 in debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
But if the market takes away, one, high levels of uncertainty, right, people switching their mind every moment, or two, that President Trump has a generalized actual like for tariffs, and he's willing to undergo quote-unquote pain in order to enforce those tariffs, that could be a problem.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
The reason that the rubber has hit the road when it comes to Canada is because everybody looks at Canada and they say, what in the, like, why Canada? Seriously. So I asked our friends at Perplexity, prior to the current tariff war, what was Canada's average applied tariff rate to U.S. goods under the USMCA? Again, The search was sponsored by our friends over at Perplexity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Perplexity is a great service. You should use it. Here is what they say. Prior to the current tariff war, Canada's average applied tariff rate to U.S. goods under the USMCA, again, that is a deal negotiated by President Trump, was relatively low. According to World Bank data, Canada's trade-weighted average tariff rate in 2022 was 1.37%.
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This rate was actually lower than the United States' average tariff rate of 1.49% for the same year. It's important to note that while Canada did have some higher tariffs on specific products, particularly those protected under its supply management system, those were the exceptions rather than the norms.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
When you hear, for example, that dairy products faced huge tariffs ranging from 200 to 300%, or poultry and eggs had high tariffs, these were on specific products that really did not impact the overall tariff rate. In fact, among the 137 nations analyzed by the World Bank for trade-weighted tariff averages, Canada ranked 102nd
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indicating its own tariff regime was relatively open compared to many other countries. And again, there were a lot of goods that were traded under the USMCA duty-free between the United States and Canada. So basically, we're banging on one of the countries we had already the lowest tariff rate with. Also worth noting, we had a trade surplus with Canada, okay?
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The only area where you did not have a trade surplus with Canada was in oil. That's it. That is the only area. Other than that, we have a trade surplus with Canada. So why are we banging on the Canadians other than they're kind of annoying and say eh a lot? It's bizarre to smack Canada. They're our number one trading partner. They are peaceful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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They're a bunch of people who can't spell the word color, but we like them generally. They are not exactly a wartime threat. So all the talk about, listen, I'm amused as well, but my amusement turns to bemusement when it turns out that all of this sort of talk sends the Dow Jones Industrial Average spiraling. Then the fun and games come to a bit of an end.
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Yesterday, the White House Press Secretary, Caroline Lovett, she again suggested that Canada should be the 51st state. When we keep saying this, okay, we start off as a joke. I'm in. I like jokes about Canada the same as anyone else. They would make a fine 51st state, although frankly, I think that we could leave certain parts of Canada in Canada.
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on the tax paradigm, subsidized, before they get to go to a job they certainly could have done when they were 18 years old and they could have just gone into the workforce. It is a scam. It is a massive, massive scam. That doesn't mean everything at our universities is a scam. As I've talked about before, when you are talking about specific career paths, university can be great.
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I don't think, for example, that we necessarily need Vancouver or Toronto. But in any case, the question of should they be the 51st state is driving liberals at the ballot box in Canada. As I mentioned, Pierre Poliev needs to be the next prime minister of Canada because he's great.
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We don't want the leader of the Liberal Party to be the next Prime Minister of Canada, to just replace one Justin Trudeau with a slightly less good-looking Justin Trudeau. And yet when you repeat this kind of stuff, sure, it's kind of fun and games for the online trollery of it. Does anyone actually think that Canada is going to be the 51st state? Like, really, really? Again, the memory is fine.
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The jokes are fine. I like a J.D. Vance weird face morphing meme on X as much as the next guy. I just don't understand why is this actually like what what's what's the goal here? What's the goal?
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So why? Like, just why? OK, like at a certain point, the joke starts to actually have real world consequences. And so I'm just I don't understand. Like, what is the goal? What is the goal? So yesterday, this all broke out into the open because the Ontario premier, Doug Ford, who is not actually like a far left winger, Doug Ford.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I mean, he's the leader of Canada's most popular province, told reporters in Toronto that he was going to be issuing an export tax on electricity. He was going to do that in retaliation for the tariffs that are being levied against Canada. So here he was yesterday saying, listen, we love America, but could you please stop attacking us with tariffs?
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And if you do, then I'm going to start increasing the price of electricity shipped down into the northeastern United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you're talking about science, technology, engineering, math, the STEM fields, all that stuff, you are going to need a degree because it is preparing you for a higher level job that requires higher levels of training. And I know that there are a lot of people who believe that colleges and universities should be a sort of prereq to entry into public life because somehow they create good citizens.
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OK, so he says that President Trump then retaliates by bashing Canada for denying America electricity. He put out a statement saying, why would our country allow another country to supply us with electricity, even for a small area? Who made these decisions and why?
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Can you imagine Canada stooping so low as to use electricity that so affects the life of innocent people as a bargaining chip and threat? They'll pay a financial price for this so big you'll be read about in history books for many years to come. OK, so then he escalates and he says that he is going to increase electricity. the tariff on Canadian metals from 25 to 50%.
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Doug Ford then held a call with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, during which they agreed to scrap the electricity surcharge in exchange for relaxation of the steel and aluminum tariffs. That's the United States basically saying, okay, fine, you know, we don't want to pay more for electricity. We're going to back off some of these tariffs. What is the goal of all of this?
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Seriously, I don't understand. What is the goal that I want President Trump to succeed? If President Trump is to succeed, we need a thriving economy. Declaring a trade war on Canada under the terms of the USMCA, which he himself negotiated in Trump term one, is not going to be a productive move for his administration. And there's more to come, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I mean, President Trump is expected to issue a bunch of new tariffs come April 2nd. I mean, he openly said that in the State of the Union address. If there is a plan here, the markets would love to hear it. Because, again, the markets are simply looking for some sort of predictability here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The markets are simply looking for some sort of understanding of what's coming next and why it's coming next and what the plan is. Caroline Leavitt was asked about this a lot at the White House yesterday. Here she was defending President Trump's tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, I'm going to need some clarification as to how this is actually going to, in the short term, medium and long term, benefit Americans. We can talk about other countries ripping us off as much as we want. And again, if the goal here is to lower the tariffs by getting other countries to lower their tariffs, then great. I'm all in. Makes sense.
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But if the idea is the tariffs themselves enrich the American people, that is against pretty much all economic knowledge. for the last couple of centuries or so. So maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it'll turn out to be great. Or maybe the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been speaking over the course of the last couple of months and it disagrees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That died long ago. The argument for liberal arts colleges died with the takeover of those liberal arts colleges by the left. It used to be that universities and colleges in the United States inculcated a sense of virtue and citizenship. You still see the occasional college or university that does that. Some of them are sponsors of the show. Others are startup universities.
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The reason this matters, again, the reason this matters is because what President Trump is actually trying to do in so many areas is so important. We cannot have the agenda founder on the rocks
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of misbegotten tariff wars and there's so many other areas where the economy is opening up so for example the new federal trade commission chair andrew ferguson held a meeting with a group of big business ceos on tuesday and he said he's no longer going to let proposed deals die on the vine he said that if a merger is going to hurt the american consumer then he would stop it but if we don't believe that it's going to hurt consumers we'll get the hell out of the way
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I mean, that is a complete reversal of the way that the FTC was working under the ex-grubble Lena Kahn, who basically got in the way of any merger, any deal that she could in the name of social justice. Not in the name of consumers, but in the name of her perverse views about how businesses should run. Now, President Trump is doing a number of wonderful things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, it's really important that he succeed. And the number one obstacle to success is an economic downturn. It is by far the number one obstacle. And I think President Trump knows this, which is why, of course, the Republicans last night and another, Speaker Johnson has been much maligned He has been ripped up and down.
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He has been told by the right wing of his contingent that he's not strong enough. He's been told by the media that he's incapable of holding together such a narrow coalition. But time after time, he seems to somehow emerge with a political victory. Yesterday, the House did pass with only one Republican vote lost. That would be, of course, Thomas Massey, who votes no on everything.
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Did pass a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. That is a good thing. It is a good thing for President Trump. It is a good thing for Speaker Johnson. It is a good thing for the Republican agenda. Because if the continuing resolution did not pass and you got a government shutdown, Democrats would make hay. They would look properly at the Republicans and say, you're the majority.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So what are you doing? So good for Speaker Johnson. Again, there's so many good things happening. Don't get in the way. Don't get in your own way here. Do not get in your own way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Meanwhile, the big photo op of the day was President Trump did a photo op with Elon Musk featuring Tesla at the White House, presumably that has something to do with the fact that that Elon Musk's company has taken some major hits.
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since he signed on to do all the work that he's been doing at doge again i'm a big fan of what he's been doing at doge tesla stock was trading at a high of like 480 bucks a share almost in december of 2024 is now trading at approximately half that so it's been a pretty major knockoff and tesla is an amazing company i own a tesla i think tesla is great here's president trump promoting tesla yesterday at the white house
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Meanwhile, Elon Musk said that he was going to be working on doubling vehicle output. This has been a serious problem for Tesla in the past, is that the demand for Tesla has not been supplied because there's been bottlenecking in the process. Here he was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Some of them are Christian universities. They are few and far between. The reality is the vast majority of colleges and universities instead take in high school students. They churn out left wing thinkers or people who are apathetic about politics with a degree that cost them a lot of money subsidized by taxpayer dollars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
President Trump does have the power over the federal part of Chauvin's charges to relieve those charges, but he does need to hear. from you. Go to pardonderrick.com right now. Sign the petition. When we fight, we win. With your support, we'll do it again. All right, so President Trump is winning big victories.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Okay, so again, President Trump's very funny. And this is a nice warm embrace here from President Trump for Elon Musk and the car. President Trump also said there's been a bunch of violence at Tesla dealerships. And he says, I'll label this domestic terrorism, which again, if you're like blowing up particular stores in the name of politics, kind of definitionally domestic terrorism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So again, this is quite proper. Now, as I say, the big flaw here is if the economy goes south, Bernie Sanders is waiting in the wings. He's waiting for the economy to go south because then what he's going to claim is that the oligarchy sent the economy south to hurt you. This is going to be the next take.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
If the economy goes south, mark my words, the Bernie bros will be back and stronger than ever because they're going to claim falsely that the economy going south is not the result of bad economic policies like, for example, tariff wars, but it's actually the result of evil predatory capitalism. Bernie's waiting for it. He's rooting for it. Here he was yesterday.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So cutting the Department of Education has in fact been a Republican item on the agenda since the 1980s. But only President Trump is actually taking that seriously and all credit to him. Linda McMahon, the newly approved Secretary of Education, is going to take over a department that has already been cut by something like 50%, many of the proper jobs of the Department of Education.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Again, this is going to be the pitch. And so long as things are going well, it's going to fail. That's why things have to keep going well. All right, coming up, we're going to jump into the Vaunted Ben Shapiro Show mailbag, answer some of your questions. If you want your question answered, by the way, you have to be a member.
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If you want to be able to see things like our All Access Live, where I hang out and answer your questions live. If you want to be able to view our amazing films from people like Matt Walsh, Am I Racist? What is a Woman? If you want to be able to access the mailbag and backstage live, you need to become a member. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro.
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Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Things, for example. like the Office of English Language Acquisition, which is designed presumably to get people to actually learn English in the country. And there's certain parts of the DOE that you might want to maintain. Okay, fine. You shift those out of that department and you kill the department entirely so that it can't be rebuilt from within by the left.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
This is one of the most bloated parts of the federal government, the Department of Education. The total budgetary resources of the Department of Education amount to something on the order of $103 billion, somewhere in that neighborhood. All of that can be cut. The left, of course, is mewling over this, screaming over this. Hundreds will be laid off, according to CNN, starting on Tuesday evening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
In addition to those who voluntarily tick buyouts, those actions would cut the department's workforce of about 4,100 at the start of the Trump administration in half.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Education Secretary Linda McMahon put out a statement, quote, Today's reduction in force reflects the Department of Education's commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most to students, parents, and teachers. I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the department.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
She said later the reductions are the first course of action in shutting down the agency entirely. CNN reported last week the White House was preparing an executive order directing Linda McMahon to begin the process of dismantling the department. By the way, huge credit to our friend Chris Ruffo, who's been pushing in serious ways for this for a very long time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Hard to think of a more effective advocate journalist than Chris Ruffo over the course of the last five years in the United States. The roughly 1,300 employees notified of their layoff will be terminated in 90 days, according to senior agency officials. Senior officials told reporters the cuts will not impact federal student aid in any way, shape or form. I would hope that they do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I understand that it's an unpopular view with some who believe that federal dollars should just keep flowing willy nilly. But again, one of the most bloated parts of the federal government is this thing. The laid off employees will begin their telework beginning Wednesday until March 21st. Unions, of course, are just freaking out about all of this. And by the way, that is a good sign.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
His big victory of the day is slashing and burning his way through the Department of Education. So according to CNN, the U.S. Education Department announced on Tuesday it is cutting nearly 50% of its entire workforce. President Trump, of course, has proposed eliminating the agency altogether. Now, people don't seem to understand what it is that the Department of Education actually does.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
You want the unions to freak out about all this. So, for example, Randy Weingarten, the head of the American Federation of Teachers, one of the most loathsome figures in American public life, a person who kept kids out of school for two years to get her constituents, union members, paid to effectively do nothing, wrecking kids for a couple of years on the basis of pseudoscience.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Randy Weingarten, the far-left advocate for every bad policy you can imagine, shoes on with Molly Jongfast, who's The only notable thing about Molly Jongfast is her hair color changes on sort of a random basis. In any case. Here was Randy Weingarten going off and saying, I love this. She was saying, you know what's going to happen here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
What's going to happen is it's going to boost funding for school choice. Oh, no. You mean the most popular civil rights policy of our era might be boosted? That, you know, parents might have the opportunity to take their kids out of failing public schools, for example, and put them in better private schools or competitors? Oh, no, Randy Weingarten.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
That sounds, rule of thumb, anything Randy Weingarten is against, we should all be for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
It's income redistribution, school vouchers. School vouchers are a way to let parents remove their kids from schools they don't want to send their kids to. And she says this is somehow bad. Of course it's bad for her because her entire shtick is taxpayers should fund me, Randy Weingarten, and my schmucks over at the AFT to indoctrinate your kids or keep them out of school entirely.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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All of this is very good. It's a big win for the Trump administration, and we hope that it continues, obviously. This also ties into a broader level move against the educational establishment in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So President Trump is utilizing the fact that major universities around the country have violated the civil rights of their Jewish students in order to essentially crack down on federal funding of these universities. Good for him. Good for him. Again, let me point out, if you are against all anti-discrimination law, you're fully libertarian. I sympathize with that position.
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The idea that it should not be up to the federal government to discriminate against particular types of speech or particular types of attitude. And anti-discrimination laws do that, so you're against it. Okay, that's fine. But the reality is the Civil Rights Act does, in fact, ban in federal spending discrimination.
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They seem to believe that all public schools all over the country are paid for by the federal government. That is not true. The vast majority of public school spending is state and local spending, as it should be, because there is legitimately no reason why a taxpayer in Florida should be subsidizing the public school education of a student in California, at least in the main.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Any place that receives federal aid is not allowed to discriminate on the basis of race, on the basis of sex, on the basis of other immutable characteristics, for example. And that also applies to Jews. It applies to blacks. It applies to whites. It applies to everyone. It applies to Jews. And these universities have basically decided it does not apply to certain subgroups who are too successful.
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particularly Jews and Asians. Well, folks, there are bad people in the United States, some who support terrorism, and there are bad people out there. And here's the thing, you don't want any of those bad people or any of their friends or any people like them with control over your internet data. That is not a thing that you want.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
If you own any internet connected device, there are thousands of companies They might know you better than you know yourself. These are data brokers. They make billions tracking everything you do online. Plus, there are hackers. Plus, there are all sorts of identity thieves. Here's the thing. They can track the stuff you do.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Every purchase, every location, every conversation, your most personal beliefs. They can then package that stuff into a profile if they're a data broker and sell it to marketers, activists, politicians looking to influence you. Or you could go off the grid online by using ExpressVPN. These companies track you through your IP address.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Digital fingerprint, ExpressVPN gives you a new IP address and a location to choose, making you virtually untraceable. With ExpressVPN, your connection is encrypted and routed through secure servers. Even your internet provider can't see your activity, which is pretty important because they are actually legally allowed to sell your data to whomever they want.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Every time you go on public Wi-Fi, by the way, you're putting yourself at risk. So if you're at an airport like I am so frequently or in a hotel or something like that, The FBI calls this... house stealing. It's a growing scam targeting homeowners across America. Here's how it works.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Scammers only need to forge your signature on one document, add a fake notary stamp, pay a small filing fee, submit it to your local recorder's office. And just like that, your home title gets transferred out of your name. Well, once they have control, they can then take out loans against your equity. They could even sell your property behind your back.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And the worst part is you might not know about anything until the collection notices or foreclosure warnings start randomly showing up in your mailbox. So when was the last time you checked your home title? If the answer is like most people, the answer is never. That's what scammers count on. That's why so many people, including senior video editor Adam, trust Home Title Lock.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Their million-dollar triple lock protection helps keep your home and equity safe. And here's what you get. Immediate 24-7 monitoring of your property. Urgence alerts if there are any changes. If fraud should happen, their U.S.-based restoration team will spend up to a million bucks to fix the fraud and restore your title at no additional cost. Here's the best part.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I've teamed up with Home Title Lock to give you a free title history report so you can find out if you're already a victim and access to your personal title expert, a $250 value just for signing up. Head on over to hometitlelock.com, use promo code Shapiro250, or click on the link in the description below.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And of course, make sure to check out that million-dollar triple lock protection when you get there. That's hometitlelock.com, promo code Shapiro250. Get the protection and peace of mind you deserve. Okay, well, over the course of the last year and a half, we saw massive upticks in anti-Semitism, basically greenlit by major American universities.
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Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And now the Trump administration is saying, well, you don't get your money then. You don't get American taxpayer money. And this is having some real strong side effects that are, I think, beneficial.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
The truth is that the vast majority of spending that happens via the Department of Education is federal student aid on college loans. In other words, what you have seen is the cost of college skyrocket because of the gigantic subsidies that are paid for by your taxpayer dollars to the colleges that are then churning out good little left-wing apparatchiks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
According to Commentary, Seth Mandel writing for Commentary magazine, the administration last week canceled $400 million in federal funding to Columbia and announced it was undertaking a review of billions more in grants. Finally, we had an answer to a lingering question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Would there be any tangible consequences for schools that allowed their campuses to descend into prolonged bouts of anti-Semitic hysteria? Universities clearly took President Biden's passivity as a reason to bet against being held to account for their flagrant violations of Jewish students' civil rights. If they were right, that meant the only students they had to placate were the anti-Zionists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
There was no reason to protect Jewish rights or Jewish safety on campus because the Jews would never cause anywhere near the same level of trouble. for them. But now the playing field has changed entirely. A source at Columbia told journalist Steve McGuire the Trump Education Department's threats weren't empty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
Quote, grand cancellation notices flowing in now, labs shutting down, layoffs imminent, faculty apoplectic at Katrina Armstrong for letting it get to this point. She has to fix this fast. She, of course, is the university president over at Columbia, replacing the disgraced Manoush Shafiq. So again, this is not just Columbia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
It turns out that the Trump administration is cracking down on 60 other schools. The list of five dozen schools includes colleges from red and blue states, includes Brown and Yale, includes Arizona State University and the University of Tennessee, smaller institutions like Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
And all of these universities are screaming to the high heavens about all of this. And the answer is maybe you shouldn't have made yourself dependent on federal aid if you didn't want any of this attached. And two, maybe you should have, you know, cracked down on the tentified and nut jobs you took over your campus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
I am amused, by the way, at the consistent attitude of Democrats toward anyone who hates Jews in Israel. And it is a pretty consistent attitude. So this, of course, brings up the pseudo-controversy around the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, who's a green card holder, who's an open terror sympathizer. See, here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
If you hold a green card, you don't have a right to be in our country if you support terrorists. That's all. That's all. If the argument is that you have the free speech right under free speech somehow, to pass out flyers with Hamas insignia on them and lead up groups that call for armed revolution against the West. I'm wondering what exactly our immigration standards are at all, at all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
So President Trump had the right response to this yesterday. it is almost impossible for President Trump not to take iconic photos. It's just an innate quality. Yesterday, he did a bit of a showpiece for Elon Musk about Tesla. He bought himself a Tesla. And so he was standing in front of a series of Teslas next to Musk, and he was asked about Mahmoud Khalil, and here was his response.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2156 - Trump SLASHES AND BURNS Through Department of Education!
By the way, you know who agrees with that? Everyone. Everyone. This is not a controversial proposition in America. Everybody who, I will say, it's a very weird agglomeration of people who are suddenly very interested in the quote unquote free speech rights of green card holders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Democrats keep claiming that we're in a constitutional crisis. They haven't learned their lesson yet. They kept saying during the last election cycle that Donald Trump was a threat to democracy. You heard this over and over and over. Republicans, Trump, they were a threat to democracy. Everything Trump did was a threat to democracy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
By the way, he's right about this. Here is a picture put out by Doge of the limestone mine. It's insane. This is crazy. This is crazy. Why are we hand filing retirement files? Again, like some sort of dystopian sci-fi picture from 1956. This is ridiculous. The Department of Government Efficiency put out these pictures. It's Iron Mountain, which is an actual document processing company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Federal employee retirements are processed using paper by hand in an old limestone mine in Pennsylvania. 700-plus mine workers operate 230 feet underground to process 10,000 applications per month, which are stored in manila envelopes and cardboard boxes. The retirement process takes multiple months. Now, in the modern world, you know how you could retire today?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
By hitting a button, like one button, less than a second, done. That's how you should be able to retire. Because you can do literally, I can order anything I want from Amazon with the click of a button. It doesn't take me more than about five seconds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The deep state that Donald Trump complained about during his first term, he was talking about the deep state thwarting his will on everything from foreign to domestic policy or militarizing itself against his presidency by... putting together ridiculous nonsense like the Mueller report.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And yet retirement is supposed to take months because you have to have some 60-year-old schlub wandering around in the limestone mines of Pennsylvania or something. It's absolutely insane. So Musk was also questioned about supposed conflicts of interest because, of course, he has his own business interests. And he says, listen, I'm pretty much the most public person there is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And if you have questions, feel free to ask them. I think one of the reasons why Trump and the rest of his team are not super interested in these sort of conflict checks is because those have been used as tools by many of the people in the bureaucracy in order to hold up people. This is what happened during Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Number one, I have personal friends who are forced to spend tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers because they were tangentially associated with the Trump administration. And then they were roped into the Mueller report kind of stuff. And so what Trump is saying is, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And as for Musk, again, the most public person in the world, except for Donald Trump. Here's Musk talking about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So one of the things that is being done is that Doge is now being allowed into pretty much every government agency to look for waste, fraud, and abuse. That includes, apparently, the Department of Defense. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that Doge should be welcomed into the Department of Defense to basically audit the Defense Department and find golden toilet seats and the like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Here was Secretary of Defense Hegseth this morning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
But the reality is the deep state, meaning a permanent bureaucratic structure designed to funnel taxpayer money to allies of Democrats in and out of government, that has been a century-long project, and Donald Trump is systematically dismantling it. And the American people are for this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
By the way, gotta love Pete Hagseth. I mean, that is exactly right. You mean like a war machine that wins wars and kills bad guys as opposed to a giant, toxic, global warming propaganda fest filled with DEI nonsense? What an idea. What an idea. Well, the government is filled with scams, but here's a scam you might not know about. It's called house stealing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Did you know that American homeowners have over $32 trillion in equity? Criminals are targeting it with a growing scam. The FBI calls house stealing. Scammers can transfer your title out of your name using a one-page document they file at county. Then they take out loans against it or even sell it behind your back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The most concerning part, you're not going to find out about it until collection or foreclosure notices start arriving in your mailbox, leaving you with a financial and legal nightmare. The best way to protect your equity is with Home Title Lock's exclusive million-dollar triple lock protection.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
This service offers 24-7 monitoring, urgent alerts, and if fraud does occur, their U.S.-based restoration team will spend up to a million bucks to fix the fraud and restore your title. Our own senior video editor, Adam, trusts them to protect his home. You can too. So when was the last time that you checked on your title? If the answer is you never have,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
well that's what the scammers are counting on the good news is we've partnered with home title lock to offer you all 25 off their services so head on over to home title lock.com use my promo code shapiro25 to save 25 and you'll also get a free title history report to ensure you're not already a victim make sure you check out the million dollar triple lock protection details when you get there link below that's home title lock.com promo code shapiro25 also
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, believes we're endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. GCU believes in equal opportunity and that the American dream starts with purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
GCU equips you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and create a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come. By honoring your career calling, you impact your family, your friends, and your community. Change the world for good. Put others before yourself and glorify God.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on-campus, and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal, and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others? That's yours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. Again, that's gcu.edu. I visited their campus. It's a beautiful place. You're going to love it. Go check it out right now. gcu.edu. Private, Christian, affordable. Grand Canyon University. Well, meanwhile, again, Democrats keep claiming constitutional crisis over and over and over.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
If Democrats try to claim that that's a constitutional crisis, a threat to democracy, the elected president going to unelected bureaucrats and telling them not to spend taxpayer money, that is one of the least fascistic things I've ever heard in my entire life. It turns out that fascism is about centralization of power. in one man or in an oligarchy, who then take more control over the people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The constitutional crisis, if it exists at all, which it doesn't, is being caused by federal judges issuing nationwide injunctions. So, for example... Yesterday, a federal judge named John Bates agreed to a request from Doctors of America for a temporary restraining order nationally against the Department of Health and Human Services, FDA, and Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Well, the judge wants them to restore web pages and data that had been deleted in compliance with Trump's executive order related to gender ideology.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So the judge ruled, quote, the removal of the web pages and data sets creates a dangerous gap in the scientific data available to monitor or respond to disease outbreaks, deprives physicians of resources that guide clinical practice and takes away key resources for communicating and engaging with patients.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So apparently this judge is now attempting to force the federal government to keep up a bunch of dumb data about gender ideology. This is the constitutional crisis? That's the thing? Again, the outrageous sort of reaction by the left to all of this, it truly is pretty amazing. And I have to say that Elon Musk trolling the media on all this is also pretty amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So we've had the spectacle over the past 48 hours of major left-wing anchors saying the words big balls and hairy balls. That is a thing that is now happening in our life. Here is CNN's Dana Bash. announcing that Elon Musk has changed his Twitter handle to Harry Balls. I'm not even kidding you. This is the world we live in. It is the most amusing timeline.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Well, oh my gosh. I'm sorry. Just CNN having to cover Elon's trollery is pretty high level. Meanwhile, Joy Reid is very upset about big balls, as we've discussed before over at MSNBC. Again, Democrats apparently only like big balls if they're on the ladies. In any case, Joy Reid says that Democrats should actually stop all legislation until big balls can be subpoenaed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Meanwhile, they were weaponizing the Department of Justice to go after President Trump. Joe Biden was thinking of new ways nearly every day to violate the Constitution. Well, now, when that particular line didn't work, the threat to democracy line, they've transmuted it into a constitutional crisis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Yes, this is... Oh my goodness.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
They must get to the bottom of big balls. That's the thing they have to do. They have to get a handle on big balls. Slow clap for the Democrat media. You guys are doing an amazing, amazing job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Meanwhile, CNN's Anderson Cooper got miffed on air last night because Chris DiNuno, who's about as moderate a Republican as is possible to find, governor of New Hampshire, he suggested that Elon Musk wants to make cuts and then they got into a discussion over the cuts And Anderson Cooper calls him a d*** on air.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
There's irony to that because actually in this video, Chris Inuno is sitting next to Jeffrey Toobin, who's mostly famous for actually whipping out his d*** on air. But here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
I have yet to hear of a fascist movement that delegates more power back out to the people away from a centralized bureaucracy. I've never heard of anything remotely like that. Please, name the last fascist movement that minimized the power of the executive in Americans' lives. You're gonna have to figure this one out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Don't be... Oh my gosh. Well, things are going well for the Democrat media. Meanwhile, Caitlin Collins at CNN says we are so close to a constitutional crisis. Oh, goodness, a constitutional crisis. Really, where is it? I'm missing it. Really, where's the constitutional crisis? I would love some details.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Please explain how Elon Musk going and recommending cuts inside the executive branch is a constitutional crisis that is going to end democracy in America. Do you mean that there is tension between the judicial, executive, and legislative branches of the government? As written in the Constitution, that's crazy talk. Here's Caitlin Collins at CNN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
They can't say threat to democracy anymore, so they just shifted it over to constitutional crisis. It's really lazy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
they found a constitutional scholar who will say that america's on the brink of a reckoning well this sounds super scientific and legalistic to me it sounds exactly like that doomsday clock you know these fake scientists they have a thing called the doomsday clock and every so often they move it a tick toward doomsday and we're the closest we've been to doomsday since like the 1961 cuban missile crisis wow i mean like oh my gosh i i think that what are we going to do it's
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
We're the closest we've been to doomsday since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and all this. All this sort of fake expertise is really, really stupid. But this is the line that they are pursuing. MSNBC's Danny Savalas says, you know, the president not following the court, that could be super duper, duper scary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
What would you say if I told you there was a president who literally bragged about not following the court in relieving student loan debt? And that was last year. What if I told you that that was a thing? But here is the MSNBC legal analyst, Danny Savalas, panicking, running into walls,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
But Democrats don't want to figure that one out, so they're just going to keep shouting nostrums. Well, yesterday, President Trump kept the momentum going. According to the Washington Post, President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that calls on federal agencies to work with Doge in a bid to cut their existing workforce and limit future hiring.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Meanwhile, President Trump is like, what are you even talking about? You keep saying I'm defying courts. What are you even saying? Here's President Trump saying, can you give me an example of me defying the courts? Like one? That'd be great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
He's right about this. But again, does this sound like a man who's on the verge of tyranny? Of course not. Of course not. Now, listen, America is in a fairly serious economic situation. And the only answer to that is going to be cutting the waste and fraud in the federal government and eventually restructuring entitlement programs and production, economic growth. Those are the only things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
We're going to have to grow our way out of many of these problems while simultaneously cutting all the waste, fraud and abuse. And the Trump administration is focused on both of those things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Again, there are some systemic entrenched obstacles, including the national debt and including the fact that the Biden administration blew more money into the economy, fake money into the economy through inflation than any administration in modern history. Well, that fight against inflation is not yet won. Remember, you kept hearing that it was over. It was all over, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Joe Biden had quashed inflation. The economy was on a solid footing now. That was his entire campaign and Kamala Harris's campaign. And it turns out that was a lie. According to the Wall Street Journal, the fight against inflation continued to face headwinds in January, with consumer prices rising more than expected.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The Labor Department on Wednesday reported consumer prices in January rose 3% from a year earlier. They marked a pickup from December when prices rose 2.9% from a year earlier. Stock futures turned down after the report was released and bond yields jumped. The uptick in prices comes as newly sworn in President Trump vows to lower prices for Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Higher housing costs are helping to fuel the rise along with auto insurance and airfare as well as grocery prices. Prices were up 0.5% from the prior month. Core prices, which doesn't count food and energy prices, actually rose 3.3% over the year and 0.4% over the month. Egg prices increased more than 15%, the largest increase since June of 2015.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Ahead of that signing, Trump was joined in the Oval Office by Elon Musk, and it was highly entertaining. So first, Trump had in Musk and Elon likes to bring around his son X, like everywhere. When we went to Auschwitz together, he brought his son X because his basic principle is I'm bringing my kid everywhere. And since I'm the richest person in the world, I can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And that is one of the big drivers of how expensive things are at the grocery right now. There's talk that maybe the federal reserve should actually increase the interest rates at this point in order to continue to quash inflation. It's a little bit early to blame President Trump for the inflation rates, given the fact that, again, he's been in office for a grand total of three weeks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
But the only way that inflation is going to be brought down in the end is by more productivity. The only way inflation is going to be brought down in the end is by a more solid basis for the economy other than blowing money into it for the same product. Basically, inflation is always too much money chasing too few goods.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
If you create more goods, if your supply keeps up with your demand, if you create new innovative products, well, it turns out that prices tend to decrease through competition. And that is what the administration is pursuing. That is particularly true when it comes to AI. So yesterday, Vice President J.D. Vance was in Europe to speak about AI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And it is pretty incredible how Europe has basically blown it on AI. AI is the single most transformative technology of my lifetime, other than the internet itself. The leaps and bounds that AI is taking, utterly extraordinary, truly extraordinary. If you're playing around with, say, Perplexity AI or Grok or ChatGPT, the quality of the AI is so unbelievably high.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
I was playing around with Perplexity yesterday. And I took a link to a video on YouTube, like a three-hour interview with an author. And I said, please summarize the main points of this interview. And in less than a second, it spelled out all of the main points of the interview. I mean, really amazing, like huge time-saving, labor-saving innovations. Europe is way behind.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The reason Europe is way behind is because Europe is always the safety-focused helicopter parent of business. They're always worried that the child is going to be on the swings and fall off and break the head, so they put a helmet on the kid and then say, don't go on the swings. Meanwhile, the United States has always been the innovative country that says, okay, we're going to let you play.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
We'll let you play. And so the AI competition right now is between a heavily subsidized, lying government in China And it turns out that a lot of the things that China was saying about DeepSeek, which is their own version of AI, about the cost, about the sophisticated chips that they were using or not using, a lot of that turned out to be a lie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
It's not nearly as cheap as they were saying, and they were hijacking NVIDIA chips and using sophisticated chips to actually build their own. But the real competition right now is between the United States China and Europe is like still using an abacus. And this is something J.D. Vance is pointing out. He said, listen, we're going to keep developing AI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And if you keep trying to quash the regulation or development of AI and thus sink the world economy, we're not moving along with that. Here was Vice President Vance yesterday at the AI Action Summit in France.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
I will say I love the normalization of kids in public life. I think it's wonderful. I bring my kids virtually everywhere. I have four of them. They're constantly with me. As they get older, I'm going to start bringing them to events so they can experience them and learn. This is how kids learn is by following their parents around. Between J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Innovation, productivity increases, right? These are things that America is going to need and the rest of the world is going to need as well. And businesses are recognizing this. Goldman Sachs has now abandoned its IPO diversity pledge. It's abandoning all this DEI nonsense. According to Bloomberg, Wall Street's leading investment bank had a policy that would only take a company public in the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
or Western Europe if it included two diverse board members, one of whom had to be a woman. That rule had initially been put in place in 2020. As a result of legal developments related to board diversity requirements, we ended our formal board diversity policy, according to Tony Fratto, a spokesperson for Goldman Sachs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Because it turns out that actually many of the most important businesses in the world do not have quote unquote diverse boards. All they have is merit driven boards. That is good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And by the way, those who stand up against merit, those who stand up against innovation, they're going to get run over and they should be run over because they're standing in the way of positive externalities for everyone else. Meritocracy has positive externalities for everyone else. No other system of rewarding talent creates positive externalities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
If you reward people based on group status, that has negative externalities. It hurts everybody who's not a member of that group. If you reward people based on merit, that has positive externalities because the most meritorious are going to be more productive than any other group put in place. And they're going to do more work and they're going to be better at that work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Well, DEI is dying everywhere, not just at Goldman Sachs. Disney is now moving away from its DEI efforts. And that's because the American public did not like what they were seeing. It is because the state of Florida said no to all of this trash. It's because the Daily Wire announced that we would launch competition to their actual DEI nonsense. That is why Disney is doing this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
They went woke and they went broke, and now they're trying to revert back to normalcy. And you know what? Good for them. Good for them. I'm a forgiving man. I mean, I'd like to see them do it across the board. I'd like to see less left-wing propaganda on Disney. I'd love to see the Star Wars properties restored to their...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
former place of glory, and Kathleen Kennedy put out by the side of the road with the rest of the recycling. However, according to Axios, Disney is now changing its DEI programs to focus more closely on business outcomes. As part of the shift, sources tell Axios Disney is moving and changing the content disclaimers it started releasing around certain titles in 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Those are those annoying placards that you see before Aladdin saying that this is fostering cultural stereotypes and negativity and racism right before they make money off of you watching Robin Williams voice the genie. In a note to employees sent Tuesday morning, Chief Human Resources Officer Sonia Coleman outlined ways Disney's DEI efforts will change.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Vance bringing his kids on foreign trips and Elon Musk bringing his kid around, you're seeing a lot of kids in American public life. And again, these images matter. We talked about this yesterday. Imagery matters. The image of a secretary of defense who's working out with the troops.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Beginning this fiscal year, Disney will replace the diversity and inclusion performance factor used to evaluate executive compensation with a new talent strategy. Wow. Disney is getting rid of its controversial Reimagined Tomorrow initiative and the corresponding website, which was used to highlight stories and talent from quote-unquote underrepresented communities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The company has now rebranded its business employee resource groups to belonging employee resource groups. The transformation is meant to highlight the focus on BERGs and strengthening the employee community and workplace experience. Disney is also updating the language of the content advisories that run before certain titles on its streaming services.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Again, this is all because Disney decided that they were going to move to the left politically, and it turns out parents didn't like that crap. Disney's reputation score among Republicans has been jumping because of these moves compared to 2023, according to the Axios Harris 100 brand reputation poll.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So its score jumped from 61.03 in 2023 to 67.9 in 2024, which is in fact a significant jump because, you know, again, they're getting rid of all of this. Meanwhile, PBS has shuttered its DEI office. PBS, of course, is publicly funded.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The public broadcaster said in a statement, quote, in order to best ensure we are in compliance with the president's executive order around DEI, we have closed our DEI office. The staff members who served in that office are now leaving PBS. We'll continue to adhere to our mission and values. PBS will continue to reflect all of America and remain a welcoming place for everyone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Ah, nature is healing. This is a joy. Disney, getting back to normal. PBS, getting back to normal. It wasn't that tough, as it turns out. All it took was Democrats losing an election. So meritocracy must rule, which is why, frankly, I'm excited that there were people who were protesting the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth yesterday at a military installation in Germany. This is great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
We can now identify their parents and kick them out. We'll get to that in just one moment. First, when you join Daily Wire Plus, it's not just a subscription. It is a statement, a refusal to be spoon-fed the nonsense shoved down your throat by the media, Hollywood, and every self-righteous blue-haired activist with a TikTok account. You've heard the lies. You've seen the manipulation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
or the image of a national security advisor striding into NATO meetings, or the images of Elon Musk with his sort of young tech proteges going into various government agencies and clearing them out, or children in public places. All of these things have an impact on how human beings feel and how they think. And it makes a big difference.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
You know the game is rigged. You refuse to be played. Becoming a Daily Wire Plus member isn't just about access to content. It's about standing up for truth in a world that treats truth like a disposable inconvenience. It's about rejecting propaganda. It's about demanding facts, logic, and reality when the culture wants you gaslit into submission.
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So when you join, you know exactly what you're doing, backing a movement that doesn't just report on the culture but actually reshapes it. Every dollar you spend goes directly into building the future because America's future isn't going to build itself. Join the fight today. DailyWire.com slash subscribe. Meanwhile, Democrats are celebrating because a bunch of American students at a U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
military installation in Germany walked out of their middle school on Tuesday as part of protests aimed at an official visit by the new defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Why? Because the Defense Department is killing DEI initiatives. This is according to the Washington Post. The students attend Patch Middle School in Stuttgart, Germany, and peacefully walked out of class for nearly an hour.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
We used to just call that ditching class when I was in middle school, actually. But this is a great way of figuring out which parents are the wokies and then, you know, booting them out of the military, actually. That seems like a good idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Separately, a small group of adults dressed in civilian clothing, likely parents, gathered outside at Stuttgart and protested within view and earshot of Hegseth's delegation booing and chanting DEI. Again, good luck to you. Seriously, good luck to you. Americans are not up for this crap. They are not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
When the media covering this, it's like a front page story that you had a couple of dozen students out of something like 700 students at this middle school who walked out and whoop-dee-doo, whoop-dee-freaking-doo. Meanwhile, the actual big headline from yesterday was that Mark Fogle was freed by Russia. So Mark Fogle had essentially been kidnapped by the Russians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The Russians have been taking American hostages. They've been condemning people to penal servitude for minor crimes. This is true of Brittany Griner, the WNBA player. The difference is Joe Biden had to trade a Russian arms dealer to get her back. as opposed to Mark Fogle, who came back for nothing, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
According to the Washington Post, President Trump thanked Vladimir Putin on Tuesday night for releasing American teacher Mark Fogle, who was freed after three and a half years of Russian imprisonment on drug charges in an exchange earlier in the day. President Trump welcomed Fogle back by ushering him into the White House, and then he also invited him to stay the night in the Lincoln bedroom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Fogle, for his part, was obviously grateful and celebratory about all this. He kissed the ground when he reached the United States. He... Was it the White House drinking a Pennsylvania brew at the White House? Here it was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So here's President Trump praising Elon Musk's son X, which is hilarious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Apparently, Steve Witkoff, who is the envoy to the Middle East, was the broker of this particular agreement at a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with Putin while in Moscow, arranging Fogel's release. Unclear what exactly the United States gave up to get Fogel back. It wasn't nothing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Presumably, it was some sort of criminal, but probably not on the level of the, you know, the merchant of death was the actual name of the person, the actual nickname of the person who was traded for Brittany Greiner. Remember that Joe Biden did not get out Mark Fogle. In fact, even Obama's ambassador to Russia was celebrating Mark Fogle's prison release yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Here was President Obama's ambassador, Michael McFaul, celebrating Fogle's prison release and thanking Trump for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The Biden administration had refused or delayed actually labeling Fogel as wrongfully detained during the administration, very, very late in the administration. Trump moved quickly with Lackery to get Fogel out, so that is a big win. And again, this is part of a broader attempt to thaw relations, presumably, with the Russians in advance of some sort of deal to be cut over Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The Europeans are being asked to pick up more of the slack, as they should be. Ukraine is being told by the Trump administration that they're probably not going to get to keep Donbass and Crimea because they really have no military prospect of winning back those areas. And the Russians are being told that they are not going to win Kiev. That was always going to be the outline of a deal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
I've been saying this since August of 2022, just months after the beginning of the war, is that this is the way the war was going to end. It appears that is the direction that is currently being taken, according to Politico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The strategy for Ukraine is quietly shifting in Europe to match the changing tone of the United States from a promise of unyielding support to an effort to bring Kiev to the bargaining table with a strong hand. A new strategy will play out most clearly this week at the Munich Security Conference, one of the biggest gatherings of defense leaders in the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And by the way, you got to love the sort of juxtaposition of the dress. Meaning Elon, for those who can't see, is wearing sort of typical tech bro outfit. He's wearing kind of like jeans and a t-shirt and then a black coat over it. And his son is dressed in the nines. Looking great over there. Meanwhile, President Trump says, listen, we've already found billions in abuse, incompetence, corruption.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Now remember, this has to be done because Zelensky is going to have to explain to his own people why he's not winning back everything. And Zelensky is still, despite his war powers, a democratically elected leader who is going to be subject to the voting population. If he goes back to that population, and again,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, wounded in Ukraine. Going back and saying, listen, we have to get Crimea and Donbass to get to some sort of off-ramp here is not going to be a popular move. If, however, Zelensky says, listen, I didn't want it. I want all that stuff back, but I was forced by everybody else to do the thing. That gives him an off-ramp.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And some of us have been saying this for nigh on three years at this point. It's a dramatic departure from the Biden era, according to Politico, when the meeting reinforced the U.S. and its allies had Ukraine's back for, as former presidential Biden often said, as long as it takes. But that was never a good policy, because if you say as long as it takes to any off ramp, what's the off ramp then?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Biden kept saying we're going to do this until they reach their goals. And then when asked what the goals were, they were never articulated. I mean, a good war has an actual goal at the end of the war. If you don't have a goal, it's very difficult to win. How's victory even defined at that point?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Well, Trump campaigned, vowed to end the war in a day, but the conference is going to have Vice President Vance meeting with Zelensky. Vice President Kamala Harris had gone to Bavaria to meet Zelensky three times. But Europe is saying, we will for the moment take the lead if the Americans don't. Good, fine, do it. Seriously, do it. All you guys enjoy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And meanwhile, speaking of foreign policy, things are ratcheting up again in the Gaza Strip. That is because Hamas had said that they were not going to release any more hostages this weekend. And President Trump responded by saying you should release all the hostages this weekend or Israel should go in and just clean the ground with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And now it was unclear whether the Israeli government was going to go along with that or try to in some way preserve the ceasefire deal. The Israeli government has now gone along with President Trump's demand. They're mirroring his demand correctly because his demand is right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
This should have been the approach of the Israeli government from literally the first day and the approach of the American government from the first day. Trump is right on these matters, as always. President Trump in the Middle East tends to be right more often than any other politician.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
You see, it is now a constitutional crisis if the elected president of the United States appoints a person to go through all of the executive branches of government, all the various agencies, and root out waste, fraud, and abuse. Now this is a constitutional crisis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
According to The Wall Street Journal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Hamas release Israeli hostages by noon Saturday or face a return to war. Hamas had set off a rupture in the talks on Monday by saying it would postpone the release of three hostages scheduled to be freed this weekend to protest delays in deliveries of humanitarian goods. But that's not what it was about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The reason Hamas said they wanted to delay delivery of the hostages is because all the hostages look like Holocaust survivors. And they realize that there is serious PR blowback to their treatment of the hostages. So presumably they want several weeks to fatten them up so they don't look as though they're on the verge of death. The ones who are alive when they are, in fact, released.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Trump is saying, no, none of that. Just let everybody out. Do it now or Israel has full reign to go back in and do whatever the hell they want. Trump said, I don't think they're going to make the deadline personally. I think they want to play the tough guy. We'll see how tough they are. Netanyahu issued an ultimatum of his own.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
He said, if Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday at noon, the ceasefire will end. The IDF will resume intense fighting until the final defeat of Hamas. This, of course, was always going to happen. I said this from the beginning of this. ceasefire deal. There was never going to be a good ceasefire deal, but Israel was always going back to war. Hamas was never going to be left in charge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Who's going to take the other side of this argument? Why are Democrats taking the other side of this argument other than they are wedded to every penny of spending and more? Here's President Trump yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Meanwhile, President Trump had King Abdullah of Jordan to the White House yesterday, and he is not backing off of his position on the Gaza Strip. He's saying, look, people who are there and suffering need to be let out. That place can be cleared. It can be turned into basically the Riviera on the Mediterranean. And it's going to bring jobs. It's going to it's going to make life better for people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Here is President Trump with his out of the box proposal that continues to be the best available proposal. No one else has one. Let's hear it, guys. Where's your proposal? Because it turns out status quo ante was it was terrible. So here's President Trump spelling out his proposal in front of King Abdullah of Jordan. Now, Abdullah does not want this proposal to go forward. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Well, because he's afraid that many of those Palestinians will be pushed into Jordan. Jordan's population is already 60 to 70 percent Palestinian. The population of Jordan is extraordinarily radicalized because the Palestinians are an extraordinarily radical group of people. They've been threatening the fall of the Hashemite dynasty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The dynasty in Jordan is not Palestinian, although Queen Rania is. And so they've been complaining about a lack of a Palestinian state while 70% of their population is Palestinian. If the Jordanians actually wanted a Palestinian state, they could hold an election tomorrow. The problem is, of course, that King Abdullah would then likely be hanging from a crane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So that is the reason why they don't want more Palestinian refugees. Trump, however, is saying, listen, if you're not going to take them, somebody should. So here he was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And hilariously, King Abdullah was forced to sit there and take this. And he, too, admitted that President Trump is bringing stability in the region.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And President Trump working his will in the Middle East. And as far as the notion that populations never move in the aftermath of losing a war, that obviously is untrue. Andrew Roberts, a very famous historian.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
has a piece over the Washington Free Beacon spelling out that reality, which is that when you start a war and you lose a war, you tend to lose territory and your population tends to have to move. And that is true everywhere from the end of World War II to the end of the Korean War.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Quote, after North Korea launched its vicious, unprovoked attack on South Korea in June 1950, it was punished so severely by the American-led United Nations force, it lost over a million dead. North Korea lost territory in the armistice in 1953 and has been a pariah state ever since.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
When the Argentinian military dictatorship suddenly invaded the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic in April 1982 and were utterly defeated 10 weeks later by Margaret Thatcher's task force, the entire junta in Buenos Aires was deposed from power. Some were jailed. Democracy returned to Argentina.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Saddam Hussein's surprise attack on Kuwait was a similar example where a country invades its neighbor suddenly and without provocation after defeat in war loses both the government Saddam was hanged and its sovereignty while the U.S.-led coalition attempted to rebuild the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
In the collapsing former Yugoslavia of the early 1990s, Serb leaders such as Slobodan Milosevic, General Ratko Mladic, and Radovan Karadzic took the cold-blooded decision to invade neighboring Bosnia and conduct an appalling program of what came to be known as ethnic cleansing, which was mass murder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Those critics of Donald Trump, who tritely referred to his population transfers under the Gaza plan as ethnic cleansing, ought to revisit what the phrase actually means in terms of horror, violence, and bloodshed. Once NATO finally took to the air in Operation Deliberate Force to end the brutality, all three of those Serb leaders were imprisoned.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Serbia's borders were decided by the West rather than by the Serbs. In other words, start a war, lose a war, lose. That is typically the way that war has worked. And it's only when it comes to the Palestinians that magically the rules don't apply, which has less to do with the Palestinians, it seems, and more to do with the treatment of the Jews by the international community. All right, coming up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Republicans are wrangling over the budget. We'll get to what that means. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Okay, so he's right about this, by the way. If you think that you can't get through the Senate and the House a bill that cuts waste, fraud, and abuse, if Democrats try to filibuster that, that is a losing proposition for them. Speaking of waste, fraud, and abuse, the White House on Tuesday evening, according to the Washington Post, fired the independent inspector general for the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Agency for International Development. A day after that, officers should report assessing the impact of the Trump administration's efforts to significantly curtail the agency's mission. So the guy's name was Paul Martin. He was appointed by President Joe Biden in December 2023.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
He was informed of his dismissal through an email from Trent Morse, the deputy director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. The termination of Martin follows his office's publication of a widely read report warning more than $489 million in food assistance was at risk of spoilage or potential diversion after the Trump administration implemented its aid freeze and stop work order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And the reason presumably he was fired is he leaked all of this to the media. He put out this report publicly. And Trump says, we are not a leaky administration. We are not going to do that anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Plus, it is weird that the USAID inspector general was able to come up with, on short notice, a report talking about millions of dollars worth of food spoilage, but had nothing to say about $2.1 billion flowing into, for example, the Gaza Strip so that Hamas could continue to fund its terror war against Israel and murder its own people in the streets. And so again, they're moving fast.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
They are breaking things. So Elon was in the Oval Office. And I think this is what Democrats are having such a tough time with. President Trump has actually changed in many ways. One of the ways he has changed is President Trump
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
No one thinks this is a constitutional crisis, which is why Donald Trump's approval ratings remain in the mid-50s at this point, the highest they've been in his entire career. There's a brand new poll out from the UK Daily Mail, and it shows his approval rating at 53%. 53%. That includes 57% of men, 49% of women, 51% of people aged 18 to 29, and 59% of people aged 30 to 49.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
because he was going to run for reelection and then because he lost and then he was running again, there was always a certain level of insecurity that kind of surrounded President Trump. And what that meant is that the easiest way to seed all sorts of chaos with President Trump was to imply or state outright that somebody else was actually the president or somebody else was running Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Now, the reality is no one perceives that to be the case. Donald Trump is running the presidency. No one is running Donald Trump. Donald Trump is coming up with his own ideas. Donald Trump is making the decisions. Everyone knows this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Americans understand this, which is why all the polling data shows 70 in 10 Americans think he is a strong president, not because they think Elon is the secret president. And again, much of the media coverage is designed at sort of irritating Trump by claiming that Elon is sort of the shadow president. But everyone, including Trump, knows that's not the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Number one, Elon doesn't have any independent political aspirations. Elon is incapable of running for president. He wasn't born in the United States. But beyond that, everyone also understands that in the end, if Trump says no, Elon doesn't have any power to cut. Trump's going to be the one who has to actually implement the recommendations that are being made by Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
It is Trump empowering Musk, not the other way around. And so Musk, in solidarity with Trump in the Oval Office, in lockstep, arm in arm, is a major thing. It is a signifier that Trump is comfortable in his own skin as president, that he doesn't feel threatened by people who are around him, that he's willing to take advice. But in the end, he is the decision maker.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Well, Trump feels liberated as president, but in your own life, are you feeling buried under credit card bills, personal loans, medical debt? It feels like your money's working harder for your lenders than it is for you. It doesn't actually have to be that way. That's where PDS Debt helps out. PDS Debt does more than just help you manage your debt. They empower you to take control.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Their platform goes beyond the numbers to understand your unique financial situation and craft a personalized plan designed just for you. No cookie cutter solutions, just a clear path to financial freedom that fits your lifestyle. And here's the best part. There's no minimum credit score required.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Whether your credit is fair or needs improvement, they're here to help you save more, pay off your debt faster, and start building your savings for the future. And when people get into debt, it can be absolutely brutal. It can sink you into the mire for years on end. Get out of debt by heading on over to pdsdebt.com and complete your free debt assessment. See what options are available to you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Everyday weight, it's costing you money. Get started with your free debt analysis in just 30 seconds at pdsdebt.com. That's pdsdebt.com. Take back control today. Visit pds.com slash ben. Go check them out today again. If you're in debt, it's time to fix all that. Start off by contacting my friends at pds.com slash ben. Also, you know, I've tried everything to improve my sleep.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Setting strict bedtimes, putting the phone out of reach, get some downtime from the news, even rearranging the bedroom. But all these changes took constant effort, didn't get a lot of result, and then... I discovered the magic. Bowl and branches, 100% organic cotton sheets. From the very first night, I could feel the difference. These aren't just any sheets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
They have this incredible buttery softness that puts you in instant relaxation mode. What really impressed me is how they get softer with every single wash. I didn't think that was possible, but after a few months, they feel even more luxurious than when I first got them. Believe me. I've tried other premium sheets before. Nothing comes close to the breathable comfort of these sheets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
The best part, they're woven with the finest 100% organic cotton on planet Earth, crafted by artisans who earn the pay and respect they deserve. So not only do you sleep better, you can feel good about your purchase as well. Now is your chance to change the way you sleep with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off. plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at bullandbranch.com slash ben.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
That's bullandbranch, B-O-L-L-A-N-D, branch.com slash ben, to save 15% exclusion supply. See site for details. Go check them out right now, bullandbranch.com slash ben, and save 15%. So Musk had himself a good time in the Oval Office. He started off by talking about cutting the budget, and he said, listen, to do that requires a couple of things, competence and caring.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
And again, who argues with that? Who's going to argue with that? Now, is it going to be enough to recommend billions of dollars in cuts from the executive agencies and waste, fraud, and abuse? Is it all fat? Or is there some muscle? Is there some bone? There's going to be a lot of muscle and bone that gets cut or broken before it is healed. And this is sort of the way that Musk works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
In fact, the people who are least likely to support President Trump at this point are the older folks, the 65 pluses. Democrats must be absolutely peeing their pants at this point. Because here's the thing. Most Americans look at what Trump is doing, particularly with Elon Musk and his revolutionary approach to government, which, again, should just be common sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So, for example, Musk was questioned by the media in this Oval Office. It is amazing how transparent this administration is, by the way. Joe Biden would not do a press conference for three and a half years because Joe Biden was not competent, because Joe Biden was not mentally there. Donald Trump is speaking to the press every single day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Elon Musk, supposedly at the head of a shadow government, is speaking to the press virtually every day when he's not on X 24 hours a day tweeting out his various thoughts. But Musk is being transparent here. He says, listen, I'm going to make mistakes in the stuff that I tweet out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
But the point is that I would rather make the mistakes and correct them than simply leave this behemoth staggering along the tundra only to die later and rot away.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Correct. Correct. Again, what is amazing about all this is the Democrats keep declaring a constitutional crisis over doing sort of baseline governance. This should be baseline governance. So Musk was asked about the supposed constitutional crisis inherent in all of this. Because listen, people voted for reform. You keep saying people didn't vote for me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
People literally voted for Donald Trump knowing that Elon Musk was going to be part of the cutting effort. It is not as though Donald Trump hit the ball here. Again, seven in 10 Americans believe that Donald Trump is keeping his promises right now, which is a historic number. I mean, at this rate, the way that Donald Trump is moving, and again, It's unbelievable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
We're three weeks into his presidency. If Donald Trump keeps even remotely moving at this rate, he is going to be the most transformative president in American public life since LBJ, maybe since FDR, if we keep going at this rate. Here's Elon Musk saying, listen, people voted for this. He keeps pretending like people didn't vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
People never voted for any of these bureaucrats, but they voted for this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
Send somebody in to audit all these various agencies, figure out where the money is being wasted, and then don't waste our taxpayer money. It should just be basic common sense. It should be a 100% issue. Democrats are freaking out because, as we've discussed, the reality is the Democrats have built an entire bureaucratic system designed to do their will, whether they are in power or out of power.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
That makes perfect sense. And Elon points out the same thing we've been pointing out. Bureaucrats are not elected. Bureaucrats making rules and spending money they were not allocated on random nonsense that they feel it is a priority to waste money on. That is not how government ought to work. Here's Elon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
He is right about all of this. Now, Elon took the opportunity to mention some of the sort of waste, fraud and abuse inherent in the system. And he mentioned this crazy story about how essentially retirement forms are processed by the federal government from a limestone mine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2137 - The Trump-Musk REVOLUTION Continues!
So first of all, it's disappointing to me because if we are going to put government employees anywhere, it should absolutely be a salt mine. They should actually have to work literal salt mines. But here's Elon pointing out a thing. And it turns out this is true. This is not a mistake by Elon. This is actually true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Well, folks, tonight, Daily Wire backstage returns live for President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress. We are covering it all like never before with Matt Walsh and me. Live from D.C., do not miss the exclusive pre-show at 8.30 p.m. Eastern, followed by the full address completely uninterrupted. And when he's done, we're back with a breakdown of what it all means.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
There are a lot of rumblings in the business community that things like tariffs, like the overvaluing of the stock market that has occurred due to the inflationary spiral brought since COVID, that's destined to come down.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I've pointed this out before, but the Magnificent Seven, the top seven companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, those top seven companies have a price to earnings ratio almost of 60%. That means the total price of the company compared to the earnings of the company on an annualized basis, 60. That's crazy. That's completely out of whack.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The entire Dow Jones industrial average at this point has a PE ratio of about 26. It really needs to be down at about 16. It's too high. Meanwhile, real estate is also getting stuck because the interest rates remain relatively high by historical standards.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And that means that grandma doesn't want to sell her house because if she sells her house, she's going to have to buy a new house with the worst interest rate. That means inventory is not actually matching demand. There are all sorts of problems with the economy. The administration needs to focus laser-like on that because nothing kills an administration faster than a weak economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Joe Biden learned this the hard way. Speaking of which... There's a lot of consternation rising over looming government shutdown. According to the Washington Post, Congress has less than two weeks to extend federal spending laws and keep the government open.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
According to Breitbart.com, a social media post by the chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, Michael Banks, shows February apprehensions to be a record low for the agency. Banks' post reveals the startling impact of the Trump presidency on illegal migration to the United States in the 42 days since assuming office. Banks posted, quote, February proves our combined efforts in securing the border work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Republican negotiators walked away from talks over the weekend to reach a deal on a top line number on how much the federal government should spend for the rest of 2025. Democrats had said the number is irrelevant if Trump refuses to spend the money in accordance with the law or if he allows Doge to basically go through with a red pen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Meanwhile, Trump and his advisors, including Budget Chief Russell Vaught, have argued the president has the power to withhold money Congress orders spent. Democrats say they want assurances from congressional Republicans in the White House the administration will actually spend any money included in any new law preventing a shutdown.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Now, Republicans theoretically could continue to pass a continuing resolution. They could avert a government shutdown on their own, but that's going to require Republicans to get together again. So once again, heavy burden falls on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on all of this stuff because of the narrowness of his majority. Now, Democrats are already preparing the bad headlines.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Democrats are eager for a bad headline. According to CNBC, Democrats are now claiming that because the Social Security Administration is opening its doors to Doge, this means that presumably Social Security payments will be missed. That, of course, would be a killer for the Trump administration, were it to be true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Former commissioner and former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley told CNBC, quote, ultimately, you're going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. I believe you'll see that within the next 30 to 90 days. Now, it is worth noting here that Martin O'Malley is a wild Democrat, who at one point actually, I believe, ran for the head of the Democratic National Committee.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
So there's that. However, all it takes is one bad headline, truly one bad headline, to switch public opinion on a lot of the things that are going on right now. So it's wonderful the Trump administration is moving fast and breaking things and tearing down bad systems. What they're doing on immigration is fantastic. What Doge is doing, I think, is wonderful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
However, the economy must continue to sail. It must. And the perception of American strength must continue, which brings us to the situation in Ukraine. So I don't know what in the hell Vladimir Zelensky thinks he's doing at this point. I honestly, God, don't understand it. The president of Ukraine seems to believe that if he continues to chide President Trump and then say,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
rather untethered things about the war, that somehow this is going to earn him the support of America in some way. So President Trump has made very clear he wants a ceasefire. He wants this war ended as soon as possible. And meanwhile, Zelensky is out there preaching that the war is never going to end, that the end of the war is still very, very far away. What does he think Trump is going to do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Of course, President Trump is going to see that as a rebuke to him. Here's Zelensky yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The peace that we foresee in the future must be just, honest, and most importantly, sustainable. Now that, of course, was almost designed to earn President Trump's umbrage. President Trump immediately responded by saying he better not be right about the end of the war being far away. Here he was in a press conference yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 8,326 illegal aliens at the U.S.-Mexico border, making it the lowest month in recorded history. That's an insanely... Low number. Insanely low. Remember that there were months during the Biden administration where in excess of 200,000 illegal immigrants were crossing the border every single month.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I think that Vladimir Zelensky misunderstood the assignment here, but you need to transform your own understanding of your body's metabolism with Lumen, a revolutionary device that unveils detailed insights through something as simple as your breath. Lumen is the world's first handheld metabolic coach. All you need to do is breathe into it first thing in the morning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Lumen will give you tips based on those readings to keep you on top of your health game. Your metabolism is your body's engine, powering everything you do. When you optimize your metabolic health, you can experience improved energy levels, better fitness results, and enhanced sleep quality. I've personally found that understanding my metabolism has transformed my approach to health.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
They can handle all your weekly grocery shopping, recommending healthy foods that align with your tastes, nutrition goals, and the like. What I love is how they make it simple to eat high-quality, nutritious food, whether you're looking for anti-inflammatory options, gut-friendly meals, or you're just trying to get more variety in your diet. The best part, they learn your preferences over time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It's amazing how well they're able to figure out exactly what you like. Everything they offer is free, from high-fructose corn syrup and artificial preservatives. Hungrywood actually makes it very easy for me to get kosher dairy products, which is my thing, because I put that nonfat Siggy's mixed berry yogurt they've been sending me in the smoothies, and that keeps, you know, this body rockin'.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Okay, Trump then put out a statement on Truth Social, quote, this is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky and America will not put up with it for much longer. It is what I was saying. This guy does not want there to be peace as long as he has America's backing and Europe in the meeting they had with Zelensky stated flatly, they cannot do the job without the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking? And he ain't wrong about that. What are they thinking is in fact the question of the day. Trump went on to bang on Zelensky by suggesting that Zelensky really needs to switch his approach or he will be gone in short order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
There were days that were like 8,000, 10,000 illegal immigrants arriving at the border. That is a drop of 94%. 94%. from the 140,000 encountered just one year ago. Even since December, that is a drop of 82%. And there's only one reason for that, and that is the presence of President Trump in the White House, Tom Homan, as his borders are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Again, President Trump does not want to be perceived as a as a sort of stand in for Vladimir Putin in all of this. Trump was ready to do the thing earlier last week. He was ready to do the thing. He wanted to sign, as I've said over and over and over, that rare earths mineral deal. Why? Because the goal was to do with Zelensky what he's currently doing with Taiwan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Again, TSMC is the company in Taiwan that makes the semiconductors. Those semiconductors are now going to be made partially in the United States. Taiwan is going to invest via TSMC. TSMC, the company, is going to be investing $100 billion in American domestic manufacturing of semiconductors. That serves a dual purpose. One, it reshores some key items that America wants and needs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And two, it also means that the United States is now invested in the continued success, health, and prosperity of TSMC, which means more invested in Taiwan. Trump was trying to do that exact same thing with Ukraine. He didn't want to issue an open security guarantee because the situation is too volatile. He just wanted the Rare Earths Minerals deal as a way, a wedge to get in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He openly said this during the press conference. He said it. He kept this close to just saying he was going to give a security guarantee that was effectively a caveat to the Rare Earths Minerals deal. And top Republicans are still hoping that Zelensky comes back to the table on that thing. I don't know what the hell Zelensky is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Seriously, as someone who would like to see Ukraine capable of standing up to Russian predations, I do not know what Zelensky is thinking here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
According to Politico, congressional Republicans are signaling they want President Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to patch things up after a testy Oval Office meeting cast significant doubt about the future of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
GOP lawmakers on Monday sought to lower the temperature just days after the clash between the leaders sent shockwaves through Washington and Europe. With members of Trump's party expressing optimism, the nations could still clinch a minerals deal to bolster U.S. backing for Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, quote, I just hope they can get things back on track and that everybody will redouble their efforts. He said this is a historic opportunity, a potentially historic agreement. Obviously, last week was a missed opportunity. But I think if people are operating in good faith, I think we can get things back on the rails.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Meanwhile, we'll see what President Trump has to say about all of this in his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. Lindsey Graham, who had blasted Zelensky on Friday, said, quote, I've told President Zelensky, do the minerals deal. See if we can get an arms package. We'll talk about a good ending to the war. That's the sequence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The more he talks about security guarantees and the war is going to be a long time away from ending, the harder his case will be. Speaker Johnson also defended Trump on Monday, but added, quote, I encourage, as I did over the weekend, President Zelensky to come back to the table and accept the deal that was proposed because that is the solution to get us out of this mess.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And again, that's totally correct. That's totally correct. As I said yesterday on the show, there is a wide ranging belief that President Trump is attempting to rewrite America's power in the world by granting spheres of influence to China or to Russia. That's not, I think, what he is doing. It's not what he was doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
President Trump has had a longstanding belief that when America intervenes in places around the world, America gets repaid. He believed this about Kuwait and Iraq. And by the way, this is not a rare belief in American foreign policy history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
When America supported Great Britain during World War II, the initial move towards supporting Great Britain was a program called Lend-Lease, in which the United States ended up with control of a huge number of very important British military bases. So the idea that America always gets nothing out of its foreign relations is just not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Watch with us tonight, 8.30 p.m. Eastern time on Daily Wire Plus. Speaking of which... The president of the United States tonight will be speaking to a joint session of Congress. It's not technically a State of the Union address, but it is, in fact, a State of the Union address. It's just that in your first year, you don't really do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
What President Trump is attempting to do here makes perfect sense, which, by the way, is why his perspective remains popular. So Harry Enten at CNN actually did some polling on this. And he said, you know, shockingly to Democrats, at least Joe Biden was wildly unpopular on Ukraine and Trump is pretty popular on Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, this is an administration that takes illegal immigration very seriously. And you know what? Illegal immigrants are not coming. It turns out all it took was a new president to fix this particular problem. Meanwhile, there are other percolating problems that President Trump is taking on. So there's a big announcement yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Okay, now, why do Americans feel that way? Because what Americans want is the rational thing. They know the war isn't going anywhere. They want an off-ramp. Now, Americans want an off-ramp. Americans like foreign policy off-ramps. There's one thing Americans really like a lot worse than foreign policy off-ramps, and it's not even endless war. Americans don't like endless war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
In order of things, Americans hate. They hate endless war. And then, even more than endless war, they hate ignominious surrender. They really don't like ignominious surrender. Americans were humiliated by Joe Biden's pullout from Afghanistan. They hated Joe Biden for it. Look at his approval ratings. They sank into the mire. What does that mean?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It means that while Americans do not want to continue to fund the Ukrainian war indefinitely, they also do not want to see pictures of Russian soldiers strolling through Kiev. That is not something they want. They do not want Vladimir Putin standing on Vladimir Zelensky's body in the middle of the street. That's not something they want.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
which is why the Trump administration move, I think it's a pressure tactic to get Zelensky to come back to the table and sign the rare earth minerals deal. So I think Zelensky really should do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
But the administration announced yesterday that they would pause all military aid to Kiev until President Trump determines that the Ukrainian president, Vladimir Zelensky, is making a good faith effort toward peace negotiations with Russia. Now, this I do think is not a particularly good move.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And the reason I'm not sure that this is a particularly good move is because if you're Vladimir Putin, what would drive you to the table? It takes two to tango here. What moves has Putin affirmatively made toward a deal? Now, again, I can say all day long that I think I know what a deal looks like. It looks like. The Europeans give a security guarantee to the Ukrainians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The Ukrainians feel some level of security. They're not going to be invaded by Russia again. And Donbass and Crimea go to Russia, right? That's been the deal since 2022. But is Russia willing to accept that deal? Or do they believe that the United States is going to pull out and that the Europeans will pull out and that Vladimir Putin will eventually stroll through Kiev?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
So if this is a short-term tactic, a pause, which it seems to be, fine. If it's a pause that's designed to get Zelensky back to the table, sign the rare earth mineral deal, we all move forward hand in hand, great. But how Russia reads it is going to make quite a large difference here. If Russia reads a pause in military aid to Ukraine,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
as new impetus to relaunch a mass offensive, that will lengthen the war. It will not shorten the war. It will lengthen the war. Again, usually when you're making this sort of negotiation, yeah, you're pressuring Zelensky to come to the table by telling him we're not going to be here forever.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
But at the same time, you're saying to Putin, you also need to come to the table with some concessions in hand, or we're going to increase the amount of military aid that we are giving to Ukraine. Again, Putin's whole game here is he thinks he can outlast the West. And so far, he hasn't been wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
A White House official said in a statement, quote, the president has been clear he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Well, again, I get it as a temporary pause to push Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I will also say that one thing that does not necessarily contribute to a solution is if Russia perceives massive weakness and then goes for it. The White House did not say under what conditions the United States would resume aid or whether it would be at the same pace. While there isn't a clear understanding of what Washington wants from Kyiv, the decision was the most demonstrative U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
President Trump announced that TSMC, which is the largest manufacturer of sophisticated microchips on planet Earth, located in Taiwan. They make about 92% of all sophisticated semiconductors on planet Earth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
shift from Ukraine's top ally. And again, this seems all quite easy to fix by Zelensky. If Zelensky simply wants to fix this, all he has to do is sign the deal he said he was going to sign back on Friday. What a historic, catastrophic boo-boo by Vladimir Zelensky. Seriously. Mark Kansian, a retired Marine Corps colonel, former U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
official at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, quote, Ukraine wouldn't surrender tomorrow or next week, but they would lose military capability gradually. At some point, they would face defeat. So, again, do I think that this is like a massive deal that the Trump administration is doing this? No, because I don't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I think, once again, this is a negotiation tactic by Trump to get Zelensky back to the table to sign the things Zelensky needs to sign. The Europeans, for their part, are freaking out. They believe that this is somehow a repudiation of NATO. President Trump, in that press conference, said he was not repudiating NATO. I understand that Elon said that we should get out of NATO. That's stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I'm sorry. It's dumb. The United States should not, in fact, get out of NATO. There's no purpose to getting out of NATO unless you actually wish the Russians to walk into the Baltics. If you wish them to enlarge their sphere of influence, get out of NATO. But President Trump doesn't want to get out of NATO. He said he doesn't. He wants them paying their fair share. He wants them paying their 3%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He said he wants to defend Poland. He wants Poland to be able to defend itself. And the sort of rush to Trump as an isolationist seems unjustifiable, even in the face of the argument he's currently having with Vladimir Zelensky. I say once more, he was trying to get to an agreement on Friday. It's so irritating. He was trying to get there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Nonetheless, the worry is out that retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis, who served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, said, quote, I worry we may be in the last days of NATO. He said the transatlantic alliance may not be about to collapse, but I can sure hear it creaking louder than at any time in my long career in the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Now, President Trump did write on Sunday on his truth social platform, quote, we should spend less time worrying about Putin, more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our country so we don't end up like Europe. Now, sure, Sounds great. Also, the United States can, in fact, walk and chew gum.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
President Trump announced yesterday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company will be investing at least $100 billion more in chip manufacturing plants in the United States over the next several years. TSMC, according to the Wall Street Journal, plans to use the funds to add to its chip manufacturing that's already building in Arizona.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Trump has done a magnificent job of shutting down the border thus far. And actually, the United States does not have to pull out of NATO in order to actually do this. This is one of my sort of bugaboos. You hear this very often from actual real isolationists. They'll say, well, you know, we simply can't afford. We can't afford to support, say, NATO.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
We can't afford, for example, to continue funding war in Ukraine. We can't afford it. Well, that's not true. We can afford it. It's just that we would actually have to look more seriously at, you know, the gigantic spending problem that is actually driving America's national debt, namely the vast entitlement and means tested welfare programs that are destroying our fiscal standing in the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
You make the case we shouldn't spend the money there. That's fine. But make that case overtly. Don't fib about the case. Don't make the case that you're doing this because you're a fiscal conservative. Well, at the same time, you're arguing that America should never touch Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security or any means tested welfare program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Just make the argument openly and then we can actually have an open discussion about this sort of stuff. In the end, I think Zelensky will come to the table. In the end, I think the Europeans will come to the table. And I think this will resolve itself. Again, I also think that President Trump is not interested in a less powerful America on the world stage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He just really has promised to get to the end of this war and he would like to do so. Meanwhile... Pam Bondi has now suggested that they're still going to release an Epstein list. I'm not aware that there is an Epstein list that hasn't been released at this point. I'm a little bit confused as to what exactly the goal is here. So Pam Bondi was on with Mark Levin over the weekend.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And here she was suggesting that the sort of Epstein screw up last week in which the Justice Department released a binder filled with nothing. That actually is going to be solved in the near future. Here she was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
OK, listen, I would love to see all of that. Also, I don't think there's going to be a lot there. And I think the screw up last week, I know there's an attempt to sort of backfill that screw up. We'll find out in very short order whether or not there is anything more happening here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It will construct three new chip plants, two chip packaging plants, and a research and development center, according to Chief Executive C.C. Wei. Here's President Trump at the White House announcing this yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Now, there are some accusations that the head of the FBI's New York field office was forced out of the bureau on Monday. That is going to NBC New York. Two of the sources. who spoke with NBC News, said Assistant Director in Charge James Dennehy was given a choice to either resign or be fired, and he was eligible for retirement and has officially retired.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He said he was forced to, I've been told many times in my life, when you find yourself in a hole, sometimes it's best to quit digging. Screw that, I will never stop defending this joint. He said he was not given a reason for the decision. Immediately, rumors started circulating that the real reason that Dennehy was fired had to do with some sort of cover-up with regard to Epstein.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I've seen no evidence to this point that suggests that that is, in fact, the case. It may be a sort of convenient way of finding somebody to blame for the screw-up that the DOJ caused. ushered out last week. They, of course, said that there was a low-level person at SDNY who's basically covering up files, deleting files. But why would he be allowed to retire with his pay if that were the case?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He should be legally prosecuted if, in fact, that was the case. So we'll have to see how that emerges, whether this is sort of a misdirect or whether it actually is real, whether somebody was actually committing the crime of destroying relevant documents rather than publicizing all of that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Meanwhile, speaking of legal matters, President Trump announced a little bit earlier this week that he wants to posthumously pardon baseball legend Pete Rose. He wrote in a Saturday Truth Social post, quote, Major League Baseball didn't have the courage or decency to put the late great Pete Rose, also known as Charlie Hustle, into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now he's dead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
We'll never experience the thrill of being selected, even though he was a far better player than most of those who made it and can only be named posthumously. What a shame. And he said that he will be signing a complete pardon of Pete Rose, who shouldn't have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on his team winning. He never bet against himself or the other team.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He had the most hits by far in baseball history and won more games than anyone in sports history, said Trump. Now, it's not really clear what he'd be pardoned for, Pete Rose, because he was never convicted of betting as a sort of criminal matter. He pled guilty to filing a faulty tax return in 1990 and did five months in prison. So it's not sure what exactly the pardon would be.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And whether Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, I think, is sort of an open question at this point, given the fact that there are so many terrible people in the Hall of Fame. However, there was an ironclad rule in Major League Baseball that you should not bet on baseball. He did, in fact, bet on baseball.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And so the ban seems largely justified to me, despite the fact that I'm actually kind of a Pete Rose fan. If we are issuing pardons, however, there is one person that President Trump should pardon from federal charges forthwith. It would be incredibly controversial, but I think that it's absolutely necessary. That person is Derek Chauvin. President Trump should, in fact, pardon Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
He should. He should pardon him his federal charges. If we are talking about reversing the evils of the last several years in American life, obviously COVID and its handling was a massive evil, destroyed the economy, set us on a path to fiscal insanity, destroyed children, led to massive health-related coverups, just horrifying all the way around.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And President Trump has taken on a lot of those things. But when it came to BLM, the inciting event for the BLM riots that caused $2 billion in property damage in the United States and set America's race relations on their worst footing in my lifetime was, in fact, the railroading of Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The evidence demonstrates that Derek Chauvin did not, in fact, commit murder of George Floyd. George Floyd was high on fentanyl. He had a significant pre-existing heart condition. George Floyd was saying he could not breathe before he was even out of the car. He was in the car saying he could not breathe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Derek Chauvin, for a large segment of even the tape that was shown, had his knee on George Floyd's shoulder or back, not on his neck. The autopsy of George Floyd showed that he had no damage to his trachea, that probably George Floyd died of excited delirium.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
There were no accusations, even at trial, that Derek Chauvin had committed a hate crime against George Floyd or that he targeted George Floyd because of his race. Nonetheless, on the basis of extraordinarily scanty evidence, and despite the fact that there was massive pressure on the jury, that the mayor of Minneapolis paid a settlement to the George Floyd family immediately,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
that the president of the United States suggested that Derek Chauvin was guilty right off the bat, that the jurors were being openly threatened and admitted as much. Despite all of that, Derek Chauvin was convicted on federal charges and pled guilty to federal charges. Derek Chauvin should, in fact, be pardoned on that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
We will be covering that a lot more in coming weeks because I think it is worthwhile to remember that there is a man who is rotting in prison because the media decided in the middle of 2020 that they were going to turn
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
A tragic law enforcement stop that ended with the death of a man who had a significant problem with drugs and pre-existing health problems into the raison d'etre of the entire 2020 election. And it led to vast chaos.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It led to, again, the destruction of racial comedy in the United States, $2 billion in property damage, and a guy rotting in prison who the evidence demonstrates certainly was not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in that case. If we're going to talk about delivering pardons, President Trump, I think, should really seriously consider pardoning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
on federal charges, he can't pardon on state charges, Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of the murder of George Floyd. As I say, we will be covering this pretty extensively in the coming weeks. Right now, you should go to pardonderek.com and sign our petition asking President Trump to grant justice to Officer Derek Chauvin. That is pardon, P-A-R-D-O-N, Derek.com, P-A-R-D-O-N-D-E-R-E-K.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
We're gonna be digging into this topic on the show in the very, very near future. All right, guys, coming up, we are going to delve into the Ben Shapiro Show mailbag. Now, remember, you have to be a subscriber to actually have your questions answered. And I will give you the greatest advice you have ever had in your entire life.
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Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Again, this is a big win for President Trump. It follows on a commitment by TSMC to build a chip factory in Arizona for $12 billion back in 2020. President Trump said if they did the chips in Taiwan to send them here, they would have a 25% or 30% or 50% tariff. It'll only go up. By doing it here, there are no tariffs. So the company is now planning to spend a total of $165 billion on its U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
factories. Now, that is good for a couple of reasons. That is good, number one, obviously, because it creates jobs in the United States. It is also good because it diversifies the sources of semiconductors. If, God forbid, the Chinese were to blockade Taiwan...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
and it's three years from now, presumably TSMC would have set up chip manufacturing facilities in the United States sufficient to prevent the Chinese from essentially shutting down the world economy. That is a major issue. Semiconductors are the new oil. Lack of semiconductors can shut down entire massive industries in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Everything from your phone to your car to your refrigerator runs on semiconductors. And so were China to grab control of TSMC in Taiwan, it would be a world catastrophe. Diversifying that resource inside the United States is of course a good move for the United States. It also happens to be a good move for TSMC for a couple of reasons.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
One, it means that the United States is now invested in making sure that TSMC is not victimized by the Chinese in Taiwan. President Trump would love to see all of this investment move from TSMC in Taiwan to the United States. But if TSMC in Taiwan stops existing, it's very hard for that money to make the move. And two, Again, when it comes to U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
In any case, President Trump is going to be saying a lot of things according to his truth social quote, all caps, tomorrow night will be big. I will tell it like it is. Well, I mean, I think we're pretty used to that. So it'll be interesting to see what exactly that encompasses. But there is a lot happening. Most of it good. Some of it dicey, a lot of it risky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
domestic production of resources that are actually crucial national security industries, it makes sense to subsidize that production in the United States, to reshore it in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Since the Biden administration, the United States has expressed concerns about TSMC's near monopoly on advanced chip manufacturing and has been urging the company to relocate more of its cutting edge production, including advanced chip packaging facilities to the United States. The U.S. supported TSMC's growth through the 2022 Chips Act. That was a giant subsidy act by the Biden administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Now, one of the problems is that it's going to take a while for these factories to come online. It is not as though the money comes in and magically TSMC is up and running in the United States, in Arizona, the same way it is up and running in Taiwan. But looking down the road, the production of these semiconductors can be incredibly important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And again, domestic chip manufacturing capacity is a national security imperative. So that makes a lot of sense. Trump said on the campaign trail, quote, Taiwan pretty much has a monopoly on that market. We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors we need right here in American factories with American skill and American labor. And that's exactly what we are doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
This, of course, follows very hard. on the building of other gigantic AI-based facilities by, for example, OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. You remember just last month, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Oracle, and SoftBank pledged to invest as much as $500 billion into building AI infrastructure in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Last week, Apple said it planned to spend more than $500 billion and add 20,000 jobs over the next four years domestically to expand its own manufacturing footprint in the United States. Now, the reality is Apple was already doing some of this. Apple was already building its domestic manufacturing base, but it gives a win to President Trump, which is a smart piece of politicking by Apple.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
That's the good news. The bad news yesterday is that the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped massively on news that President Trump was interested in reinstating all of these 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped about 1.5%. At one point, it was down 750 points. It closed down about 650 points.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And there's a lot of angst, a lot of heartburn over President Trump's announcement about tariffs. According to the Associated Press, President Trump said the 25% tax on imports from Mexico and Canada would start Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a North American trade war that already showed signs of pushing inflation up and hindering growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And this is where President Trump does have to walk very carefully. Inflation killed Joe Biden's presidency. If you wish to see President Trump be successful, he needs a booming economy. He cannot have a recessionary economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
If tariffs continue to drive up prices, and if wages do not increase sufficient to meet those prices, you're going to be in exactly the same predicament in which Joe Biden found himself. Now, again, I'm perfectly fine with using tariffs as leverage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
If the goal of a tariff is to get other countries to lower their own tariffs, if the idea is you have a 25% tariff on our lumber, and now we have to put a 25% tariff on your oil products, and then we trade one for the other and all the tariffs go away, I'm perfectly fine with that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
If the idea of a tariff is to threaten, say, the country of Colombia with a 50% tariff in order to get them to take deportees, great. That is a piece of leverage. I still am unclear as to what the actual demand is against Mexico or Canada that would get rid of the tariffs. If the idea of the tariffs is that they are inherently a good for the United States, That is not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I think we are all invested in the success of the Trump administration. We should be. As Americans, we should be invested in President Trump being a wild success in the economy going up and to the right, in immigration going down, illegal immigration going down, in world security getting stronger.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Tariffs are, in fact, a tax on American consumers. They drive up the prices. President Trump is playing a bit of a risky game when it comes to tariffs. A lot of uncertainty in the markets already, and smart investors prepare ahead of time, just like keeping a life jacket handy before setting sail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
That's why many people are adding gold to their portfolios, leading to record gold prices in early 2025. There's still a great opportunity for you to diversify and strengthen your financial future. When it comes to diversifying into physical gold, I personally trust my friends over at Birch Gold. They're the people I turn to for my own gold investments. Their specialty?
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Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Thank you so much for joining us. to the number 989898. There's no obligation, just useful information. With an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau and countless five-star reviews, text Ben to 989898. Let the experts at Birch Gold help you secure your future today with gold. Yeah, and text Ben to 989898 and talk to my friends over at Birch Gold.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Ask all of your questions, and then when you feel secure, diversify at least a little bit into precious metals, my friends over at Birch Gold. Also, Securing your family's future is really, really important in today's world. As somebody who always advocates for smart financial planning, I can tell you right now, having the right life insurance coverage isn't just about peace of mind.
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Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It's about giving your family options if, God forbid, something terrible should happen. That's why I want to tell you about Policy Genius. They're not an insurance company themselves. They are the country's leading online insurance marketplace. They let you compare quotes from America's top insurers side by side, completely free, with absolutely no hidden fees.
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Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Their platform uses real licensed insurance experts who work for you, not those insurance companies, so you can find the best fit for your family. With Policy Genius, you can find life insurance policies starting at just $292 per year for a million dollars in coverage. Some options are 100% online and let you avoid those unnecessary medical exams. The process is fast and simple.
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Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Their licensed support team handles everything, answering your questions, managing paperwork, advocating for you throughout the entire process. And don't just take my word for it. Thousands of satisfied customers have left five-star reviews on Google and Trustpilot. No matter what stage of life you're in, Policy Genius helps you find the perfect coverage for your specific situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
We should be invested in all of these things because, after all, we are all invested in a better America for everyone. And again, on many of these things, President Trump's... Mere presence in the White House has changed things radically, most obviously with regard to illegal immigration. So this was Trump's raison d'etre. This is the reason he entered politics in the first place in 2015, 2016.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. head on over to policygenius.com slash Shapiro, or click that link in the description to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you can save. That's policygenius.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Now, again, there may be industries, like for example, semiconductors, where you need them produced domestically for national security reasons. It simply can't be produced in China or in any place that is subject to Chinese predation. I get that, and I'm all for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It is another thing to say that Canada is some sort of deep and abiding national security threat requiring widespread 25% tariffs on Canadian product. Canada, by the way, is the number one trade partner with the United States. Here was President Trump yesterday saying there's no room left for negotiation. I wasn't even aware there were negotiations going on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Now, again, I just want to know why. Like, well, what are we getting out of this? As American consumers, what do we receive from the tariffs? I understand the theory, which is that there are going to be a lot of companies that reshore inside the United States. And it's true. There will be jobs in those industries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
But the thing about tariffs is that they have a discrete beneficiary and they have diffuse victims. In other words, there's a group of people who benefit from the tariffs and everyone else pays. It is essentially a subsidy from every other consumer in the United States to people in those industries that are now going to be making more money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And that is what a tariff actually does, which is why yesterday Warren Buffett was criticizing tariffs as a general matter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
And Buffett knows of what he speaks. The Canadian foreign minister already said, quote, if Trump is imposing tariffs, we're ready. We're ready with $155 billion worth of tariffs and we're ready with the first tranche of tariffs, which is $30 billion. Again, that would be the Canadian foreign minister, Melange Jolie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
She also said that Canada has a very strong border plan and explained that to Trump officials last week. He said diplomatic efforts are continuing. So again, if this is, again, just another gambit by President Trump to get a win out of Canada, that's fine with me. If, however, this goes back to President Trump's sort of general warmth for tariffs, that's not good policy. It just isn't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The idea, by the way, that tariffs are going to pay off the national debt, that's nonsense. The amount that tariffs paid last year was only $80 billion. The national debt in the United States is $37 trillion. So yeah, that is not going to work. There will be some good headlines that emerge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
So, for example, Honda is now going to produce the next Civic in Indiana, not Mexico, apparently due to US tariffs. This is according to Reuters. The change underscores how manufacturers are scrambling to adapt President Trump's proposed 25% tariffs on goods from both Mexico and Canada. This is the first concrete measure by a major Japanese car company. Now, again...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
It is now a decade later, and President Trump is doing the thing that Democrats said was impossible. They said without a giant piece of legislation from Congress, there was in fact no way to bring down the rates of illegal immigration. And then it turns out all it took was a president who says he's going to deport illegal immigrants and the rates of illegal immigration drop effectively to zero.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
That's going to be good for the people who are living in Indiana who get to work at the factories that are making the Honda Civic. It's not necessarily going to be good for all the American consumers who are now going to be paying more money for the Honda Civic, which is presumably what is going to happen here. The prices are going to go up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Mexico has long been a lower-cost production hub for Japanese and other global automakers. So reshoring, it does have costs, and we should recognize those costs, which should be realistic about the prospects of the Trump economy. And again, we need a strong economy from President Trump. There are some blinking red lights here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
I've been saying for several weeks at this point, really since President Trump took office, that the number one focus of the Trump administration has to be to get the economy back on track. What does that mean? It means productivity increases, yes, through things like AI, but it also means, it also means radical deregulation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
Doge has been focused up till now on getting rid of much of the personnel at a wide variety of government agencies. That's all fine. That's all great. I'm glad to get rid of those personnel, although Democrats will just rehire them as soon as they regain power at some point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
What really needs to change is the regulatory and tax structure of the United States, which is why it's very important that Trump's tax cuts become permanent. It's really important that the regulatory state get off the back of the American business person. Right now, the models that are being utilized by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta are showing economic contraction in the first quarter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
The Atlanta Fed's GDP Now model had up until the February 28th update been forecasting growth between 2% and 4% in line with other models. However, a graph on the GPN Now page lists the blue-chip consensus average of the top 10 and bottom 10 forecasts at a slight tick more than 2% U.S. GDP growth for Q1 2025.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2150 - Trump’s STATE OF THE UNION Pledge
But the February 28th update of GDP Now saw a plummeting forecast from roughly that same 2-plus percent to negative 1.5%. The model updated Monday with an even more pessimistic outlook, negative 2.8%. Those are mathematical models. Now, again, that could be totally wrong. However...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
folks tons of news today obviously a huge blow up when pretty much all the members of the national security team of team trump end up in a signal chat with a journalist accidentally we'll get to that momentarily first your reminder episode three of the case for derek chauvin is on today's episode so make sure you stay tuned for that in the middle of the show we'll also get to the
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And again, as much as I despise Jeffrey Goldberg as a human being, I think that Jeffrey Goldberg actually did the responsible thing in not printing, for example, operational details or blowing the operation beforehand, which he certainly could have done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
With all of that said, the reason that everyone is so casual about the use of classified material these days, the reason all this is happening is because of the original sin of James Comey not prosecuting Hillary Clinton over her emails. That is the reality. That set up an entire permission structure for people to mishandle classified materials, unless apparently you're a Republican.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
That is the way this works. If Hillary Clinton... uses classified materials and she puts them on a private server, which James Comey of the FBI openly acknowledged was likely accessed by foreign sources. And then there's no prosecution that attends. Then how can that rule apply to anybody else?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So my assumption is that Jameson Greer had JG as his initials on Signal and that Waltz or whomever else put together the chat, one of his aides, whoever did it, hit instead Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic. This does not mean, as per so many folks who do not like Mike Walsh, that he was regularly chatting with Jeffrey Goldberg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
This is why it was so ridiculous when they tried to go after Trump for the classified documents mishandling at Mar-a-Lago at the same exact time that Joe Biden had a bunch of classified documents in his garage. This issue is largely played out in the sense that while something can be a giant screw-up, nobody takes it as a criminal-level screw-up at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
That was killed dead by the operation to let Hillary Clinton off the hook back in 2015-2016 for her email scandal. And so when the left says, we've now heard the end of but her emails, the reality is but her emails was the inciting event for an entire string of mishandling of classified materials on both sides of the aisle. Then there are the Democrats who are saying this could have cost lives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It really could have cost lives. I mean, if it had not included Jeffrey Goldberg, sure. But that is also a hypothetical that did not happen in reality. Again, a giant screw-up is not quite the same thing as an intentional move to endanger human life on the American side of the aisle. Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense, was on CNN going off about all of this. And again, this is exaggeration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Now, again, I agree that it should be taken seriously. The idea that this was like jeopardizing massive amounts of life because Jeffrey Goldberg was included, that's an exaggeration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It's also worth noting that many of the same people who are very upset with this particular situation would have been perfectly happy if the war plans had been leaked by an insider at the Trump administration to the front page of the New York Times. That sort of stuff happened all the time in the first Trump administration. Democrats are going on offense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday, this is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York called Hegseth, quote, the most unqualified person to ever lead the Pentagon in American history. Now, do we think that any of this is going to pay off in a major way?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
One of the things that is fascinating is not the Democratic attacks on Republicans, on Waltz, on Rubio, on Hegseth, on any of the rest of us. The part that's really fascinating is the mobilization on one side of the Republican aisle against Waltz in particular. Because there are really two issues that are of note with regards to this leak.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
One is the leak itself, which obviously is deeply noteworthy. The administration should make sure obviously nothing like this ever happens again. And then there is the second issue, which is what was actually said in the leak. And one of the things that I'm noticing is that partisans of J.D. Vance are coming out saying that the real story here is the leak.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It just means that Jeffrey Goldberg was in sort of a list of contacts that included Jameson Greer, and both of them had the initials JG, and he hit the wrong one. Okay, so in any case, what ends up happening is that there is a very detailed discussion that's quite fascinating about the strike against the Houthis that happened March 15th.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And partisans of Mike Walz are coming out and saying that the real story here is what was said in the chat. And the answer is both. Both of these things are actual real stories and neither should be obscured. Politico is reporting that Waltz could theoretically be on the chopping block, that President Trump is upset because he doesn't like bad headlines. That, of course, makes sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The president has a right to be upset. A senior administration official told Politico on Monday afternoon they're involved in multiple text threads with other administration staffers on what to do with Waltz following that bombshell report. One official said, quote, half of them saying he's never going to survive or he shouldn't survive. It was reckless not to check who's on the thread.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It was reckless to be having that conversation on Signal. You can't have recklessness as the national security advisor. Now, let's be fair about this. If you're saying it was reckless to... include Jeffrey Goldberg, obviously true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
If the idea is that it was reckless to have the conversation on Signal, half of the conversations on planet Earth about national security are being had on Signal because it is encrypted. That is specifically the reason why, that's why I downloaded Signal. That's why when I have sensitive conversations, those happen on Signal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And if you're talking about recklessness to be involved, now you have to fire the entire team because literally everyone on the team was on that Signal chat. We'll get to the rest of this story momentarily. First, the IRS is ramping up its enforcement efforts in 2025. With April 15th approaching, time is now running out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
If you're facing back taxes or unfiled returns, delaying action only compounds the problem. Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by. While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS alone can be a costly mistake. This is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart?
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Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Well, unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels. This means they know exactly which agents can help resolve your case effectively. Whether you owe $10,000 or $10 million, their team of attorneys and negotiators brings proven strategies to settle your tax issues favorably.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
With over $1 billion in tax debt already resolved, they have the experience and the expertise to handle your situation. Talk with one of their strategists today. It's free. Stop the threatening letters. Stop looking over your shoulder. Protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS. Act first. I need to tell you about my friends over at PragerU, the conservative nonprofit fighting to educate the next generation and win back the culture. Conservatives won huge in November, but the fight is far from over. The left still controls our schools. They're undermining faith, family, and freedom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
One election isn't going to fix that. That's why PragerU is making real, lasting change. They're reaching young people like never before with pro-American, pro-Judeo-Christian content, nearly 2 billion views a year. 65% of their audience is under the age of 35. And right now, PragerU is getting into classrooms.
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Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Nine states have already partnered with them to bring PragerU videos and books into schools with more states on the way. But they can't do it alone. Right now, every dollar you give is triple matched to help push back against radical indoctrination. Do not wait. Go to PragerU.com slash DW. Make your donation today. It will be triple matched. match.
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Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Together, we can keep the momentum going and stand strong for our values. That's PragerU.com slash DW. PragerU is basically a daily wear sister company, and they do amazing, amazing work. We've worked with them for years. Obviously, Dennis Prager is an icon, and what he's doing with PragerU is truly amazing. Go check them out right now. PragerU.com slash DW.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Jeffrey Goldberg has a long piece in The Atlantic about this, and here's what he says. This is the world found out shortly before 2 p.m. Eastern time on March 15th, the United States was bombing Houthi targets across Yemen. I, however, knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So one issue obviously is Walt and what are the consequences for the screw up. But the other issue, and this is the one that, again, I'm seeing a lot of misdirection by people who are who are fans of the vice president away from the thing that J.D. Vance actually was saying in the chat, which to me is another fascinating aspect of this. Right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
You now have a window into the sort of open foreign policy debates that are happening inside the Trump administration. So you have the president and he says, listen, we are going to reopen freedom of trade and freedom of the seas. We're going to strike the Houthis. We're not going to be cowards like the Biden administration was about the Houthis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And then a consequential discussion ensues in which part of the administration says that means we need to go punch them in the mouth. And Vice President Vance takes the position we should not punch the Houthis in the mouth and then puts forward what is a pretty milquetoast delay tactic. Because what Vance says in there is an open disagreement with President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
an open disagreement with President Trump, right? Quote, I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. And well, actually it isn't. Striking the Houthis is not inconsistent with messaging on Europe. By the way, the argument that 3% of U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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trades runs through the Suez, but 40% of European trade does, and thus it doesn't matter for the United States if trade moves through the Suez Canal, that's incredibly silly because trade is intertwined. If you raise the price of goods massively in Europe, that is going to raise the price of goods in the United States because we trade with Europe. That is a thing that we do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So to me, what that bespeaks is an entirely different geopolitical strategy that Vice President Vance is suggesting here than what the Trump administration as a whole has been promoting. When you look past the actual leak issue to the actual content here, Walt, Hegseth, Miller are all reflecting the priorities of the president of the United States and Vice President Vance, not so much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
When he says, well, this is really about cramming it down on the Europeans. Why don't the Europeans do it? He knows full well that the Europeans are not capable of taking on the Houthis. He knows that full well. And he also understands how global trade works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
What that really suggests is that the vice president has a very different view of foreign policy, a view that he expressed pretty clearly before he was vice president. When he said he didn't care whether Russia took Ukraine, for example, that is certainly a view.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The reason I knew this is that Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, had texted me the war plan at 11 at 44 a.m. The plan included precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing. This is going to require some explaining. So he says the story technically begins shortly after the Hamas invasion of southern Israel in October of 2023.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
That is a view that bespeaks a foreign policy of spheres of influence, essentially, that Russia should have its own sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, stretching all the way down into the Middle East, that the United States should essentially remove itself from the world, which may or may not mean a broader sphere of influence for the Chinese,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Vice President Vance, again, he has a very different foreign policy than the Trump foreign policy. That is just a reality. And you can see it in these messages. When he says there's a strong argument for delaying this month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The reality is the chance of a serious oil price spike from hitting the Houthis actually was incredibly low because the Saudis don't like the Houthis either. And what? Is it going to shut down traffic in the Red Sea? The traffic's already shut down in the Red Sea. None of that makes any sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So I think that the vice president, when he says that this is really just about bailing out Europe, it's bad to bail out Europe. The United States has an interest in freedom of the seas. Our shipping does go through the Suez Canal. Global shipping goes through the Suez Canal. We trade with all of the countries that have shipping going through the Suez Canal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
beyond which the United States does have an interest in backing our Saudi and Israeli allies in striking the Houthis, who have already been responsible, by the way, for the death of Americans. So when the vice president says the sort of stuff that openly conflicts with what the president of the United States is saying, that is another story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So there are two sort of dueling narratives, and it'll be interesting to see how it shakes down inside the administration. As the Wall Street Journal points out, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was a voice for U.S. leadership and for carrying out the president's policy. Vice President J.D. Vance was a voice for U.S. retreat, even when Mr. Trump directed otherwise.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And again, it'll be interesting. There are a lot of competing voices inside the Trump administration. It'll be fascinating to see which voices end up taking the floor and what President Trump actually does. What should be the consequences for this sort of breach of security? I think this all blows over within 48 hours, frankly. I think that it's a serious mistake. I think it's a problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
I think, unfortunately, leaks happen all the time. A kind of self-goal and own goal like this, where you create the leak, is obviously a massive problem. I'm sure Mike Walz will be called on the carpet by the president of the United States, as will other members of the administration, who apparently never checked to see who else was in chat before they started having these high-level discussions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
To me, the much more consequential matter is not this. The much more consequential matter is what does the foreign policy of the Trump administration look like and who gets to shape it? Because that is an ongoing battle inside the Trump administration pretty much every day on every issue ranging from what we do in Ukraine to what happens in the Middle East.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And that to me is a fascinating discussion that's gonna continue on into the future no matter what happens with this particular issue. Alrighty, now, as you know, we've been calling for the pardon of Derek Chauvin. We have an ongoing series here, the case for Derek Chauvin. It is time for part three of that case. We're going to examine the autopsy report of George Floyd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The Houthis, an Iran-backed terrorist organization whose motto is God is great, death to America, death to Israel, curse on the Jews, victory to Islam, which, as I've said before, is a very wordy slogan. They had launched attacks on Israel and on international shipping, creating havoc for global trade. Throughout 2024, the Biden administration was ineffective in countering those who the attacks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Just last week, in an interview with David Weigel of Semaphore, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, while campaigning across state lines in Wisconsin for a Supreme Court candidate, decided to call those of us advocating for justice in the Derek Chauvin case racist. Governor Walz's response is exactly what we've come to expect from the left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
When confronted with evidence, they simply yell racism and hope nobody notices the complete absence of substantive rebuttal. The facts are clear and well-documented. Let's address Walls' legal confusion. This is the same governor who apparently doesn't realize Minnesota inmates like Chauvin typically serve just two-thirds of their sentences under his state's own laws.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Much like he was caught unaware that the state pension fund he oversees holds Tesla stock, well, he publicly celebrated the company's stock decline. The irony of Tim Walls claiming that Chauvin's pardon would undermine faith in the system while simultaneously defending a prosecution marred by coerced medical testimony, politically motivated prosecutorial takeovers,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
his city and the entire country burning during deliberation and careers threatened for those who dared question the predetermined narrative is apparently lost on him. If we're serious about justice, we should care more about whether the conviction was based on actual evidence than mob rule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
But that would require intellectual honesty rather than just cheap political point scoring or willful ignorance. Governor Walz should leave the serious discussions about justice to the adults in the room. He should probably return to his true calling as an inflatable waving tube van outside a Chevron gas station. If you'd like to discuss this issue further, he's always welcome on the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Now, on to the evidence. In the aftermath of George Floyd's death, there were two separate autopsies conducted. The official one, performed by Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office, conducted by Dr. Andrew Baker, and a second, hired autopsy commissioned by the Floyd family, performed by Dr. Michael Bodden and Dr. Alicia Wilson.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
These two autopsies reached notably different conclusions, and the distinctions between them are absolutely critical for understanding the miscarriage of justice in Chauvin's case. Let's begin with the official autopsy performed by Hennepin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker on May 26, 2020, the day after Floyd's death. Baker had been the county's chief medical examiner since 2004.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
He's a board-certified forensic pathologist. His findings were released in a 20-page report on June 1, 2020. The official autopsy listed the cause of death as cardiopulmonary arrest, complicating law enforcements of dual restraint and neck compression. The manner of death was classified as homicide. Now, this is really important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
In medical examiner terminology, homicide simply means death at the hands of another person. It is not a legal determination of murder, which would include various additional elements depending on the degree. But here's where things get really interesting. The autopsy report explicitly states, this is a direct quote, no life-threatening injuries identified. Let me repeat that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
No life-threatening injuries identified. The report documented various minor injuries, including cutaneous injuries to the forehead, face, upper lip, shoulders, hands, elbows, and legs. It noted mucosal injuries to the lips and patterned contusions of the wrists consistent with handcuffs. But the report further clarifies that there were no facial, oral, mucosal, or conjunctival patechiae.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
which are the small spots of bleeding in the eyes that would typically be present in a case of asphyxiation. The report also found no injuries of anterior muscles of neck or laryngeal structures, meaning no damage to the throat, hyoid bone, trachea, or voice box. Notably, the report did not find any damage to Floyd's neck or cervical spine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Dr. Baker wrote that Floyd's neck was palpably stable and free of hemorrhage. There was not even visible bruising on Floyd's neck. In other words, despite the popular narrative that Chauvin choked Floyd's death, the actual autopsy found zero evidence of damage to Floyd's airway or throat structures. This critical fact has been almost entirely ignored in public discussion of the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The incoming administration promised a tougher response. This is where Pete Hegseth and I come in. On Tuesday, March 11th, writes Jeffrey Goldberg at The Atlantic. I received a connection request on Signal from a user identified as Michael Waltz. First of all, a connection request means that Waltz was not actively in contact with Goldberg before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
What the autopsy did find, however, was substantial evidence of severe preexisting heart disease. The report describes arteriosclerotic heart disease, multifocal, severe, and hypertensive heart disease, with cardiomegaly, which means Floyd had an enlarged heart, riddled with plaque, and blocked arteries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The normal weight of a human heart varies based on factors like age, sex, and body size, but the typical average for men is between 280 and 340 grams. Floyd's heart weighed 540 grams. That is significantly above the normal range. His coronary arteries were 90% blocked. Two other arteries were 75% narrowed, an extremely dangerous condition that put him at high risk for sudden cardiac death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Dr. Baker explained that when someone with heart disease is physically restrained, quote, those events are going to cause stress hormones to pour out into your body and ask your heart to beat faster, ask your body for more oxygen. Floyd's enlarged heart needed more oxygen than a normal heart and was therefore limited in its ability to provide that oxygen under stress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The most explosive part of the autopsy and the part that has been most aggressively downplayed by the media is the toxicology report. The official autopsy found multiple drugs in Floyd's system at the time of his death. Fentanyl at 11 nanograms per milliliter. Norfentanyl at 5.6 nanograms per milliliter, a form of fentanyl that had already been partially metabolized by Floyd's system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
4-ANPP at 0.65 nanograms per milliliter, another fentanyl-related compound. Methamphetamine at 19 nanograms per milliliter, various cannabis compounds like THC. Let's focus on the fentanyl levels for a moment, 11 nanograms per milliliter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Dr. Baker disclosed on his witness statement for the trial that, quote, if Floyd were found dead at home alone and no other apparent causes, this could be acceptable to call an OD overdose. Baker also noted that deaths have been certified as fentanyl overdoses with levels as low as three nanograms per milliliter. Floyd's level was nearly four times that amount.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Also central to the report is the shocking condition of George Floyd's swollen lungs, which weighed two to three times their normal weight due to fluid accumulation caused by the fentanyl toxicity. According to CDC guidelines, fentanyl routinely triggers pulmonary edema, quote, significantly reducing respiratory function and leading to hypoxia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Baker testified that Floyd's lungs contained cirrus fluid, which is consistent with drug-induced pulmonary failure, not physical trauma. Floyd's potentially lethal level of fentanyl in his system, along with methamphetamine, created an extremely dangerous combination that can cause respiratory depression, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
In stark contrast to the official findings, the autopsy commissioned by the Floyd family reached very different conclusions. This examination was performed by Dr. Michael Bodden, a former New York City chief medical examiner, and Dr. Alicia Wilson, a pathologist from the University of Michigan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Just for those who are not conversant in how Signal works, if I want to connect with you on Signal, I have to make a connection request. So the idea that they were regularly using Signal to chat with one another is not true. Signal is an open source encrypted messaging service popular with journalists and others who seek more privacy than other text messaging services are capable of delivering.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
We should pause here to talk about Dr. Michael Bodden, the so-called celebrity pathologist who performed the independent autopsy for the Floyd family. Bodden has made an entire career out of contradicting official autopsy findings in politically charged cases. It's essentially his brand at this point. Let's look at his track record.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
In 1978, he served as chairman of the House Select Committee on Assassinations Forensic Pathology Panel investigating JFK's assassination, where he contradicted key aspects of the original Warren Commission findings. He was involved in reviewing evidence in the MLK Jr. assassination. He testified for the defense in the OJ Simpson trial, disagreeing with the prosecution's timeline.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
In the Michael Brown case, he claimed shots were fired from further away than the official autopsy indicated. And the cherry on top, Dr. Michael Bodden was also hired by the Epstein family to conclude that Jeffrey Epstein did not die by suicide, but homicidal strangulation. Bodden has literally been fired twice from medical examiner positions, one as chief medical examiner of New York City,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
after complaints about sloppy record-keeping, poor judgment, and lack of cooperation, and then again from running Suffolk County's medical examiner's office. New York Magazine skewered Bodden for his disconnect between his fame, which he loved to discuss, and his accomplishments, which paled in comparison to his fame-chasing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Dr. Bodden and Dr. Wilson determined that Floyd died from asphyxia due to neck and back compression. They claimed that pressure on Floyd's neck impaired blood flow to the brain, while weight on his back impeded his ability to breathe. Most controversially, they stated that Floyd had no underlying medical problems that caused or contributed to his death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
They came to that conclusion without access to the toxicology reports, tissue samples, Floyd's medical records, or the body cam footage. So when their findings completely contradicted the official autopsy, should we really be surprised? Moreover, Dr. Bodden's report ignores the heart disease documented in the official Hennepin County autopsy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Dr. Bodden went so far as to say, quote, I wish I had the same coronary arteries that Mr. Floyd had that we saw at the autopsy. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
We've recently received several tips related to Derek Chauvin's case. We're actively tracking down all of those leads. Stay tuned. We may have some breaking news on the Chauvin case very soon. If you do have a tip, send it our way. Include my name along with Derek Chauvin in the subject line and ensure it reaches my team immediately. You'll find the submission link in this episode's description.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
I assumed the Michael Waltz in question was President Donald Trump's national security advisor. I did not assume, however, the request was from the actual Michael Waltz.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
I've met him in the past, and though I didn't find it particularly strange that he might be reaching out to me, I did think it somewhat unusual given the Trump administration's contentious relationship with journalists and Trump's periodic fixation on me specifically. It immediately crossed my mind that someone could be masquerading as Wald in order to somehow entrap me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It is not at all uncommon these days for nefarious actors to try to induce journalists to share information that could be used against them. This is Jeffrey Goldberg writing for The Atlantic. I accepted the connection request, hoping this was the actual national security advisor, and that he wanted to chat about Ukraine or Iran or some other important matter. Two days later, Thursday, 4.28 p.m.,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The message continued, Thanks. So as Goldberg points out, a principles committee generally refers to a group of senior most national security officials, and that includes secretaries of defense, state, treasury, the director of the CIA. He said he obviously was not meant to be on this group, certainly not on a commercial messaging app.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So, again, they're going to continue charging for it and all this. Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, she is openly saying, do not come here illegally. If you're trying to get in, do not do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
All this is, in fact, having a massive impact. The successes of the Trump administration continue to stack up. Alrighty, guys, coming up, Democrats continue to root for the failure of Tesla. We'll see how that works out for them. First, your reminder, we have tons of great stuff that's still on today's show. We're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about Bernie Sanders and AOC.
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We're going to take a couple of questions in the mailbag. To get all of that sort of stuff, you have to join Daily Wire+. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
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Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
One minute later, a person identified only as MAR, which presumably is Marco Rubio, wrote Mike Needham for state, apparently designating the current counselor of the State Department as his representative. At that same moment, a Signal user identified as J.D. Vance wrote Andy Baker for VP. One minute after that, Tulsi Gabbard wrote Joe Kent for DNI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Nine minutes later, Scott B., apparently the Treasury Secretary Scott Besant or someone spoofing his identity, wrote Dan Katz for Treasury. And at 4.53 p.m., a user called Pete Hegseth wrote Dan Caldwell for DOD. Brian McCormick for NSC, and John Ratcliffe. Included the name of a CIA official, and Jeffrey Goldberg doesn't name that CIA official because that would be classified.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
The principals had apparently assembled, and all 18 individuals were listed as members of the group, including various National Security Council officials, including Steve Witkoff, Susie Wiles, and Stephen Miller, presumably. That was the end of the Thursday text chain. After receiving the Wall's text related to the Houthi PC small group, I consulted a number of colleagues, said Goldberg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
We discussed the possibility these texts were part of a disinformation campaign initiated by either a foreign intelligence service or, more likely, a media gadfly organization, the sort of group that attempts to place journalists in embarrassing positions and sometimes succeeds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
I had very strong doubts the text group was real because I couldn't believe the national security leadership of the United States would communicate on Signal about imminent war plans. I also could not believe the national security advisor to the president would be so reckless as to include the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic in such discussions with senior U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
officials up to and including the vice president. The next day, says Jeffrey Goldberg, things got even stranger. At 8.05 a.m., Friday, March 14th, Waltz texted the group, quote, Now, This is important because a high side inbox, high side means classified.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Okay, so big bombshell story yesterday dropped by Jeffrey Goldberg, the execrable editor of The Atlantic. Jeffrey Goldberg is basically a stand-in for Barack Obama's foreign policy team.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So what he is saying is the stuff that we're talking about right here is not considered the sort of classified protected material that would be legally actionable if it were to disappear. High side is typically the sort of inbox that is used for that classified material. It's important for legal reasons.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
State and DOD said, Waltz, we developed, suggested a notification list for regional allies and partners. Joint staff is sending this AM a more specific sequence of events in the coming days. We will work with DOD to ensure chief of staff, office of the VP, and POTUS are briefed. At this point, a fascinating policy discussion commenced. The account labeled J.D. Vance responded at 8.16.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Team, I'm out for the day doing an economic event in Michigan, but I think we are making a mistake. Vance was, in fact, in Michigan that day. The Vance account went on, quote, 3% of U.S. trade runs through the Suez. 40% of European trade does. There is a real risk the public doesn't understand this or why it's necessary. The strongest reason to do this, as POTUS said, is to send a message.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Then Vance continued, quote, I'm not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now. There's a further risk. We see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices. I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
But there is a strong argument for delaying this month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc., Then Joe Kent, who's Trump's nominee to run the National Counterterrorism Center, wrote, there's nothing time-sensitive driving the timeline. We'll have the exact same options in a month.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And he breaks this story that he was accidentally included in a signal chat that basically included everybody who was a top member of Team Trump in the national security sphere, ranging from the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to the National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to the Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance to Stephen Miller, a top advisor to President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Then John Ratcliffe replied and contained information that might actually be interpreted as related to actual and current intelligence operations. So credit where it's due. I think Jeffrey Goldberg is just awful in every possible way, but he did refrain from actually including the classified information or information he thought might be classified in
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
He refrained from putting that in the article itself. At 8.27, a message from Pete Hegseth said, quote, VP, I understand your concerns and fully support you raising with the president. Important considerations, most of which are tough to know how they play out. Economy, Ukraine, peace, Gaza. I think the messaging is going to be tough no matter what.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Nobody knows who the who these are, which is why we would need to stay focused on one, Biden failed, and two, Iran funded. Hegseth then continued, quote, waiting a few weeks or a month does not fundamentally change the calculus. Two immediate risks on waiting. One, this leaks and we look indecisive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Two, Israel takes an action first or Gaza ceasefire falls apart and we don't get to start this on our own terms. We can manage both. We're prepared to execute. And if I had a final go or no go vote, I believe we should. This is not about the who these, I see it as two things. One, restoring freedom of navigation, a core national interest. And two, reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
But we can easily pause. And if we do, I will do all we can to enforce 100% OPSEC, that's Operation Security I welcome other thoughts. A few minutes later, Michael Waltz posted, quote, whether it's now or several weeks from now, it will have to be the United States that reopens these shipping lanes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Per the president's request, we are working with DOD and state to determine how to compile the costs associated and levy them on the Europeans. J.D. Vance then replied, quote, if you think we should do it, let's go. I just hate bailing out Europe again. The user identified as Hegseth responded three minutes later, VP, I fully share your loathing of European freeloading. It's pathetic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
But Mike is correct. We are the only ones on the planet on our side of the ledger who can do this. Nobody else even close. Question is timing. I feel like now is as good a time as any given president's directive to reopen shipping lanes. I think we should go. The post still retains 24 hours of decision space. At this point, Stephen Miller joined the conversation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And he said, quote, as I heard it, the president was clear. Green light, we make soon clear to Egypt and Europe what we expect in return. We also need to figure out how to enforce such a requirement. For example, if Europe does not remunerate, then what? If the U.S. successfully restores freedom of navigation at great cost, there needs to be some further economic gain extracted in return.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Pete Hegseth then replied, agree. And so Goldberg waited. And then at 1144 a.m., On Saturday, March 15th, Hegseth posted in Signal a team update, which contained, apparently, information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing. Vance then wrote, I will say a prayer for victory. And two other users subsequently added prayer emojis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And Goldberg then waited around to see what happened. And sure enough, at 1.55 Eastern time, explosions were being heard in Sana'a, which is the capital city of Yemen. And Michael Waltz then replied, saying, amazing job. And John Ratcliffe wrote, a good start. And then Waltz responded with three emojis, a fist, an American flag, and fire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And then Secretary of State Rubio presumably wrote, good job, Pete and your team. And Susie Wiles texted, kudos to all of them, most particularly those in theater and CENTCOM. Really great. God bless.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Well, this is obviously a negative story for the administration, but there's plenty of positive for the administration, including Doge continuing to surgically cut the fat from decades of bloated government spending and corruption. Pure Talk, the cell phone company I use for business every day, is cutting the fat from the wireless industry. That is correct.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
All of them were on a signal chat and they were talking about the upcoming military strike on the Houthis. And somebody, it appears to have been Mike Waltz, accidentally included Jeffrey Goldberg in this Signal chat. Now, what exactly happened here? The answer is almost certainly that he meant to include the U.S. trade representative, Jamie Singh Greer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Pure Talk says, I don't think so, to $100 a month cell phone plans. That's just wasteful and irresponsible. Instead, They're offering America's most dependable 5G network and America's most sensible prices. Listen to this. Unlimited talk, text, and 15 gigs of data, plus mobile hotspot for just $35 a month. The best part? Right now, you get a free one-year membership to Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Access the entire library of Daily Wire Plus movies and documentaries. Enjoy uncensored ad-free daily shows. Access to Daily Wire Kids programming. And as always, your free leftist year's Tumblr. And with Pure Talk's U.S. customer service team, you can switch hassle-free in as little as 10 minutes. You don't need Doge to cut the fat from your wireless bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Instead, you just need our friends at Pure Talk. Go to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Switch to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. That's Pure Talk, wireless by Americans for Americans. Go check them out right now. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with qualifying plan. Also,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And I hate veggies because I don't know why God did them. This is why I'm thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day. That sounds miserable and time consuming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule. You take your fruit and veggie capsules every day and your body knows just what to do with them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It's kosher, so I pop it right into the protein smoothie and I'm good to go. Go to balanceofnature.com. Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer. Plus, get that free bottle of fiber and spice that's balanceofnature.com. Promo code Shapiro. Again, balanceofnature.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer and that free bottle of fiber and spice. So, again. The conversation itself is really fascinating. So there is a bunch of issues to talk about here. Obviously, the biggest issue is the leak itself. How did this happen? And the answer is you have all these officials. They're using Signal. This is obviously a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
It's obviously a mistake. President Trump was asked about this yesterday. He did not have any knowledge of what was going on. He presumably didn't have any knowledge of what was going on. Here he was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
So Trump denies knowledge. And of course, he probably had no knowledge of this because it was literally everybody else in the administration who was on this particular chat. The secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, was asked about this and he tore into the Atlantic as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
If you've ever used Signal, Signal is an encrypted messaging service that is supposed to be basically uncrackable by outside sources. And one of the things that happens when you use Signal Chat, I'm on Signal, I have a bunch of Signal Chats. When you are on Signal, you can choose how your name appears in its sort of identity line. You can either pick your full name or you can pick the initials.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
OK, so again, you know, Hegseth attacking The Atlantic. I'm all on board with it. I think The Atlantic's editor, particularly Jeffrey Goldberg specifically, is not a good representative of the journalistic institution. He was basically a stenographer for Barack Obama. But it was confirmed that the signal chat was involving all these players and it is real. So that raises a couple of questions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
One is legal. So there are people today who are attempting to claim that this was somehow violative of criminal law, that this is a breach of official records acts because signal chats have an auto-delete function that you can activate. As I mentioned when we went through the story, the use of terms,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
For example, in the piece, such as high side suggests that there was an entire other thread that was going on inside the sort of classified government rooms that was preserved. So there's that. Two, the president of the United States has the signal ability to simply declassify whatever he wants. So the idea that this is sort of a violation of law, I think, is overstated. Is it a scandal?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Sure, it's a scandal when there's a screw-up this big. If you accidentally include a journalist in a high-ranking discussion about precisely where you're bombing, that is a major problem, of course. It is a breach of security. I am not willing to hear that from people on the Democratic side of the aisle who are perfectly fine with the Hillary Clinton email stuff. I'm not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
And this is one of the lines that the left is taking about all of this today, which is, you know, you guys, you fussed all about Hillary Clinton and her emails and keeping those on her own private server. So number one, we should recognize that what Hillary Clinton did was very bad. And this right here is also quite bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2165 - National Security Bombshell & The Case For Derek Chauvin Ep.3 | The Autopsy
Inviting a journalist into a group chat, obviously, that involves high-ranking discussions of national security matters that are classified, that is a giant boo-boo. That is a huge boo-boo. It is a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Well, folks, Democrats remain puzzled at why Donald Trump won re-election. Now, the answer for those of us who've been watching politics for the last 20 years is pretty obvious. You did it. Democrats, you did it. You decided to scorn the American people. You decided to label all the people in America who disagree with you bitter clingers and deplorables.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Not even differences on spending or government programs themselves. What lies behind all of this is a belief by Americans, correctly, that the value system of the left, which is defined by Los Angeles and San Francisco and New York, that that value system is at odds with the value system held by most Americans, the vast majority of Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
In fact, it's why so much of what President Trump is doing right now sounds simply commonsensical, and yet he's being opposed every step of the way by radicals on the left. Perfect example is what's happening up in Maine. So up in Maine, the governor, Janet Mills, 77 years old, She has challenged President Trump's executive order relating to keeping men out of women's sports.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Maine's principal association executive director, Mike Burnham, declared on February 7th that they would not comply in any way, shape or form with the executive order from the White House that said men are not allowed in female sports. Instead, he said Maine would follow the Maine Human Rights Act when it comes to gender identity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Then, President Trump, on February 20th, was speaking to the Republican Governors Association meeting, and he said, Maine, I hate to tell you this, they're not going to get any federal money. If they want men in women's sports, they're just not going to get the cash. On February 21st, he had a gathering of all the governors, and he directly tore into Governor Mills in Maine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
He's right about this. He's right about this. This is an 80-20 issue. Americans do not believe that men should be competing in women's sports. But again. Government is a tool of social transformation, according to the left. That's what it is for. It is an elite tool of social transformation. And if Americans don't like that, well, then Ilhan Omar will label Americans stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Well, President Trump is not going along with this. So the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has now launched a Title IX investigation in Maine. And again, there are a bunch of these other investigations that are currently going on. And the governor of Maine refuses to back down, quote, I've spent my career standing up for the rule of law in Maine and America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
To me, that is fundamentally what is at stake here, the rule of law in our country. No president can withhold federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold. Okay, so this is going to go to court, presumably.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
But the idea that strings are attached to federal funding, that has a long storied record in American politics going all the way back to federal dollars being attached with strings to, for example, raising the driving age in particular states or getting rid of drunk driving in particular states. So we'll see how that plays out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
But again, all this is just commonsensical and the left opposes every bit of it. The same thing is true when it comes to illegal immigration. The truth is that there is in the United States a sort of wide consensus on illegal immigration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It's a consensus that I have been preaching for my entire political career as far as I'm aware, which is shut the border, figure out what to do with the people here. That's pretty much what it is. Shut the border, figure out what to do with the people here. And that means a lot of people are going to have to go. Most Americans are on board with that and always have been, right, left, and center.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I'm old enough to remember a time when even Bernie Sanders was an immigration restrictionist because he understood well enough that actually you can't have an endless welfare state piled atop the back of an open border. Those two things do not go along with one another. In fact, actually smart leftists all over the globe understand this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Perhaps the only reigning left-wing party in Europe right now is in Denmark. Very successful left-wing party. Why? Because they've maintained all of their socialist stances, except that they've gone hard right on immigration. They say we can't have a social welfare state with an open border. It's like saying free donuts and leaving the door wide open at the front of the store.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Yeah, it must be the stupidity. It can't be that you guys chose every wrong position as possible to take in American politics, and now the American people have rejected you. It can't be that at all. Now, the perfect example of this came out yesterday, courtesy of our friend Chris Ruffo, who's going to join the show in a moment and break some more news on this particular story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Everyone's going to come in for a free donut. But the left in the United States has decided that they want both open borders and endless welfare. Well, now all of that is coming to a crashing halt. So yesterday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that there would be a raid near Houston at a place called Colony Ridge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And we've been reporting on this here at Daily Wire extensively for months, if not years, at this point. Governor Abbott tweeted out, Colony Ridge is being targeted today. Texas DPS troopers and special agents are assisting Homeland Security investigations with an operation in Colony Ridge this morning. They are targeting criminals and illegal immigrants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I've worked with Tom Homan on this for months. Again, that is an unincorporated subdivision northeast of Houston that has basically become a haven for illegal immigration. Joining us on the line to discuss is Daily Wire investigative reporter Spencer Lindquist. Spencer, why don't you give us the background on Colony Ridge? Why is this a big issue?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So, Spencer, as The Daily Wire has reported, the Colony Ridge website is called Terrenos Houston, which advertises no credit needed, various payment options, access to water, electricity, and sewage. And it's been financed with legal loans where the homebuyer doesn't actually need a Social Security number.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So when we're talking about means that are used in order to attract illegal immigrants, I mean, this was all ready to go, basically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So Spencer, what exactly changed here? Because obviously we've been covering this for a year and a half over at Daily Wire and the state of Texas really didn't do a whole hell of a lot about it. At one point, the Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Colony Ridge, but there certainly weren't anything like the kinds of raids that we're now seeing under Governor Abbott.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So the job of the National Security Agency is to collect, analyze, and share intelligence to protect the United States from foreign enemies. That is the job of the intelligence community. As it turns out, it, like many other institutions in American government and American public life, has been honeycombed with leftist nonsense. Absolute tripe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Well, thank you, Spencer, for your hard work reporting on Colleen Ridge. I'm glad to see that it's finally bearing some actual policy fruit. I'll keep checking in with you as this progresses.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
With over $1 billion in tax debt already resolved, We'll be right back. What does the future hold for business? If you ask nine experts, you will get 10 opinions. Bull market, bear market, inflation up or down. We need a crystal ball. Well, until we have one, over 38,000 businesses have found a way to future-proof their operations with NetSuite by Oracle, the number one cloud ERP.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And in this case, perverse, disgusting, pornographic leftist tripe. According to Chris, quote, we have cultivated sources within the NSA. One current employee and one former employee who have provided chat logs from the NSA's interlink messaging program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
At The Daily Wire, we're proud to partner with NetSuite because they're leading the way in future proofing operations for businesses around the world. Whether your company is earning millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars, NetSuite adapts to your needs, helping you respond to immediate challenges and seize your biggest opportunities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Speaking of opportunity, download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com slash Shapiro. The guide is free to you at netsuite.com slash Shapiro. That's netsuite.com slash Shapiro. Meanwhile, chaos continues to reign in the media. It's hilarious to watch MSNBC have a full-scale meltdown over Joy Reid's departure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So MSNBC announced that Joy Reid, the least joyful person ever to be named Joy, would be ousted at MSNBC because her show was terrible and had no ratings. The readout had like two viewers and probably one of them was just from our show. Meaning that the right used the readout as more of a source than the American people use the readout. It was great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
You decided that going to church was a mark of your stupidity. You decided that Americans were in the cockles of their heart, racist, sexist, bigot, homophobes. You decided that all of the auspices of American government had to be brought to pressure Americans into your version of virtue, complete with signaling, like pronoun signaling and all the rest of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I enjoyed the readout because anytime I wanted sort of the apotheosis of the nutjob left-wing perspective, Joy Reid was there. Well, Joy Reid has now been ousted. Joy Reid was weeping openly on the social medias over her own heroism after having been fired from MSNBC. Okay, lady, I'm sorry. MSNBC is the most left-wing network in America. If they fired you, it's because of ratings.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It's not because they disagreed with your bizarro world left-wing principles. It's because you stink on air. But according to her, it's because she's been targeted... She's been targeted by, wait, wait for it, wait for it, racism and sexism and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
According to an NSA press official, all NSA employees sign agreements stating that publishing non-mission related material on Interlink is a usage violation and will result in disciplinary action. Nonetheless, these logs dating back two years are lurid, featuring wide ranging discussions of sex, kink, polyamory and castration. Well, they're doing all these crazy things on taxpayer time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Indeed. Indeed. My cup overfloweth. It is a wonderful moment because she, of course, was a terrible host and a terrible person who believes terrible things and foments the ideas and actions of other terrible people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
But what's hilarious about this is it has now led to a full-scale insurrection over at MSNBC, where the other DEI-aiming left-wing hosts came out from the woodwork to explain that they were very sad that Joy Reid was going. This included, of course, Rachel Maddow, who isn't sad enough to give up her $30 million a year salary at MSNBC or anything, but a little sad, you know?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Get them, Rachel. Do it. Do it. Yes. I'm here for it. Taking a brick bat to management while drawing a $30 million a year salary to now go back to a once a week Monday night spot. Rachel Maddow. Oh, love it. Love it. Just call them all racists. That's going to work out amazing for you. Left wing, you guys broke it and you bought it. And this is what happens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
You wonder why Americans think that you are a bleep show? The reason they think you're a bleep show is because of this. It's because they look at how you run institutions, including your own. And they say, are you insane? So you run the NSA so the transgender identified people can talk about getting their buttholes zapped. And then you actually run a network called MSNBC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And at MSNBC, you can't hold it together. between all of your extraordinarily left-wing communist bordering hosts. You can't even hold it together there. So you fired Joy Reid for having no ratings. And then you fire a couple of other hosts. And now you've got Rachel Maddow, the face of your stupid organization, out there calling you racist. Love it. Enjoying it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
By the way, anytime she wants, she can give up her show again for Joy Reid, presumably. I mean, she's a white lady. Sure, she's a lesbian, which gives her some, you know, added affirmative action points. But she also is white, I noticed. Right? And again, seems very happy to draw down that salary. This is why you guys lose. So you want to keep going down this path? Really, I encourage you to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I'm enjoying it. I think that it's really, really good. And meanwhile, the Trump administration. is going up against the Associated Press. So the Associated Press has now sued the Trump administration because the administration said that they can't come on Air Force One.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And the reason for that is because the Trump administration is mad at the AP for not renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of America. So they've barred AP reporters from the Oval Office, Air Force One, and other official White House events. And now the AP is filing a lawsuit in the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
District Court for the District of Columbia against Trump administration officials, including the White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budwich, the White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt, and the White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
This isn't them on their weird kink websites, you know, like in their off hours. This is during their government employment using government networks. They're talking about their particular fetishes. And this is supposed to be part of the equity agenda, right? The equity agenda is to make sure that people who are sexually diverse staff the NSA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
The complaint objects to the White House ordering the wire service to use specific words in its reporting and stated it had filed suit to, quote, vindicate its rights to the editorial independence guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Now, the reality is that if the White House said the reason that you're ousted is because you won't say the things we want you to say, probably the White House loses in court on that because that would presumably be a First Amendment violation. What they actually should just say is, listen, we're not even going to give you a reason. Right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
The White House under Joe Biden didn't include any of the alternative media at all. And we're going to treat all media equally, which means the AP does not get a leg up on, say, the Daily Wire or Breitbart or Daily Caller or anybody else in the online media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
However, if you want to lose the sort of momentum that Trump has, and this is again, I'm concerned with this because I want to see President Trump victorious. Distractions are the enemy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Yesterday, Edward Martin, who's the US attorney for the District of Columbia, he put out a statement, quote, as President Trump's lawyers, we are proud to fight to protect his leadership as our president, and we are vigilant in standing against entities like the AP that refuse to put America first. He put that out as like a full-on graphic statement. That is just conceding the actual legal case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Because if the case that you are making is that the media have to reflect the perspective of the president of the United States to be given access, you're going to lose in court. Also, it sounds rather tyrannical and stupid. There is no reason to do that sort of stuff. The important thing is to continue pushing forward where common sense ought to prevail. This is the mandate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
The mandate is common sense. The mandate is to stand against the Ilhan Omars and the insane employees of the NSA and the nut job whack jobs over at MSNBC. That's the mandate. And any time the Trump administration strays from that mandate, they will get less popular. And any time they fulfill that mandate, they'll get more popular. It is, in fact, that simple.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
In just a moment, I'm going to get to the economic risks facing the United States, plus The French President Emmanuel Macron visited the White House yesterday. First, this is one you don't want to miss. Tuesday, March 4th, President Trump is addressing a joint session of Congress at 9 p.m.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Eastern, laying out his America First vision, tackling immigration reform, economic revival, and national security. You know we're not going to sit this one out. Join us for Backstage Live at 8.30 p.m. Eastern, our pre-show breakdown with me, Matt, Knowles, Klavan, Jeremy. We'll watch the entire speech together live at Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And when Trump is done, we're back with unfiltered, no BS reactions you're not going to get anywhere else. This is the event shaping America's future, so be there or be square. Watch it all live on Daily Wire Plus next Tuesday night. Subscribe right now at dailywire.com. Meanwhile, if we're talking about threats to the Trump administration, obviously the economy ranks at the top of the list.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The economy right now is chugging along. As we discussed yesterday, the inflation rate is too high. And disproportionately, the economy is consumer-based. It needs to be investment-based. The question is, what are the awesome new inventions that are going to drive prices down and drive productivity up? Those are the things we ought to be focused on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It is also worthwhile noting that America's national debt is reliant on the continued usage of the American dollar as the currency for nearly all foreign trade, and used an international denomination. That is the thing that allows us to continue selling our debt into the markets, that people want the US dollar and use the US dollar. One way to drive that down is, for example, giant trade wars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
That's the important thing, not stopping foreign threats. not monitoring terrorist groups. The important thing is that weirdos who think that it's some sort of turn on to cut off their genitals can talk to one another. That is the biggest, that is the most important thing at our institutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Giant trade wars lead people to invest away from the American dollar and instead try to form their own trade coalitions. This is why the economic policy of the United States right now must be focused on deregulation. It must be focused on cutting taxes, and it must be focused on actually exacerbating and increasing trade with our allies. I'm very much in favor of terrifying China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I think China is an enemy that is going to have an economic impact on the United States, and that's going to have to be offset by increased trade with other parts of the globe. President Trump right now seems to be pursuing more tariff policy. Again, if Trump is using tariff policy as a lever, I'm totally fine with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
If he's using it to force other countries to make concessions in particular areas that then leads us to relower our tariffs, that's good. If the idea is that tariffs are in and of themselves of benefit to the United States consumers and investors, that isn't true. Here's President Trump yesterday on tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
OK, well, I mean, again, I'm hoping that this is a leverage play rather than a principled play in favor of tariff policy. Tariff policy is an excellent way of undermining the credibility of the American dollar on foreign markets. And it is also an excellent way of increasing prices in the middle of an inflationary spiral that has been several years long.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
At this point, President Trump's number one threat, the threat to Trump right now is some sort of economic recession. It is to every president. It's not just unique to President Trump. And the truth is that President Biden left Trump with a rather hard hand to play. He left him with an inflationary economy that, as we discussed yesterday, is inflationary in the stock market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Understand that for the left, our institutions are about reshaping the human beings who go into them and then using those reshaped human beings to reshape the United States of America. They are not about actually fulfilling the delegated functions of those institutions. The Department of Education is not about educating children.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It's inflationary in real estate. There's a reason Warren Buffett is holding out his cash right now. So that is a hard hand to play, and President Trump does need to play that well. And meanwhile, on the foreign front, lots of controversy yesterday over the war in Ukraine. So a couple of things happened with regards to Ukraine. One was the U.N.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
attempted to push yet another resolution condemning Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. Now, number one, that was always going to get vetoed by Russia in the Security Council, obviously. Because when it comes to the Security Council, Russia's on it. They're going to veto it. So this was not a Security Council resolution. Those are the only binding resolutions from the United Nations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Instead, it was a general resolution that was designed to demonstrate a worldwide condemnation of Russia invading Ukraine. The question is, what's the purpose of that? Like, seriously, what's the goal?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
The UN General Assembly puts out a wide variety of such condemnatory measures, and none of them ever have any impact because the UN is a terrible organization that should be burned down and the ground salted. The UN, the United States should just withdraw from the UN. It's trash. The UN has always been trash. It is trash today. It is a waste of money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It invests the international community with a moral credibility it has never had. But it is leading a lot of people to be very upset with the Trump administration because the Trump administration... voted against that UN resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
According to Barack Ravid, stenographer for Democrats, the US sided against this resolution, instead siding with Moscow and other non-democratic countries like North Korea, Belarus, and Sudan. Now, to be real, the actual breakdown is that 65 member states, including both China and Iran, abstained from the vote. 93 member states voted in favor, including much of the EU.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
18 countries voted against the resolution. This also controversially included Israel. And people are like, why is Israel voting against a resolution condemning Russia? Again, there are a couple of reasons. One, Ukraine has voted in favor of every single General Assembly resolution condemning Israel. So Israel's like, why? You want us to stay? We're not, no. That's one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And two, it turns out that Israel actually has to deal with Russian presence in the Middle East. And this is the thing about the UN. It's all virtue signaling crap.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
The UN is constantly passing resolutions that virtue signal and very often virtue signal in the wrong direction, condemning the United States or condemning Israel or condemning European allies, condemning whatever a majority of the General Assembly wishes to condemn. Does any of this foment actual peace in Ukraine?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
The Department of Education is about creating pipelines to left-wing interest groups that then reshape the nature of the American body politic. And apparently the NSA is about providing a safe space for people to discuss having their buttholes zapped with lasers. I'm not even kidding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Does a UN General Assembly resolution where the United States votes in favor of the idea that Russia was bad, does that make peace more likely? I'm just struggling to see how. Even if I agree with the general principle, I'm struggling to see how this is useful. It's the equivalent of Michael Scott wandering into the middle of the office and shouting that he's declaring bankruptcy. Who gives a...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Who cares what the UN General Assembly says, that useless, terrible organization? But it's leading to all sorts of consternation. How could the United States not vote in favor? All right, if you want to burn the midnight oil freaking out about that, go for it. But it's not going to change any of the underlying facts on the ground in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So President Trump had a joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron, the president of France. Yesterday was a bit awkward, obviously. President Trump talked about his policy in Ukraine. He says, I ran against the foreign policy establishment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
He is not wrong about that. And then Trump was asked whether Vladimir Putin was a dictator. This, of course, came in the aftermath of Trump suggesting that Vladimir Zelensky was a dictator. Here was President Trump's answer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Okay, so there's Trump basically saying, I'm not going to rhetorically get into a fight over labeling Vladimir Putin a dictator or anything like that, because what's the point of that? Now, again, I wish he had not labeled Vladimir Zelensky a dictator, because it's hard to say, I take these terms very seriously after labeling Zelensky a dictator, but not Putin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
That removes all meaning from the word dictator, obviously. But Trump's entire approach here is, I'm not really going to get into these sort of rhetorical games calling Russia names, because it doesn't actually drive forward the process. Trump said he would be meeting with Vladimir Zelensky in the near future. Here he was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And then presumably being able to use their access to foreign intelligence and apparently domestic intelligence in order to target political enemies. According to Chris, one popular chat topic was male to female transgender surgery, which involves surgically removing the penis and turning it into an artificial vagina.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Okay, President Trump also talked up his partnership with France. Macron was sitting here kind of awkwardly during the entire process. There's one picture that went rather viral in Europe, actually, of Trump sitting at the Resolute Desk, and J.D. Vance was sitting to one side, Trump was sitting in the center, and Macron was kind of like bunched up in the corner of the Resolute Desk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
This is something President Trump likes to do imagistically. But here he was talking up the partnership with France.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Okay, so then Macron took center stage. And here's the thing about what Macron was saying. And here's, I think, one of the central pieces of Trump's actual strategy with regard to Ukraine. He's saying to the Europeans, listen, you want more done there? Great, do it. The combined EU economy is 10 times the size of the Russian economy. So if you want to do it, then cool, do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Like step up and do the thing. Your words of condemnation are much less useful than actual activity. And so Macron is now coming to the table and he's saying, we know we need to do more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Now, Macron reiterated that Ukraine is not going to come to the table unless they get some sort of serious security guarantees, which, of course, is absolutely true. Now, the Russians are taking the absolutely untenable position there can be no European peacekeepers on the border, and so they want, like, Brazilians or Chinese. That's not going to happen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Quote, mine is everything, said one male who claimed to have had gender reconstruction surgery. I found that I like being penetrated. Never liked it before GRS, but all the rest is just as important as well. Another Intel official boasted that genital surgery allowed him to, quote, wear leggings or bikinis without having to wear a gaff under it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Ukraine won't sign on to anything that basically ensures that Russia three years from now decides to reinvade. Here's Macron making this clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And Macron also had a bit of a tête-à-tête moment with President Trump. Trump was claiming, falsely, that the EU is being reimbursed for all of its spending in Ukraine, while the United States is somehow not being reimbursed for all of its spending in Ukraine. Macron stepped in and corrected him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Okay, well, here's the thing. Despite all of the talk and the loose talk and many things that are said that I disagree with, obviously, from the Trump administration, things are moving toward an actual settlement in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
According to the New York Times, Ukraine and the United States are closing in on an agreement that would grant Washington a share of Q's revenues from natural resources, according to both President Trump and Ukrainian government official. Trump said Zelensky would come to the White House to sign the agreement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Earlier in the day, Ukraine's deputy prime minister, a person named Olha Stefanyshia, posted on X that Ukrainian and U.S. teams are in the final stages of negotiations regarding the minerals agreement. Now, of course, this is something that President Trump is very big on, is the idea that if we spend in another country, we ought to get something back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It would always so be good for Ukraine, for the United States, to actually be involved in the raw negotiations minerals deal with Ukraine, the rare earths minerals that we're talking about here. According to a draft obtained by Axios, the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
These employees discussed hair removal, estrogen injections, and the experience of sexual pleasure post-castration. Quote, getting my butthole zapped by a laser was shocking, said one trans-identifying Intel employee who spent thousands on hair removal. Look, I just enjoy helping other people experience boobs, said another about estrogen treatment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
and Ukraine are closing in on a minerals agreement worth hundreds of billions of dollars under which the United States would express its desire to keep Ukraine free, sovereign, and secure, according to a draft obtained by Axios. So again, it appears that Trump's approach is going to actually bear fruit here. And meanwhile, Europe is going to stand up on its own two feet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
In fact, in Germany, the future German Chancellor, Friedrich Mörs, who just won the last election in Germany, he came in first place with about 29% of the vote. The AfD, which is the so-called far-right party, came in with about 21% of the vote. And the Social Democrats dropped down to like 14% of the vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Mayers said that his goal was to do, quote, everything in my power to conserve this good transatlantic relationship with the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
But he says signals make clear that Washington's interest in engaging with Europe is dwindling and suggested that it was time for Germany to take a front row seat with regard to steering policy in Europe, which, of course, is something that President Trump agrees with. So it seems that President Trump's goals are, in fact, coming to pass.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
These are all things that are happening that President Trump is pushing. And so whether you like his rhetorical approach, whether you don't like his rhetorical approach, the proof is going to be in the pudding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And the if the if the actual end game here is a rare earth minerals deal with the United States in which the United States is basically providing security guarantees to Ukraine, along with our European partners, who are the ones actually putting soldiers on the ground in Ukraine to preserve the peace. If that's the way this goes, that's just a win. It's just a win.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And as I've said for a very long time, President Trump is very much invested in simply winning. All right, in just a moment, we're going to get to other news, including Vivek Ramaswamy announcing for Ohio governor. Kathleen Kennedy is going to be out apparently in the Star Wars universe. It's only like years and years and years beyond time. First, you actually have to become a member over at DW.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And of course, we have all sorts of our own wonderful content ranging from our amazing documentaries to all access with me to all of the other behind the scenes content that we do. You're going to want all of it. Become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
One of the weirdest things that gives me euphoria is when I pee, I don't have to push anything down to make sure it aims right, said a Defense Intelligence Agency employee. Do you feel safer? Do you feel that your synagogue, church, school...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Public arena, now you're protected from the terrorists because after all, defense intelligence employees are very, very happy that they can sit when they pee safely. Very exciting stuff. Apparently, according to the sources, the sex chats were legitimized as part of the NSA's commitment to, quote, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Activists within the agency used LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign employee resource groups to turn their kinks and pathologies into official work duties. According to the current NSA employee, these groups, quote, spent all day recruiting activists and holding meetings with titles such as privilege, ally awareness, pride, and transgender community inclusion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And yet you seem absolutely puzzled as to why Americans aren't buying what you're selling. I'm not sure I've seen a better example of the sort of continued scorn that Democrats have for everyday Americans than what was exhibited last night on Mehdi Hassan's show. So Mehdi Hassan, for those who don't remember him, was an MSNBC host. He was terrible there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And the NSA leadership supported every aspect of this, declaring the DEI was, quote, not only mission critical, but mission imperative. Yes, the mission of the NSA, monitoring foreign terror threats. That mission would have been endangered if we did not have intelligent chats between various agents. discussing the pleasures of polyamory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Quote, last January, chatroom members discussed their practice of polyamory or ethical non-monogamy. One employee explained, a polycule is a polyamorous group. A is my girlfriend and BG are her partners. And B and C are dating, but not C and D, nor E, F, or G with any of the others, though there are several MWB, metas with benefits, connections.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Another employee claimed to be part of a nine-member polycule, adding, quote, some of our friends are practically polymers with all the connected compounds. Many of the conversations became particularly explicit. One former NSA source recalled being disgusted by a particularly shocking thread discussing weekend, quote, gangbangs. Very exciting stuff happening inside the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Really important and exciting stuff. All righty, in just one second, we're going to get to my interview with Chris Ruffo himself. He's giving our listeners an exclusive on this insane NSA story. But first, obviously, the people who are monitoring everything that you do, you know, they're not always the best people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And during tax season, your sensitive information travels through countless hands and systems from payroll to tax preparers to data centers before it even reaches you. The IRS. Each stop is a potential vulnerability. Your W-2 contains exactly what identity thieves need to wreak havoc on your life. It's no surprise the IRS reported a 20% spike in tax-related identity theft last year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
That is where LifeLock comes in. Their advanced system monitors millions of data points every second, Catching threats you might miss on your own. And if the worst happens, well, LifeLock's U.S.-based restoration specialists have your back supported by their million-dollar protection package. They'll fix your stolen identity, guaranteed, or you get your money back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
One of my producers, Jess, currently uses LifeLock. She's emphasized the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the experts are always monitoring her sensitive information for suspicious activity. Don't let identity thieves turn your tax season into their payday. Get the protection you need. with LifeLock. Join right now, save up to 40% off your first year of membership.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Call 1-800-LifeLock and mention promo code Ben or visit LifeLock.com slash Ben to save up to 40% today. Terms apply. That's 1-800-LifeLock and mention promo code Ben or visit LifeLock.com slash Ben and save up to 40%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Also, Grand Canyon University, Private Christian University in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, believes that we're all endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And GCU believes in equal opportunity and that the American dream starts with actual purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
GCU will equip you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and help create a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come. By honoring your career calling, you impact your family, your friends, and your community. Change the world for good by putting others before yourself to glorify God.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on-campus, and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal, and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others, that's yours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And then before that, he was an Al Jazeera host where he was a mouthpiece of Qatar. And he was joined on the air by the execrable congresswoman from Minnesota, Ilhan Omar, terror sympathizer extraordinaire. And there she, with her vocal grind, decided to lay into the American people who have given her aid and sustenance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University Private Christian Affordable. Visit gcu.edu. There are so many other bad educational institutions that are out there that are going to corrupt you and wreck your life. Don't do that. Instead, head on over to GCU, Grand Canyon University Private Christian Affordable. Visit gcu.edu today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Well, joining us on the line to discuss is Chris Ruffo, the predominant activist journalist of our time, also senior fellow and director of the Initiative on Critical Race Theory at the Manhattan Institute for more breaking news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So, Chris, you keep coming up with these scoops week after week, which suggests both you're very good at your job and also there's an enormous amount of trash happening at the federal governmental levels. We've been talking about the NSA and these horrifying secret sex chats in which they've been engaged, but We talked about that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I want to talk about a couple of new things that you're uncovering today with regard to talk at the NSA, which, again, is an agency designed specifically to target foreign enemies about apparently domestic enemies. And yours truly comes up apparently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So the CIA has already come out and said that they're going to look into this. What do you expect the outcome of this is going to be? I mean, the NSA has incredible powers to look into all sorts of information, foreign as well as domestic. We've had a bunch of scandals involving the NSA actually targeting people domestically before. What do you think is going to be the outcome of all of this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
So, Chris, one of the things that I think we need to focus in here on is the fact that this is, in fact, a reflection of bad policy. It's easy to go, well, it's bad apples who have gotten involved in various chats with their kinks and their anger at various conservatives. But there really is something else going on here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Remember, she was originally a refugee to this country and was elected to Congress on the basis of yelling at Americans about how terrible they are. Here she is explaining that Americans are just stupid. That's the big problem. That's why Trump was reelected. Not that she blew it. Not that Mehdi Hassan blew it. Not that the rest of the Democratic Party blew it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And that is that throughout our federal government, when Joe Biden said that equity was going to dictate all policy throughout these federal agencies, he was not joking. And that is reflected in this kind of insanity at the staffing level. Yeah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
I mean, it also includes the fact that when you have all of these radicals who are motivated to actually go after their enemies and they have the tools to go after their enemies, the possibility of actual malfeasance using the tools of law enforcement starts to grow pretty exponentially.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
Well, folks, Chris Ruffo doing amazing work each and every week. You can check him out over at ChristopherRuffo.com or you can follow him over at RealChrisRuffo at X.com as well. Chris, really appreciate the time as well as the breaking news. Thank you. Okay, so what does all of this mean in practical terms? Well, what it means is that Americans are not fond of their institutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
It's that Americans writ large are just dumb. These people are just idiots.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
They believe their institutions are fundamentally broken. This is where the popularity of Doge comes in. It's not that Doge, as we discussed yesterday, is taking an actual chainsaw to government spending. They're not. The numbers are not all that high. I mean, the numbers are in the low billions, maybe the tens of billions, certainly not enough to transform the trajectory of American spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
But what Doge is doing is uncovering the rot at the center of so many of these institutions. That's why it's employee based. That is why it is a targeting of particular employees in particular sectors, because the idea is that personnel make policy. If you don't like the policy, the best thing to do is to clean out the personnel. Here's President Trump explaining the popularity of Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
And of course, it is massively popular because Americans do not like this sort of crap. They understand that their taxpayer dollars, the things that they work hard all day to earn, are now being used to subsidize trans discussions at the NSA. They are not into this. They don't want this. They think that it is bad. And the Democrats are puzzled. Why would people think that's bad?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2145 - The NSA's Secret SEX CHATS?!
That's just part and parcel of what government is for. Government is part of a transformative process directed at Americans' values. That is what government is. Government drives how Americans think about life. That is what the left believes. And they cannot believe that Americans are rejecting their entire worldview. That is what lies at the root of all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
What if everything you were told about the trial of Derek Chauvin was a lie? Today, we're launching one of the most important multi-part series we've ever produced at this company. We're examining the terrible miscarriage of justice that took place in the case of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. This will be a comprehensive multi-episode breakdown of the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
In 2007, Chauvin received one of his only formal disciplinary actions for a traffic stop involving a female driver from Minneapolis who was allegedly going 10 miles an hour over the speed limit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Despite Chauvin being accused of being too aggressive, this was a complaint about a traffic stop, no one was injured, the discipline was a letter of reprimand, not a suspension, not a demotion, not criminal charges, a letter. In 2008, Chauvin responded to a 911 domestic assault call. When he arrived, he and his partner confronted Ira Latrell-Toles, who was hiding in a bathroom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
According to the police report, when Toles tried to flee, he grabbed at Chauvin's gun, forcing Chauvin to fire twice, hitting Toles in the stomach. Toll survived. Chauvin was placed on paid leave during the investigation. Again, that's standard protocol. The subsequent investigation cleared Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
His actions were deemed appropriate when confronting a domestic violence suspect who attempted to take his weapon. In fact, he got another Medal of Valor for that incident. In 2011, Chauvin was part of a group of five officers who chased down a man named Leroy Martinez in a housing complex after they spotted him running with a pistol. One of the officers, Terry Nutter, shot Martinez in the torso.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Martinez survived. All the officers were placed on leave. They were ultimately absolved of any wrongdoing. Police Chief Timothy Dolan explicitly stated the officers acted appropriately and courageously. Again, this counts as a complaint against Chauvin, according to the media, despite the fact he didn't fire his weapon and was officially commended for his actions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
In 2013, Chauvin and another officer witnessed a white male teenager shooting a Nerf dart out of a car window as part of a Nerf gun game among teenagers. When the teenagers arrived at the home of 17-year-old Christopher Berg, Chauvin and the other officer confronted them. According to Berg, at least one officer drew a gun.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
They allegedly forced him into their car, shouting obscenities and berating him. Clearly, the police officers were responding to what could have initially appeared to be a real weapon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
They had a predetermined narrative of the race-based guilt of Derek Chauvin, and according to the left, of white people everywhere. Taking stock of these larger forces at play helps to make sense of the bias that continues to this day. The George Floyd narrative was set. A racist white police officer murdered a black man in cold blood, case closed. Evidence to the contrary, irrelevant.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
When Chauvin observed what appeared to be something fired from a moving vehicle, he was operating in a context where unfortunately drive-by shootings were not abstract possibilities, but regular occurrences that did injure and kill Minneapolis residents, including kids.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
His initial threat assessment, while it was wrong in this specific case, reflected the dangerous reality of policing in an area where objects fired from vehicles frequently meant bullets rather than foam darts. In November 2013, Minneapolis police pulled over LaShawn Braddock shortly after midnight based on a warrant.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Braddock claims when he hesitated to get out of the car, an officer aggressively hit his window with a flashlight, and then other officers tried to pull him from the car. Braddock admittedly hesitated to comply with police command, so it makes sense that after he hesitated to comply, officers used necessary force to subdue him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Noncompliance with police orders, even if you have a good reason, typically results in officers escalating their use of force. That is standard procedure nationwide. Another complaint stems from February 15th, 2015, when Chauvin arrested Julian Hernandez at the El Nuevo Rodeo nightclub, where Chauvin worked as an off-duty security officer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
According to Chauvin's report, Hernandez tried to leave the club through the wrong door and Chauvin escorted him down a stairwell. Hernandez, who admitted he had been drinking, claims Chauvin pushed him down the stairs. Outside, Chauvin reported that Hernandez tried to turn around as he was preparing to handcuff him, so he pushed him away by applying pressure toward his lingual artery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Hernandez claimed Chauvin told him, you just need to leave, but wouldn't allow him to leave and then choked him. He said he tried to sue the department, but no lawyer would actually take the case, so he let it go. So here's the situation. An intoxicated patron at a nightclub trying to exit through the wrong door, escorted out by security, allegedly resisting being handcuffed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Chauvin applied a restraint technique to control the situation, which is typically what security personnel are supposed to do. The fact Hernandez couldn't even find a lawyer willing to take his case speaks volumes about the credibility of the accusations. In April 2016, Chauvin was involved in an incident with a man named Jimmy Bostic at the Midtown Global Market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Private security guards had asked Bostic to leave after he was accused of panhandling. Bostic argued, Chauvin was called in. Chauvin escorted Bostic outside, writing in the arrest report that Bostic had threatened to spit on the owner. "'I closed distance with Bostic,' Chauvin wrote, "'and secured his neck head area with my hand.'"
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Bostic claimed that his Chauvin and private security guards attempted to put him in cuffs. He yanked his arm back, and then Chauvin wrapped his arms around his neck." After being released from police custody, Bostic said emergency medical workers took him to the hospital, where he stayed for over a day due to an asthma attack. The disorderly conduct charge against him was eventually dropped.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Bostic admitted to pulling his arm away when officers were trying to handcuff him. That is called a resisting arrest, and it typically justifies the use of physical restraint techniques. He was treated and released at the scene, deciding on his own to go to the hospital. This complaint, like all the others, resulted in no disciplinary action because Chauvin was following department protocols.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
In June 2017, Chauvin responded to a call where a woman named Zoya Code had allegedly tried to strangle her mother with an extension cord. Code claimed that her mom was the one swinging the cord around and that she merely grabbed hold of it. According to prosecutors, based on Chauvin's report and body camera video, Chauvin told Code she was under arrest and grabbed her arm.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
When she resisted, the two officers placed her in handcuffs, then picked her up and carried her outside the house face down. Chauvin then knelt on the side of Code's neck for less than five minutes until backup arrived, as per Minneapolis police protocol.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
MPD, training protocols, dismissed. Toxicology report, ignored. Medical examiner's findings about contributing factors, conspiracy theories. Consider, for example, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who last week dismissed my call to revisit the Chauvin trial by declaring on his show that he, quote, doesn't care about the autopsy, effectively admitting he doesn't care about the facts or the truth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The misdemeanor domestic assault and disorderly conduct charges filed against Code were ultimately dropped, but no disciplinary action was taken against Chauvin because he was following department protocols for subduing a non-compliant suspect in a domestic violence situation, one of the most volatile and dangerous calls officers respond to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
In March 2019, Chauvin was involved in an incident with a man named Sir Riley Peet. According to the arrest report written by Chauvin, Peet was wandering around a gas station asking officers for a ride. After Peet refused to take his hands out of his pockets, an officer tried to grab him and they scuffled.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Chauvin then sprayed Peet with pepper spray and restrained him, pinning him face down on the ground by kneeling on his lower back. Peet was arrested on charges of misdemeanor obstruction of the legal process and disorderly conduct, but court records are unclear about the outcome. Records show Peet has a history of court-ordered treatment for mental illness.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Again, this is a situation where a suspect refused to take his hands out of his pockets when ordered to do so by police, a major red flag that could indicate the presence of a weapon. Chauvin used appropriate force to subdue a non-compliant individual who could have posed a threat to officer safety. So, that's it. He's supposedly damning 18 complaints against Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
What do they actually show? What they actually show is an officer working in high crime areas for 19 years, dealing with noncompliant suspects, domestic violence situations, armed suspects, intoxicated individuals. In all but one or two minor cases, investigations cleared Chauvin of wrongdoing. Most importantly, none of these complaints suggest racial bias.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Of the incidents where the race of the individual is mentioned, we have complainants who are white, black, Latino, Native American. There is no pattern suggesting Chauvin targeted people of color. He was an equal opportunity enforcer of the law who operated in a diverse high crime area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The left would love you to believe these complaints prove Chauvin was sort of a ticking time bomb which should have been removed from the force years ago. When you actually examine the details, what emerges is a portrait of an officer doing a difficult job in challenging circumstances operating within departmental guidelines.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Now, the left would rather you not know these details because they contradict the narrative that Chauvin was a racist monster who deliberately murdered George Floyd out of some sort of racial animus. But facts don't care about their feelings. The facts show Chauvin's record was typical for a veteran officer working in a high-crime urban environment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Chauvin's then-wife, Kelly Chauvin, a Hmong American who won the Mrs. Minnesota pageant, described him in a 2018 profile as such a gentleman and just a softie beneath his uniform. Derek's marriage was further collateral damage in the wreckage following Floyd's death and his own conviction.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
After revealing she hasn't been able to find work or resume her career as a realtor because of threats and her own fear of exposure over the case, experiencing vandalization of both the Chauvin's homes in Minnesota and Florida, and facing significant online harassment, receiving hateful online remarks, with some labeling her a self-hating Asian, making derogatory comments about her interracial marriage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
She ultimately ended up filing for divorce just one day after Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder, also requesting to change her last name. Now let's discuss the other side of the coin, the alleged victim, George Floyd. George Floyd was born on October 14th, 1973 in Fayetteville, North Carolina to George Perry and Larsonia Sissy Jones Floyd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
When Floyd was two years old, his mom moved with Floyd and his four siblings to Houston, Texas after his parents separated. The family settled in the historically black neighborhood of Houston's Third Ward in the CUNY Homes public housing complex.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
To understand George Floyd's background, you really need to understand the reality of CUNY Homes, the public housing complex where Floyd spent his formative years. This wasn't some idyllic community with a few challenges. This was Houston's oldest public housing development, a crime-ridden environment that residents themselves describe as horrible and like a hellhole.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
This cavalier dismissal of medical evidence perfectly encapsulates how much of America approaches this case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The statistics are staggering. Eight homicides in just the last 12 months, a four-year homicide rate of nearly 62 per 100,000 residents, and approximately 25 homicides in the vicinity over just four years. Gang activity is so prevalent, residents report being approached by gang members warning them to go inside because they're about to start shooting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Residents live in what they describe as rat-infested apartments, with one resident explaining she's too afraid to report the violence, fearing retaliation. This is the kind of environment that shaped George Floyd's early life. A place so troubled, it recently received a $50 million federal grant just to demolish and rebuild it entirely.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Floyd was known as Perry as a child, later Big Floyd due to his height. At the time of his death, he was six feet, four inches tall and weighed 223 pounds. He showed athletic promise in high school. He played basketball and football. His football team even advanced to the Texas State Championships in 1992.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He graduated from Yates High School in 1993, and he received a basketball scholarship to South Florida Community College, making him the first of his siblings to pursue higher education. Later on, he was transferred to Texas A&M's University Kingsville campus in 1995. Eventually, he dropped out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He worked as a truck driver, a security guard for the Salvation Army shelter in Minneapolis, and as a bouncer at a bar. At the time of his death, he had five children with different women, ranging from 22 to six years old. As he entered adulthood, Floyd's life took a really troubled turn. By the time of the incident with Derek Chauvin, Floyd had accumulated a really lengthy criminal record.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He had been incarcerated multiple times, 10 months in 1998 for theft with a firearm, eight months in 2002 for cocaine possession, 10 months in 2004 for cocaine again, from 2009 to 2013 for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
that last conviction stemmed from a home invasion in which Floyd pressed a gun to a woman's abdomen while his accomplices ransacked her home Floyd had been arrested a total of nine times let's examine each of those arrests and incarcerations chronologically this is not about demonizing George Floyd it's about understanding the full context of who he was something the media has actively worked to prevent
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Floyd's documented criminal history begins August 1997 with his first drug arrest in Houston. He was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, specifically less than a gram of cocaine, that's still a felony in Texas. This wasn't just possession, it was distribution. He was released on a $4,000 bail bond. On October 20th, 1997, Floyd pled guilty to this charge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
All the facts, all the evidence, all the political context. We're going to tear this case apart piece by piece. By the end, I think you'll agree with me that President Trump should immediately pardon Derek Chauvin for his federal convictions. New episodes of this series will be dropping every Tuesday and Thursday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He received a sentence of 180 days, six months in Harris County Jail. Records show he received 29 days of time served credit. He still spent approximately five months behind bars for this first documented offense. So let's pause here to note by age 24, Floyd was selling cocaine. This wasn't some youthful indiscretion or minor mistake. It was a serious felony. It involved distribution of narcotics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Just one year later, Floyd was arrested again. This time he was arrested for aggravated robbery with a firearm. It's a pretty serious violent felony. This was released on a $30,000 bond, a substantial amount reflecting the seriousness of the charge. Floyd ultimately pled guilty to theft rather than armed robbery, likely as part of a plea bargain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
On February 11th, 1999, he was sentenced to 10 months in state jail. Records show he received credit for 70 days of time served. On October 22nd, 1998, while presumably still out on bond, Floyd was arrested yet again, this time for theft, classified as a Class B misdemeanor in Texas. He pled guilty to that charge on December 14th, 1998. He was sentenced to 10 days in Harris County Jail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Records indicated he served two days of that sentence. On August 29, 2001, Floyd had another brush with the law when he was arrested for failing to identify himself to a police officer that's a Class B misdemeanor in Texas. He was released on $3,000 bond. Two days after his arrest, on August 31, 2001, Floyd pled guilty and was sentenced to 15 days in Harris County Jail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Records show he served only three days of that sentence. On April 23rd, 2002, Floyd was arrested for criminal trespassing and sentenced to 30 days in jail. On October 29th, 2002, he was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, again, less than a gram of cocaine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He was initially released on $5,000 bond that was later increased to $15,000, probably due to the violations of his release conditions. Floyd was formally indicted December 10th, 2002. He pled guilty March 3rd, 2003. He was sentenced to eight months in state jail. Records show he received credit for 92 days of time served. It's noted he waived his right to appeal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
We don't have to go there. A proper analysis of any case requires examining all the available evidence, not just the parts that confirm preexisting narratives based on the first available information. The media, the politicians, the prosecutors, they had no interest in presenting the complete picture, judging by their reaction to the announcement of this series. They still don't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The mention that no permission to appeal granted suggests there may have been some attempt to challenge aspects of the case. Floyd ultimately pled guilty. He received a 10-month state jail sentence. Floyd was then arrested again in December 2005, charged with possessing less than one gram of cocaine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
According to court records, prosecutors later increased the charge to possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, alleging that Floyd actually had more than four grams of cocaine. It's a much more serious offense. The charge was eventually reverted back to simple possession of less than a gram.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Despite that reduction in charges, Floyd received a 10-month sentence in state jail that marked his fourth drug conviction in less than a decade. Now we come to the most serious crime in Floyd's record, which the media has been particularly reluctant to discuss in detail. In 2007, Floyd participated in a home invasion robbery that can only be described as terrifying for the victim involved.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
According to the court documents, Floyd was part of a group of six men who targeted a home for drugs and money. One of the men posed as a water department employee, wearing a blue uniform to trick the female resident into opening the door. When she realized the deception and tried to close the door, a struggle ensued. At that point, a Ford Explorer pulled up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Five other men, including Floyd, exited the vehicle and approached the house. Floyd, who is identified as the largest member of the group, forced his way inside the residence and forced her into the living room. The court report says that while Floyd held the gun on the victim, another armed suspect struck her in the head and sides with his pistol as she screamed for help.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The group searched the home for drugs and money. When they didn't find what they were looking for, they took the woman's jewelry and cell phone before fleeing. Police later tracked down the vehicle based on a license plate number provided by a neighbor who witnessed the robbery. They found Floyd behind the wheel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The victim later positively identified Floyd as the large suspect who had held the gun to her abdomen. Floyd was charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony in Texas. He played guilty in 2009. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He served his time. He was paroled in 2013. In total, Floyd was arrested at least nine times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He was convicted of at least seven separate criminal offenses, including four drug crimes and a violent home invasion robbery where he held a gun to a woman's abdomen. This was obviously a persistent pattern of serious criminal behavior spanning for more than a decade. Floyd spent significant time incarcerated, By this calculation, he served approximately 10 years in various jails and prisons.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Between 1997 and 2013, Floyd actually spent more time incarcerated than he did as a free man. The media have engaged in a deliberate attempt to sanitize Floyd's background to present him as something other than what his record shows. They painted a picture of a gentle giant whose only crime was passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
That portrayal is demonstrably false based on the extensive criminal record that we've just detailed. The police officers who encountered him on that last day were not dealing with a citizen who just made a minor mistake one day. They were dealing with somebody who had a long history of criminal behavior, unfortunately, including violence and resistance to police.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
We've covered a lot of ground today in this first episode of our five-part series on the case for pardoning Derek Chauvin. We've examined the backgrounds of both Derek Chauvin and George Floyd. Not the filtered versions you've been fed by the legacy media, but the actual facts about who these men really were.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
You're not going to hear it from CNN. You're not going to hear it from MSNBC. You certainly won't hear it from politicians who built their careers on the back of this case. But you'll hear it here because unlike those who rendered judgment and moved on, I believe truth emerges when we're willing to revise our positions in light of new information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
We've looked at the serious problems with the narrative surrounding Chauvin's complaint record. We've looked at George Floyd's criminal record. In episode two, we're gonna dive deep into the powder keg that was Minneapolis in May 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
We'll examine the radical progressive politics that had taken hold of the city, the defund the police movement that was already gaining steam, the specific tensions in the third precinct where this fateful encounter occurred. Then we'll go moment by moment through the actual footage
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
not the selectively edited clips you saw on CNN, the complete unedited video that shows what really happened that day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
You'll see for yourself how Floyd was saying he could not breathe while he was still in the police car before he was even removed and put on the ground, how he actively resisted being placed in the vehicle, how Chauvin was following MPD-approved restraint techniques throughout the encounter. In episode three, we'll analyze the autopsy findings and medical evidence in excruciating detail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
In episode four, we'll relitigate the jury and trial. And in our final episode, we'll bring you up to date on Derek's case. And I'll continue to beat this drum. This is about more than just Derek Chauvin. This is about whether we're going to be a nation of laws or a nation where mob justice prevails.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
President Trump has begun the critical work of reversing the evils inflicted on our country over the past several years. DEI is being dismantled. Merit is being restored. American values are returning to our institutions. But this work can't be complete until we address the original catalyst that sent our country spiraling into woke madness in the first place, the railroading of Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Stand up for the rule of law. Go to pardonderek.com today. Sign our petition. We'll also put up the website to donate to Derek Chauvin's legal defense fund in the description. Join us right here on The Ben Shapiro Show on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next few weeks for future episodes in this series. Okay, meanwhile, a lot happening in the news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The big controversy of the day is all about the Trump administration deporting members of Tren de Aragua over to El Salvador to be kept in a prison over there. And this apparently is the end of the republic. Now, I understand that the Trump administration is certainly attempting to drive a narrative here. and Democrats are falling right into it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The narrative the Democrats are trying to suggest is that President Trump is willy-nilly ignoring the law, that he's running roughshod over the lower court judges, and that he's going to just destroy the judiciary and all of this sort of thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Well, the problem is, of course, that the precedent has already been set for ignoring the judiciary, considering the Biden administration did it with a high level of regularity with regard to, for example, student loans, and not just lower court judges, but actually like the Supreme Court of the United States. Every time the Supreme Court would say,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
You are not allowed to simply alleviate student loans. The Biden administration would say, but we are. And then they try to find a different way around the Supreme Court. They did the same thing with, for example, affirmative action. And so the precedent has been set there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
But this particular case is the one that the left is focusing in on because they say it's all about the willingness to ignore law. President Trump is tyrannical demagogue and all the rest of this. The argument by the Trump administration is we're not ignoring the law. We are actually fulfilling the law. We are doing what we are supposed to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
On March 4th, 2025, I launched a petition at PardonDerek.com calling on President Trump to exercise his constitutional authority to pardon former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin from his federal convictions in the death of George Floyd. This isn't just about one man, though the unjust conviction of one man should be enough.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And no district court judge is going to orally tell us that we have to turn around an airplane in the middle of its flight and have it come back to the United States while it's over international waters. That's not how airplanes work. It's possible they didn't have the fuel to turn around and get back to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The planes that were already on the ground, by the way, never left the United States. So the idea that the Trump administration is sort of wholesale defying federal courts, that is not particularly true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The narrative that the right is attempting to drive, and it's a narrative that I think is going to have some teeth, is why are you guys defending so strongly Tren de Aragua members not being deported? These are members of a Venezuelan murderous gang. Do you want them in the United States? You guys seem to want an awful lot of bad people in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
You want Hamas supporters like Mahmoud Khalil in the United States. It now turns out that the left wants fans of Hezbollah in the United States. There's a big controversy that broke out yesterday because there was a Brown University professor who was deported And the left claimed that this was yet another horrifying violation of First Amendment rights.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The problem is that the reason this person was deported, her name is Rasha Alawiya. The reason is because she had pictures on her phone from a visit to Lebanon where she went to the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah. If you go to the funeral of a terrorist, pretty sure we don't need you in our country. The left tried to jump to the defense of this person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The suggestion was that she had done nothing wrong and that she followed his teachings, quote, from a religious perspective, but not a political one. He was the leader of a massive terrorist group responsible for murders of Americans. and others. So yeah, you should go. But the Democrats seem to be totally unable to dissociate from the worst kinds of immigrants to the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
So they're totally underscoring what President Trump has been arguing all along, which is they don't just want an open border. They want the worst people in the world coming to the United States, apparently. So we'll get to the legal theory in a moment, but you can see the narrative fight that is building up. So Caroline Lovett has just been clubbing people about the ears with this narrative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
She's very skilled at this. Here she was at the White House yesterday saying, you know why we are deporting members of Trendaragua? In order to save people's lives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
This is also about restoring the rule of law after a disgraceful period of politically motivated race and identity obsessed weaponization of the justice system. Since returning to office, President Trump has been taking historic action to dismantle the radical ideological framework infecting our institutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
As for the implication that there are going to be mass deportations and everybody's going to get deported, Caroline Levitt said, well, you know, I have another suggestion, which is if you're here illegally, maybe you should self-deport.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
She, of course, was referencing the fact that yesterday the White House put out a video showing many of these Tren del Agua members being taken off the plane in Venezuela and basically celebrating that fact. Okay, so the French, there's a French MP, and count on the French to be as obnoxious as humanly possible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
A French member of parliament suggested that the Statue of Liberty should be disassembled and taken back, given the United States' lack of warmth toward illegal immigrants, poor members of gangs, as well as terror supporters. And she had some words for the French. And listen, I'm always here for dunking on the French. The French always deserve it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
There's never a situation which the French do not deserve to be dunked upon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Fact check. True. Absolutely. By the way, twice. So, again, very enjoyable. This this whole narrative, the Democrats seem again, they keep to just stumble. They're stumbling headlong into it is the idea that they want the worst people in the world staying in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And many of the angles that are being used in order to attack what the Trump administration is doing here are really stupid political angles. So, for example, Tom Homan, who I love Tom Homan, he's the border czar. On a personal level, I find him just amusing and charming. He's wonderful. The president has invoked, in order to deport Trenada Agua members, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
In just six weeks, he signed nearly 100 executive orders and taken over 400 executive actions declaring that America will be woke no longer. He's systematically dismantling DEI programs across the federal government. He's targeting what he calls the tyranny of diversity and forced so-called inclusion in our institutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And so many people are saying, well, that's a really, really old act. You're calling it an invasion. Venezuela isn't really invading. How can you invoke an act this old? And Tom Holman's like, well, actually, we use old laws all the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
I think the thing I love the most about Tom Homan is he's absolutely out of central casting. He does not give any bleeps at all about how the media think of him. And so he just walks in right off the set of a 1957 Western and just starts applying the law. It's really funny.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Homan was asked about these flights that are being sent from the United States to other countries containing illegal immigrants. And he's asked what his plans are. And his answer is pretty great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Now, meanwhile, Stephen Miller, who's the architect of much of this immigration policy, and Stephen's a super smart guy. He's a deputy in terms of policy for the president. He's senior advisor to President Trump. He's on CNN with Casey Hunt. And Stephen Miller goes on cable shows and beats up hosts and chews gum, chews bubble gum. And he's all out of bubble gum today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
So he was on CNN with Casey Hunt. And she was asking him about the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. And here was Stephen Miller taking her to school.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He's banned men from women's sports, returned education to a merit-based system, declared there are only two genders in America. But all of this... All of it will remain incomplete if we don't address the original sin that kickstarted the entire woke revolution. The match that lit the powder keg of woke insanity that then spread through every American institution like wildfire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And he's right. What he is suggesting there is if there is an invasion by a foreign nation and if Trendaragua is being sent by the Venezuelan government and he suggests there's documents that show this. to the United States in order to create havoc, in order to export them from Venezuela here, then that constitutes an invasion by definition of the president. This is the other point he's making.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He's saying that authority for interpretation rests with the president, now with the district judge. Now, if it gets to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court interprets it differently, then maybe that changes the rules. That is the argument that is being made by the Trump administration. A lot of bother is done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
being disseminated about the sort of angle here by the Trump administration with regard to all of this. Andy McCarthy has a breakdown of this over at National Review. According to Andy McCarthy, he points out that the president ordered the deportation with no court process purportedly pursuant to that Alien Enemy Act, which is a late 18th century statute.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
It's been invoked three times in American history, 1812, World War I, World War II. He says that there may, in fact, be some legal problems with what the Trump administration is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He said it's near certain the administration knowingly defied an order issued Saturday evening by Chief Judge James Boasberg to suspend the initiative to deport the Venezuelans, which included an admonition to turn around any deportation flights that had already departed and returned detainees to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
While a prosecutor temporized about whether he had information necessary to answer Judge Boasberg's questions about whether those deportation flights had taken off, the flights were already underway and continued on their path to El Salvador, it turned out. The Justice Department then tried to end run further proceedings before Boasberg by filing an immediate appeal to the D.C. Circuit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
That circuit issued an order on Sunday directing at the filing of a brief tomorrow by the ACLU and other lawyers for the Venezuelans. The Justice Department has been directed to respond the following day. Meanwhile, Boasberg ordered the administration to appear at a hearing he planned to hold at 5 p.m. on Monday in order to probe whether those Trump officials knowingly defied his order on Saturday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And apparently the Justice Department has asked Boasberg to cancel the hearing because, quote, the government is not prepared to disclose any further national security or operational security details about the deportation flights to plaintiffs or the public. So, you know, they could theoretically say that they don't need to deal with Boasberg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
They could deal with the upper court, the appellate court. They already appealed it. Instead, the DOJ is basically saying that they are not going to tell this judge anything. We'll see how that works out for them on a legal level. And again, it's a bit of a complicated legal case because it's unclear exactly the interpretation of the Aliens Enemy Act.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
It is not clear exactly what level of jurisdiction is applied here to a district judge who's talking about, for example, national policy. Whether that district court judge has the ability to halt a flight that is already in mid-progress over the Atlantic Ocean or anything like that, Bottom line is the left is losing their mind over all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
President Trump's war on wokeness cannot be considered complete unless he addresses the fundamental injustice that started it all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And again, I'm just not willing to hear it from people who spent all day every day defending the various illegalities of the Biden administration. It seems strange to me that many of the same people who are willing to defend every legal access to the Biden administration are now black letter law when it comes to the Alien Enemies Act. You found a weird a weird hook to hang your hat on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Here, for example, is ex-prosecutor Andrew Weissman, who you'll remember from his non-stellar work in the intel community, clashing with the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Okay, well, I mean, she can say whatever she wants. She does have a right to free speech. Who is she to say that? The same kind of person that you are to say anything. I mean, that would be the actual answer. By the way, Weissman was the person who was second in command in the Mueller report, in the Mueller investigation. So stellar job there, sir.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Partnering Derek Chauvin is about making a definitive statement that the rule of law matters more than mob justice, that America is finally ready to correct the catastrophic error that sent our country spiraling into years of racial division and leftist cultural supremacy. And of course, I understand that this is politically radioactive. I get it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Meanwhile, CNN's Elliot Williams is also flabbergasted by the Trump DOJ.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Okay, so one of the questions here is that the judge apparently issued an oral ruling before the flights took off for Venezuela, but the written ruling didn't come until after the flights had taken off for Venezuela. Boasberg says that the oral order should count as much as a written one. A Justice Department lawyer told Boasberg no flights took off after the written order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
and said he couldn't share information in open court. He said, I'm not at liberty to provide any information about the flights. The bottom line here is that there is the politics and the law. The law will be decided presumably by the Supreme Court here as to whether the Alien Enemies Act applies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The Supreme Court is going to have to speak at some point about what jurisdiction district court judges have to provide temporary injunctions over national policy. This is becoming more and more of an issue because more and more district court judges are signing into chat to basically bar action by the Trump administration. They never would have barred under the Biden administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And being able to issue these temporary restraining orders sort of willy-nilly is going to hold up the business of government unless the Supreme Court rules that they actually have the ability to do so. The Supreme Court deferred action on that just a couple of weeks ago. So they need to reverse themselves. They actually need to start talking about this pretty openly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Meanwhile, President Trump has been upping his language with regard to Iran. President Trump said on Monday that he would hold Iran specifically responsible for any future attacks by the Houthis in Yemen. He posted to social media, quote, every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon from this point forward as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of Iran.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Iran will be held responsible and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire. This, by the way, is the correct approach. The Houthis are, in fact, a proxy terror group for Iran, and Iran has been hiding behind those proxy terror groups for literally decades, doing untold harm, chaos, chaos, damage, carnage, Two Americans, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
And so threatening the Iranians directly, you better cut this out or your nuclear facilities are not going to exist tomorrow morning. That makes perfect sense. Again, I'm going to say it for the thousandth time here. No one is looking for a boots on the ground war with Iran. Good news. That's not what it takes in order to actually damage Iran, both economically and militarily.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
I understand the entire American left will melt down completely if President Trump were to do this. I get that the media will lose their collective minds. And frankly, I don't care because justice should matter more than political expediency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Iran's skies are completely open right now. All it would take is one single B-2 sortie over Iran to finish its nuclear facilities, finish them, like into the ground, finish them. That does not spur a broader regional war because Iran doesn't have the resources to pursue that war right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
It certainly does not pursue a war with the United States in which the mullahs are all dead in the first 24 hours of the war. That is not a thing that is going to happen. And people who are telling you otherwise are lying to you full stop. That is not a thing the Trump administration wants. It's not anything anybody wants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
A full-scale war with Iran is certainly not something the Iranians want at this point. Meanwhile, senior Houthi politician Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, in a public rally on Monday, decried the U.S. strikes as terrorism. He said it's not terrorism when you fire drones at random shipping companies. lines. It is terrorism when you kill the people who are firing drones at the ships that carry cargo.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He said to Trump, we say, you have failed and you do not scare us. Do as you wish. We fear no one but God. Well, hopefully he can be united with God as soon as humanly possible. It seems like that would be a useful thing. Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Gaza is officially over. It is over because Hamas continued to walk away from all efforts to extend the ceasefire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Hamas basically insisted that as a condition of the release of the remaining hostages that it is holding, including an American, Idan Alexander, that in exchange for that, Israel would have to end the war and leave Hamas in control of Gaza. And Israel said no, and the United States also said no. And then Hamas continued to maintain that, and they were dragging out the process so they could rearm.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Late yesterday, there was news that broke that Hamas was planning, apparently, some sort of ground incursion into Israel again. They're going to try and break through the border between Gaza and Israel. And Israel responded with heavy fire in Gaza, specifically targeting terror leaders. These were highly targeted strikes. Immediately, Hamas released their usual false bevy of statistics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
300 people. We have no evidence of how many people actually were killed. That is unclear at this point. The IDF took out some of the top leaders of Hamas. They took out some of the top leaders of Islamic Jihad as well. And they put out a statement saying that these will intensify. The strikes will intensify until you are back at the table talking about the release of these hostages.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Watch them, share them, join the discussion with Daily Wire members and Ben Shapiro Show producers inside the Daily Wire Plus app. The truth matters and justice matters, and you're not going to hear this anywhere else. This is The Case for Derek Chauvin, Episode 1, The Background.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The IDF had issued evacuation orders for some areas of Gaza. Naturally, the Europeans condemned all this because the Europeans have a very easy time condemning the Israelis for defending themselves and going after terrorists. And they have a very difficult time condemning actual terrorists. They're too busy standing for them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad was killed in the IDF strikes, apparently. So, too, was one of the top leaders of Hamas in those strikes. And, of course, it was going to have to go this way because Hamas was never going to give up the hostages, short of some unpalatable deal in which they remained in control of Gaza. And Israel was never going to allow that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
As I said all along, when it came to these hostage negotiations brokered by the United States under President Trump, All along, there was never going to be a phase two. Phase two was not a possibility. Phase one was the release of certain hostages for a certain amount of time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
At a certain point, that was going to hit the end of the road, and Israel was going to have to go back in and finish off Hamas. And that appears to be what is happening right now, short of Hamas making some sort of major concessions by releasing more of the hostages.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The media, by the way, are trash and continue to simply report whatever false numbers are put out by Hamas as soon as humanly possible. Well done to our legacy media who've been eating up the propaganda like the latter end of the human centipede for decades now in this particular conflict. All right, coming up, we're going to jump into the Vaunted Ben Shapiro Show mailbag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
First, you have to become a member. We have so much great stuff. Pendragon is coming. And, man, I've seen some of the cuts. Unbelievable. So good. Really, like, amazing, amazing stuff. We've got everything. We've got Backstage Live. We've got Morning Wire. Am I racist? What is a woman? All of our other run, hide, fight. We've got all access with people like me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
But the only way you can do any of that stuff and join us is to join Daily Wire Plus. If you're not a member, become a member. Use Coach Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
For the BLM riots that caused $2 billion in property damage and set race relations in America on their worst footing in my lifetime was the death of George Floyd, of course. The evidence demonstrates conclusively Officer Derek Chauvin did not commit murder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
There were no accusations, even at a state trial, that Chauvin had committed a hate crime against George Floyd or targeted him because of his race.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Nonetheless, on the basis of extraordinarily scanty evidence with massive pressure on the jury, the mayor of Minneapolis spoke out in support of a $27 million settlement approved by the Minneapolis City Council to the Floyd family immediately before the trial. Joe Biden suggested Chauvin was guilty before the verdict. Jurors were being openly threatened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Derek Chauvin was convicted on state charges and then pled guilty to federal charges on unreasonable use of force.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Now critics will argue, and they have argued, what's the point? Even with a federal pardon, Chauvin would still serve his state sentence. After all, A.G. Ellison is still in charge over in Minnesota, and so is Tim Walz.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
This is technically true, of course, but it fundamentally misunderstands the critical differences between federal and state incarceration that would make a presidential pardon extremely significant. Chauvin was arrested four days after Floyd's death. At first, he received a third-degree murder charge, which would have required proof of intent or premeditation. But public pressure kept increasing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Like everyone else in America, I first saw the tape of Derek Chauvin and George Floyd on May 25th, what appeared at the time to be nine minutes of a police officer's knee on George Floyd's neck. Given the tape alone, I drew the same conclusions most Americans drew. I tweeted that the police officer's behavior was abhorrent. I called for his prosecution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The mob demanded retribution. A Change.org petition to raise the degree amassed nearly three million signatures online, and hashtag raise the degree trended number one on Twitter on the day of Chauvin's arrest. State prosecutors, knowing they could not successfully argue a first-degree charge, decided to simply add a charge instead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Less than a week later, Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, which doesn't actually require intent. Coleman Hughes' meticulous 2024 analysis of the Chauvin case via the free press exposes precisely why a pardon is morally imperative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Simply put, the prosecution failed to meet the constitutionally required burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt, the absolute cornerstone of our criminal justice system. When two plausible explanations exist for Floyd's death, one implicating Chauvin and one pointing to Floyd's severe heart disease and fentanyl levels, the legal standard would be acquittal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The case against Chauvin collapses under proper scrutiny of the evidence. To make matters worse, by May 2021, Merrick Garland's DOJ brought down civil rights charges against Chauvin for unreasonable force under the color of law. Having been found guilty on all counts in a state trial just a few weeks prior, Chauvin took a plea deal so he wouldn't have to face trial again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
When basic judicial standards aren't met, when reasonable doubt clearly exists, as Hughes and others have meticulously documented, it becomes not just appropriate, but essential for the president to exercise his constitutional power of clemency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The federal charges should never have been issued in the first place, which is exactly why the presidential pardon power exists, to correct fundamental miscarriages of justice that occur within the federal system. Here's an additional and integral detail that aside from me, ironically, only CNN has mentioned.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Derek Chauvin is currently serving concurrent sentences, 22 and a half years on state charges, 21 on federal charges. Under Minnesota's state sentencing structure, inmates typically serve only two-thirds of their sentence behind bars. The remaining one-third is under supervised release.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
That's codified in Minnesota Statute 244.101, which stipulates that for felony offenders sentenced to a fixed executed sentence, the executed sentence consists of two parts. First, a specified minimum term of imprisonment that is equal to two thirds of the executed sentence. And second, a specified maximum supervised release term that is equal to one third of the executed sentence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
That means Chauvin would serve approximately 15 years of his 22 and a half year state sentence in actual confinement. But the federal system operates differently. Federal inmates earn good time credit that reduces sentences at a much lower rate than state systems. According to federal guidelines, prisoners can earn up to 54 days of good time credit per year for good behavior.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
On a 21-year federal sentence like Chauvin's, the maximum reduction would only be about 3.1 years, resulting in approximately 17.9 years of actual incarceration, three years longer than what he'd serve under Minnesota's more lenient system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
I stated that nobody is defending the actions we all witnessed. So it's not as though I was initially a believer in Derek Chauvin's innocence. And then over time, new evidence emerged, a lot of new evidence. And I realized I had done something absolutely wrong. I had rushed to judgment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Additionally, Minnesota recently enacted the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act, which could potentially allow prisoners to be released after serving about half of their sentence rather than two-thirds if they demonstrate good behavior and participate in rehabilitative programs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
While there are questions about Chauvin's eligibility under the specific exclusions of the MRRA, this could potentially reduce his incarceration time to 11.25 years if he qualified. So a federal pardon from President Trump wouldn't just be symbolic. It could potentially reduce Chauvin's actual incarceration by several years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Aside from all of this, he should have, through the appellate process, been granted a new trial due to the prejudicial pretrial publicity, jury intimidation, the trial court's abusive discretion in failing to change venue, which collectively violated his constitutional right to due process and a fair trial.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Before we continue, it's now essential to understand who Derek Chauvin was before that fateful day, because the media has shown absolutely zero interest in presenting a fair portrait of the man they've demonized. We'll get to more on this in a moment. First, you could be saving a fortune every month by switching on over to pure talk. That's right. Pure talk.
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Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
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Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
When you switch to Pure Talk's super low $35 plan this month, you'll get one year of Daily Wire Plus for free. Access the library of DW Plus movies, series, and documentaries, including Lady Ballers, What is a Woman, Mr. Bertram, Run, Hide, Fight, and much, much more. Uncensored ad-free daily shows. One year free of DW Kids platform, Benkei, plus a free Leftist Tears Tumblr.
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Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on-campus, and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal, and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others, that's yours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
As new information was released, the full body camera footage, the complete autopsy findings, the Minneapolis Police Department training materials, my viewpoint changed and it changed dramatically. But for most Americans, their only opinion on the case was formed in the hours after the original tape broke. They didn't know about the new evidence or they didn't care.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. You know there are enough bad higher institutions of education out there in the country. GCU is not one of those. It's great. Go check them out right now. gcu.edu. That's Grand Canyon University. gcu.edu. Derek Chauvin was born and raised in the St. Paul area of Minnesota.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
He attended Park High School in Cottage Grove, a predominantly white suburb where he later lived as an adult. Although he didn't initially complete high school, Chauvin persevered. He obtained his GED, he attended several community colleges, and ultimately he graduated from Minnesota's Metropolitan State University in 2006 with a bachelor's in law enforcement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Chauvin's dedication to service extended beyond law enforcement. He served as a military police officer from 96 to 2000, stationed in Rochester, Minnesota, and Hohenfels, Germany. His career included work as a security guard, as McDonald's cook, before he joined the Minneapolis PD as a community service officer in January 2001, eventually serving 19 years on the force.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Throughout his career, Chauvin received recognition for his service. He was awarded two Medals of Valor, one in 2006, another in 2008, as well as two Medals of Commendation in 2008 and 2009. In 2006, Chauvin was specifically recommended for a Medal of Valor for his role in a shooting incident involving a man who aimed a shotgun at officers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The exact kind of courageous action the media conveniently ignored when they were crafting their narrative about the deeply evil cop. The left wants you to believe that Derek Chauvin was a rogue officer with a history of brutality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
They breathlessly reported that he had 18 complaints over his 19-year career, as if that's some sort of smoking gun proving he was a racist monster waiting to kill somebody. When you actually examine the complaints one by one, what you find is not a pattern of abuse, but rather the normal course of what tends to happen when you're policing high crime areas for nearly two decades.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The third precinct, where Chauvin worked, had dramatically higher complaint rates than other precincts in Minneapolis. It's critical to understand that increase was not due to worsening officer behavior, but rather to changes in the complaint filing process that made it significantly easier for citizens to report perceived misconduct. Further context comes from understanding disciplinary outcomes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
Only about 1.5% of complaints filed against Minneapolis police resulted in suspensions, terminations, or demotions between 2013 and 2019. When including letters of reprimand, that rate rises to just 2.6%. This means the overwhelming majority of complaints were found by the Minneapolis Police Department to be specious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
When we consider all these statistical factors, a department with a civilian review board with 80% more complaints, working in the highest complaint precincts in the city, with an exceptionally low rate of disciplinary findings, a statistically realistic benchmark for an officer in Chauvin's position over 19 years...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
should probably be significantly higher than the national average of 1.8 complaints. Yet the media continues to utilize that last number to distort the national view of Derek Chauvin. So let's go through the complaints chronologically so you can see exactly what we're dealing with here. In 2006, Chauvin was one of six officers who responded to a stabbing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
The legacy media were deeply complicit in this. They didn't cover the details of the autopsy, the details of the complete body camera footage, the defense presentation at trial. They let that original impression sit in the minds of the American people forever. for years, and they did that for a reason.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
A suspect named Wayne Reyes, who had allegedly stabbed his girlfriend and a friend, was shot dead when he pointed a shotgun at officers from his truck. This wasn't an unarmed suspect gunned down in cold blood. This was an armed, dangerous suspect who had already violently attacked two people and was threatening to kill police officers with a shotgun.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
All the officers, including Chauvin, were put on paid leave during the investigation. That's standard protocol. And of course, they were then cleared because they acted appropriately in the face of a deadly threat. In fact, Chauvin later got a Medal of Valor for his response in this incident. The media conveniently admits that Chauvin was commended for this incident.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
They prefer to count it as a complaint without providing the context that would show that he was doing exactly what police officers are actually supposed to do, protect the public from violent criminals. That same year, in 2006, Chauvin and seven other officers were named in a federal lawsuit filed by an inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2160 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 1: The Background
This is the type of frivolous lawsuit that gets filed against police officers all the time. How serious was it? The case was dismissed the following year. The media still counts that as a complaint against Chauvin. Now, the fact the lawsuit was dismissed tells you everything you need to know about its validity. That doesn't stop the media from including it in that running tally of complaints.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Well, folks, it was a very busy President's Day weekend. In the news, we're going to get to all of it. Ongoing negotiations over Ukraine between the United States and Russia in Saudi Arabia. President Trump at the Daytona 500. J.D. Vance giving off some pretty strong, aggressive vibes in Germany. Lots of stuff happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And instead of Europe actually getting its act together, Europe just continued to live on the largesse of the United States. We helped prop up all of their security arrangements. We helped prop up NATO, for example. And meanwhile, they themselves got more and more robust in their stupidity. they decided that they could basically play with house money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And by playing with house money, I mean they could be as left-wing as they wanted to be while knowing that the United States would provide an almost endless security guarantee to them. And so they decided open immigration from radical Islamist countries would be a great idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
They decided to actually pass essentially forms of blasphemy laws in their own country in order to facilitate their idiotic notion that a post-colonialist society ought to be invaded by many of the areas that it had once colonized. They were going to take those policies, put them in place, and there would be no negative side effects. Well, over the weekend, Vice President J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Vance spoke in Munich, and the Europeans were very angry at him. He spoke at the Munich Security Conference. He gave a very important speech. And at the speech, he said, listen, there are some problems in Europe. Those problems include things like China and Russia. But the biggest problem in Europe is that Europe has forgotten what Europe is about. Now, the Europeans don't like being told this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The Europeans like to believe that they are the sophisticates on the block. They like to believe that they are more nuanced and knowledgeable than these brash, annoying Americans. But what J.D. Vance says here is 100% true. He says, you guys decided to let terrorists into your own borders. You guys decided to crack down on free speech. You guys decided to crack down on free market economics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That was your choice. Why should we have to pay for it precisely?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And again, this should be combined in how it's viewed with his speech at the Paris AI Action Summit, where he chided the European Union for being so risk averse that they were basically cracking down on their own ability to innovate in the AI space.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
There's a very good piece of the Wall Street Journal by a person named Dominic Green, who's a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, talking about these speeches. He says, combine those two speeches. You have the classic American one, too. Economic and individual freedoms support each other.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Innovation, competitiveness, and risk-taking are the natural partners of liberty, free speech, and democracy. Europe should be the natural partner of the United States and a key link in the emerging American-led alignment. But Europe is divorced from reality. And this is right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, this has not stopped anybody on the left or in the media from immediately blaming the Trump administration for a plane crash that happened in Canada. which maybe this is the start of our invasion of Canada, actually. This is the inciting event.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And so one of the policies, it seems, of the Trump administration is to force the Europeans to actually own their own policies or to dissociate from their own stupidity of the past. And that stupidity is very, very real. And by the way, there's a threat that that stupidity starts to cross the water.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So, for example, 60 Minutes did an entire piece over the weekend about Germany and about free speech law in Germany, in which German officials openly acknowledge that they will criminally prosecute people for insulting other people in public, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So again, this is not just 60 Minutes interviewing people in Germany about what hate speech looks like in Germany. This is 60 Minutes pushing for this kind of stuff. How do we know? Because this is the overall view of the legacy media. The overall view of the legacy media is that only things legacy media likes being said should actually be said.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Margaret Brennan, who recently off being face-planted by J.D. Vance on the news, she's on CBS News when Face the Nation, and she's interviewing Secretary of State Marco Rubio. And she was chiding J.D. Vance for going to Europe and saying that Europe might want to value free speech a little bit more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Right now, again, in Europe, if you say something insulting about Islam in Britain, you might go to jail for as long as some of the people engaged in trafficking of young white girls in Rotherham. Depends on what kind of prosecutor you get from the Crown Prosecution Service in Great Britain. But here's Margaret Brennan saying that the real problem is this whole free speech thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But in any case, here was NBC News trying to blame Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Doge for a plane crash in which it is pretty obvious that the pilot screwed something up here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Okay, and by the way, there actually was not a lot of free speech prior to Nazi Germany. The Weimar Republic actually had many, many laws on the books that restricted speech. In fact, Hitler ended up spending some time in jail not because of his speech, but because he tried to lead a revolt. And then afterward, he wasn't allowed to speak for several years publicly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Goebbels was actually forced to not speak publicly. There were like 40 lawsuits against Joseph Goebbels, who was the publicist for Adolf Hitler. In fact, hate speech laws in Weimar Germany did not prevent the rise of the Nazis. In many ways, they actually facilitated the rise of the Nazis because people felt like, hey, maybe they have something to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Maybe these people are being silenced because they have something to say. Sort of normal human tendency to buck against censorship by trying to suggest that there is something to the thing that the person is trying to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But again, this is all about this sort of left-wing perspective that you can shut down opinions you don't like and this will magically protect you from the impact of those opinions. So what J.D. Vance was saying in Europe is, guys, you've given up the thing that made you Europe in the first place. I will say I took some personal enjoyment in J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Vance just slamming the door on the fingers of Mehdi Hassan. Mehdi Hassan, of course, is the front man for very often Qatari opinions. He tweeted out, quote, Hey, J.D. Vance, I know you're busy lecturing the Europeans on free speech, but have you seen this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He was referring to President Trump's decision to limit AP reporters' access to White House press briefings because they refused to use Gulf of America. And J.D. Vance wrote back, Yes, dummy. The thing about J.D. is that J.D. is an online troll, so J.D. definitely uses the online troll language. Yes, dummy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
I think there's a difference between not giving a reporter a seat in the White House press briefing room and jailing people for dissenting views. The latter is a threat to free speech. The former is not. Hope that helps. So, again, J.D., very good at this. But all of this is part and parcel of a much broader attempt by the United States to force the Europeans to stand up on their own two feet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And that is taking particular front row when it comes to Ukraine. Well, Europe, they don't have American values, but you should have American values. Most American universities are no longer teaching those, but there is one that is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, believes we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. GCU believes in equal opportunity and that the American dream starts with purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
GCU equips you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and create a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come by honoring your career calling you impact your family, your friends, and your community. Change the world for good by putting others before yourself to glorify God.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on-campus, and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal, and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others, that's yours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. I've been to their campus. It's a beautiful place. Terrific faculty. Excellent student body. Go check them out right now. Grand Canyon University. Visit them at gcu.edu. Again, that's gcu.edu for Grand Canyon University. Also...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
When you're covering breaking news and political developments the way I do, you can't always stick to a normal nine to five schedule. Stories break at all hours. Having the flexibility to manage my time effectively isn't just a luxury. It's essential for delivering the news people need to hear. That's why I appreciate tools that let me handle business tasks on my own schedule, not someone else's.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Plus, if you sell products online, Stamps.com seamlessly connects with every major marketplace and shopping cart. And here's what makes it even better. Stamps.com Rate Advisor takes all the guesswork out of shipping costs. It automatically calculates the best shipping rates and shows you options you're not going to find anywhere else, including up to 88% off USPS and UPS services.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
All you need is a computer and printer. They'll even send you a free scale to get started. Have more flexibility in your life with Stamps.com. Sign up at Stamps.com. Use code Shapiro for a special offer that includes a four-week trial plus free postage and free digital scale. No long-term commitments, no contracts. Just go to Stamps.com. Code Shapiro again. That's Stamps.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Code Shapiro for that special offer, including a four-week trial plus free postage and free digital scale. So when it comes to Ukraine, Ukraine, you may have noticed on a map, is very, very close to the rest of Europe. In fact, Ukraine is right in the middle of Europe, just spatially speaking. Ukraine borders a number of European countries, including Hungary, Poland, and Romania, among others.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And it turns out that the Europeans, while they've increased their defense spending, have been rather hesitant to actually take further actions. They want the United States to foot the bill. And the Trump administration has been saying to the Europeans, listen, we're tired of footing the bill. This is on your continent. Why don't you take a leading role here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And if you want to take a leading role in the negotiations, perhaps you should step up to the table and increase your defense spending. Perhaps you should make the kinds of moves that might lead people to take you seriously when you guarantee, for example, Ukrainian security. Why is it that the United States always gets dragged in to your domestic squabbles? Why is that precisely?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, again, this is not a case that the United States should leave Ukraine to the predations of Vladimir Putin. It is a case that cuddling the Europeans to actually, you know, do what they're supposed to do is not a stupid tactic. In fact, it is very often a smart tactic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So top diplomats, according to the Associated Press from Russia and the United States, met Tuesday in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving ties and negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine. talks that reflected a major and rapid change in American foreign policy under President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting, which came as the beleaguered country is slowly but steadily losing ground against more numerous Russian troops in a grinding war that began nearly three years ago. President Zelensky has said his country will not accept any outcome from this week's talks if Kyiv doesn't take part.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
European allies have also expressed concerns that they are being sidelined as well. According to Secretary of State Rubio, he said the two sides agreed to pursue three goals, quote, to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, to create a high-level team to support Ukrainian peace talks, and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So what is this really about? So if you just read this on the surface, maybe this is about the United States cutting Ukraine out of the loop. Or perhaps what the United States is doing here is what the United States might have had to do all along, which is make a deal that they then cram down on Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Because remember, Vladimir Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, can't go back to his own people and say, I gave up Donbass and Crimea. Hundreds of thousands of people are dead, and I gave up Donbass and Crimea. He has to make the case to his people that they're going to win back these areas that pretty much everybody, including the Biden administration, recognized they were not going to win back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And so the idea of the United States cramming down the deal and playing bad guy in this particular scenario might actually be an off-ramp for Zelensky. Because both sides need an off-ramp here. Putin needs an off-ramp that allows him to go back to his people and say that they won something for this enormous cost.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And Zelensky needs an off-ramp so that he can say to his people, listen, I didn't want to go along with the deal. The deal was forced upon me. I've been saying this for literally three years. For three years, I've been saying this. Meanwhile, This is also a way of forcing the Europeans to the table. They say we want a slot and the United States is saying, fine, you want to come to the table?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
There is zero evidence that had anything to do with the FAA or firings at the FAA or anything remotely like that. In fact, a CNN safety analyst named David Susi admitted as much, said, yeah, we've had a bunch of plane incidents lately, but there's not really one factor tying them together or anything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Why don't you bring a purse? Seriously, you want to come to the table? What is it that makes you valuable in this conversation? According to the Associated Press, the recent U.S. diplomatic blitz on the war has sent Ukraine and key allies scrambling to ensure a seat at the table amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could press ahead with a deal that won't be favorable to them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Kiev's absence at Tuesday's talks has rankled many Ukrainians. France called an emergency meeting of EU countries and the UK on Monday to discuss the war. And again, forcing the EU to actually come together to prove that they ought to be part of the conversation is not a terrible idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
We begin today with the latest on this insane situation up in Toronto where a Delta plane landed and then flipped over onto its roof. Here's a video that is just breaking as of this morning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Again, there's this attempt to sort of play it as though what the United States is doing is cutting some sort of soft deal for Putin. But this is also one way of getting the Europeans to actually step up and do what they are supposed to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
According to the Wall Street Journal, the idea that the fate of Europe might be decided without direct European participation has alarmed the continent's capitals. European governments weaned their economies off Russian fuel exports and poured billions of military aid into Ukraine as part of the war effort they regard as crucial to the region's security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, the snub from Washington has raised pressure on Emmanuel Macron of France, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and other leaders to define how they plan to contribute to any peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
In recent days, the Trump administration has asked European governments to fill out a questionnaire clarifying whether they are willing to send troops into Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force and what other capabilities they can provide as part of a security guarantee for Ukraine. The leaders must also discuss how to increase European military spending and fund longer-term assistance for Kiev.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And again, all of this makes perfect sense. Saying to the Europeans, listen, you want a slot at the table, you don't get to free ride anymore. It doesn't get to be like the UN, where France has a seat on the Security Council without doing anything for collective security. If you want part of this conversation, you should have some skin in the game.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
After Monday's meeting, NATO Secretary General Mark Rudy said Europe was, quote, ready and willing to provide security guarantees to Ukraine and to invest a lot more in our security. Now, with that said, it is also true that Poland has said they don't want to actually put their own people on the ground as a security guarantee for Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So we're going to find out very quickly who's willing to put their money where their mouth is. Meanwhile, President Trump is putting severe pressure on the Europeans to step in. How? Well, apparently, he has now made a very controversial demand, this is according to the UK Telegraph, a demand for $500 billion in payback from Ukraine. Essentially,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The Telegraph obtained a draft of the pre-decisional contract marked privileged and confidential dated February 7th, 2025. It says the U.S. and Ukraine should form a joint investment fund to ensure hostile parties to the conflict do not benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The agreement covers the economic value associated with resources of Ukraine, including mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, and other infrastructure as agreed. The U.S. would take 50% of recurring revenues received by Ukraine from extraction of resources, 50% of the financial value of all new licenses issued to third parties for the future monetization of resources.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
There would be a lien on such revenues in favor of the United States. It says, for all future licenses, the U.S. will have a right of first refusal for purchase of exportable minerals. So basically, the United States is saying, listen, you want us to support you? What you need back is you need to give us a giant chunk of your future revenues, essentially.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, the United States cumulatively has given about 120 billion euros in aid. So this is much larger than the amount that the United States has actually put in. However, one of the things the United States is saying is if you drag us into an economic relationship here, if we go into an economic relationship, it better be worth our while because essentially it's a security relationship.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And once the United States is tied in terms of economics to rare earths minerals coming from Ukraine, well, we're going to have a pretty good incentive to actually come to the defense of Ukraine if Russia gets in. So are the Europeans going to offer you a better deal? And if the Europeans are willing to offer you a better deal, great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That means the United States is not on the hook for nearly as much. This is the game, I think, that the Trump administration is playing. It's not a game where the United States abandons Ukraine. It's not even a game where the United States impoverishes Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
This is all a negotiating tactic to get the Europeans to step up and do the thing they always should have done, which is take the lead on all of this, rather than simply waiting for the United States to do the dirty work as they have been doing since essentially 1945. Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, was asked what the process is moving forward. Here he was explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
OK, so we'll find out where exactly this goes. Meanwhile, President Zelensky is attempting to butter up President Trump. He says, listen, I trust President Trump. Obviously, he was voted in. He's the person we're dealing with.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
By the way, meanwhile, the United States in our own hemisphere is getting significantly more aggressive. In just a moment, we're going to get to that. We're going to get to Elon Musk's latest child and the controversy surrounding all of that. First, if you were with us for election night or the inauguration, you already know the Daily Wire doesn't just show up. We take over now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
We are headed back to Washington, D.C. to do just that at CPAC. Join me along with Matt Walsh, Michael Moles, Andrew Klavan, and Jeremy Boring all on stage live Thursday night, February 20th. No scripted talking points, no corporate approved narratives, just real conversations that actually matter streaming live on Daily Wire Plus. And we are taking your questions as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Don't just watch CPAC, be a part of it. live Thursday night, February 20th on Daily Wire Plus. Joining me on the line is Senator Tom Cotton. He is, of course, Senator from Arkansas and best-selling author of Sacred Duty and Only the Strong. He has a brand new book out titled Seven Things You Can't Say About China. It is out today, available everywhere. Books are sold.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Senator Cotton, thanks so much for the time. Thank you, Ben. So let's talk about the situation with China right now. Despite the fact there's been a ton of talk about China, it still seems as though we are actually underestimating what China is doing in the world. There's almost this sort of soft belief that China isn't going to take aggressive action against Taiwan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
They won't do anything that really damages world trade in the South China Sea. There's even a sense by some on the right that if we sort of abandon the world in terms of foreign policy, that China won't attempt to fill the gap. First of all, what is China's strategic vision? What are they attempting to do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So Senator Cotton, let's talk about Taiwan because obviously that's a hot-button issue. They have projected power certainly across the Taiwan Strait, which is incredibly narrow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The big issue with Taiwan, not just in terms of the fact that it's a democratic country that essentially constitutes its own polity, but also TSMC, which is the world's leading manufacturer of superconductors, sophisticated superconductors, microchips – is located there. If that were to be taken by China, it would be a serious danger to the world economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
How seriously should we take what China is attempting to do with Taiwan? What is their goal? Are you more worried about an invasion or a blockade?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Senator Cotton, one of the things that you say in the book is that China could actually win. And I know there's been a lot of skepticism. I'm one of the skeptics of China's sort of generalized ability to project power. I look at their demographics. Their demographics are upside down. I look at their economy. It's incredibly debt-laden.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
They've been building empty cities to the loss of billions and trillions of dollars for years now. So for people like me, who are skeptical that China is as powerful as it sort of seems on the world stage. What's the case that China could actually win? How would they achieve victory? Or would it mainly be that they just burn everything down and what happens next? You know, who knows?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, the way that the media are attempting to spin this as a problem with Elon Musk or Doge, the reason they're doing this is – and this is going to be the approach for the next several years – is that every time there is an incident, it is going to be tied to some sort of broader spate of cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Senator Cotton, one of the things that actually kind of meets between what you're talking about, what I'm talking about, is it could be that they feel like their window is closing. So even if they are weaker than popularly perceived, that weakness could in fact be a spur to action.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Because if the idea is that their window is closing, they need to move fast, their demographics are upside down, their economy is going to collapse, then that does give them added incentive to get incredibly aggressive right now because the situation is going to be better for them three years from now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It's going to be difficult to link the incident to the cuts, but that's going to have to be the argument because in reality, when bad things happen, somebody has failed. And that somebody is usually a person who's there, not a person who's not there. So it is much harder generally to blame something on, quote unquote, understaffing than on the people who are there failing to do their jobs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So Senator Cotton, it's not just that China is a threat externally. China also has obviously been infiltrating our government. They have been stealing our IP. And of course, they've been deploying apps like TikTok to infiltrate the minds of our children. Maybe you can talk a little about the sort of domestic threat of China inside the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So Senator Cotton, given the threats, what are the best ways for the United States to counter those threats, particularly militarily? I mean, when we talk about being able to deter China from taking Taiwan, what sort of projective power do we have that's capable of deterring that sort of action? How well armed is Taiwan? What are the steps we need to take there?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And what sort of steps ought we be taking domestically in order to prevent Chinese influence operations?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It's not as though there's nobody at the controls of this plane, for example. But that is going to be the case that the left makes. In any case, thank God everybody is alive. We'll find out how injured everybody was, I'm sure, as time goes on. Meanwhile, one of the big controversies of the weekend. was Bill Burr. So I've spoken about Bill Burr on the program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That's Senator Tom Cotton, his new book, Seven Things You Can't Say About China. Senator Cotton, really appreciate the time. The book is a must read. And thanks so much for your efforts on behalf of its cause. Thank you, Ben. Meanwhile, the United States is taking a much harsher look at Mexico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Apparently, according to the Washington Post, the CIA is poised to take a larger, more aggressive role under President Trump in the battle against the Mexican-based drug cartels, devising and evaluating plans to share more intelligence with regional governments, train local counter-narcotics units, and possibly conduct covert actions, according to people familiar with the matter. Which, um, yes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Yes, I mean, there are like 100,000 Americans who are dying every year from fentanyl poisoning. So yes, it makes sense to maybe go after the drug cartels that have been single-handedly responsible for the death of those American citizens. By the way, illegal immigration is down to some of the lowest levels ever recorded.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
We are down to less than 200 border encounters a day across the entire southwestern border of the United States. That's crazy. These numbers are insanely low. Why? Because everybody understands. If you come right now, you're getting turned away. Or you're going to end up being arrested and deported. I mean, that's what's going to happen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
According to the Washington Post, the expanded focus on cartels represents a new and potentially risky priority for the spy agency, which in recent years has made espionage against China, counterterrorism operations in the Middle East and Africa, and support for Ukraine its main concerns. Why is that risky? Presumably. I mean, it seems like that's actually the thing that the CIA should be doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The emphasis will be on increased U.S. support to anti-drug forces within Mexico and elsewhere inside the hemisphere. And again, this makes perfect sense. This is our southwestern border. The attempt to pretend that that didn't exist for years got a lot of Americans killed. So good for the administration for taking that seriously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And as I've said before, Bill Burr has completely lost the thread. Absolutely lost the thread. So Bill Burr has decided as a very rich individual who makes money by saying funny things sometimes. And again, this is coming from somebody who really enjoyed, for example, his Red Rock special. I think that he's done some really funny stuff in the past.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Speaking of taking important things seriously, apparently, according to Breitbart, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that he has already picked investigators who will look into the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. He says, I don't have a timeframe on it. I don't want to wait any longer, but I always want to get it right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So there will be a full investigation now into the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Presumably, some people are going to lose their jobs for the decision-making process all along the way. And all of that is, of course, quite good. Meanwhile, Doge continues to make significant inroads into the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
According to the Washington Post, the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration left her job this weekend after a clash with Elon Musk's U.S. Doge service over its attempts to access sensitive government records, three people familiar with her departure said on Monday. Michelle King, who spent a bunch of decades at the agency, left her position Sunday after the disagreement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, again, this bizarre idea that Elon Musk is like combing through individual data because he's desperate to see your credit card is just silly. Or your social security number. It's really, really dumb. The White House has now nominated a person named Frank Bisignio to lead the Social Security Administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
In the meantime, the agency will be led by a career social security anti-fraud expert as the acting commissioner. Martin O'Malley, the Social Security Commissioner under the Biden administration and former Maryland governor, obviously longtime Democrat, said at this rate, they will break it and they will break it fast. There'll be an interruption of benefits.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That is the last thing that's going to happen here. Doge is not going to interrupt Social Security benefits of all Republican administrations. This administration understands. Do not touch the entitlement third rail. Do not do it. Meanwhile, Doge is seeking access to IRS systems, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
An agreement with the IRS could give the team access to the integrated data retrieval system. That system allows anyone with access the ability to have instantaneous visual access to certain taxpayer accounts. Democrats are warning about the risks to taxpayers if Doge is allowed to access those sensitive taxpayer information without legal guardrails. I have a question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Didn't you guys leak Donald Trump's tax returns? I noticed. I'm sorry. All this craziness about how Doge is going to invade privacy after the massive invasions of privacy that took place under the Biden administration, they ring rather hollow. Okay, so, so many important things happening. So many important things happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And I think that it is very important, as I said earlier, for the Trump team to continue to be successful. And they are doing so many things that are necessary, delving into the waste, fraud, and abuse of government agencies, finding improper payments, finding that thousands of people who are dead still receiving Social Security benefits, digging up USAID fraud and mismanagement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
telling the Europeans where to get off and how to restructure. These are all deeply important things. Looking at peace in the Middle East. Okay, so what that means is no distractions. No distractions. Distractions are the killer here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Getting involved, getting high in your own supply to the point where you do things that end up clawing away your popularity rating in very kind of slow but telling ways, that is not what you want to be doing here. Politics... as I was saying to one of the producers earlier, politics is like a marriage. The public marries the politician.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And then he decided that he was going to go not just woke, but the wokest of the woke on everything from race to economics. So... On his Monday morning podcast, he decided that he was going to sound off about billionaires again. Now, again, this is not his first rodeo on this particular topic. We talked about this a few weeks ago.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And like a marriage, marriages go bad over a course of time and then all at once. So if you ever meet a couple that gets divorced, even before they get divorced, they're kind of picking at each other and they're going to pick at each other and they kind of say nasty things. They're kind of small and you're like, ah, that's not, it's not great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But you know, maybe they, maybe they'll just let it go. And then something big happens and all at once, the bottom just falls out because all of the systemic supports for the marriage have already been ground away. And all of the, all of the stability, stability, has been removed from the situation. And all it takes is some sort of big fail for the entire system to collapse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It's like that with public approval and presidents as well. Joe Biden, he had an approval rating that was high 50s, mid to high 50s when he took office. He then proceeded to do an awful lot of things that people didn't like. He did these vast spending programs. He started to put equity in all of his programming. He started appointing people who were incompetent to positions of high office.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He was pushing for the transing of the kids. And all this had sort of an incremental effect on his popularity rating. If you take a look at his popularity rating, it kind of hovered in the high. And then it started to decline. Then it was in the low 50s and it was hovering right around 50. And then the Afghanistan debacle on the bottom falls out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He spends the rest of his presidency at 40 percent in the approval ratings. OK, why? Because all of those kind of small things that weren't so small, as it turns out, just like a divorce couple, all those things that people think that they've forgotten and dismissed, they all end up in the divorce papers when the big thing happens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So every president encounters a big thing, a big bad thing that happens during their presidency, during President Trump's first term. Obviously, that was both the BLM riots and COVID. Those are huge things that happened in 2020. And the bottom sort of dropped out of the presidency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And all of the other things that have been niggling and annoying and everything from the false, fake nonsense of Russiagate to the dumb tweets, all that sort of stuff came back to haunts, right? And the bottom went out. That's the stuff you want to avoid. You want to avoid that stuff because those are unforced errors. In tennis, it's an unforced error. You weren't forced to do the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
You just decided that you wanted to go for a risky play and you did the thing. I bring this up because there are some indicators that these sorts of things are being put out there and it's a warning sign. It shouldn't be done because we need Trump. The alternative is so bad. The alternative is Bill Burr on economics and Trevor Noah on race. And Randy Weingarten on gender.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
I mean, these are these are the alternatives. And everybody on the right who's very confident that the country will never swing the other way, that sort of confidence never pans out. Democrats have been confident before and they got hit with Trump twice. Republicans, I remember, were very confident after 2004. And by 2006, Democrats had taken over Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He suggested that Luigi Mangione, who is the shooter of Brian Thompson, who is the head of UnitedHealthcare, he's the CEO over there, the murderer of that guy on the street, Bill Burr had suggested that he basically had it coming because he ran a health insurance company. Well, now Bill Burr has expanded his critique out to all billionaires. Apparently, according to Bill Burr,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Okay, so when President Trump, for example, tweets out things like, quote, he who saves his country does not violate any law. I understand he's trolling. I understand. The phrase was apocryphally attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte. This is a dumb thing to tweet. It just is. There's no reason to tweet that. Because, again, it's not true. He who saves his country does not violate any law.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Well, who defines saving the country and in what way? The whole purpose of the rule of law is that it's supposed to apply equally to everybody. And I understand that as always, and this is the consistent theme of President Trump, Trump 1 and Trump 2, he is almost always the coroner and never the murderer, meaning he comes upon the body of American democracy and he says that this body is dead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And then everyone blames him for having killed American democracy. That's not right. Now, Trump is using executive authority in vast ways. Why? Because those executive authorities had already been established. He came upon them and he said, hey, look, giant executive authorities here. I can use these things. Okay, this attitude, he who saves the country does not violate any law.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That was precisely the attitude of Barack Obama. It was precisely the attitude of Joe Biden as well. So he's not saying anything the Democrats haven't already said, but it's the kind of statement that comes back to bite you if, for example, the economy takes a tank, right? That is a problem. Why waste – really, why waste any level of sort of public scrutiny on that sort of stuff?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Why, for example, deploy people to Romania to lift travel restrictions on Andrew Tate, who is an admitted pornographer and alleged pimp? What exactly is the purpose of that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
According to the Financial Times, the Trump administration is urging Romanian authorities to lift travel restrictions on Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate as they await trial on charges, including human trafficking, sexual misconduct and money laundering. He's currently under house arrest in Romania. Now, is there an accusation that his rights as an American are being abused?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Is that the accusation? If so, what's the substantiation? And sure, he's a dual citizen, although I will say that he's a dual citizen who is currently – UK and US – who is currently seeking, by the way, to run for political office in the UK. So I'm not sure why this is, you know, like top priority for America. He also happens to be a complete –
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Derelict of a human being, Andrew Tate, the kind of person who tweeted out over the weekend that if you only have children by one woman, then you are not a conqueror. Quote, if all your children come from one woman, you're not a conqueror.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
I understand this kind of like pseudo macho nonsense from a complete grifter and con man like Andrew Tate has some level of popularity and it's found some level of popularity in circles surrounding President Trump, apparently. Rick Grinnell, who again, I like Rick generally, but he came out and he said, I support the tape. What do you think most Americans do? Really?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Like, is this something you wish to expend political capital on truly? Or is it a principled stand about the abuse of power by the Romanian government? And if so, can you substantiate that? Same thing with Eric Adams. So Eric Adams, mayor of New York, and he was put under indictment for apparently taking bribes from Turkey.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Simply earning a lot of money in the United States or anywhere else means that you should be murdered. This means that Bill Burr is both a moral and an economic idiot. This is not actually how economics works. The way that you become a billionaire in a free market capitalist system is by generating new goods, products, and services at a price enough affordable that people want to get it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Eric Adams then attempted to turn that into a referendum on his illegal immigration policy. He sort of changed after the indictment came down to suggest that it was because he was being harsh on illegal immigration in New York City that he was being targeted. That was for political purposes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The reality, of course, is that a year prior to his shift on illegal immigration, the investigation started into his sort of penny anti-crimes with regard to Turkey, his alleged penny anti-crimes with regard to Turkey. OK, so the Trump administration dismissed his case, the DOJ. Now, the problem with that, you want to dismiss it, fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
You want to dismiss it and say that it was a political prosecution. I'm not sure that I see the evidence for that. I also don't think that the case itself was a big deal in the first place. As Andrew McCarthy over at National Review says, I wasn't blown away by the case against Adams. That's mainly because Adams appears to be a bumbling small timer and often incoherent loose cannon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But one of the things that they are doing here is they are dismissing without prejudice. If you're going to dismiss the case and say that it's a corrupt political case, then you really should dismiss with prejudice. With prejudice means you can't bring the case back. That's what that means.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
If you're saying the case could be brought back, the suggestion seems to be that if he goes the wrong way politically, then maybe the case comes back. That's the accusation that Democrats are making. Now, even if that accusation is false – Even if the accusation is not true, why allow that accusation to live out there just to what? Dismiss the case without prejudice?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Dismiss it with prejudice if you're going to do it. Doesn't make any sense. Maybe the goal here is political in the sense that it puts pressure on Kathy Hochul to get rid of Eric Adams because she has the ability to do that as the governor of New York. Maybe the idea is to pressure Eric Adams politically. Either way, that's not stuff the DOJ should be doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The DOJ should only be dismissing cases if they believe that the case is, in fact, political. And if it's political and based in reality, you should dismiss it with prejudice. Again, the DOJ assessed that the main justice had not even assessed the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which it was based. Is this something that the Trump administration should be distracting itself with?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
On a practical level, put aside the moral for a second. On a practical level, is this something that they should be spending time on or effort on? It seems to me the answer is no. And again, these are the kinds of little things that don't matter in the moment. But are they going to be brought up again? You're not going to have heard the last of these.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Political scandals and accusations don't just die. They go underground until they're brought out. Once the sort of popularity rating has been eaten away enough, you can break the now hollowed out shell. That is the thing that I am concerned about here. Okay, meanwhile, other scandals broke over the weekend. So, the big sort of buzzy scandal of the weekend is that Elon Musk has another baby.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Alright, well, you know, it's another weekend, another Elon Musk baby. Elon has now 13 children by a wide variety of other women. And It's not as though he's hiding the ball here. Elon has been doing this with many women for a long time. He's artificially inseminated, I believe. The former CEO or currency of Neuralink.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He has a bunch of kids by a bunch of different baby mamas, ranging from Grimes to his first wife. Apparently, he has a new baby mama. Her name is Ashley Sinclair. She is an online conservative influencer. According to the UK Daily Mail, she went public about their child over the weekend. Why? Well, because he ghosted her on Valentine's Day, according to her acquaintances.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So she put Musk on blast on Friday. She publicly posted at him on X, saying she'd been trying to communicate for the past several days and you have not responded. While ghosting Sinclair, Musk was pictured on Thursday with another woman, mother of his three children, Siobhan Zillis, who he brought with their offspring to a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That is it. That is how you make a lot of money. Back in the old days of feudalism, the way that you made a lot of money is by robbing poor people and taking all their stuff. And you had to do that to a lot of poor people because they didn't have a lot of stuff. And it turns out the people in those days who were rich actually weren't all that rich by modern standards.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Sinclair told the world she had Musk's baby in a shock post the following day on the evening of Valentine's Day, claiming she'd been forced to reveal her secrets due to tabloid media probing her personal life. But an acquaintance says that the real reason that she came for, she has another kid, by the way, with another person, was a disagreement with the billionaire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Trump activist Kylie Kramer posted on X, quote, seems like she wasn't getting what she wanted, was emotional and hurt on Valentine's Day, decided to parade her crazy on the front porch, thinking people would be sympathetic to her as a victim of a powerful, wealthy man. Well, that seems not particularly good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Sinclair's spokesperson named Brian Glitglitch released a statement over the weekend saying Sinclair and Musk have, quote, been privately working toward the creation of an agreement about raising their child for some time. And he rubbished those claims as ridiculous and wrong. Her statement, Ashley Sinclair's, was, quote, five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
You can see this plane is completely on its roof.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Elon Musk is the father. I have not previously disclosed this to protect our child's privacy and safety. In recent days, it has become clear tabloid media intends to do so regardless of the harm it will cause. I intend to allow our child to grow in a normal and safe environment. For that reason, I ask that the media honor our child's privacy and refrain from invasive reporting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And then the plot thickened because Milo Yiannopoulos, who is a muckraker extraordinaire, shall we say, he dug up a tweet from Ashley Sinclair. It was then replied to a person named Greg Price, who said, he's got a kid with a woman already, seems unlikely to work out. And she wrote back, well, he actually has seven kids and goes through women pretty fast.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So that's what turned into this bizarre online conversation. She was apparently receiving a $15,000 a month apartment that she clearly was affording, presumably because Elon was paying for it. And she also apparently over the weekend had been doing a photo shoot, I believe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So she invited the New York Post into her house the next day to do a full spread, which is typically not what you do when you are attempting to avoid all sorts of public scrutiny. So how do we analyze all of this? Well... Let us begin with this. No one in this situation is a victim other than the child. First of all, it is always good when a child is born. Children are good. We'll start with that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
They didn't have any modern conveniences. There was no innovation or anything like that. Okay, but billionaires of today, generally speaking, are billionaires because they created something that's awesome for everybody. But Bill Burr obviously doesn't understand economics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So I saw a lot of online influencers congratulating Ashley Sinclair and Elon on the kid. Fine. Fine. Whenever a kid is born, that is a good thing. Better that a kid is born than that a kid is not born. That's good. Also, everyone else in this situation is acting badly and no one is a victim. How about that? It is bad to impregnate women
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
to whom you are not married, because it is bad for the child not to grow up with a father and a mother in the home. Period. My principles have not changed on this, ever. It turns out traditional conservative principles on this, super clear and have been for several thousand years at this point. Man, woman, child. That's the thing that you want.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Anything that gets in the way of that is bad for the child. So when a man has a child with a woman and is not there living in the house with mother, does not love mother, mother and dad do not love each other. They do not take care of the kids together. That is bad for the child. This is all very simple stuff, but I feel like it's bizarre that people apparently need to be reminded of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But yeah, that's actually the way that, you know, those of us who have been part of the biblical virtue system have been on board with this for like a super duper long time. I feel like the fact that I even have to say this demonstrates the sickness at the root of many of the things in our society. But it's not great when Antonio Cromartie has a thousand kids by a billion different women.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And even if a person I like does it, it's still not great. Okay, so there's that. So principle number one, children, good. Principle number two, the best situation for a child is mom and dad are married. And now, is anyone a victim here? The answer here is no. Presumably Elon, when he was sleeping with Ashley Sinclair, knew that she was not on birth control.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
In fact, there are some indicators that he knew that she was not on birth control and he was paying her bills. So obviously he doesn't feel like he was taken for some sort of long rift here or something. So Elon apparently went in knowing full well what the situation was, and that's on Elon. He's not a victim. Ashley Sinclair is not a victim either.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Anyone trying to portray her as a victim, I'm sorry, that's nonsense. She's a grown-ass woman. She's a grown-ass woman who knew exactly who Elon Musk was. She knows he's the richest man on Earth. He is in his 50s. She is in her 20s. This did not appear to be a love match that was likely to end in marriage, folks. That is not Elon's way. OK, so she knew this is a caveat emptor situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He doesn't understand morality either, because his suggestion is that if you, apparently, if you are worth $999 million, you're good to go. If you make a billion dollars, you should be murdered on the streets, according to Bill Burr.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
He's not a victim. You know what he was getting in for. And she is not a victim either. And her attempt to portray herself as some sort of victim in this scenario is ridiculous on its face. It's silly on its face. Like you are not a victim.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
You literally went and slept with a man who is twice your age and extraordinarily wealthy and took an apartment from him worth tens of thousands of dollars a month. And now you're acting as though you are some sort of victim in this situation. Again, the only victim in the situation is a child who is going to be deprived of a father in the home. That is the actual victim in this situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It is much better for a child to be with a mother and a father. It is quite frustrating, frankly, that we even have to have these sorts of conversations. It's bizarre to me that we now live in such a post-morality era that saying the perfectly obvious, is somehow considered controversial or an insult to the people involved. But she's not a victim. He's not a victim. Kids deserve mom and dad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
That's all. That's all. And her going public, I got to say, not in love with it. Like it's, what is the purpose? What is good for the child? See, this is my only standard here. Now what's good for her? Now what's good for Elon? What's good for the baby? What's good for the baby?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It's kind of bizarre to put out an entire statement to the world, have reporters over to your home and then be like, yeah, man, I just want to keep private. She's arguing that, you know. that she had to release it preemptively because the tabloids were after. Okay, fine. If that's the case, that's also a bit of a different story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Although, again, welcoming tabloids into your home doesn't tend to add credibility to that particular allegation. But let's assume that's true. Let's assume that, you know, it's still an amazing thing to do. Be quiet. You could still do that, actually, it turns out. You could still say nothing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And then it would be on the tabloids because you know how all of us, you know how I would react if the tabloids did that? Not by bashing you. I would then react by bashing the tabloids because I would say that's between mommy and daddy. But you kind of lose my sympathy when you announce to the world and then start subtweeting Elon directly and he's tweeting you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And again, imagine this kid is 10 years old reading these exchanges, which is what's going to happen. There's a kid in the picture. Once the kid is in the picture, I no longer care about your wants, needs, or desires.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
If you didn't want the world to know about it, you know it's an amazing way for the world not to know about it, to not talk about it on Twitter while actually tweeting the father of your child and then inviting reporters to your home for a photo shoot. Now, listen, maybe she's having emotional issues. Whatever. And if that's the case, I hope she gets the help that she requires.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But it is amazing to me that we'll have conversations about her and we'll have conversations about him. And no one seems to have conversations about what is good for the kid. which to me is like the main issue here and maybe the only issue here, because once you're an adult, whatever happens next is on you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Meanwhile, over the weekend, SNL did its 50th anniversary tribute, and there was one moment that seemed to stand out. That was a moment where Tina Fey and Amy Poehler called out Ryan Reynolds in the audience. And it was a little awkward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
This is supposed to be a joke about Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively now being widely derided as not particularly good or nice people because they, of course, have been attacking Justin Baldoni. They accused him of sexual harassment. She had basically attempted to take over his film and rewrite the script. And she brought Taylor Swift in as support and Ryan Reynolds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And they tried to bully Justin Baldoni. And then Justin Baldoni basically ended up as a character apparently in the new Deadpool movie. And so now Ryan Reynolds is going to try and joke his way out of it. And it didn't go over amazing. The audience that's seated around Ryan Reynolds looks awkward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Particularly keep your eye on Kevin Costner who kind of looks like he wants to crawl through the floor during this one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Some people in the background are not looking happy. Okay, so, you know, joking about how you and your wife essentially tried to leverage a director By accusing him of sexual harassment is not amazing. It's not an amazing look. I think it's going to do serious career damage to Ryan Reynolds. And by the evidence, it probably should.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
If the entire shtick of Ryan Reynolds is garrulous, fun-loving, nice guy, what's his reputation after all of this? Seriously, what is the reputation after you and your wife basically...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
attempt together to take over a movie where she was simply hired as an actress and then put together a spate of allegedly defamatory accusations against that same guy because you didn't like the publicity that was being spread about you. What does that say about you? And Ryan Reynolds, his entire brand is rooted in this sort of fun-loving dude that you'd want to have a beer with.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But what if that fun-loving dude is actually just acting as a tool of his wife as she attempts to take over random movies in which she appears, even though she's really not that big of a star? And SNL trying to sort of whitewash Ryan Reynolds with that joke is not a particularly good look. That wasn't the only not amazing look on SNL this weekend. So SNL did an episode of Black Jeopardy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
This was a very funny sketch when it first appeared, Black Jeopardy on SNL. And this version, they had Tom Hanks appear as a white contestant on Black Jeopardy. wearing a MAGA hat. And the implication seemed to be that he's kind of a racist. So here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So that was a joke that didn't play at all. So, again, he's playing Doug sporting a mag I had. That's Tom Hanks. And apparently they had a bunch of shared sentiments about distrust of government and other issues, but then was thrown by having to shake the hand of a black man. So there are two ways to read that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And one way to read that would be to suggest that Tom Hanks is playing the MAGA guy as a like overt racist who doesn't want to shake the hand of a black man. The other way to read that is maybe as a joke about his sort of perception of black criminality, which is still calling him kind of racist, but not quite as sort of Terrible, I guess. Either way, not a good joke.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And some people were offended by it. Again, Hollywood basically insulting the MAGA supporters is not a great look. But, you know, to be fair, that's a pretty mild jab. I think people may be overreacting to that particular one. Honestly, the Ryan Reynolds thing is way worse. The Ryan Reynolds thing, like bringing out Ryan Reynolds to joke about an ongoing controversy with Justin Baldoni.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Like, where's Justin Baldoni there? Why didn't they bring Justin Baldoni and have him do a joke? I feel like that's just another indicator of the power imbalance, as the lefties among us like to say. All right, guys, coming up, the United States versus Canada in hockey. And yeah, we're taking it to the Canadians before we annex their country. Also, horrible news from the Middle East.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
where Hamas is announcing who they are releasing dead this week. Plus, Pope Francis is in the hospital. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code ShapiroCheckout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us. We have tons behind the paywall for members, including Run, Hide, Fight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And then he added, they are rabid with effing greed and they're going out and dividing everybody. Well, there's certainly no divisiveness I'm sensing from Bill Burr there talking about how people should be legitimately murdered for earning too much money in the United States. It's this sort of terrible economic analysis that leads to Bernie Sanders-dom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
We have tons of fantastic movies, great entertainment, stuff for your kids as well. Go check it out right now. Again, become a member. Use code ShapiroCheckout for two months free on all annual plans and click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
You just say, you know, in a free country, nobody should have to live on more than one salary. Okay, well, thanks for your statement about realities that you wish didn't exist. Now, what is your alternative? Because it turns out that government ownership and redistribution of resources makes everyone extremely poor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It turns out that massive tax rates, confiscatory tax rates, kill the very businesses that people need to work for. It turns out that high levels of government regulation and intervention in the real estate market tend to generate higher prices in real estate, including in rent. That's what rent control does, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
A misbegotten attempt to punish developers who are quote-unquote billionaires. by controlling the rents. And what you end up with is less production of buildings. The economy is dynamic. People like Bill Burr believe that the economy is static. And so billionaires are just taking a bigger chunk of a fixed pie, but that is not how the economy works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
But where that shades over into truly evil thinking is when you start translating that into violence. That billionaires, because you misunderstand economics, need to be killed because they're suddenly centralizing all the resources. Please, name me the person from whom Elon Musk has stolen money. Seriously, I'd like to hear the name of that person so Elon Musk can repay that money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
For that matter, I would love to know from whom Bill Burr has stolen his money. Bill Burr has a net worth apparently around $20 million. From whom did he steal that money? What's the cutoff for being a bad person? Is it like $21 million or something? It turns out that Bill Burr charges a lot of money for his comedy special. Shouldn't he give it out for free?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
I mean, there are a lot of working people who really like Bill Burr, and they now have to choose between paying the rent and getting a Bill Burr ticket. So, you know, maybe he should give away all of his product for free. Maybe Bill Burr should do all of his comedy shows for free. Maybe we should have the government force him to do those things in the name of economic justice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
You know, when they're not killing the billionaires. Or maybe we should do none of those things because this country was founded on freedom. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea into the ocean. How'd that work out for you, Great Britain?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service on America's most dependable 5G network.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 with a qualifying plan by going to puretalk.com. Shapiro, you can make that switch in as little as 10 minutes. No hassle, no gimmicks, just honest-to-goodness wireless priced right. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Visit puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. Again, I've been using Pure Talk myself for years. The coverage is excellent because they have the same tower network as one of the big guys. Go check them out right now. Pure Talk, America's wireless company. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
anywhere worth going it's worth going in a good pair of boots find your perfect pair with takovas the first time i put on my takovas boots it was like they were already broken in which makes sense because every single pair goes through over 200 meticulous steps of hand crafting with every stitch on point takovas boots are made for a good time in a long time talk about attention to detail i used to think western boots were just for cowboys since these folks started in texas back in 2015 they've been changing that story
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Whether you're a lifelong rancher or you're just looking for your first pair of Western boots, Takovas makes it feel easy. You can wear these beauties from sunup to sundown. They're built tough enough for long days, but stylish enough for those big nights out. Now, do I look like the typical kind of guy who wears boots? But here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Okay, so we do actually have some video of the moment of impact. This looks like pilot error. I mean, there really is no other way to read this. This is an insane crash landing. Basically, the plane comes down so hard that it rips off part of the landing gear and flips the plane completely over. One of the wings comes off the plane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
I actually enjoy wearing the Takovas boots and they look cool. They are subtle. They are not loud. or at least they don't have to be unless you want them to be. No matter your size or your style, they've got the perfect boot waiting for you. Plus, with Tecovas' Best in the West guarantee, you get free returns and exchanges for 30 days. Pretty hard to beat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Right now, get 10% off at tecovas.com slash Shapiro. When you sign up for email and text, that's 10% off at tecovas.com slash Shapiro. tecovas.com slash Shapiro. So you cite, forward details, Tecovas, point your toes west. The reason this matters is because I have a fear. Here is my fear. The American body politic tends to pendulum from side to side.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
This is how you end up with Trump and then Biden and then Trump again. But I think that the next pendulum swing, and there will always be another pendulum swing, is going to be to the far left, to the economic populist far left, to people who agree with Bill Burr. If there is an economic downturn in any way, shape, or form,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
because the American people have not been made aware of the realities of how economics works, because our education system has failed them completely on all of this, this sort of zero-sum ugly thinking is going to eventually gain victory in the United States at some point, not permanently, but at some point, because of all of the broken systems of education that have been put in place in this country, because people have become so comfortable with the bizarre idea that rich people are stealing from poor people,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Now, for the moment, it's really unpopular and it should remain really unpopular because it is a stupid, terrible idea. And the same thing happens to be true in terms of the sort of zero-sum thinking that some people have on race in this country. It turns out that in a free country, people of all races should do better. But there are some people who don't believe that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
People like, for example, Trevor Noah and Princeton professor Ruha Benjamin. who have now basically come all the way, they've horseshoed around to the racist right, and they are now arguing in favor of segregation because the races can't get along with one another, according to these geniuses on the left. I know what your shout means.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
So it is not as though it flipped around in the air or anything like that. This is not an FAA issue. This is not a coordination issue between various planes. This is a pilot who's going to have some splaining to do. Here is the video. That is not good. Miracle that nobody was killed in this. Again, there are 15 people who have been injured.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
I mean, this is how pathetic the left has become. So they are arguing in favor of fixed pie economics, which has been debunked by literally all of human history in every country. And they are arguing in favor of sort of a fixed pie with regard to racial reconciliation, that the races can't get along. It's a white supremacist system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
This is why it is so important that President Trump succeed, truly. Because if these are the two sides and only one side can win, If the left continues to follow the Bill Burr economic populist path and the Trevor Noah, Ruha Benjamin racial path, and if that pendulum tends to swing, it is very important that President Trump continue to be successful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
It is really, really, really important because if he is not successful, if he does not succeed, the alternative is this trash, this ugly, immoral trash. And I'm obviously hopeful that that President Trump continues to succeed for precisely that reason. That's why it's important that he do smart things, which thank God so far he is. President Trump's popularity remains at all-time highs for him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The latest public opinion poll has President Trump riding at a 51% approval rating compared to 45% disapproval rating. In fact, the politician that Americans like the least right now is Chuck Schumer. Chuck Schumer is stuck at a minus 10. Only 32% of Americans actually like Chuck Schumer at this point. This is according to the new SurveyUSA poll.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
President Trump is also making himself culturally ubiquitous. So he went to the Daytona 500 over the weekend and actually used the Beast as the pace car. And here is some of the radio traffic that was happening while he was pacing the field.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
Again, this is kind of awesome. This kind of stuff is cool and good. President Trump at the Super Bowl getting big ovations. President Trump at the Daytona 500 getting big ovations. All of that is quite good because the alternative is really, really bad. And meanwhile, the administration is making some fairly serious moves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
And one of those moves involves pushing Europe to actually, for the first time in decades, nearly a century, stand up on its own two feet. So since the end of World War II, the United States has essentially been the bank roller for European security. And you understand why that is. Europe had basically destroyed itself during World War II.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2140 - Trump & Vance WRECK Europe
The United States had to prop up Europe afterward so that it didn't become a communist-ridden hellhole. And then Europe became essentially a sick man, reliant on the ministrations of the United States and our taxpayer dollars in order to uphold itself against the Soviet Union. And then the Soviet Union fell.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Well, folks, a lot to get to today on the show. Everything from the stock market dump of yesterday and the state of the economy to the White House deciding to deport a Hamas sympathizer from the United States, green card holder. First, the mainstream media thinks you're too dumb to see through their lies. They like to twist the narrative or manipulate the headlines, bury the truth. We know better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The person who just replaced Justin Trudeau as head of the Liberal Party is a Davos boy. He's a World Economic Forum guy, and he is now riding high in the polls thanks to this tariff war that we're having with Canada. And fourth, says Balaji, MAGA sees the billions of dollars flowing from the United States to foreign recipients, but isn't grasping that the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
That is largely due to the widespread and correct perception that in immigration he has totally changed the ballgame. We are experiencing the lowest levels of illegal immigration ever recorded in the United States as far as I'm aware.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
can only print those dollars in the first place so long as it's the hub of a global empire. This is the point that I was making last week about the dollar as the world's reserve currency. Is that, yes, we fund a lot of places and a lot of places fund our debt. That is just the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
He says, basically, MAGA is hyper-focused on cutting off any apparent flow of funds from red Americans to blue Americans and non-Americans. They're trying to quickly shut off imports, close down institutions, and exit all wars. Except the reason imports exist in the first place is because the United States products are not competitive relative to other products or Fed printing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The reason those institutions exist is because the United States set them up to run the world. The reason those wars are happening is not because of American leadership per se, but because of the absence of good leadership by America. If you shut all that down at once, you shut down American empire and with it the ability to print money, fund your debt or anything like that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
This is a correct analysis. And if the world perceives that as the program, it is not going to be beneficial to the markets. It's not going to be beneficial to American citizens. Again, this is not America needs to be the world's global police person involved every single place. This is not America needs to trade with everybody at the same rate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
This is if there is a generalized perception in the markets and across the world that America is withdrawing. That is not going to be beneficial for the United States because an American-led world order is better than a non-American-led world order. Beyond that, there are going to be some real downsides here in the United States. We need President Trump to succeed, particularly economically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
We need him to succeed particularly economically. This picture, I think, is going to be the story of the next four years one way or another. This is a picture from the inauguration. You'll remember it because it was obviously a pretty famous picture. This is a picture of all of the tech bros arriving at the inauguration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And you can see it's Elon Musk, it's Cinder Pichai, who's the head of Alphabet. It's Jeff Bezos, the head of Amazon. It's Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Facebook, Meta. They were all there at the inauguration. They were flanking President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
But when it comes to the economy, which is the thing that most people vote based upon, make their political decisions based upon, if President Trump is blamed for an economic downturn, the effects of that could be disastrous, not just obviously for the Trump administration, but for many of the things that are important for the United States, including free markets more generally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And it was sort of an amazing moment because you had all these business leaders, many of whom were not, in fact, allied with President Trump over the course of his career here. We're at the inauguration. Now, the only downside to that is that if the economy sinks, what do you think is going to take the blame? What President Trump is doing right now with tariffs, that is not free market oriented.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Tariffs are not free market oriented. They're a government control on imports and exports. That's what they are. They're effectively a tax on consumers. If the economy dips, if the economy dips, the American people are going to perceive that business itself is to blame for what happens next.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Regardless of the fact that many of the measures that are currently being taken by the sort of nationalist conservatives in terms of economics, measures like subsidies, new regulations in certain areas, tariffs, which are a form of regulation, that all of these sorts of battles really are not oriented toward free markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
They are more of a Bernie Sanders economic program in some ways than they are in a sort of traditional libertarian free market program. The perception of President Trump correctly is that he is a businessman and that he is capitalism oriented.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
If the economy sinks while he is president in a serious way where Americans turn against him, and again, he's underwater on the economy right now, if that happens, It is not just going to damage Trump, which would be terrible, and damage the Trump administration and the Republican future, which would be terrible. It is going to be used as a club against all of business, all of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
There will be a blowback against business, capitalism, and free markets, despite the fact that it wasn't business, capitalism, and free markets that brought us to this point. It was overweening government spending and a bunch of pseudo-corrective measures that are attempting to be taken by the Trump administration in the form of autarkic reshoring.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The sort of popular response is something that I've learned over the course of watching politics at a granular level for almost a quarter of a century. I've been doing this since I was 17. I'm currently 41.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
One of the things that I've noticed, and this is true for everybody in every industry, when you're in an industry and you know the ins and outs of a thing, when you know the details of the thing, you think everybody else knows the details of the thing. You think everybody else follows the ins and outs. That's not true. And let's say that you are Leonardo da Vinci and you're painting the Mona Lisa.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
You know where every single brush stroke went. You know the amount of effort it took in. What did people take away from the Mona Lisa for most people? They walk into the Louvre. They look at the Mona Lisa. They see it's a lady with no eyebrows. They kind of shrug and they walk away. That is most people. And the same thing is true in every industry.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
If you're an accountant, you know the ins and the outs of the tax laws. And so you figure maybe everybody else kind of has a general idea. The answer is no. They just know whether they're paying more or whether they're paying less. And when it comes to politics... I may know, or you as a listener to shows like this one, may know the ins and outs of global geopolitics and economics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
According to the Wall Street Journal, worries about a trade war, signs of flagging growth, splinters in the artificial intelligence trade have taken some of the shine off prior optimism. President Trump over the weekend refused to rule out a recession this year. The S&P 500 fell 2.7%. NASDAQ lost 4%. Bank stocks slid along with shares of smaller companies perceived to be sensitive to the economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
You may follow this stuff at a closer level than 99% of the rest of America. Most people only see line go up, line go down. And if line goes down while President Trump is president, the blowback is going to be not just against tariff policy. It's going to be against business. It's going to be against capitalism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
It's going to be against Elon Musk and Pichai and Zuckerberg and Trump and everyone associated. The American public does not see issues in terms of nuance. The American public sees good or bad. If the economy goes down, then what you're likely to see is an upsurge in left-wing populist sentiment against free market capitalism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
You're likely to still see the sort of Bill Burr perspective on economics, which is totally ignorant. And by the way, utterly hypocritical, given the fact that he's a millionaire himself who makes money saying used to be funny things on TV. But here, for example, is Bill Burr going after Elon Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Okay. Now, again, this sort of attack on Musk, this sort of neo-Nazi, he raised his arm stuff is nonsense, but the populist, anti-capitalist, anti-free market, anti-business attitude is going to be extremely common if the economy sinks. That's going to be a real, real problem. Well, he is not a genius, but you know what is genius? Policy genius.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
They are the country's leading online insurance marketplace. They let you compare quotes from America's top insurers side by side completely free with absolutely no hidden fees. Their platform uses real licensed insurance experts who work for you, not the insurance companies, so you can find the best fit for your family.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
With PolicyGenius, you can find life insurance policies starting at just $292 per year for a million dollars in coverage. Some options are 100% online, let you avoid those unnecessary medical exams. The process is fast and simple. Their licensed support team handles everything, answering your questions, managing paperwork, advocating for you throughout the entire process.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Bonds rallied. That's where money tends to go when people are uncertain what to do. They start buying bonds because at least they feel like they're going to get paid off at a certain point. While the US's strength is in question, other countries are ramping up efforts to revive their own economies. China is unleashing more stimulus to meet its economic growth target.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Don't take my word for it. Thousands of satisfied customers have left five-star reviews on Google and Trustpilot. No matter what stage of life you're in, Policy Genius will help you find the perfect coverage for your specific situation. Secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Head on over to policygenius.com slash Shapiro or click the link in the description.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Get your free life insurance quote, see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com slash Shapiro. Also, what does the future hold for business? If you ask nine experts, you'll get 10 answers. Bull market, bear market, inflation, up, down. Well, until we know for certain what's coming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Over 38,000 businesses have found a way to future-proof their operations with NetSuite by Oracle, the number one cloud ERP. Imagine having your accounting, financial management, inventory all seamlessly integrated into one fluid platform. That's NetSuite. With this unified business management suite, you're not just juggling numbers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
You're wielding a powerful tool that gives you visibility and control to make quick, informed decisions. It's like having a map in a maze of market uncertainties. Real-time insights and forecasting, check, is like peering into the future with actionable data at your fingertips. And here's a game changer. You'll be closing your books in days, not weeks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
That means less time drowning in paperwork, more time focusing on what truly matters, steering your business toward success. At The Daily Wire, we're proud to partner with NetSuite because they're leading the way in future-proofing operations for businesses around the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Whether your company's earning millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars, NetSuite adapts to your needs, helping you respond to immediate challenges and seize your biggest opportunities. Speaking of opportunity, download the CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at netsuite.com slash Shapiro. The guide is free to you at netsuite.com slash Shapiro. That's netsuite.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Now, one of the theories here is that one of the things President Trump is trying to do actually is devalue the American dollar so as to boost our exports for purposes of fixing the trade deficit. So I went to our friends over at Perplexity. And I asked a simple question, and Perplexity does a good job of explaining this sort of stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Quote, what are the effects on the ability of the United States to sell our debt if the value of the dollar drops? Because this is sort of the biggest single question. You heard Elon earlier talking about the fact that we pay more interest on our debt than we are currently paying on the defense budget. So what happens? Can we raise new debt if the dollar is devalued?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And here is perplexity's excellent answer. Negative effect. Reduced foreign demand for U.S. treasuries. A weaker dollar may lower the appeal of dollar-denominated assets, including U.S. treasuries for foreign investors. If the dollar depreciates, foreign holders of U.S. debt could face losses when converting interest payments or principal back into their own currencies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Germany has announced a spending splurge on its military and infrastructure. Now, again, all of that is fake, meaning that if you just borrow to spend, which is what the United States has been doing for a very long time, you end up with an artificially inflated economy. This has happened in the United States. It's way more true for Germany and China, actually, than it is of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
This could lead to reduced investment in U.S. debt markets. Two, higher interest rates. To attract buyers for its debt amid declining demand, the U.S. government may need to offer higher yields on Treasury's increasing borrowing costs. Rising interest rates can also exacerbate concerns about debt sustainability and put upward pressure on real yields. Three, loss of confidence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
A sustained drop in the dollar's value could signal broader economic instability, potentially triggering a loss of confidence among investors in U.S. financial assets. This could result in a sell-off of U.S. treasuries and further depreciation of the currency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
In other words, everybody else who's holding our debt thinks that the new debt actually is going to be less valuable than the old debt, and they start selling it off. Four, inflationary pressures. A weaker dollar increases the cost of imported goods and services, potentially fueling inflation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Higher inflation erodes the real returns on fixed income assets, like treasuries, making them less attractive to investors. Now, what President Trump could be focusing on theoretically is the positive effects of a weaker dollar. And President Trump talks about how he wants the Federal Reserve to lower the interest rates and inject money into the economy. Increased competitiveness.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
A weaker dollar makes US exports cheaper and more competitive internationally, which could boost economic growth and improve trade balances over time. However... The reality of a weaker dollar is that America can be competitive without doing that. You don't need to upend America's ability to raise debt by increasing tariffs, by lowering the value of the dollar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Those are not things that are necessary right now. We're already in an inflationary spiral. We don't need more inflation on top of all of this. And as Perplexity points out, the major long-term effects would be things like de-dollarization.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
So again, something I was mentioning last week, the entire American economy is reliant on other people buying our debt on a continuous basis to fund our government spending. Countries might diversify away from dollar-denominated assets, reducing their reliance on U.S. treasuries as reserve holdings. And concerns about sanctions or asset freezes might further reduce foreign official demand for U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
debt. I totally agree with Perplexity's conclusion here. And while a weaker dollar could stimulate certain aspects of the economy, it poses risks to the U.S. 's ability to sell its debt efficiently by increasing borrowing costs, undermining investor confidence in Treasury securities. That is correct. Thanks to our friends at Perplexity for sponsoring that search.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Well, again, in the search for some sort of sobriety and stability in the economic space, The Congress right now is looking to push forward a continuing resolution. We spoke with Representative Chip Roy, again, a very strong fiscal conservative in Congress yesterday on the program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Speaker Johnson is now eyeing a House vote today on a six-month funding extension that was crafted on a partisan basis. He's going to rely on only Republican votes to pass it in the House and dare Democrats to try to oppose it. It looks as though there's a strong shot that it is going to pass. The shutdown countdown is down to three days because the shutdown happens on Friday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Many, again, of the more conservative members of the caucus are on board. There's one who is obviously not going to be, and that, of course, is Thomas Massey, who's reliable no vote on everything. Like on everything. He's essentially Ron Paul, but from Kentucky. Same voting record, same general worldview, all of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Well, this prompted President Trump to go after Massey, correctly noting that Massey basically has no interest in governing almost ever. And in a situation like this, what you actually need is Republicans who are willing to govern. Again, the job of being a congressperson is not the same as the job of being a podcast host or the job of being a CNN commentator or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
However, there is something else happening and it's deeper, and that is a widespread perception. that the Trump team is trying to reshape the global order in a way that will not be good for the American economy or the global economy. This is a widespread perception that is beginning to sort of percolate into the markets. And And I'm talking to many of the market makers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
It is literally your job to try and go for 80% of the pie. This is why, again, I think that Chip Roy does a good job of this. Chip actually tries to push the ball as far as it will go while recognizing that the ball eventually is going to have to be kicked. Something's going to have to happen. He will push the line as far as he can without falling into the trap of just saying no to everything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Well, President Trump put out a statement yesterday saying that he will lead the charge to oust Thomas Massey for his refusal to support the government funding bill. He put out a truth social post. He said, Congressman Thomas Massey of beautiful Kentucky is an automatic no vote on just about everything. He said, Massey should be primaried and I will lead the charge against him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Now, Trump had also prior times tried to unsuccessfully oust Massey. Massey responded by saying, I've had a challenger who tried to be more maggot than me three times. None busted 25% because my constituents prefer transparency and principles over blind allegiance. Again, totally fair for Massey there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
However, it is a reality that Massey is reliable no vote on everything that would be sort of effective for Republicans to do. And even though I agree with Massey, actually more than many other Republicans, on his generalized spending proposals, is Trump wrong to target Massey about all of this? I mean, if the continuing resolution fails and we get to Friday and the government shuts down,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
the downside effects are going to be very, very strong for the Republicans, including Republicans in Congress. And it's easy for Massey to say, since he's not in a purple district. He's not somebody who's going to battle his way back to the Congress. His district is like a plus 20 Republican district. So, all of this, you would think, might provide an opening to Democrats, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
This would be the moment where Democrats start to make their economic pitch. Oh, look at the oligarchic Republicans with their business ties, and yet they're sending your 401k spiraling down. If you were a smart Democratic politician, this is the thing you would be doing, correct? You would be focusing in like a laser beam on the economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Because if the economy continues to decline, if we fall into recession, that's going to be your move. And yet Democrats... are apparently complete idiots. They fell off the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down because they're focused in laser-like on the defense of a Hamas sympathizer whose green card is going to be removed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
This is the thing they have decided is absolutely vital for them to stand against. It's unreal. I mean, seriously, it's just political malpractice at this point. So this person's name is Mahmoud Khalil. Yesterday, the White House announced that they would be moving to deport Mahmoud Khalil. Who the hell is Mahmoud Khalil?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Well, he's an anti-Israel pro-Khamas activist, and he's an actual pro-Khamas activist who led protests at Columbia University when all those buildings were occupied and the Tent of Fatah was taking place. It was announced by the White House that ICE would be arresting him and removing him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The White House put out a meme reading Shalom Mahmoud, which of course is a reference to President Trump's statement, Shalom Hamas, telling Hamas they needed to give up all the hostages or they would cease to exist. Obviously, the connection there has to do with the fact that this person is extraordinarily pro-Hamas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
President Trump said we will find, apprehend and deport terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again, which seems like a pretty commonsensical policy that if you're here on a green card and you support terrorism, probably you shouldn't be here. We don't need you here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
According to The Wall Street Journal, Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was the first to be arrested by Homeland Security agents for his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. President Trump vowed he would not be the last. And again, that is a misread by the news department at The Wall Street Journal, which is to the left of The New York Times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
I'm talking to business people who have literally hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the markets. And they are all very, very wary of the sort of signals that are being put out. And signals matter an awful lot when it comes to the economy these days. Because as I've spoken about before,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
He was not arrested because he went to a pro-Palestinian demonstration. He was arrested because he has active ties to groups that openly support Hamas. That would be the reason. Trump said in a social media post, quote, we know there are more students at Columbia and other universities across the country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The Trump administration will not tolerate it. The Education Department said Monday it sent letters to 60 schools warning of potential enforcement actions if they don't fulfill obligations to protect Jewish students. And again, that is an outgrowth of the Civil Rights Act, which lays out that all these colleges have anti-discrimination policies on the basis of race.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
That applies to black students, white students, Jewish students, Arab students, everybody. So you can't selectively fail to enforce the law when it comes to the Jews is sort of the point that Trump has made. Khalil played a prominent role in organizing protests last year against the war in Gaza, often addressing crowds on Colombia's lawn and giving interviews to national media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
He was inside the Barnard Library during an occupation last week to protest the expulsion of two students for earlier demonstrations, according to photographs posted on social media. But that is not actually the full story about Mahmoud Khalil and the people he has associated himself with.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Secretary of State Marco Rubio put out a statement, we'll be revoking the visas and or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. The Homeland Security Department put out a statement as well, quote, on March 9th, 2025, in support of President Trump's executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Again, there's a difference between pro-Palestinian and aligned with Hamas. Although distinction has been obliterated by the pro-Palestinian crowd who have largely aligned with Hamas at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
So what are exactly beyond him saying bad stuff? What exactly is the thing that's getting him in trouble here? Well, it turns out that the group that he headed at Columbia University Apartheid Divest withdrew an apology that it made for a member who said Zionists don't deserve to live. Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which is this guy's group, put out a statement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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This is according to the New York Times, October 9th, 2024. Quote, we support liberation by any means necessary, including armed resistance. That's not just pro-Palestinian. That is pro-Khamas. That is what you are talking about. They then distributed a newspaper with a headline that used Hamas's name.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you're even a small business person, what do you want to make sure that you're going to invest in your business? You want a growing economy. You want to make sure that the government is going to come and take your money. The government isn't going to come in and over-regulate you. And the conditions tomorrow are going to be very similar to the conditions you have today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Quote, one year since Al-Aqsa flood, revolution until victory, it read, over a picture of Hamas fighters breaching the security fence to Israel. The group posted an essay calling the attack a moral, military, and political victory. I mean, that's pretty pro-Hamas. That's not like pro-terrorist group. And again, if you're an American citizen and you do this sort of stuff, that's one thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you're a green card holder, why do we need you here? Green card does not give you the right under American law to actively orient yourself toward terrorism. That is not a thing. When the founders were constructing the Constitution, they're not like, let's bring people from abroad who hate America and love terrorism. That was never considered a right under American law.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The group wrote on October 7th, 2024, quote, the Palestinian resistance is moving their struggle to a new phase of escalation. It is our duty to meet them there. It is our duty to fight for our freedom. That'd be Hamas that this person is talking about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
So again, the New York Times recognized at the time, this is before the election, that this could lead to federal investigations into campus antisemitism or on-campus discipline if these were deemed to create a hostile environment for Jewish students. Now, again, it's more than that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
It turns out that Khalil's group, the Columbia University Apartheid Divest, was one of 150 pro-terrorism groups identified by journalist Ryan Morrow over at Capital Research. Khalil's group says that it is, quote, fighting for a total eradication of Western civilization. It also asked for help from violent extremists abroad. Quote, we seek instructions from militants in the global south.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Khalil's group said we in America must be killed, jailed and tortured and targeted in order to genuinely threaten the state as part of the global intifada. He suggested the only way to respond to state repression is to storm prisons and release prisoners and burn down prisoners, prisons, government offices and state vehicles. That's Khalil's group.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
I mean, like, I don't know how much clearer your sympathy for Hamas has to get in order for you to violate the law. So what does the law actually say on this? Well, what exactly does the law actually say? Well, good news. We actually know what the law says.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
According to Immigration and National Act Section 212, there are a number of grounds for ineligibility for a green card or immigration based on security grounds. That includes, quote, anyone who endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization. So, yeah, I mean that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That's how you make predictive decision-making. It's how you decide whether to hire that extra employee. It's how you decide whether to invest in more capital equipment. It's how you decide. whether to expand your holdings in particular areas or contract your holdings in particular areas. Predictability matters. Now, President Trump is not a predictable president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The Supreme Court has ruled back in 1904 that anarchists, for example, could be barred from the United States. Congress is of the opinion that the tendency of the general exploitation of such views is so dangerous to the public wheel that aliens who hold and advocate them would be undesirable additions to our population.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Again, there's a section of the INA that grants the State Department broad authority to deport any alien, quote, whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of State has reasonable ground to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And that is exactly the authority that Secretary of State Rubio is citing in this guy's deportation. So you're hearing the sob stories from the left. So what did the Senate Judiciary Democrats do? Again, the stock market tanked to the tune of 900 points yesterday. And it has tanked to the tune of a significant percentage of the stock market's total value since the election.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
So what are Democrats focused laser-like on? Their hero of the day, open Hamas sympathizer, and pseudo-revolutionary Mahmoud Khalil. They put out a tweet, the Senate Judiciary Democrats, with a picture of this guy that said, free Mahmoud Khalil. So just to get this straight, Democrats would not cheer last week For the family of Lake and Riley, they would not stand up and applaud.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The family of Jocelyn Nungary was killed by illegal immigrants, but they are going to stand four square behind a terrorist sympathizer who used to work for the UNRWA when not calling for the overthrow of Western civilization. They're going to cheer for that guy. He has to stay in the United States. Guys, the political malpractice here is so strong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The Democrats here are so bad, so unbelievably bad at this. Truly, truly awful at this. Now a judge has temporarily blocked the deportation. He's going to get overruled. This judge also happens to be brothers with Jason Furman, member of the Obama administration. Most of his relatives work in like deep blue American institutions and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Van Jones, perhaps the last sane man on the Democratic side of the aisle, he was pointing out like, guys, what are you doing? Like, what are you doing?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
He has never been a predictable president, but the one area that he was always quite predictable on was economics. President Trump liked tariffs, but you know what he liked more? He liked results.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
You know, again, Van is the only person speaking truth to power on CNN who is not a stated Republican. But the Democrats are going to keep going down this path, which is why Whoopi Goldberg had on Dylan Mulvaney, singularly responsible for the for the complete collapse of the Bud Light brand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
They had on Dylan Mulvaney, a man pretending to be a woman to talk about how men should compete with women in athletics. I mean, they just they keep doubling down on stupid. It's amazing. It's amazing. The roulette wheel keeps turning up the other way. And they're like, what if I just keep doubling down on the stupid?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And so what that meant is that during the first administration, when he talked tariffs a lot, the total amount of tariffs effectually that were put on the American economy ended up totaling something like $30 billion total. It was not huge. And much of it was designed to leverage places like Mexico into signing a new version of the USMCA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Okay, unbelievable. I'm sorry, but female athletes who know what they're doing, like Riley Gaines, who's like an NCAA champion, they're going to get clobbered by any half-decent dude in the pool. Everyone knows this. This is just basic human biology. I'm sorry that facts exist for Whoopi Goldberg because it makes her job really uncomfortable. But let Democrats keep following this path. Seriously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And Democrats are stuck because they keep throwing out these same types of people. There's an entire article in Politico about Tim Walz as though Tim Walz is going to make a giant comeback after his goofball presentation on the national stage or Kamala Harris or Gavin Newsom, who's now cleverly attempting to move away from some of the woke stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The thing that I'm absolutely puzzled by, if you're a Democrat, I do not understand. You have a point of vulnerability now in the markets. Why are you not focusing on that? And the answer is they're so tied to their own social issues that they can't let go of them. This is the thing they actually care about. It's truly amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
By the way, when it comes to the colleges and universities, we mentioned what's going on at Columbia. Something fairly amazing happened yesterday. So Harvard and Yale were among 60 colleges who were warned of fund cuts over claims that they have not properly policed discrimination against Jews on campus. And these universities are panicking. They are freaking out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
These universities are claiming that this will mean serious cuts to their budget, to their ability to take care of students. I mean, you're saying the quiet part out loud, which is that your government supported institutions. All of these campuses have billion dollar endowments. They have much money, lots and lots of money. But they are adjuncts to the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And now the federal government is saying, no, we're done with this. They're freaking out, which demonstrates just how deeply intertwined pseudo private institutions like Harvard and Yale are with the blue state Democratic Party in the federal government. Already coming up, we're going to get into the latest in Ukraine. We're also going to be getting into a piece of interesting news from Netflix.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
First, you actually go become a subscriber. And the reason you do that is because we have all sorts of great stuff behind the paywall. We've got Morning Wire. We've got Am I Racist? We've got What is a Woman? We have All Access Live. Tons of stuff. And you get to hang out with us behind the paywall. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapira.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
I think one of the reasons that people in the markets are particularly perturbed by Trump's attacks on Canada in the markets is that it's one thing to say we're going after Mexico to get them to close the border, that that's a piece of leverage. All right, fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
It's another thing to say, okay, we're gonna put tariffs on China because China is stealing our intellectual property and building up their military at incredibly rapid rates. Totally agree, fine. Canada? What did Canada do exactly? And the very notion that Canada is not a major trading partner with the United States is untrue. Canada is our number one trading partner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And Canada, again, has extraordinarily low average tariff rates with the United States under a deal negotiated during President Trump's first term, the USMCA. So the aim at Canada appears to the global markets to be a move away from America's involvement in the world in total. As I've spoken about before, that doesn't mean we need to be involved everywhere, either militarily or economically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Get the news the way it should be, honest, fearless, without the left-wing agenda. Your voice matters. Be a part of it. Join now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. So yesterday, obviously, we saw a massive stock market dump. The stock market Dow Jones Industrial Average dumped almost 900 points. The stock market has been in a bit of a free fall over the course of the last couple of weeks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
However, the reality that America is the global hegemon is one of the reasons that the American economy continues to be the behemoth that it is. When you withdraw from what is a de facto financial empire,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
When you withdraw from providing global security and freedom of the seas, when it appears that what you're attempting to do is draw inward, the rest of the world has less interest in investing in you, buying your debt, for example, funding your giant government expenditures. The rest of the world is less interested. in doing business with you if it's harder to do business with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And this has a very, very bad effect on the economy, not just outside the United States, but inside the United States. It turns out that autarky, the notion that we should produce and consume everything in the United States, that's a romantic idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Everywhere it has been tried, literally everywhere it has been tried over the course of the last few centuries, it has ended with impoverishment of the population, followed generally by expansionism. That is true in Germany. It is true in China. It is true pretty much ever. It's true in Russia. It's true pretty much everywhere it's been tried.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And so if the markets think that's what you're doing, even if you're not doing it, that's not going to be good for the markets. As Reuters is reporting, President Trump's tariffs have spooked investors with fears of an economic downturn driving a stock market sell-off that has wiped out $4 trillion from the S&P 500's peak last month when Wall Street was cheering much of the Trump agenda.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
A barrage of new Trump policies increased uncertainty for businesses, consumers, and investors, notably back-and-forth tariff moves against major trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China. Now, President Trump, for his part, he's saying, listen, Short-term pain for long-term gain. Here's what President Trump had to say with Maria Bartiromo.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Okay, you need to explain, if that's the case, what is the tremendous foundation that is going to lead to future growth, and how do we get from point A to point B in a way that doesn't blow up everybody's 401k? It turns out, by the way, more than half of Americans are heavily invested in the stock market through things like their 401ks. This is not just a quote-unquote rich people problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
This is an everybody problem. And the sort of side effect of market downturns affect everyone from Main Street to Wall Street. As The Wall Street Journal points out, there are some red lights that are already flashing. Take Friday's jobs report, which showed employers added 151,000 jobs last month. That's half as many as in November and December.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Leisure and hospitality jobs have been declining in the past two months, which may indicate consumers are pulling back on their discretionary spending. The labor force participation rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent, owing to a decline among men.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
manufacturing did gain 10,000 jobs in the month, but the number of workers employed part-time who wanted but couldn't get full-time work increased by 460,000 to 4.9 million, which is the most in spring of 2021. Service businesses are being whipsawed. Transportation equipment manufacturers are being whipsawed. Whipsawed just means... One day they think that there's going to be a tariff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
One day they don't know that there's going to be a tariff. And so everybody's looking for what's the overall vision here? What is the overall vision? Is this President Trump using tariffs as leverage? We don't know. Is this President Trump using tariffs as a way to force everybody else to lower their tariffs? We don't know. We've heard that justification too.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And this is something that I've been predicting for a while. It turns out that when you mess with the market mechanisms, people don't like it. Investors tend to take their money out of the market and wait for things to be a little calmer, a little more steady. If you think... of the free markets as essentially an ocean. Sometimes it's pretty choppy out there. Right now it's choppy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Or is it just that President Trump sees a vision of the United States with higher tariffs and a reshoring of manufacturing tariffs? That is good for particular industries, but very bad for the American consumer by raising prices overall and also disconnecting the American economy from other parts of the globe that actually, by the way, again, do subsidize the American economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
I understand that there is this notion that trade deficits where we buy more stuff from people than they buy from us. somehow reflects American weakness. But the reality is that there are many poor countries with trade surpluses and there are many rich countries with trade deficits. Trade deficits are not what they appeared to be, not necessarily.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
The reality is that if we spend more money abroad than people spend here, those dollars come back. How do they come back? Well, very often they come back in the form of governments either holding our dollars as the global reserve currency or in the form of other governments buying American bonds, which funds our growing national debt, which is out of control. And I love what Doge is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
We need to bend the cost curve. The reality is, as I've said over and over, and I'll continue to say, we are not solving our national debt problem unless we take a look at the very things no one on either side wants to take a look at. Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, means-tested welfare programs. Those are the massive drivers of the American national debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Elon Musk understands this, but trimming around the edges isn't gonna do it. Obviously, it's a very dicey time for investors, and smart investors need to prepare ahead of time, just like keeping a life jacket handy before you set sail. That's why many people are adding gold to their portfolios, leading to record gold prices in early 2025.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
There's still a great opportunity for you to diversify and strengthen your financial future. Thank you so much for joining us. With an A-plus rating from the Better Business Bureau and countless five-star reviews, text Ben to 989898. Let the experts at Birch Gold help you secure your future today with gold. Again, this is a very uncertain market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
It's difficult to know which way things are going, and this is why diversification has always been a time-tested and useful strategy. Go ask all your questions by texting Ben to 989898, and then let the experts at Birch Gold help you out. Also, You know, it's funny, when we started The Daily Wire, I thought the hard part would be creating awesome content.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Well, it turns out, dealing with the behind-the-scenes stuff, the hiring, HR policies, employee issues, that's the stuff that eats up your time. And listen, I'm not alone. When you're a business owner, every second of your time is incredibly valuable. So don't waste your energy and risk losing money dealing with time-sucking payroll issues, office politics, and HR infractions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And here's the thing. If this administration is blamed for the choppy waters, that is quite bad, not just for this administration, but for everything that in the public mind it represents. According to the Wall Street Journal, a new round of recession fears rattled markets on Monday, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average down nearly 900 points, eroding Wall Street consensus that U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Focus on the stuff that matters most, running your business with help from Bambi. Here's what makes Bambi different. They give you access to your very own dedicated HR manager at a fraction of what it costs to employ someone full-time. And get this, Bambi costs just 29 bucks a month, whether you have 10, 75, or even 100 employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
If I had Bambi when I was first building this team, would have saved a lot of hours, a lot of headaches. Instead of getting bogged down with paperwork and compliance stuff, I could have focused on growing the show, connecting with the audience. Well, with Bambi's HR autopilot, Ben Shapiro podcast.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Here is Elon Musk correctly citing one of the key phenomena that demonstrates the sort of underlying weakness of the American economic plan based on our spending. He says our interest payments are now outstripping what we pay for defense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Okay, that is correct. But Doge is not going to be capable of single-handedly doing all of that. And many of the moves that we are currently making, it's about to make it very difficult to raise more debt. And all of this is tied to what is the actual sort of overall Trump plan. And it takes a little while for the Trump doctrine to sort of take shape.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Again, I have my idea of what the Trump doctrine is. That's very different from, say, Tucker Carlson's idea of what the Trump doctrine is. And President Trump doesn't really have a Trump doctrine. President Trump just has a series of what I think are very good political instincts and a fundamentally good set of principles. But that doesn't necessarily translate into something overall.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
But the way the markets are increasingly reading what President Trump is doing globally is that President Trump wants to reshore everything and he wants to withdraw from the world. And that is not going to happen. beneficial effects for the American consumer, the American producer, the American economy at large.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And here I want to talk about the sort of problems that are going to arise from this vision. So there's a really good analyst. His name is Balaji Srinivasan, who's an American entrepreneur and investor and a former general partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And he has a good tweet thread today explaining why it is that the world is perceiving some of the moves that the Trump administration is making as indicative of a broader worldview problem that could undermine sort of American strength. He says, here are four things MAGA is getting wrong and why it's handing over the world to China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
stocks would be among this year's biggest winners. By the way, this is having an impact on President Trump's approval ratings. There's a new pullout from Emerson today that shows President Trump is underwater on the economy by 11 points. He's still at 47.45 in his overall approval rating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
One, MAGA correctly understands that America's economic position is in decline, but think this is due to economic competition itself rather than lack of competitiveness. It's a big thing. He's right about this. The reason that America has been in relative decline versus China is not because the competitive global markets are bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
It's because America is not competitive in the American global markets. And Trump understands this, by the way. It's just sort of the other half of what he's doing with tariffs. Meaning, when he focuses on tax policy and regulatory policy, that makes America more competitive vis-a-vis other countries. Getting rid of competition entirely via tariffs, via cutting off world trade,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
the abandoning parts of the world, is not likely to result in American victory. It results in American impoverishment. Second, he says, MAGA understands that the U.S. has wasted trillions abroad in foreign wars, but thinks the problem is global leadership itself rather than poor leadership. Again, this is a really important point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Obviously, the United States has involved itself, particularly in Iraq. or Afghanistan in wars that were either unwinnable or had such bad strategies attached to them that they became unwinnable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
That does not mean that abandoning the globe to the predations of the Chinese, Russians, and Iranians is going to be beneficial to America, that that is going to increase America's health in the world economically or otherwise. We need to be concerted about how we use force and how we threaten to use force. But a world without America is a worse world, including for Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
Third, MAGA knows their blue American enemies have allies abroad, but has incorrectly overreacted to this by treating every non-red American as an enemy. Okay, this is, I think, the point about Canada. Yes, it turns out that blue America took over the institutions of the United States. The left took over the major institutions, including things like USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2155 - Stock Market PLUNGES…So What’s Next?!
And then they fostered abroad alliances with a bunch of people who actually don't like America very much. That does not mean that the United States does not have allies abroad who are worth cultivating and attacking places like Canada, for example. By the way, the attacks on Canada are likely to elevate blue American types to power in Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Well, folks, it turns out that when it comes to getting things done, the image of the thing matters an awful, awful lot. And this is something Democrats have understood for a very long time, that the image that any particular department gives off has a cultural impact. There are people like me who learned from Andrew Breitbart who said that politics is downstream from culture. But the truth is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Now, you can say that culture led to that governmental action. You can say that the culture in the United States changed. There was a backlash against the insane, radical left-wing wokeism of the last decade and a half. in the United States. And that is why President Trump was reelected. It's why he has a conservative Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And when you say that, again, there's that cycle, culture being upstream of politics and then culture also being downstream of politics. It's the cycle that one pushes the other. Remember, Donald Trump was a cultural figure in Home Alone 2 and in every rap song from about 1988 to 1997, long before he was president of the United States twice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And now he's using the power of culture in order to push his particular brand of politics. This is one of the things about Doge. So the Department of Governmental Efficiency, remember the history of Doge. So Doge was originally suggested as a sort of advisory council led by Elon Musk that would exist outside the federal government. And Trump talked about it and the entire left scoffed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The media scoffed too. They said, well, this is just a way for him to sort of throw a sop to Elon Musk. They're not really going to do anything. They'll make a few recommendations. It'll be like a task force and nothing will happen. And then it turns out, that Trump just outsourced a bunch of the hard-nosed federal cuts to Elon Musk. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Because Musk is, number one, incredibly famous for going into companies and clearing out deadwood. When he went into X, he fired 80% of the staff day one. It broke a lot of the systems. And then he had to rebuild a bunch of those systems. This is something that Musk is famous for, too. Musk is famously... volatile in the sense that he comes in and he breaks things and he does it fast.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And if he makes mistakes, he'd rather break things and then fix them than not break anything and leave bad systems in place. This is what Musk does. And three, Musk happens to be the richest and one of the most famous people on earth, which means that he can draw the fire. It's not about Trump. Now it's about Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So again, this is very smart strategically and targeting the sort of waste, fraud and abuse that Musk is targeting is also very smart PR. Now, as I've discussed before, the only way to solve the systemic debt problems of the United States, it's not going to happen through kind of cutting around the edges at the Department of the Treasury.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It's only going to happen when you restructure the major entitlement programs, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. However, none of that's going to happen anytime in the near future because both parties are deathly afraid of touching those third rails of American politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And so what Trump is doing right now is he's allowing Musk imagistically to carve away at the image of an efficient government that has never been true. Musk tweeted this morning that the amount of waste, fraud, and abuse in America's governmental systems put to shame any private waste, fraud, and abuse in the history of the American Republic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And that, of course, is wildly true because the size of the American government is so huge, so exorbitant, that it is not hard to throw a dart and you will hit waste, fraud, and abuse almost anywhere in the federal government. In the private sector, you see you're responsive to things like return on investment. You're responsive to the profit motive. You're responsive to your shareholders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It is why he has a Republican-led Senate and a Republican-led House. And all of that is true. But it is also true that now that the cycle has begun, now that culture has shaped politics, politics is shaping culture again. Perhaps the tip of the spear in this battle is the new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
In the government, if you waste money, well, there's always more money where that came from. You can either print it or you can steal it from the American taxpayer. So that is what Musk is doing. And he is putting Democrats on the wrong side of the issue because who exactly is in favor of waste, fraud and abuse? What exactly is the objection to cutting waste, fraud and abuse?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So what Democrats are doing instead is they're pretending that this is an assault on, quote unquote, the system. that it's a constitutional threat. Here's the thing. Democrats over the course of the last century and a half have hollowed out the constitution and worn around its face like Hannibal Lecter. That is what Democrats have done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
They created an entire administrative bureaucratic executive branch filled with 2 million people to make all the rules that govern your life. They've turned the legislature into a vestigial organ of American government. And now Trump is coming in and he's the head of the executive branch and he's deploying people in the executive branch to make cuts within the executive branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And they say this is a constitutional threat to the country. They want some separation of powers now. Well, welcome to the party, pal. But here's the thing. You created these rules and now you are going to have to live by them. F-A-F-O. Well, five former treasury secretaries, all Democrats, of course, have now written an op-ed for the New York Times saying, quote, our democracy is under siege.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Now, what they can't say is our bureaucracy is under siege, which is the reality. Our bureaucracy is under siege, and it should be. The thing that they cannot say is that our waste, fraud, and abuse-ridden system is under siege. That's what's under siege. Instead, it's our democracy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Now, you may have gotten used to during the Biden administration or the Obama administration hearing the word democracy thrown around a lot. All Democrats mean when they say democracy is stuff they like. If they do something totally undemocratic and you say no, they say you're a threat to the democracy. If they say that the Equal Rights Amendment is now law, even though it totally isn't,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And you say no. They say you're a threat to American democracy. If you cut the bureaucracy, they call you a fascist. I mean, if what we are watching right now is fascism, which is severing the bond between government sponsorship and blue constituencies, if that's fascism, I feel like your definitions are wrong. Folks, what we are watching at work here is not fascism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I've never seen a fascist cut the government. before. However, Democrats are banking on future uncertainty. In fact, they're trying to foster future uncertainty. Securing your family's future is of utmost importance in today's world. As somebody who always advocates for smart financial planning, I can tell you having the right life insurance coverage isn't just about peace of mind.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It's about giving your family options if, God forbid, something terrible happens. That's why I want to tell you about Policy Genius. They're not an insurance company themselves. They are the country's leading online insurance marketplace. We'll be right back. Some options are 100% online and let you avoid unnecessary medical exams. The process is fast and simple.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So again, remember, the Defense Department, when we were growing up, when I was a mere child, the Defense Department was all about the idea that America was winning wars, a battle machine made up of strong, particularly men, who were going to go into difficult places and do things that no one wanted to see them do in order to keep America safe. That was always the image of the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Their licensed support team handles everything. They answer your questions, they manage paperwork, they advocate for you throughout the entire process. Don't take my word for it. Thousands of satisfied customers have left five-star reviews on Google and Trustpilot. No matter what stage of life you're in, Policy Genius helps you find the perfect coverage for your specific situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Head on over to policygenius.com slash Shapiro or click that link in the description, get your free life insurance quote, see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com. slash Shapiro. Also, research shows one of the biggest challenges employers face is the pressure to hire quickly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And let's be honest, searching for great candidates and reviewing applications can feel like a full-time job in itself. If you're an employer who can relate, I have one question for you. Have you tried ZipRecruiter? ZipRecruiter has figured out how to solve this very problem. In fact, Four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within day one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Right now, you can drive ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. ZipRecruiter is the number one rated hiring site that employers trust most based on G2. Their powerful matching technology starts working immediately, connecting you with qualified candidates so you don't waste time or money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
When you find that perfect candidate, you can use ZipRecruiter's pre-written invite to apply message to reach out to them directly. So relax, employers, and let ZipRecruiter speed up your hiring. See for yourself. Just go to ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire right now. Try it for free. Again, at ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. ZipRecruiter is indeed the smartest way to hire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Go check them out right now. ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. We've been using them here at DailyWire ourselves for years. You should do the same. ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. So anyway, Robert Rubin, Lawrence Summers. Timothy Geithner, Jacob Lew, and Janet Yellen, all again, former Democrat treasury secretaries, have this piece in the New York Times, freaking out about all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Quote, when we had the honor of being sworn in as the 70th, 71st, 75th, 76th, and 78th secretaries of the treasury, we took an oath to support and defend the United States Constitution. Our roles were multifaceted. We sought to develop sound policy to advance the president's agenda and represent the economic interests of the United States on the world stage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But in doing that, we recognized that our most fundamental responsibility was a faithful execution of the laws and the constitution of the United States. We are fortunate that during our tenures in office, no effort was made to unlawfully undermine the nation's financial commitments. Regrettably, recent reporting gives substantial cause for concern that such efforts are underway today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The nation's payment system has historically been operated by a very small group of nonpartisan career civil servants. Okay, now the first time you hear that phrase, nonpartisan career civil servants, it sounds kind of nice. These are just people who serve you. It's like a waiter at a restaurant. They're nonpartisan and they're serving you in the civil service. Well, here is the thing. Wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The nonpartisan civil service has become quite partisan because their patrons are all Democrats who continue to expand their agencies, their scope of authority in their budgets. These are not nonpartisans. Very often they're deeply partisan. But again, you have to wear around the face of objectivity while enacting highly partisan agendas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
These five former secretaries of the Treasury write, in recent days, that norm has been upended. The roles of these nonpartisan officials has been compromised by political actors from the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
One has been appointed fiscal assistant secretary, a post that for the prior eight decades had been reserved exclusively for civil servants to ensure impartiality and public confidence in the handling and payment of federal funds. Here's the question, how'd they do on that? Seriously, how'd they do on that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And the movies and TV shows that many of us grew up on were rooted in that image of the United States military. And the other day, I was looking for a movie to watch with my eight-year-old son, and I brought up one of my favorites from when I was a kid. I tended to watch old movies when I was a kid, meaning movies from the 50s and 60s. And so I brought up a favorite to show him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If these are such amazing nonpartisan civil servants, why are billions of dollars going out the door to some of the worst people on earth? I mean, again, look at USAID, where billions of dollars were going directly to line the pockets of Hamas as they built terror tunnels. Explain yourselves, gang, nonpartisan civil servants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
These political actors, say the former treasury secretaries, have not been subject to the same rigorous ethics rules as civil servants. One has explicitly retained his role in a private company, creating at best the appearance of financial conflicts of interest. They lack training and experience to handle private personal data, like social security numbers and bank account information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Yeah, yes, I'm sure that the federal government run by career bureaucrats and lackeys has been so secure in its handling of our private information, which is how Donald Trump's IRS tax returns ended up leaked to the New York Times just a few years ago. Their power subjects America's payment systems and the highly sensitive data within it to the risk of exposure potentially to our adversaries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Man, wait until you hear about a secretary of state named Hillary Clinton who literally stored classified information on a private server and then was found by the FBI to have probably exposed it to foreign sources. Wow, I mean, that would be terrible if that happened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
A key component of the rule of law, say these secretaries of the Treasury, is the executive branch's commitment to respect Congress's power of the purse. The legislative branch has the sole authority to pass laws that determine where and how federal dollars should be spent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The role of the Treasury Department is not to make determinations about which promises of federal funding made by Congress it will keep and which it will not. Well, we're about to find out because the reality is that withholding a payment actually was something that the federal executive branch did since the time of Thomas Jefferson.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But Democrats somehow have to make this a threat to the system as opposed to the reality, which is it is a threat to the bureaucracy. It's turning into a threat to democracy. And again, in the words of the Democrat, everything turns into a threat to democracy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I think the most ironic instance of this is Democrats screeching and crying to the heavens, sackcloth and ashes, wailing and gnashing of teeth over the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. So for those who don't recall, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau is one of the most ridiculous institutions of American government. It was created by Elizabeth Warren before she was a senator.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It was pushed by the Obama administration and it was directly made unaccountable to the American people, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. As the Wall Street Journal reports, Before Ms. Warren became a senator, she persuaded Congress and then President Barack Obama to create a strange creature called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the 2010 Dodd-Frank law.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The bureau would duplicate, replace, or expand on the efforts of existing financial regulators, but with a few dangerous twists. It would have no mandate to protect the safety and soundness of the financial institutions it regulates. It would not rely on Congress for funding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Instead, the bureau would have the ability to draw funding directly from the Federal Reserve, ensuring it wouldn't have to pay much attention to legislators.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Then-Representative Randy Neugebauer of Texas wrote in the Wall Street Journal in 2012, quote, my House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations has tried unsuccessfully to gain greater visibility into the Bureau's budgetary planning process. Those requests were denied.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The old Gregory Peck, David Niven film, The Guns of Navarone, which is a classic. Terrific, terrific film if you have kids. Teenagers, it's a wonderful film. It's about a secret mission by a group of essentially American and British commandos to blow up a Nazi-held stronghold. And it's a really, really good movie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Once the director has decided a money draw is necessary, there's nobody with authority to prevent those funds from being paid out. Not congressional appropriators, not the Fed, not even the President's Office of Management and Budget. Well, the problem is that this totally unaccountable bureaucracy has now been taken over by Russ Vought, who is Trump's Office of Management and Budget Director.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Vought posted on X, quote, Pursuant to the Consumer Financial Protection Act, I have notified the Federal Reserve that CFPB will not be taking its next draw of unappropriated funding because it is not reasonably necessary to carry out its duties. The Bureau's current balance of $711.6 million is in fact excessive in the current fiscal environment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off. So effectively, Vaught shut down the funding. He could transfer the amount back to the Federal Reserve. What's the problem? What's the problem? And it was made unaccountable to the legislature.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So now Democrats, having designed the instrument, are now upset that it's being used in the reverse way because this is how Democrats operate. There is no consistent rule of law. There is no actual consistent objective regulatory agency established that cuts in all directions. Instead, the CFPB is a left-wing tool created by Elizabeth Warren, independent of the legislative branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And when Trump takes it over and puts Russ Vought in charge, and Russ Vought immediately shuts down the funding, she screams and cries that somehow the legislature is being ignored. Here she was yesterday, freaking out over the death of her idiotic brainchild.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It's a scam. Okay, so the CFPB was put in place by Democrats in order to regulate the living hell out of businesses, unless those businesses did the bidding of the federal government. That's what the CFPB was for. And now Trump is zeroing it out. A reservoir is coming in, and he's basically cutting the funding and pausing all operations. And they're freaking out. It's a threat to democracy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It was never a democratic institution. It was an explicitly anti-democratic institution. If you want to pass a regulation against business, do it through the legislature. But I noticed you didn't want to do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I noticed that instead, you wanted to set up an agency that passes thousands of pages of regulations and goes after banks without any sort of reference to the underlying issue of how banks operate. And Democrats are so ridiculous on this stuff. Representative Maxine Waters, who has routinely been considered one of the most corrupt members, if not the most corrupt member of Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But the entire basis of the movie is that sometimes men have to do violent, nasty things in order to fight the bad guys. And this was always the idea of the American military. And then somehow it shifted. Somehow the American military became a tool of social engineering.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
This is a person who, according to the LA Times in 2014, had shuffled a million bucks in the last eight years by doing business with companies, candidates, and causes that Maxine Waters helped. And she literally oversaw the banking committee and her husband was being regulated by the banking committee at the time. Like Maxine Waters is super duper.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Here she is outside the CFPB saying that this is an assault on democracy to, you know, have an executive branch agency run by the executive branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
This person has been a sitting congressperson for, I believe, longer than I've been alive or close to it and is deeply corrupt. You want to talk about people who have enriched friends and family? Maxine Waters is at the top of that list. And yet there she is yelling at Elon Musk, get your ass out. Yeah, I'm sure Elon Musk lives in fear of Maxine Waters. And it's not just Maxine Waters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It's more of a cycle. It's more that politics is downstream of culture, which is downstream of politics, which is downstream of culture. What I mean by this is that politics, the power of government, can in fact shape culture to its own whims. And so if you give off an image of DEI or ESG, From the government, you create an unofficial sanction against people who disagree.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Ayanna Pressley, the Ringo Starr of the squad. She's kind of been forgotten because there were some new hot squad members and then they ended up being defeated in primaries, the Jamal Bowmans or the Cori Bushes. But- Ayanna Pressley is out there too, shouting about the evils of Elon Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And the glorious points of America's history were not America's military winning wars, but how the military was to be used as a sort of microcosmic stand-in for the diversity, equity, and inclusion regime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Okay, I do love the idea that it is greedy and grubby to go into government and cut it. That's what he's doing. He's going in and he's making cuts. And they're saying, oh, that's so greedy of Musk. I mean, look at him being all greedy. By cutting? I'm going to need an explanation for how him cutting the federal spending initiatives, cutting waste, fraud, and abuse is somehow an element of greed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I'm going to need an explanation. Democrats are barking up the wrong tree, but this is desperation because, again, they are losing control over the institutions they themselves built. Representative Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, they keep looking for good acronyms for what DOGE is supposed to be, and they keep failing. So you heard there something about, you know, grabbing everything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And now here's another version. They're going to need to come up with something better. It's not good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Government Evil? They're literally cutting the government. It seems to me the Department of Government Evil is very often just called the government. In just a moment, we'll get to Democrats and their continued attempt to foster a constitutional crisis, largely through judges. I mean, they're actually doing some pretty incredible things via the judiciary that are totally unconstitutional.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So instead of the glorious moments of diversity in the military being linked with victory, so for example, the Tuskegee Airmen being helpful in winning World War II because we needed more people and we needed to get rid of the evils of segregation in order to have a better fighting machine. Instead, that was seen itself, whether it was useful or not useful, as the high point of the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Because the executive branch is being cut by the executive branch. Well, now the New York Times has an article titled Trump's actions have created a constitutional crisis. Scholars say my favorite type of news piece from the New York Times and like minded institutions. What they do is they have a premise. The premise is Trump bad. Then they go find an expert who says Trump bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And so they say Trump bad experts say, you know, pretty much anything. I can just as easily have an article that says Trump's constitutional expertise dominates America. Experts say, and just go find some people who agree with Donald Trump. Like this is the easiest game in the reporting world. And so the New York Times is trying to now gin up the idea that a constitutional crisis is upon us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It's not a constitutional crisis when the entire government shuts down people who refuse to get the facts. That's not a constitutional crisis, apparently. It is not a constitutional crisis when Joe Biden literally attempts to add constitutional amendments by tweet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It's a constitutional crisis when members of the executive branch go in and root out corruption, waste, fraud, abuse inside the executive branch. According to the New York Times, there is no universally accepted definition of a constitutional crisis. But legal scholars agree about some of its characteristics. It is generally the product of presidential defiance of laws and judicial rulings.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It is not binary. It is a slope, not a switch. It can be cumulative. And once it starts, it can get much worse. Erwin Chemerinsky, who's a very left-wing dean of the law school at Berkeley, says, quote, we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis right now. There have been so many unconstitutional and illegal actions in the first 18 days of the Trump presidency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
We have never seen anything like this. He ticked off examples of what he called President Trump's lawless conduct, revoking birthright citizenship. Again, all that's going to get adjudicated by the Supreme Court. Freezing federal spending. Not clear that that's unconstitutional, given the fact that, again, the executive branch is allowed to put a pause. Everybody acknowledges this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
A pause on federal spending to align it with presidential authority. They can't just freeze it entirely, but they can certainly put a pause. Shutting down an agency. Okay, you can gut an agency. You can shift its actual functions to other agencies, depending on how the law is written. Removing leaders of other agencies, okay? All of those people work at the pleasure of the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So again, he's just naming a bunch of things that Trump probably can do and calling it a constitutional crisis. He says, quote, systematic, unconstitutional, and illegal acts create a constitutional crisis. Okay, but here is the problem. Some of the people who are creating a constitutional crisis are in the judiciary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So, for example, a federal judge has now determined that the Trump administration violated his order lifting the blanket spending freeze on federal grant programs. He's ordering the administration to unfreeze funds, including for NIH and the IRA. They put together a TRO, a temporary restraining order nationally. Now, here's the problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
What in the Constitution, what in the Constitution gives one federal judge at a district court level the ability to shut down nationwide an act of Congress or the president? Where does this nationwide injunctive power come from? This is an open legal debate, a seriously open legal debate. Why should one judge in, say, the Ninth Circuit
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
be able to simply put a nationwide stay, you know, for the whole country on an action by the White House. There's a professor named Sam Bray over at Notre Dame Law School. Back in 2017, he wrote a piece called Multiple Chancellors Reforming the National Injunction. And he points out, is that the national injunction is a recent development in the history of equity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
There was a structural shift at the founding from a single chancellor model to a multiple chancellor model, but the vulnerabilities in the latter did not become visible until the mid to late 20th century, when there were changes in how judges thought about legal challenges and invalid laws. Only with those changes in the second half of the 20th century did the national injunction emerge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And thus was born the idea that what the military really needs to do is draw from every segment of society. Basically, the military is not supposed to be a battle-hardened machine designed toward winning and breaking things and killing bad guys. Instead, the military was supposed to be a commercial for United Colors of Benetton. That was the basic idea of the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And Sambre points out that national injunctions, again, are new, that what it leads to is a sort of tyrannical rule by one federal judge somewhere. So Bray said history can be read in different ways. In my view, national injunctions go back to 1963. They don't exist before then. In fact, nobody even asks for a national injunction before 1963.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Despite the thousands of lawsuits attacking New Deal legislation, there was never an attempt to get a federal judge in, say, California to strike down New Deal legislation such that a national injunction went into place. He identifies, Bray does, the second term of Barack Obama as the opening of the floodgates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
He says, since then, almost every major presidential initiative by President Obama or Trump or Biden has been stopped at the nationwide injunction. And that seems not particularly good. According to another professor named Mila Sahony, who is the University of San Diego School of Law, So Honey acknowledged that this type of relief has now been requested all the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
What's being asserted is that those sources of law impose this crisp rule on federal courts under which federal courts can never grant relief to anybody that's not a plaintiff or a member of a certified class. But what she is saying is the opposite of what Bray is saying.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
What Bray is saying is the way that a federal court should take up a case is to put an injunction with regard to a specific plaintiff. So if, let's say, you are a child of an illegal immigrant and you sue based on the birthright citizenship executive order put forward by the Trump administration, if the federal court is going to rule at the district level, they should put a stay on the injunction.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
They should put an injunction on the enforcement of that law with regard to just you, not to everyone similarly situated, because that is a question that belongs at the Supreme Court level. Bray said... Remedies need to be based in equity. They need to have a traditional equitable basis unless they're authorized by statute.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So again, these universal injunctions are a problem because what you end up with is basically single judges now determining for the entire nation what policy should be. And that's not right. That is wrong. It takes a long time for these cases to win themselves to the Supreme Court. President Trump makes this point. He says judges who are attempting to block Doge are a disgrace.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And again, he is not wrong about this is a very hotly contested issue by Democrats and Republicans. If it's a constitutional crisis for Trump to ignore one federal judge, not the Supreme Court, one federal judge in, say, Oregon, striking down a nationwide act of Congress or a presidential action, who's creating the federal crisis?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And that's why we needed Admiral Rachel. I mean, that's why we needed members of the military who were carrying pride progress flags. That is why every recruitment video needed to be about finding yourself as opposed to what the military has always been about, which is defending the country and defending the guy next to you. Well, all that is changing. Secretary of Defense Hegseth,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It would be that judge and people who are interpreting the law that way. Meanwhile, the American Bar Association, which is just a left-wing interest group, released a statement slamming Trump and Elon Musk. William R.A., president of the ABA. Remember, the ABA is such a corrupt institution. They actually signed on to. Joe Biden by fiat declaring a constitutional amendment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
They said, quote, it's been three weeks since Inauguration Day. Most Americans recognize that newly elected leaders bring change. That is expected. But most Americans also expect changes will take place in accordance with the rule of law and in an orderly manner that respects the lives of affected individuals in the work they've been asked to perform.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
We have seen attempts at wholesale dismantling of departments and entities created by Congress without seeking the required congressional approval to change the law. There are efforts to dismiss employees with little regard for the law and protections they merit. Social media announcements that disparage and appear to be motivated by a desire to inflame without any stated factual basis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
This is chaotic, but it is wrong. And most Americans recognize it is wrong. It is contrary to the rule of law. Okay, listening to the ABA about what's contrary to the rule of law at this point is like listening to the American Psychological Association talk about what's contrary to common sense when it comes to transgender care.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Like you are an institution that has been thoroughly corrupted in the name of left-wing politics, and we can all see it. It is perfectly obvious. In reality, Democrats are just upset because they do not like the fact that they are losing. Donald Trump picked an 80% issue when he said, let's cut waste, fraud, and abuse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Democrats are taking the 20% and then trying to swivel it into another argument about democracy and the Constitution that, again, avails you little when you guys are seen as a threat to democracy and the Constitution yourselves. And the desperation is clear and obvious. Eddie Glaude is a commentator over at MSNBC. Again, he is suggesting that it's all unconstitutional.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Again, it's funny how Democrats suddenly like the Constitution the minute that Republicans are in power and they invoke it all the time. you know, when they're not declaring that the constitution is itself racist. Here's Eddie Glaude saying that the actual quiet part out loud, that Democrats actually believe the constitution itself is bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The same constitution they are currently invoking to try and yell at Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So Democrats are going to have to make up their mind. Is the Constitution good or is the Constitution actually a tool of white supremacy? Because they can't make up their mind, it shows what Democrats actually think about all these things, which is just a power game. It's just a power game. If the Constitution is their enemy, the Constitution is a tool of white supremacy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If the Constitution is their friend, then violating the Constitution creates a constitutional crisis. Meanwhile, Ben Rhodes, he of the bad unpublished novels from Brooklyn, who was suddenly made into a national security advisor based on the fact that his brother was in charge of CBS News at the time under Barack Obama. Now he is complaining about Donald Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
who we on the show push very hard for, specifically for this reason, is changing the culture and the nature of the American military and how it is perceived almost single-handedly. Not because he's the only one in the military who is saying this stuff, but because the leadership of the military absolutely matters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
He is, he's very, very, he says Donald Trump is just like Vladimir Putin. And the histrionics from these folks, man, there's not enough room in this leftist tears tumbler. We need a bigger leftist tears tumbler. We need like a gallon size leftist tears tumbler for all the tears from people like Ben Rhodes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If you look at other autocrats around the world, throughout all of human history, including in recent years, when you look at, say, Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, or how Xi Jinping is eyeing Taiwan ever more closely as he ages a bit, you know, there's this idea that a real legacy comes with more territory. That's not a new concept. It both helps you consolidate power at home. It stirs up nationalism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
You get a bit of a sugar high. And it also is something that, you know, you can associate yourself with going forward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And when I listen to Ben Rose talk about America's national interest, all I can think is that he was actually nicknamed in the White House, in the Obama White House. His nickname was, I'm not even kidding, Hamas. That was his nickname in the White House because he was so anti-American. This guy. And now they're bringing him forth to talk about Donald Trump being anti-American. No one's buying it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
No one's buying it. And the Trump... The Trump rebranding of America is going exceedingly well. And that, by the way, includes President Trump's rebranding of America against things like Hamas, against evil actors like, for example, Hamas. So yesterday, Hamas canceled all hostage releases until further notice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
They did so basically because they made themselves look even more evil than they normally are. So over last weekend, they released three Israeli hostages. These Israeli hostages had clearly been starved. They were emaciated. Apparently, one of those Israeli hostages, when released, weighed 39 kilograms, which, by the way, is 86 pounds. That is insane, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Not only were these hostages emaciated, starved. Turns out the true starvation in Gaza, the true starvation crisis was applied basically only to the hostages in Gaza. Not only that, this particular hostage, who'd been held in a tunnel for some 440 days, had not been told that his wife and children had been murdered.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So in a speech that they forced him to do before being released, he said he was looking forward to seeing his wife and children, who are dead. They had not told him that. So this, of course, made Hamas look even more evil than they already looked, which is hard to do, considering they are a mass murder, genocidal rape organization. And Hamas then...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Politically correct generals atop a structure filled with wonderful men and women who are fighting for the country is not good enough. You need people at the top of the military who actually reflect the priorities and the image of the grunts on the ground, the guys who are actually doing the fighting and wounding and dying on behalf of the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
basically said we're not going to release any more hostages now the reason for that is probably because all the other hostages are either dead or in this kind of condition and so the more hostages they release in this kind of condition the worse it gets for them imagistically across the world by the way it is in my opinion almost certain that the bibas family who many people have been praying for i would be shocked if the bibas family is not dead the father i believe has been released but the mother and two babies you know those red-headed kids almost certainly dead
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The fact that Hamas committed those acts is the reason why they're not releasing the bodies, because if they do that, then the ceasefire is basically over. So they announced they're not going to release any more people. During the past three weeks, the resistance leadership has monitored the enemy's violations and failure to abide by the terms of the agreement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And now, realistically, it's not about that. It's just an outright violation of the ceasefire. So Israel is is arming up at this point. President Trump. then made a public comment about all this. And he said, listen, if these folks are not back, all of them, not some of them, all of them, by noon on Saturday, Israel has the green light to do whatever the hell it wants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Good for President Trump. Imagine if this has been the world's reaction October 8th, 2023. And President Trump, this is what strong American leadership looks like, is F around, find out. This has always been the way of President Trump, and he is right, obviously, about all of this. And the image of America and the world is changing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
President Trump understands the Middle East better than any of his moronic predecessors. By far, it is not close, which is the reason he's actually achieved things in the Middle East that none of his idiot predecessors have been able to do. All righty, meanwhile, fallout from the Super Bowl. So apparently people are very upset that Taylor Swift was in fact booed at the Super Bowl.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
There's an entire piece in Glamour magazine titled why Taylor Swift getting booed at the Super Bowl was even more chilling than you think. Well, I mean, I'm sure it's more chilling than I think because I didn't find it chilling. I thought it was hilarious. Taylor Swift is one of the more obnoxious members of the celebrity culture.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Whether it is Taylor Swift sitting in on Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively bullying Justin Baldoni, or whether it is Taylor Swift recording the warbling three-note songs of 15-year-old girls while being the same age as my wife, who is a doctor and has four children. in which she talks about her horrific breakups and how she's a victim of the patriarchy and all this while being a billionaire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So Pete Hegseth did a couple of things yesterday that re-entrined again this notion that America's military is back. And by the way, you can see it in the numbers as we talked about on the show a couple of days ago. Pete Hegseth announced that recruitment hit record highs, like 12-year highs in December and hit 15-year highs in January. And recruitment is going to keep going up. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
She's a very annoying human, and that is why people booed her. But apparently it is chilling. According to Glamour, quote, since Donald Trump took office, there have been several times I felt chilled by the rapid increase in misogyny seeping in our culture. But watching Taylor Swift at Super Bowl, booed by a crowd of thousands on Sunday night, was a new low.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It was just a football game, people might say, or Swift. Got heckled by some rowdy Eagles fans, excited to be at the biggest sporting event of the year. So, don't take it so seriously, but I was there at that game. When Swift's face appeared on the Jumbotron, an almost instant and distinctly male descent erupted from around me. Swift, of course, was there to support her boyfriend.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I was far from the only celebrity in attendance. In fact, the screen showed a few famous people, from Paul McCartney to Anne Hathaway and Lady Gaga. Swift was different. As soon as she appeared on screen, the crowd seemed to delight in jeering and heckling her, and the mood shift was palpable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I watched in real time as Swift, alongside her friend Ice Spice, took in the response, her brow furrowing in confusion and then apparent discomfort. Looking at the camera, she distinctly said, what is going on? And girl, same, because we were all wondering what the hell was happening. If you're wondering, it's because you haven't been paying attention.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Taylor Swift has earned the enmity of a lot of football fans. Why? Because we believe that she got into football approximately seven seconds ago when it became convenient for her to celebrity date Travis Kelsey. And people who like sports are kind of annoyed that they're watching a sporting event and then the celebrity girlfriend gets cut to every seven seconds by the NFL.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And also they think that she is one of the most manipulative public figures in recent history. I mean, even that sentence, Swift alongside her friend Ice Spice. Yes, I'm sure they are deep and abiding friends who hang out daily. Like, come on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Perhaps the moment would have felt less visceral if not for the fact that less than an hour earlier, the crowd had exploded this time with applause to see Trump on that same screen. As an image of the president stone-faced and standing in a salute was shown to the crowd during John Batiste's national anthem performance, the roar of approval and cheers was deafening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Well, yeah, because it turns out that Trump got elected. And not only did Trump get elected, he is, again, putting forward a face of America that is simultaneously old and new. in which patriotism is glorified once again. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift is doing anthems to the matriarchy and her supposed victim status. Yeah, people are annoyed by her.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
To me, that disparate reaction felt like a message, says the Glamour columnist, that the Super Bowl, one of the biggest cultural events in the country, has been reclaimed by Trump and the type of toxic masculinity he appears to be the beacon of. And he and his supporters seem to be living for it. Again, if it were really just toxic masculinity, then literally every woman would have been booed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But that's the point. It was just Taylor Swift. And the reason it's Taylor Swift is for all the reasons just mentioned. She is deeply fake. She is deeply artificial, deeply annoying. And yeah, she deserves it. All righty, folks, coming up, more commentary on the Super Bowl. Some people suggesting there was some coded messaging in Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. We'll discuss.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Because it turns out that young men want to join this kind of military. If young men wanted to join the world's most diverse workforce, and that was like the top priority, they'd be going to Wellesley or they'd be looking for a job at Starbucks. But if what they actually wish to do is join a fighting machine, which is what the American war machine is supposed to be,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
then they're going to want to go into Donald Trump's military, but not, for example, Barack Obama or Joe Biden's military. You know how many questions I fielded over the course of the Obama and Biden administrations from young men, 17, 18-year-old men, who said, listen, I have a long family history of going into the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I'm not sure I want to go into the military if the commander-in-chief is Joe Biden or Barack Obama. Because, number one, I don't trust their foreign policy instincts, and I'm not sure I want to fight in a place that is far-flung, having no impact on American interests.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But more importantly, I'm not sure I want to go into a military where people like me are scorned and looked down upon, historic military families who are not members of the sort of diversity coalition that's going to be on the brochure cover for the Biden or Obama military. All of that is changing. So Pete Hegseth yesterday, he went and he trained with a bunch of members of the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Of course, he himself has a military background. Here's some of the video of him greeting members of the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
They're all eager to meet Hegseth because Hegseth is one of them. Hegseth served in the exact same kind of combat roles that they did. The image of that, as opposed to Lloyd Austin strolling down lines of men and women wearing like a face mask, is very different. And then, of course, Hegseth went out and he was pumping iron. Now, again, people on the left say, oh, this is so stereotypical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Sometimes you have actual formal strictures against people who disagree. In other words, the government does an awful lot to shape culture in this country. This is something the left has understood for a very long time in a way that the right traditionally has not. And that includes people like me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
What does it matter? I mean, isn't this kind of just garish and boorish? Well, the answer is sure and awesome. Because the image that you want to give off to the world is one where if you screw with us, we will kick your ass. That is the image that the American military should in fact be purveying to the rest of the world. And Hegseth is a key part of that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So he made a couple of announcements yesterday that go to this. So number one, Hegseth issued an immediate pause on gender affirming medical care procedures for all active duty service members in a memo addressed to senior Pentagon leadership and military command, according to ABC News.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
It also ordered an immediate pause on all new promotions in the military for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria. In other words, this is not a diversity machine. This is a battle machine. Now, none of this should be surprising. Gender dysphoria is a very serious condition. If you have depression, you are not allowed to be recruited into the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If you have clinical obesity, you're not allowed to be recruited into the military. Anything that is supposed to inhibit your function as a member of the military is supposed to bar you from entering the military. There's a wide variety of mental health conditions that bar you from joining the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If it doesn't bar you from joining the military, that you're a man who wants to cut off your junk and have hormone treatment, I'm not sure exactly what should precisely. And again, that's not a question of the patriotism of people who want to join the military in this condition. It's a matter of what the military wants and what the military needs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The memo says, quote, effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused. All unscheduled, scheduled or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for service members are paused. Individuals with gender dysphoria have volunteered to serve our country and will be treated with dignity and respect.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The memo continued. But the Department of Defense would provide additional policy and implementation guidance to service members with the current diagnosis or history of gender dysphoria.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Again, the executive order that President Trump signed not long ago directed the DOD to revise the Pentagon's policy on transgender service members and stated that expressing a false gender identity divergent from individual sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service. And this would appear to be perfectly obvious. This would appear to be perfectly obvious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If you are body dysmorphic, if you have anorexia, if you think that actually you're a fat person and you're a deathly skinny person, you shouldn't be in the military. If you're a person who believes that you're a one-armed person in a two-armed person's body, you shouldn't be in the military. The order continues, quote, cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Because I tend to believe that the government should have a set of delegated powers, and the government performs those delegated powers, and we elect that government. So really, culture should shape – our politics should shape our governance. But the truth is it works the other way, too.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And Hegseth echoed this. He said, quote, efforts to split our troops along lines of identity weaken our force and make us vulnerable. Such efforts must not be tolerated or accommodated. And this is correct. With ExpressVPN, their powerful encryption reroutes 100% of your online activity through secure servers, making your data invisible to prying eyes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Again, I'm traveling a lot, and that means that I'm constantly on public Wi-Fi. I need ExpressVPN because my data is my business. So I rely on ExpressVPN. It's super easy to use. I clicked one button, it downloaded. I clicked one button, it's activated. All done. Also,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Even if you think it's a bit overhyped, AI is suddenly everywhere, from self-driving cars to molecular medicine to business efficiency. And if it's not in your industry yet, it is coming in fast. By the way, AI is amazing. It is getting better day by day. All the things you think are shortcomings of AI, those will be gone in the next iteration. They're being fixed as we speak.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But here's the thing, AI needs a lot of speed and computing power. So how do you compete without costs spiraling out of control? Time to upgrade to that next generation of the cloud, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure or OCI. OCI is a blazing fast and secure platform for your infrastructure database application development, plus all your AI and machine learning workloads.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And this is a point that many people on the MAGA right have been making for a long time, is that when you have, for example, a defense department that decides that it's going to put out ads that feature – lesbian families finding themselves, that this actually has an impact on the kind of people who are recruited into the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
See if your company qualifies for this special offer at oracle.com slash Shapiro. That's oracle.com slash Shapiro. You don't want your company left behind in the AI revolution. Go check out Oracle right now, oracle.com slash Shapiro. So what exactly is happening? Well, of course, the left immediately sued because the idea here is not that the military must be strong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The military must, in fact, be strong. a diversity organization. Human rights campaign and Lambda Legal then filed a federal lawsuit
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The lawsuit says, quote, by categorically excluding transgender people, the 2025 military ban and related federal policy and directives violate the equal protection and due process guarantees of the Fifth Amendment and the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment. They lack any legitimate or rational justification. Well, actually, there's a pretty easy legitimate or rational justification.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
If you join the military and demand hundreds of thousands of dollars in services to cut off your penis, it seems that that might be an inhibiting factor in your military service. And first of all, Terming a transgender category, suggesting that transgender people are their own category, as opposed to human beings who have gender dysphoria and who are categorizing themselves wrongly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I'm wondering exactly what the limiting principle there is. If you're somebody, for example, with a criminal history, you can't join the military. Is that a ban on categories of people because they've acted in a particular way? or they believe certain things about themselves. Good for Hegseth, and again, the image of the American military is going to be stronger because of all this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
That was only one of two things that Hegseth did yesterday. He also renamed Fort Liberty to Fort Roland L. Bragg. So he is renaming Fort Bragg back from Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. But there's a twist, and this is really smart. Okay, so what Hegseth is doing, what the Trump administration is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So originally Fort Bragg was named Camp Bragg, and it was named after a person named Braxton Bragg, who was a former US Army artillery commander and a West Point graduate who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. And by the way, one of the reasons that many of the forts in the United States were named for Confederate generals Fort Hood, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And that in turn has an impact on how people think of the military. And that in turn has an impact on how people around the world think of the United States. And they're not wrong about this. That's obviously true. The reason I say this is because now nature is healing and things are going back to normal, and it's starting with governmental action.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
One of the reasons for that was not because there was a great love for the Confederacy in the United States. It was because the way that you bring a country back together after the most bloody civil war in American history and possibly world history. is that you actually express conciliation by recognizing that the Confederacy existed and now they have been subsumed into the broader union.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
But the Biden administration decided to rename Fort Bragg because the idea was that presumably black soldiers would go to Fort Bragg and suddenly they would think of Braxton Bragg and they'd think of the racism of America. Now, again, I'm wondering what the evidence was to that effect, that black soldiers who were at Fort Bragg spent every waking moment thinking that, about the name of Fort Bragg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
I've heard Fort Bragg thousands of times. It had never occurred to me to even look up who Fort Bragg was named after, let alone to look into the deep history of Braxton Bragg. But what Hegseth is doing is smart. They found another American hero named Bragg so they could go back to Fort Bragg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
That way, when veterans say, I served at Fort Bragg, everybody knows what they're talking about because there's still a fort named Fort Bragg, a U.S. base named Fort Bragg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So according to the Defense Department, while flying aboard a C-17 from Joint Base Andrews to Stuttgart on February 10th, 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum renaming Fort Liberty in North Carolina to Fort Roland Elbrag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
The new name pays tribute to Private First Class Roland Elbrag, a World War II hero who earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his exceptional courage during the Battle of the Bulge. This change underscores the installation's legacy of recognizing those who have demonstrated extraordinary service and sacrifice for the nation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
So apparently Roland Elbreg was, again, another American hero, but he was an American hero circa World War II. And he had effectively apparently hijacked During World War II, a German ambulance to get a wounded soldier to an Allied hospital in Belgium, you draw like 20 miles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And so what they're doing is they're restoring the legacy of Fort Bragg without paying homage to a Confederate soldier, which is a pretty good way of squaring the circle here. Pretty smart. And all the people who would normally be protesting against the renaming of Fort Bragg are going to have trouble protesting the naming of Fort Bragg for a World War II Battle of the Bulge hero.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
And all this goes to the sort of broader thing that Trump is doing. The broader thing that Trump is doing is very much image-driven. And this is something that Trump understands better than literally anyone alive. He is the best marketer in the history of the American Republic, bar none. I mean, who else would be up for the job?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2136 - No More TRANSING The Military!
Like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Donald Trump, just in terms of branding genius. The people who did Coca-Cola. Donald Trump is amazing at branding and he understands the power of imagery. And the left is panicking because for a very, very long time, the right never understood the power of imagery. The power never understood the power of culture in general.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Folks, we have a ton coming up on today's show. The final episode of the case for Derek Chauvin plus Malcolm Gladwell stops by to talk about all of that. And of course, all the big news of the day, the preparation for the Trump tariffs, the big race that's going on in Wisconsin for Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And believe it or not, I believe that Hillary Clinton is trying to throw her hat into the ring. How do I know? Well, Hillary Clinton only emerges from the woodwork every so often to write an op-ed for the New York Times if she's got something else on her mind. She has a piece in the New York Times today titled, How Much Dumber Will This Get? Now remember, Hillary Clinton is 77 years old.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That means that in three years, when theoretically she would be running for the presidency again, she'd be 80. That is no longer a barrier to entry. President Trump is currently 78 years old. He's a year older than Hillary Clinton. 77 is like a spring chicken by our modern standards. And the Democratic bench is pretty empty, pretty empty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So Hillary Clinton is emerging hypocritically to now talk about Signalgate. She says, it's not the hypocrisy that bothers me, it's the stupidity. We're all shocked that President Trump and his team don't actually care about protecting classified information or federal record retention laws, but we knew that already.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
What's much worse is that the top Trump administration officials put our troops in jeopardy by sharing military plans on a commercial messaging app and unwittingly invited a journalist into chat. That's dangerous and it's just dumb. And I gotta say, it is amazing that the New York Times went to Hillary Clinton of all humans to jabber about Signalgate. Because this sword cuts both ways.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
As I've been saying, a bad economic downturn would seriously hamper President Trump's ability to do virtually anything, given the fact that he effectively has a one-vote majority in the House of Representatives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
If she's saying Republicans are hypocrites for not caring about Signalgate, but caring about her classified documents mishandling, she is a hypocrite for saying that she cares about Signalgate, but she does not care about her own classified documents mishandling.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Nowhere in this piece does she actually address the fact that she had a separate hard drive that she set up in her bathroom that contained all sorts of classified information. But it's pretty clear here that she actually is trying to set up, believe it or not, for another presidential run. Quote, in a dangerous and complex world, it's not enough to be strong. You must also be smart.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
As Secretary of State during the Obama administration, I argued for smart power, integrating the hard power of our military with the soft power of our diplomacy, development assistance, economic might, and cultural influence. None of those tools can do the job alone. Together, they make America a superpower. The Trump approach is dumb power.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Okay, these are the kinds of words of a person who's trying to throw her hat into the ring as a candidate. Fascinating to see how empty the cupboard is at Democratic headquarters that they have to pull Hillary Clinton out from behind the unused cinnamon. Pretty impressive. Now, listen, not all hope is dead for Democrats today. There are a couple of big elections nationwide.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
One of them is happening in the Florida 6th Congressional District. That is Mike Waltz's old district, Rhonda Sands' old district. President Trump won that district by 30 points in the last election cycle. Right now, Senator...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
From Florida, Randy Fine is locked in a very competitive battle with a Democrat named Josh Weil, mainly because Democrats have poured something like $10 million into that district, hoping to steal it while Republicans are asleep. There's no way that an R plus 30 district should go Democrat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Yesterday, I actually participated in a tele-rally for Senator Fine, along with Representative Byron Donalds, to get out the vote for Senator Fine. It's very important that Republicans win that race and win it fairly handily.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
But beyond that, there are also certain stories that are just so bad for an administration that they end up hampering their ability to do anything because association with the administration becomes sort of toxic. And there are many cases of this over the course of modern American history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
They need to win it because if they lose that seat, then basically Mike Johnson's margin of error in the House shrinks to zero because he always has to deal with the constant no vote of Thomas Massey, among others. But also, Republicans need to win fairly handily there just to show Democrats that they don't actually have a chance of sneaking back in through the window.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That is one big race that is happening today. The other big race that is happening today is the state Supreme Court in Wisconsin. It does have nationwide consequences, as The Daily Wire points out. Democrats are expected to challenge Wisconsin's current congressional maps if Crawford wins. Judge Susan Crawford is the very left-wing judge who's being put up for the Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The conservative candidate is Brad Schimel. The outcome could determine how the court rules on abortion, voter ID laws, and union reforms as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Schimel, who's the former Republican AG of Wisconsin, said in a recent interview he's running to save the court from activist judges like Crawford, saying the court has turned into the most dangerous body in state government under its current 4-3 liberal majority.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The woman who is running against him, Crawford, is extraordinarily far to the left on pretty much every issue it is possible to be to the left. $90 million has been poured into this race. That's how important it is because a redistricting in Wisconsin could shift the balance of power in the United States Congress. If
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
A left-wing Supreme Court in Wisconsin redraws the congressional boundaries, then Democrats could pick up a seat or two, and that would be enough to shift the balance of power in the Congress of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Among Crawford's other rather infamous rulings were one spot highlighting a case where she sentenced a man convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls in a pool to four years in prison, which is well below what prosecutors had requested. Crawford said she doesn't regret the decision, asserting that she followed the law at the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Elon Musk, of course, is putting heavy resources into this particular race. So it'll be fascinating to see how all of that turns out. Speaking of Elon Musk, the attacks continue on people who are driving Teslas, which is insane to me. It only took a little bit of political magic for Democrats to turn full scale against electric vehicles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Apparently, the number one electric vehicle company on planet Earth is now their enemy because Elon Musk happens to be an ally of President Trump, who's seeking to cut waste, fraud and abuse inside the government. Here is some footage of protesters outside a Tesla factory or Tesla dealership, and they're doing their best to, you know, fight the man. Oh, man, this is the best they can do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
For folks who can't see, they're doing coordinated line dancing, holding signs that show Tesla with a swastika. Meanwhile, a man accused of firebombing a Tesla dealership in Colorado is now facing federal charges, according to AG Pam Bondi. Cooper Joe Frederick, 24, was arrested in Plano, Texas, on suspicion of attacking a Tesla dealership on March 7th in Loveland, Colorado.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The truth is the Hunter Biden laptop story hovered over the Biden administration for the entirety of the Biden administration. The truth is that when it came to Barack Obama, Barack Obama's administration was seriously hampered, not just by Obamacare, but by Barack Obama's polarizing talk in 2012. There are many such cases where a single story can shift an entire election cycle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Bondi said, you can run, but you can't hide. Justice is coming. This is, in fact, terrorism, by the way. When you attack people or property with the intent of effectuating political change, that is an act of terrorism definitionally. So good for Pam Bondi for doing the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And if you want it to stop, you will have to do the thing because I think that we are now arriving in an age of political terrorism and chaos if it does not stop and stop right quick. Everything ranging from property damage to full-on shootings in the streets cheered on by members of the left wing are now on the table.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Luigi Mangione is a hero to a bunch of people on the left, including people like comedian Bill Burr. Speaking of which, I have to say that the Comedians Club is getting less and less interesting and funny. Amber Ruffin is a comedian, an alleged comedian, who's supposed to do her bit at the White House Correspondents Dinner, and she was canceled because she is so overtly, annoyingly anti-Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so she was explaining what her plans were.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
If you want more from The Ben Shapiro Show and The Daily Wire, even more than you normally get, it's time to become a Daily Wire Plus member. You get member exclusive shows, ad-free streaming. Watch along with my producers in the chat, plus early access to our new releases. Watch premium films and documentaries you're not going to find anywhere else.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That's solid stuff right there. You're a bunch of murderers. Slow clap for these geniuses. Really smart stuff right there. Well, that lady is not very funny at all, but I'll tell you something that is also not funny, and that is your mattress, the one you're sleeping on. It stinks, right? You just went to a big box store and you picked it up, didn't you? Didn't you?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Well, you need a better mattress, and this is where Helix Mattress comes in. You know that feeling where you wake up and your back is already complaining? Well, before I got my Helix Mattress, that was me quite often. I'll see you next time. for you. Again, you will be sleeping better because, you know, you get your coffee made for you the way you like it in the morning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Why would you not have a mattress that you spend eight hours a night on that is actually made for you? Right now, Helix is offering an incredible deal during their spring savings event. Visit helixsleep.com slash ben, get 20% off site-wide. That's helixsleep.com slash ben for 20% off site-wide. Start sleeping better tonight. Again, just visit helixsleep.com slash ben for this exclusive offer. Also,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
You know, I'm traveling, I'm on the road, there's a lot going on, the news is rough, and that means that I still need to somehow keep healthy. Well, when I was younger, I used to think I could just power through on willpower and caffeine. I learned pretty quickly, peak performance requires peak nutrition, and that means eating enough veggies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That's why I'm so thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day. That sounds miserable and time-consuming. With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule. You take your fruit and veggie capsules every day, and then your body knows just what to do with them. They are kosher, so I toss it right in the protein smoothie, and that is why I'm just ripped like a Greek god. Go to balanceofnature.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer. Plus, get a free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro. Again, balanceofnature.com. Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer and get that free bottle of fiber and spice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
This happened in 2006. Republicans looked like they were in decent shape for the midterm elections of 2006. And then there was a Republican congressperson named Mark Foley, who it turned out had been sleeping with some of his aides, allegedly. And because of that, Republicans ended up getting shellacked. So...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It's balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro to make your life healthier, make your body healthier, have more energy, just feel better overall, balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro. Meanwhile, President Trump is continuing to troll. So over the last 72 hours or so, He continues to revive the idea that he is going to run for president again in 2028. He's not allowed to run for president in 2028.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The 22nd Amendment says you can only serve two terms. There are some people who are trying to put forth the rather strained constitutional interpretation that theoretically he could run as vice president of the United States because the rule in the Constitution is unconstitutional.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
that the qualifications for the presidency of the United States are the same qualifications as for the vice presidency of the United States. One interpretation means, okay, well, he's no longer qualified to be president of the United States since he's done it twice. The other interpretation means that the Constitution just meant that you have to be a natural born citizen and 35 years of age.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Okay, it's not happening, but he's still trolling. Here's President Trump in the White House yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Well, you know, Caroline Leavitt, whose job it is to defend what the president says, she was out there defending President Trump over his comments regarding a possible third term. Again, this is just trollery. It ain't going to happen. And people, I think, understand that it is trollery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
But one of the funnier aspects of the Trump administration, this is true during Trump one and Trump two, is Trump would do something that was clearly a troll. And then members of his administration would walk out there and basically have to defend the troll as though it's totally serious. So here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Okay, meanwhile, Democrats are in fact spiraling. Anna Navarro, again, one of the brilliant women at The View, she says we must take this seriously. It is deeply important. We must stop this tyranny.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
All that is happening right now is the media are on the hunt for some sort of screw up that is so bad that it seriously harms the Trump administration. And the place that they are digging right now is in the immigration realm because Trump is moving fast and breaking things in many realms, including the immigration realm. And so there is a story by Nick Miroff from the Atlantic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So, again, if they want to spiral on this, let them spiral, man, because, you know, honestly. If they want to hone in on President Trump's trolling, good luck to them. They're just following like a cat with a laser pointer every aim that President Trump is putting on the wall.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The reality is, if Democrats are smart, what they should be doing is they should be focusing in on what is likely to happen tomorrow, Liberation Day, according to the President of the United States, but really giant tariff day. So President Trump says that he has settled on a trade plan, but he has not revealed it yet, which, of course, is like the worst way to do this sort of policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It really is a bad way to do this policy because markets are looking... for stability. Markets are looking for predictability. If you are worried that the president is going to dump a bunch of giant tariffs on you tomorrow, how exactly do you plan for that? It sort of paralyzed the markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
According to the Wall Street Journal, President Trump said he had settled on a plan for his latest batch of tariffs expected this week, but didn't reveal what he had decided. After his economic team struggled to coalesce around a U.S. trade strategy, quote, I've settled it. Yeah, Trump said in the Oval Office on Monday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Trump's team has pitched him on several ideas of how to tariff other countries, including a 20% global tariff on virtually all imports. Throughout Monday, some of its aides were under the impression he hadn't committed to a particular path. The people's stressed conversations remained fluid. Trump's comments that he had decided on an approach caught some White House advisors off guard.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So it is totally unclear what President Trump is going to do today. The markets seem uncertain. kind of sanguine about this. They seem as though they think that President Trump is not going to do serious tariffs tomorrow, that President Trump is basically signaling that he's going to do big tariffs, but it's going to be smaller than anticipated.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I certainly hope that that is the case, because I think that this is truly not good economic policy. If President Trump goes heavy, however, the markets are going to respond in very negative ways. According to Axios, The reality of multinational American businesses is that if these tariffs are suddenly applied, it is going to clock nearly everyone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The tariffs contrast with the 2018-2019 period in Trump's previous term when tariffs were more targeted to specific items from specific countries. All signs that these quote-unquote reciprocal tariffs meant to penalize other nations seen as dealing unfairly will be stacked on top of other tariffs like those ostensibly meant to penalize Mexico, Canada, and China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Trump told reporters on Sunday, you'd start with all countries. White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro, of course, said, as we played on the show yesterday, new tariffs would raise $600 billion a year for the federal government. That, by the way, would be almost a 10x increase in terms of tariff revenue, which was $77 billion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
that supposedly was going to bring down the Trump administration, do serious damage to the Trump administration. It's their lead today at the Atlantic. It's called an administrative error sends a Maryland father to a Salvadoran prison. And this was going to be a big takedown, right? The idea being that the most popular element of Trump's agenda by far right now is his immigration portfolio.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
As Axios points out, Navarro's comments imply $6 trillion in increased tariff revenue over the next decade. So these are big tariffs if he indeed does them. So we'll see the market, again, seems to be banking on the idea that Trump is not going to go full Monty here. We're going to find out in very short order whether that is true or not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
All righty now, our final episode in the case for Derek Chauvin, our five part series on why the Trump administration should issue a federal pardon for Derek Chauvin. After that, we'll be joined by the famous author Malcolm Gladwell to talk about his perspective. He disagrees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The death of George Floyd sparked what would become the most destructive period of civil unrest in modern American history. Protests erupted in all 50 states, not just in major urban centers, but in small towns across rural America. By early June 2020, over 200 cities had imposed curfews. More than 30 states and Washington, D.C.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
activated over 96,000 National Guard, State Guard, 82nd Airborne, and 3rd Infantry Regiment service members. This represented one of the largest military operations outside of war in American history. While the mainstream media continued to claim that these were mostly peaceful protests, the reality on the ground was very different.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
By the end of June 2020, at least 14,000 people had been arrested. At least 19 people died in relation to the riots. Property damage from arson, vandalism, and looting between May 26th and June 8th caused approximately $1 to $2 billion in insured damages nationally, the highest recorded damage from civil disorder in U.S. history, surpassing even the 1992 L.A. riots.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Minneapolis itself saw catastrophic destruction. There were two deaths, 604 arrests, an estimated $550 million in property damage to 1,500 properties. The city's third police precinct was overrun and burned to the ground. Businesses that had survived for generations were destroyed overnight. All of this destruction occurred before any semblance of due process was afforded to Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
In Seattle, protesters established what they called the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, or CHAZ, later renamed to CHOP, the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest. For weeks, six blocks of a major American city were essentially surrendered to anarchists, antifa, and radical activists. Police were forbidden from entering. Businesses were held hostage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
When President Trump urged Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan to take back her city, she glibly referred to the occupation as a summer of love. It wasn't until multiple shootings occurred within the zone that city officials finally acted to dismantle it. As American cities burned, Democratic politicians saw an opportunity for political gain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
On June 8, 2020, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic lawmakers draped themselves in kente cloth, a traditional Ghanaian textile, and knelt in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall for a carefully choreographed photo op. The display was performed of virtue signaling at its most egregious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
As Jade Bentle, a Ghanaian-Nigerian researcher at Oxford University noted, quote, my ancestors did not invent kente cloth for them to be worn by publicity-obsessed politicians as activism in 2020. The kente cloth stunt was widely mocked across the political spectrum, with one screenwriter tweeting, quote, what if they, like, just passed some laws instead of dressing up like a Wakandan chess set?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Following their theatrical display, Democrats then introduced the Justice in Policing Act, a bill that would have imposed federal mandates on local police departments, restricted qualified immunity, and fundamentally altered policing in America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The legislation ultimately failed, but it set the stage for a broader push to a movement that would have catastrophic consequences for public safety in cities across America. And who benefited from all this chaos? Well, certainly not the black communities these riots supposedly aim to help.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
President Trump has done more on the border than any president in modern American history by far. Basically, illegal immigration levels went from historic highs under Joe Biden to basically non-existent on our southern border under President Trump. And that is thanks, of course, to President Trump. It's thanks to Tom Homan, the borders are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
No, the real beneficiary was Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, which rigged in a staggering $90 million. And what did they do with this windfall? According to their own tax filings, only 33% went to actual charitable organizations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Meanwhile, BLM co-founder Patrice Cullors, a self-described trained Marxist, somehow discovered her capitalist spirit and paid her graffiti artist brother $840,000 for security services. She paid another $970,000 to a company owned by her child's father for creative services and $2.1 million to a consulting firm owned by another board member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And let's not forget the $6 million LA Mansion they purchased. The intellectual underpinnings of this movement were equally fraudulent. ACAB, all cops are bastards, became the rallying cry of college students who would call 911 if their iPhone went missing. Then came defund the police, possibly the worst political slogan in American history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
When normal people heard defund, they thought it meant actually removing funding from police departments. But then when poll numbers cratered, suddenly progressives insisted it actually meant fund mental health services instead. The cities that did defund their police departments, like Minneapolis, Portland, and Seattle, saw crime rates skyrocket. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It's thanks to Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary. It's thanks to Secretary of State Rubio, who's been very involved in deportation proceedings. It is a whole of administration efforts. Thanks to Stephen Miller, top advisor to the president. It is by far the most successful element of the Trump administration thus far.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. His current imprisonment represents a failure of our justice system and a triumph of mob rule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so if Democrats can find a sympathetic case of somebody being victimized, this is going to be the point of the spear at the beginning of their resistance. And it sort of has to be because they are actually not capable fully of shifting away from their open borders mentality. And in our unfortunately reactionary politics, a bunch of false choices tend to obtain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So it's either open border or totally closed border, nothing in between. In any case, this piece from Nick Miroff says, an administrative error since a Maryland father to a Salvadoran prison. The Trump administration has mistakenly deported an immigrant with protected status, but the courts are powerless to order his return.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And this is like the big, big story that is going to break the Trump administration. Because, after all, The Atlantic has been on the hunt for this. Jeffrey Goldberg was the editor of The Atlantic, who was included accidentally in that national security chat. That was the big story of last week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
and connect with a community that shares your values. Watch anywhere, anytime on desktop, mobile, and TV apps. With new content added every week, there's always something worth watching. Join the fight right now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. Well, the media are on the hunt for a bad story that can hang around President Trump's neck.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I urge you to visit PardonDerek.com and sign our petition asking President Trump to grant Derek Chauvin a federal pardon. We'll also put the website to donate to Derek Chauvin's legal defense fund in the description.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The big story of this week is going to be The Atlantic reporting a bureaucratic script that sends an innocent man to go hang out with gang members from Trendaragua in El Salvador. Quote, the Trump administration acknowledged in a court filing Monday it had grabbed a Maryland father with protected legal status and mistakenly deported him to El Salvador, but said that U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The pardon power exists precisely for cases like this one, where the regular mechanisms of justice have failed, where political considerations have overridden the fair application of the law, and where mercy is warranted in the face of extraordinary circumstance. Joining us online to discuss all this is Malcolm Gladwell.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Of course, you know him as the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his great books, The Tipping Point and Blink. He's also the host of the Revisionist History podcast, which reconsiders things both overlooked and misunderstood, as well as the Broken Record podcast as well. Malcolm, thanks so much for joining the show. Really appreciate it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So let's talk about the case that I'm making for the pardon of Derek Chauvin. My understanding is that you oppose. You've made pretty clear that you think that the case against Chauvin is solid and that the judgment was correct. What do you make of the case?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
courts lacked jurisdiction to order his return from the mega prison where he's now locked up. Now, on the face of that, that's really bad, right? I mean, that's a bad story. If they just took a random guy who had protected status from El Salvador, and then he was taken and thrown into a prison in El Salvador, And he was just like an innocent guy. That's a really bad story, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
You should try it. I'm sure it's unpleasant. I mean, the reality, however, is that, and you and I agree on many of the underlying facts here. One of the questions, legally speaking, obviously, is the question of proximate cause. Was it the stress on Floyd's, It was a positional asphyxia, which was the case that was made by the prosecution that actually led to Floyd's death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Was that the proximate cause of his death? Or was it in fact the excited delirium that was started by the fact that he was arrested in the first place? He's already claiming that he can't breathe before he's even taken out of the car and put on the ground. So if the idea is that he's in respiratory distress, so grave that he was going to die before anything else happened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And if the original attorney, the original medical examiner said in the report that if we'd found George Floyd dead in his home, he immediately would have attributed it to drug overdose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
and contributed to by his pre-existing conditions, then that does lead to, at the very least, reasonable doubt as to whether the real question here was the weight on his back or the weight on his neck, or whether the real question was the underlying health conditions that George Floyd was experiencing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And when you talk about Thomas Lane, we should note here that Thomas Lane, who was telling Chauvin to move Floyd onto his side, The Minneapolis Police Department protocol suggests that actually you're supposed to keep the suspect in prone position until a code four can be called, meaning that the scene is clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Paramedics didn't even call a code four when they arrived because the scene was not clear. There are many people who are around who are yelling, who are threatening. You can see that in sort of reverse angles of the footage. And so, as you say, it's a very complicated case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
But that's irrelevant if you're threatening, meaning that there are people who are threatening around saying, get off Floyd or we're going to come do something to you, presumably. And that is why Chauvin, you can see in the video, he's actually yelling at the crowd. He's yelling back at the crowd to get back and remove themselves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so, you know, the question of whether this was, you know, in fact, a second degree unintentional murder or whether this is a police procedure that met the wrong guy who had an eggshell skull syndrome, essentially, in terms of sort of legal speak. That's really the question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And as far as Thomas Lane, Thomas Lane, by the way, ends up in jail for three years, which to me is totally unjustifiable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so this is one of the questions I really want to ask you about sort of the justice system is that the other three officers who are there all end up going to jail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so that does suggest to me that there is certainly a political motivation and external circumstances that are affecting the judgment of judges and juries and prosecutors in cases like this, which is incredibly dangerous for the justice system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That'd be a very big screw-up. And if the administration is saying they can't do anything to fix it, that's an even bigger screw-up. According to The Atlantic, the case appears to be the first time the Trump administration has admitted to errors when it sent three plane loads of Salvadoran and Venezuelan deportees to El Salvador's Grim Terrorism Confinement Center on March 15th.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That's separate from the legal question. But the legal question is the one that I'm talking about here. So when it comes to the question of, for example, proximate cause, you say that it's both things combined, that it's the excited delirium and it's the weight on his back that killed him. That's the case that the prosecution attempts to make?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Attorneys for several Venezuelan deportees have said the Trump administration falsely labeled their clients' gang members because of their tattoos. Trump officials have disputed those claims. But in Monday's court filings, attorneys for the government admitted the Salvadoran man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was deported accidentally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
My contention is that that case cannot be, it's not possible for that case to be proved even remotely beyond a reasonable doubt, given the autopsy results and given the fact that again, when you're citing the Minneapolis department of the police department's use of force guidelines, there is in fact a proviso, which says that if the crowd is not secure, then a lot of that goes out the window.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And this is one of the questions. And in the tape, again, you see Chauvin gesturing while Floyd is going under, while Floyd, his breathing stops, and it's about the last 50 seconds of the tape. He's not breathing for the entire nine minutes. He stops breathing, apparently, according to the tape, the last 50 seconds or so, which, listen, it's all tragic and horrifying. But...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
At that point in the video, you can see that Chauvin is not focused on Floyd. Chauvin is focused on trying to get the crowd back. He's literally pointing at the crowd with the baton, telling them that they need to get back. And when the paramedics arrive, the paramedics don't even call a code for. The paramedics, which says, seen all clear, the paramedics don't do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so my position here is that policing is inherently, and you've written about this, ugly, difficult work in which you're finding people at the lowest moment of their lives. And that means that anything on tape, if Chauvin had not died, this would look like an ugly arrest. If I mean, if Floyd had not died, it would look like an ugly arrest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I mean, there is an arrest that was that was quite similar, actually, that Chauvin did a few years back before this during a domestic violence call where he used exactly the same position. The person did not die. He was not reprimanded. He shouldn't have been reprimanded. It was a domestic violence call.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
There's a reason why this procedure was in the Minneapolis Police Department playbook in the first place. I mean, down to an actual picture that looks like that was not allowed at trial, by the way. that looks like Chauvin on Floyd's neck. I mean, there's like an actual silhouetted picture that looks exactly like that in the guidebook for the Minneapolis Police Department.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so the case that I'm making here is essentially multifold. One is that there is no way, just from the facts of the case, to determine beyond a reasonable doubt that Derek Chauvin is responsible for George Floyd's death, given the autopsy results, Floyd's prior health condition, the fact that he's saying he can't breathe for multiple times before he's even put on the ground.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So there's approximate cause problem. Then there is the question of, even if you want to make a case for excessive use of force, which fine, let's say that that case exists. That case does not exist for second degree murder. That's a totally different charge. Then you have the question of the jury. The jury was clearly intimidated in this case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Quote, although ICE was aware of his protection from removal to El Salvador, Abrego Garcia was removed to El Salvador because of an administrative error, the government told the court. Trump's lawyers said the court has no ability to bring him back now that Abrego Garcia is in Salvadoran custody.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
This was the most highly profiled criminal justice case since the OJ Simpson case. You had the Minneapolis city government giving a $27 million settlement to George Floyd's family in the middle of jury selection. You had Joe Biden declaring during the case that he was hoping that Chauvin would be found guilty. I mean, this is one of the least unbiased cases ever.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I think the Thomas Lane conviction is perfect evidence of the fact that these cases were biased beyond all recognition. And that's terrible for the justice system. I think the thing that you and I are doing right now, a reasonable discussion about the George Floyd death and Chauvin's responsibility for that is precisely the thing that never happened during his trial or the lead up to the trial.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And that's one of the reasons why I think that you saw this sort of explosion in public sentiment that really had almost nothing to do with the case. I mean, one of the things that was never even alleged in the case by federal prosecutors or by state prosecutors is that any of this happened because George Floyd was black. That was the thing that was never alleged.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
There was no evidence ever presented at any of the trials or in the media that Chauvin was a racist. And in fact, the other officers who are standing around, one was white, one was Hmong, and one was black.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so the idea that this was a race-based case, which became the predicate for the entire Black Lives Matter summer, resulting in massive 20 million person protests and $2 billion in property damage was predicated on a narrative that was unfolded from a case that could not bear the weight of that narrative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So as a non-police officer, I have a hard time answering that question because again, if I looked at just a raw tape of a police officer doing his job in a normal might, it would look ugly to me as a civilian. That's just the reality. I mean, I've seen a lot of- Thomas Lane- Sorry, go ahead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The lawyer for Abrego Garcia is asking for the court to order the Trump administration to ask for Abrego Garcia's return. Trump administration attorneys told the court to dismiss the request on multiple grounds, including that Trump's supremacy in foreign affairs outweighs the interests of Abrego Garcia and his family. So the lawyer says, if this is true, the immigration laws are meaningless.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
There are a few points we made here. One is that the police are taught that if you can talk, you can breathe, right? I mean, that actually is one of the things that the police are taught. Second of all, as far as the examination of Chauvin's behavior,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I think that the sort of hard, bright line distinction that you're making between good police work and bad police work is not actually the reality of policing for the vast majority of police. Just as for anybody in their job, I think that not every day is a great day or a horrible day in terms of how you do your job. A lot of it lives in this messy gray middle that really is
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
horrifyingly bad to live in when you're a police officer. I mean, I know a lot of police officers in a lot of different police departments. And I think that one of the ways that you can tell what police officers thought of this trial and of Chauvin's behavior is in these sort of revealed preference that you see in the aftermath of this. What do police officers start to do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And there's clear evidence this was happening. Police officers stop enforcing the law. Police officers are so afraid that if they do good police work, it is going to be perceived by the civilian population and possible prosecutors as bad police work that they say, I'm just not going to engage. I'm going to pull back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And you get a massive increase in murder rate all across the country in our major cities for approximately two years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
All of them. The government can deport whoever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want. No court can do anything once it's done. So here's the part where the Atlantic gets itself into trouble. So, so far, bad story for the administration. They took a man who shouldn't have been deported and they deported him and the Trump administration admits he shouldn't have been deported, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I mean, that's even more dramatic. That's a real revealed preference. And so because of that reveal preference, I guess what I'm saying is, yes, you can find police officers who are going to look at that tape and say that's bad police work. And I talked to police officers who said that's bad police work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I also talked to police officers who said, I don't know what I would do in that situation because police work is inherently in the moment. You're making hard and fast decisions in the moment involving like your physical body and other people's physical bodies. And you have to prep for that. Sometimes it goes the wrong way. If George Floyd had lived, none of this ever would have made the news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
If George Floyd had been white, it probably wouldn't have made the news is the sad truth of it, even if it should have made the news. And so the police officers were saying, listen, I live 80 percent of my life in this messy middle between the beautiful arrest and taking the cat out of the tree and a police officer just gunning down an unarmed man for no apparent reason.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Eighty five, 90 percent of my time is spent in that messy gray area. And if that messy gray area is going to be policed with a bright line drawn by civilians who have never done a police ride along. then I can't do this job. I'm gonna end up in jail for doing exactly what I do every single day. And so when we talk about these issues, I think that's why it's so important to examine it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Yeah, I think your angle, was he a bad police officer? Was the police action right? That of course is a perfectly relevant question. But when it comes to should a man be in jail for 23 years based on what is a messy middle case at best,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And based on – leaving aside even the question of proximate cause and I think reasonable doubt, it is – again, I think it would be very difficult for an objective person to listen to the conversation we're having and say beyond a reasonable doubt was clearly met in this case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Beyond a reasonable doubt is a very strict standard in the criminal justice system, and there's just no way to get to beyond a reasonable doubt given the conflicting facts, the autopsy report. the jury intimidation and all the rest of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
But putting all that aside, I think that if the question that you've asked and you've talked about it a lot is public policy with regard to police officers, there's two sides to that coin. One is we would all like beautiful pictures of the police taking cats out of trees. And then there is the reality of what police work actually is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
which is inherently dealing with people on their worst day, many of whom have serious criminal backgrounds and who have resisted arrest and who have done bad things in the past, and police officers who are doing this day in and day out. And their daily work is the same as your daily work in the sense it's a thing you do every single day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It is not you in a sort of unique situation where you get to be a hero or you get to be a villain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
That's bad. The Atlantic says, Abrego Garcia is married to a U.S. citizen, has a five-year-old disabled child who is also a U.S. citizen, has no criminal record, according to his attorney.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The Trump administration does not claim that he has a criminal record, but called him a danger to the community and an active member of MS-13, the Salvadoran gang that Trump has declared a foreign terrorist organization.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I agree with that. I mean, I think that if you combine two policies, it would actually alleviate this a lot. One, you massively increase the size of police forces because police officers are generally overworked. They're generally in precincts where there's too much... police are sort of misallocated. In low crime areas, there are too many police.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And in high crime areas, there actually are not enough police by a long stretch. I mean, this is particularly true in my old hometown of Los Angeles, where the police to civilian ratio is just extraordinary. I mean, it's one police officer for tens of thousands of citizens. And there's just no way for them to actually be able to cover that ground.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And if you actually want fewer criminal justice interactions, you need low crime rates. That's the way that you actually minimize criminal justice interactions. And the way you get low crime rates is regular, consistent enforcement of the law. So you actually need to massively expand police forces. And yes, you're right. Make it easier to get rid of police officers who clearly do the wrong thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So when it comes to public policy, again, I wish those had been the conversations that were had, and instead it turned into massive protests about the nature of American racism and slavery and Jim Crow and all this kind of stuff. Problems that are basically incurable because there's no actual prognosis for what you're supposed to do next.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The lawyer for this guy says the charges are false and the gang label stems from a 2019 incident when Abrego Garcia and three other men were detained in a Home Depot parking lot by a police detective in Prince George's County, Maryland.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
During questioning, one of the men told officers Rodrigo Garcia was a gang member, but the man offered no proof, and police said they didn't believe him according to filings. Police did not identify him as a gang member. However, here is the thing. Okay, this is the part where the Atlantic screws it up. This is what makes this story, at least partially, fake news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I'm sorry. I made a mistake. I actually did talk about this case, but go ahead. I apologize.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So, you know, there's only one problem with that particular case, which is the no complaint was actually even filed at the time. Meaning that – so it's very difficult to make the case that he ought to have been fired over an incident in which no complaint was even filed by the family at the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I mean that's fair. It's also true that John Pope – again, it's terrible because he was 14. Also, he's a very big kid, but – and it's a domestic violence call. There are complicating factors that make it slightly more complicated than just the tape, but – The fact that no complaint was filed makes it very difficult for the police even to take action, even if that was a bad situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So, you know, again, when you go through the police's history, I mean, Chauvin had an 18, 19-year history with the Minneapolis Police Department. The complaint rate against Chauvin was effectively no higher than it was against a lot of other officers that were in his same precinct. And the number of complaints that actually ended in reprimand was quite low for Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
President Trump continues to ride around 50% in the approval ratings, which is a historic high for him. The public is giving him an enormous amount of leeway because, of course, he is still at the beginning of his second presidency. There's tremendous warmth for many elements of his agenda, ranging from Doge to immigration. And so the media are on the lookout for a bad story, a bad story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
An immigration judge is John Hasson. He's a good reporter. An immigration judge found that Garcia was an MS-13 member, a flight risk and a threat to the community six years ago. An immigration judge found that. And that is not included in the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And so, you know, based on that, it is... Again, if we're going to litigate the John Pope situation on its own, I would want to look more deeply into actually all the surrounding circumstances. What was the call like? What exactly was the... thing that was being alleged.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The tape alone, I think, is one of the things that my takeaway is from the Chauvin case and many other cases that are like this, is that the tape alone doesn't tell the whole story. Because tape alone is always going to look bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And even if I agreed with you that the tape looked bad there, that still would not convict Derek Chauvin in a court of law of the second degree unintentional murder of George Floyd. No, it wouldn't. But it's a, you're right, but it's a clue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Any more than, by the way, any more than George Floyd's previous criminal history, including cases where he actually had claimed being taken out of a car that he couldn't breathe, that actually happened a few years beforehand. that any more than that would exonerate Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Yeah, you know, I have. It's disturbing. I mean, again. Come on, it's more than disturbing. Well, I mean, my emotional reaction to a police video is precisely the thing that I'm trying to avoid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
I mean, again, I think that feelings can tell us what we feel about a situation. I'm not sure that they inform the facts of the situation, but that's where we're going to have to disagree yet again. So it's good. We're ending on a point of disagreement. Malcolm Gladwell, thank you so much for taking the time. It's been an interesting discussion. Really appreciate it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
All right, guys, coming up, we're going to jump into the mailbag. Remember, if you want to ask me a question and have your question answered, well, there's only one way to do that. That's to become a member. You need to head over right now to Daily Wire Plus and become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Instead, you get the story from this guy's lawyer that says he was just an innocent person who was wrapped up in a bunch of bad testimony from people with whom he was hanging out in a Home Depot parking lot. But according to the actual legal filings,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Abrego Garcia remained in ICE custody because the immigration judge with the Executive Office for Immigration Review denied Abrego Garcia bond at a hearing on April 24th, 2019, setting danger to the community because the evidence showed he's a verified member of Mara Salvatrucha, which is MS-13. The IJ also determined that he was a flight risk
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Hey, now, again, there was an administrative error here. Well, the Trump administration is getting illegal immigrants going out of the country, but anywhere worth going is worth going in good boots. Find your perfect pair with Tecovas. The first time I put my Tecovas boots on, it was like they were already broken in, which makes sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Each pair goes through over 200 meticulous steps of handcrafting. I used to think Western boots were just for cowboys. Since these folks started in Texas back in 2015, they've been changing that story. Whether you're a lifelong rancher or just looking for your first pair of Western boots, Tecovas makes it feel easy. You can wear them from sunup to sundown.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Right now, get 10% off at tecovas.com slash Shapiro when you sign up for email and text. That's 10% off at T-E-C-O-V-A-S.com. slash Shapiro, takovas.com slash Shapiro. See site for details, Takovas. Point your toes. West, go check them out right now at takovas.com slash Shapiro for 10% off. Again, that's takovas.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Also, did you hear about the recent study showing that about 20% of women who have medical abortions experience complications? There have even been some tragic deaths. What's concerning is that the Biden administration relaxed the reporting requirements so the NIH doesn't have to track injuries related to these medications anymore. These pills now account for over 60% of all abortions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Many women still don't fully understand the risks. At pre-borns clinics, they see women every day who are struggling after taking abortion pills. Some come in not knowing what to do in the aftermath. At pre-born, they welcome these women with compassion and support. They can even offer abortion pill reversal treatment if they come to them early enough. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
baby, or visit preborn.com slash Ben. Your choice today could help save a life tomorrow. Donate today at preborn.com slash Ben. Again, that's preborn.com slash Ben. Go check them out right now. It's all pounds for 50 and say baby, or visit preborn.com slash Ben to give and give generously. So what exactly was the administrative error?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
According to the filings, on March 12, 2025, ICE Homeland Security investigations arrested Abrego Garcia due to his prominent role in MS-13. Over the next two days, Abrego Garcia was transferred to the staging area for removal flights. The operation that led to Abrego Garcia's removal to El Salvador was designed to include only individuals with no impediments to removal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Now, they tried Signalgate, and Signalgate basically went nowhere because the truth is... that everybody has at one point or another included somebody in a group chat by accident, and it gets very awkward and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
ICE was aware of a grant of withholding of removal at the time of Abrego Garcia's removal from the United States. Reference was made to the status on internal forms. Originally, he was not on the initial manifest of the Title VIII flight. So what happened is an immigration judge had labeled this guy years ago a flight risk and a member of MS-13.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And then despite that, there was an order that was a withhold of removal that was put on him because of his credible fear, apparently, that he was going to be harmed by people back in his home country. So that was the screw-up. He was an alternate. He was on the list as an alternate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Like, you can't find the people who are primaries, find the people who are alternate, and then go through the procedure and remove them. As others were removed from the flight for various reasons, he moved up the list and was assigned to the flight. The manifest did not indicate that Abrego Garcia should not be removed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Through administrative error, according to the filings, Abrego Garcia was removed from the United States to El Salvador. This was an oversight. The removal was carried out in good faith based on the existence of a final order of removal and Abrego Garcia's purported membership in MS-13. So again, this is the part that is the screw up from the Atlantic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
How exactly is it that the Atlantic fails to mention that an immigration judge literally found that there was credible evidence that he was MS-13, which changes the entire nature of the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It turns this from a horrifyingly terrible story in which an innocent person with no connections to any form of criminal activity and a five-year-old son with disabilities and an American wife is removed for no good reason to a story where a credibly accused and legally found criminal
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And the actual result of Signal Chat was kind of an embarrassing snafu, but the military strikes on the Houthis were totally successful, and in fact, the United States military is currently eviscerating the Houthis in Yemen. So... People are sort of looking at that and saying, okay, not great, not wonderful, but is this a career-ending mistake for people inside the Trump administration?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
MS-13 gang member, according to this immigration judge, is removed by accident despite a withholding of removal order. In other words, it's a bureaucratic screw-up, and the guy shouldn't have been removed, but it is not a human tragedy if somebody who is involved in MS-13 ends up being removed from the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It's this sort of desperate hunger for a story to use as a baton against the Trump administration that leads so many members of the news media, the mainstream legacy media, to play up the headline. Again, the headline from the Atlantic in all of this was not man found to be credibly accused MS-13 member removed by accident.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It was an administrative error since a Maryland father to a Salvadoran prison, which makes it sound like he's like natural born citizen in Maryland, just a good old dad, just coaching ball at the local park. And then suddenly ICE descends upon him and sends him to El Salvador. So the media keep clowning themselves. Vice President J.D. Vance responded to this and correctly was dunking on the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So he said, Kyle Cheney, a legal affairs reporter, is apparently unable or unwilling to look at the facts here. In 2019, an immigration judge under the Biden administration determined the deported man was in fact a member of the MS-13 gang. He also apparently had multiple traffic violations for which he failed to appear in court. A real winner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It is telling the entire American media is going to run a propaganda operation today, making you think an innocent father of three was apprehended by a gulag. Here are the relevant facts. This man is an illegal immigrant with no right to be in our country. An immigration judge during the Biden administration determined he was a member of the MS-13 gang.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Because he is not a citizen, he does not get a full jury trial by peers. In other words, whatever due process he was entitled to, he received. So, again, I think that two things can be true at once. Number one, they really, really need to, inside the Trump administration, be careful about the things they are doing because the legacy media are on the hunt for screw-ups.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
And second of all, the legacy media being on the hunt for screw-ups means they're going to ignore deeply relevant details that change the entire nature of stories in pursuit of the Trump administration. Now, meanwhile, on the immigration front, a judge has now blocked President Trump from ending deportation protections for Venezuelans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
So the Department of Homeland Security was going to allow temporary protected status to expire on April 7th for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California. And it centers on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's decision to rescind temporary protected status for Venezuelans shortly after being confirmed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
The Biden administration cited Venezuela's extreme poverty and economic and political crises under Maduro's autocratic rule in extending the protection. Nome said that the conditions in Venezuela no longer met the criteria for its citizens to qualify for temporary protected status. The district court judge suggested that this was unlawful and quote-unquote smacks of racism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
He said that her rationale for ending protections for people from the South American country is entirely lacking in evidentiary support. But here is what Bill Malugan, reporter for Fox News, points out. Temporary protected status is a status that is established by the executive branch of government. It is not, in fact, established by the judiciary. U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
Is this a total derailing of the Trump administration? Probably not. So the media continue on their lookout. And this is one of the things that the Trump administration has to be very careful about. There are certain policy screw-ups that are so large that they can take down an administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
law says this is not subject to judicial review. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal upheld that in the first term. Quote, there is no judicial review of any determination of the DHS secretary with respect to the designation or termination or extension of a designation of a foreign state under this subsection.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
In fact, there's a Ninth Circuit Court decision from the prior Trump administration that sided with the Trump administration when he was seeking to terminate temporary protected status for Haiti, Sudan, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. So these judges are stepping into arenas where they actually do not have any authority in an attempt to resist Trump. This is a big lose for them, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2170 - The Atlantic’s GIANT Fake News Screw-Up
It turns out that Americans are very much in favor of removing illegal immigrants from the country, particularly Americans. illegal immigrants who are here and committing acts of criminality and associated with gangs. So Democrats can overstep here as well. Now, one of the big questions on the Democratic side of the aisle, of course, is who exactly is going to be at the head of the party?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Well, folks, controversy over Doge, turmoil over the economy, new movement on Ukraine, a lot going on. As always, if you're not a Daily Wire Plus member, now would be the time to join the fight. Get exclusive breaking stories from our investigative journalism team, the stories the mainstream media will not cover.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
They're so good that we literally threw out all the other sheets in our house and we only have bowl and branch. What really impresses me is how the bowl and branch sheets get even softer with every single wash. I didn't think that was possible. After a few months, they feel even more luxurious than when I first bought them. Believe me, I've tried a lot of other premium sheets before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
It's the best. They're breathable. They're comfortable. And the best part, they are woven with the finest 100% organic cotton on earth, crafted by artisans who earn the pay and respect they deserve. So not only do you sleep better, you can feel good about your purchase as well. Now would be your chance to change the way you sleep with Bowl & Branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at bowlandbranch.com slash ben. That's bowlandbranch, B-O-L-L-A-N-D, branch.com slash ben to save 15%. Exclusions apply. See site for details. And that's bowlandbranch.com slash ben to save 15%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Well, yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States on a 5-4 vote essentially remanded the case back to the district court and said, we need clarification as to why and how you are actually doing this. So according to the Supreme Court majority opinion, it was a 5-4 decision that was joined on the right side of the aisle by Justices Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett. This order essentially said,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
that the District Court for the District of Columbia had issued a temporary restraining order enjoining the government from enforcing directives pausing disbursements of USAID assistance funds. The present application did not challenge the government's obligation to follow that order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The District Court ordered the government to issue payments for a portion of the paused disbursements, those owed for work already completed. So this doesn't apply, by the way, to forward-looking monies. This is to, like, there was an invoice because the work was already done. Does the federal government have to pay the bill?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The Chief Justice entered an administrative stay shortly before the 1159 deadline and then referred the application to the court. The application has been denied. But when the application was denied, it doesn't mean that's the end of the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The district court needs to now clarify what obligations the government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timeline. So again, sort of unclear the scope of this. It is remanding back to the district court to figure out exactly what it is that they are saying has to be paused and what doesn't have to be paused.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Are they saying that the part that has to go out is the part that's already been paid for? Or are they saying that literally you can't pause federal spending at all? And so we're going to need clarification on that. This drew a very, very marked dissent, a hot dissent from Justice Alito, joined by Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh. And Alito, who is just awesome.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
DJ Daniels, of course, very cute 13 year old kid who's suffering from brain cancer. And he visited the White House. And then he went on Fox News and said thank you to President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
If I have to rank my favorite Supreme Court justices, there's some people who rank their favorite baseball players. I rank favorite Supreme Court justices. And for me, it goes Clarence Thomas and then Samuel Alito.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So Justice Alito, who is terrific, wrote the following, quote, Does a single district court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the government of the United States to pay out and probably lose forever two billion taxpayer dollars? The answer to that question should be an emphatic no. But a majority of this court apparently thinks otherwise. I am stunned.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Justice Alito not pulling any punches. He says in capital form, this is what happened. Respondents are a group of American businesses and nonprofits that receive foreign assistance funds from the State Department and USAID. They brought suit and claimed the current administration's temporary pause of foreign assistance payments is unlawful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The district court issued a temporary restraining order requiring the government to then halt the funding pause, meaning spend the money. After issuing the TRO, the district judge grew frustrated with the pace at which the funds were being dispersed. On February 25th, he issued a second order requiring the government to pay out approximately $2 billion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The judge brushed aside the government's argument that sovereign immunity barred this enforcement order. He took two steps that would prevent any higher court from reviewing or possibly stopping the payments. First, he labeled the order as a non-appealable TRO. And second, he demanded that the money be paid within 36 hours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Alito says this left the government little time to try to obtain some review of what it regarded as a lawless order. The government moved for a stay pending appeal in the district court. The judge then shrugged off the government's sovereign immunity claim and ignored the government's representation that most of the money in question could probably not be recovered once actually dispersed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So he writes, to start, it is clear the district court's enforcement order should be construed as an appealable preliminary injunction, not a mere TRO. A temporary restraining order does not apply here because it is not temporary. Once the money is gone, it's gone. Usually a temporary restraining order applies to, for example, you're not allowed for a certain period of time to do this thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
But if the temporary restraining order says you must pay X dollars to this person, that's not a temporary restraining order. The money has now been paid and you can't claw it back. This is Alito's point. He says the order did not merely restrain the government's challenged action in order to preserve the status quo. It acts as a mandatory injunction requiring affirmative action by the government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So the Court of Appeals had jurisdiction. He said even if the majority is unwilling to vacate the district court's order, it should at least stay the district court's enforcement order until the government is able to petition for a writ of certiorari, meaning like the Supreme Court takes up the full case. He is right about all of this, of course.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
He says today the court makes a most unfortunate misstep that rewards an act of judicial hubris and imposes a $2 billion penalty on American taxpayers. The district court has made plain its frustration with the government and respondents raise serious concerns about nonpayment for completed work. But the relief ordered is quite simply to extreme a response.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
A federal court has many tools to address a party's supposed nonfeasance. Self-aggrandizement of its jurisdiction is not one of them. So again, this raises questions as to why Justice Roberts did what he did or why Amy Coney Barrett did what she did. It's not as extreme an order as it originally seems from the Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And that basically says any district court judge anywhere can put a nationwide temporary restraining order on the federal government for any reason whatsoever. But as Justice Alito says, if the effect of the order is to force the federal government to disperse funds, it can't get back before the adjudication at the Supreme Court level. then that is a massive problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And Justice Alito is right about all of that. But again, you were expecting a lot of this sort of stuff to happen. I mean, the reality is that because President Trump is moving fast and breaking things, there's gonna be a lot of legal action. Most of that legal action is gonna read down to the benefit of the Trump administration. Some will not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So the Trump administration has now been ordered to reinstate thousands of fired U.S. Department of Agriculture workers as well. The chair of a federal civil service board ruled on Wednesday that thousands of fired workers at the Department of Agriculture must get their jobs back for at least the next month and a half.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So again, this is a very big win for President Trump. Not only that, it was a big loss for the Democrats. So Caroline Lovett, the excellent White House press secretary. In the White House press room yesterday, she trashed the Democrats over their reactions to the State of the Union. She said, I don't understand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The ruling said the recent dismissals of more than 5,600 probationary employees may have violated federal law and procedures for carrying out layoffs. But that is not going to resolve all of this because, again, the administration, as Politico reports, may have further options to place the reinstated workers on administrative leave or fire them again as part of a formal reduction in force.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Enjoy ad-free, uncensored Daily Wire shows, plus live chat in the app with other members. And yes. even moi. Access exclusive Daily Wire documentaries, movies, and series. Stay ahead with breaking news and instant reactions. Be the first to know what's happening at The Daily Wire. Head on over to dailywire.com right now and become a member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So basically, there are all these sort of laws and regulations in place designed to ensure the continued peonage of all of these various federal jobs, that people be stuck in these jobs basically forever. One of those procedures is an administrative review before anybody gets fired. They're saying that that didn't happen. There was no administrative review.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And so you have to replace people in these jobs because there's a merit systems board that has to review the issue. Now, again, that's not a permanent end to what Trump is trying to do inside the USDA. All of these road bumps are to be expected at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
But in the end, one of the things that's going to have to happen is actual congressional movement to re-enshrine what Doge is attempting to do. The executive branch can do many things in terms of firing people. And by the way, there will be negative headlines that attend to many of these firings.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So for example, lots of headlines today about the fact that some of these firings are affecting veterans. So there's a whole article from the Associated Press today suggesting that that it's a great tragedy that veterans are losing their jobs. Number one, nobody, including veterans, has a right to a job from the federal government. That's not actually how it works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
You do have veterans benefits that attend to your service time, but nobody has a right to a federal taxpayer job. With that said, it would be a very smart move for the Trump administration to launch an initiative to help people who are veterans get jobs in the private sector if they end up being fired in the public sector, right? That would be just a smart political move.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And I think the Trump administration will probably do something like that. But in the end, most of the big things that the Trump administration is trying to do, again, this is the hard part. This is where I say like the first 30 days are now over and now you hit the hard part of the presidency. You need Congress to do a lot of these things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And so yesterday, Elon Musk went to the Hill and he had a meeting with House Republicans to discuss what Doge was doing. According to the Washington Post, while supportive of Doge's cost-cutting mission, some Republican lawmakers have begun to express concern over Musk's methods of laying off federal employees en masse and then pursuing large budget cuts without congressional input.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
However, with that said, House lawmakers have been talking pretty seriously about the possibility of rescission. That is a process whereby the government of the United States, the Congress of the United States can, with 51 votes... vote to rescind some of its funding. Musk and the Republicans were talking about this as proposed by Rand Paul. Rand Paul is a consistent deficit hawk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The only people you can clap for are the Ukrainians, but like literally every other thing. Cancer-ridden children, victims of illegal immigrant crime, girls who've been hit in the face and suffered brain damage because a man hit a volleyball. Like literally nothing. You couldn't clap for anything. Here's Caroline Leavitt taking the wood to the Democrats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
According to NBC News, they discussed a rescission package that the White House could send to Congress to codify Doge cuts through a measure that can get around the 60-vote hurdle in order to get around legal challenges to the administration's power to act unilaterally. Many of the challenges currently happening are people suing and saying the executive branch can't make these cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
These spending initiatives were put forward by Congress. Only Congress can undo them. Well, there is a process called rescission. It's been attempted in the past, a little hard to do, but it could theoretically be done with 51 votes where the Congress says we're going to now rescind certain aspects of spending. Senator Rand Paul said, quote, to me, it's ephemeral now. meaning all of these cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I love the stuff they're doing. We got to vote on it. My message to Elon was, let's get over the impoundment idea, the idea that the federal government in the executive branch can simply stop the spending, and let's send it back as a rescission package. Then all we have to do is lobby to get to 51 senators or 50 senators, plus J.D. Vance breaking the tie, to cut the spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Musk apparently was surprised to learn there was even a pathway to do that. Lindsey Graham also backed the idea. He said, it's time for the White House to go on offense. We're losing altitude. Now we started off straight good. We need to get back in the game on offense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The way you can regain altitude is to take the work product, get away from the personalities and the drama, take the work product and vote on it. And again, this is in fact a smart move by Rand Paul and some of the deficit hawks. So cutting the debt, rescission is a very good idea. Deregulation is absolutely necessary at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
There's been a lot of talk about we won't add one regulation without getting rid of 10 others. You run into sort of a definitional problem. What amounts to a regulation? It's like the entire piece of regulation. Is it a piece of a regulation? What exactly is that? But bottom line is businesses need to be unchained. That is happening, particularly in the energy sector.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Drill, baby, drill is very real. The Department of the Interior, led by Doug Burgum, is doing an excellent job with a lot of this sort of stuff. The permits are going to get a lot easier. This particular administration is very keen on unlocking America's energy resources, and that's very necessary. But congressional action is going to be the next step on a lot of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
This administration is moving incredibly fast, and so is this year. Two entire months of the new year are already behind us. I need to make sure that I'm maintaining my health, hitting the gym, spending time with the family, even with the crazy work schedule. When I was younger, I used to think I could just power through on willpower and caffeine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I learned pretty quickly peak performance requires peak nutrition, which means eating enough vegetables. That's why I'm so thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every single day. That sounds miserable and time-consuming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
You take your fruit and veggie capsules every day, and then your body knows precisely what to do with them. And by the way, it's kosher, so great for me. I pop them in the protein smoothies, keep that gun show going strong. Go to balanceofnature.com. Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer. Plus, get a free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
promo code Shapiro. Balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro. Get 35% off that first order as a preferred customer and get a free bottle of fiber and spice. Balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro. Also, after more than a year of war, terror, and pain in Israel, all of Israel is brokenhearted after learning of the horrific murders of the Bibas family who were held hostage in Gaza.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
We're talking about the murder of actual babies by the monsters of Hamas. Many people are still hurting throughout the Holy Land where the need for aid continues to grow. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has support and will continue to support. the families of hostages and other victims of the October 7th terror attacks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
With your help, IFCJ has provided financial and emotional help to hostages and their families, and to those healing and rebuilding their broken homes and broken bodies. The real work, however, is just beginning. As antisemitism continues to rise around the world, the people of Israel, our Jewish brothers and sisters, need us now more than ever.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Your gift today helps provide critically needed support to families in Israel whose lives continue to be destroyed by terror and uncertainty as Israel remains surrounded by enemies. Give a gift to bless Israel and her people. Go to benforthefellowship.org. That's www.benforthefellowship.org. Thank you and God bless. Again, that's benforthefellowship.org.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
You can help people in need today in a great way. Go to benforthefellowship.org. Now, one area where there could be serious drag in the economy, and again, I'm going to warn about this because economic reality is economic reality, regardless of who is the president of the United States. A giant regime of increased tariffs will harm the American economy. It will.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
There are areas of the American economy where businesses will be reshored. Protectionism does reshore businesses in the affected area. However, the broader cost of gigantic tariff wars across the planet
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
are to shrink the market for American goods, increase the price for American consumers, undermine the value of the US dollar as foreign reserve currency, and lead our allies to make trade deals with each other, but not us, or with our enemies. That is what tariff wars tend to do. They are not, in fact, good or easy to win.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Now, again, if President Trump is throwing out his willingness to do tariffs as a way of leveraging down tariffs, meaning that he is basically saying, listen, I'm willing to do whatever it takes. You want to do tariff war? Man, let's do tariff war. Let's do this thing. Or there's an off ramp, and the off ramp is you lower your tariffs and we lower our tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
As I said yesterday, if President Trump's emphasis in the term retaliatory tariff is on retaliatory rather than tariff, then I'm fine with it. A retaliatory tariff would be designed to say that if you guys go down, we will also go down. And that's fine and dandy. However, comparative advantage is still an element of economics. And pretending that it is not is a fool's errand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Just because we can produce something in the United States does not mean that it is the best thing economically for it to be produced in the United States. Autarky is a giant fail. As an economic strategy, autarky is a fail. And again, that doesn't mean we can't out-compete people. We can now compete a lot of people. It does mean products are going to get more expensive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Businesses are going to be underfunded. Our bonds are going to be less purchased on the open markets. There are going to be real, real problems here. So one of the big questions right now with regard to the tariffs is what they will be. There's been a lot of sort of up and down, in and out. I mean, it's a roller coaster with regard to this tariff regime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And that in and of itself, by the way, not good for the economy. Okay, what you want from the economy is, George Gilder described the economy, the economist George Gilder, he described the economy as essentially a phone line, right? A series of regulations, regulatory background, the tax regime, as essentially a phone line. What do you want on a phone line? You want clarity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
You just want clarity and predictability. If you have extraneous information in your phone line, meaning static, it's very difficult to hear the actual information you want to hear, which is the person at the other end of the phone. Unpredictability is static in the phone line.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And so when you are saying one day we're doing tariffs and the next day we're not doing tariffs or we're going to do a tariff and then we're going to blow a hole in the tariff with an exception for automakers or maybe it's a retaliatory tariff. Maybe we just love tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
When you do that sort of stuff, business people get a little skittish because how do you invest in building abroad if you think the tariffs are going to increase? And why would you invest building in the United States if you believe tomorrow President Trump is going to revoke those tariffs or the next administration will revoke those tariffs?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Business is very much about investing for the future because it takes a while for things to materialize. This is why when Apple, for example, says they're going to spend $500 billion in the United States, they don't mean they're just going to take a bag of cash and drop it in the Federal Reserve today. That is not how that works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
They mean that over the course of years, they're going to spend on a variety of projects in the United States, the net cost of which will be $500 billion. That's what they mean. But that could change at any moment. A commitment to spend money is not actually spending money. So uncertainty in the economy is the enemy of productive growth. It is a massive problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
It's the reason why when you have sort of tyrannical countries where the rules change at any moment, you can't get economic growth. You would not invest in a country where the government could at any moment seize your assets. And investing in a country where the regulations change every five seconds, a tariff goes up, a tariff goes down. It's literally day by day. Very difficult.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
People instead tend to withdraw their money from the economy and they tend to keep their powder dry. And that's what you're seeing, by the way, from, for example, Warren Buffett. The reason he's keeping his powder dry right now is because he doesn't know where this is going. And he's figuring, hell, if the stocks go down in a month, then I'm gonna be able to buy them up on the cheap.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Well, meanwhile, the trade war that is currently being initiated with Canada, President Trump has said that he wants a crackdown on the northern border in Canada. Fine, let's get that. Let's do that. And then let's get rid of these tariffs. Seriously, let's get them to ratchet down their tariffs. Let's ratchet down our own tariffs. Canada is the number one trade partner of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
They are not a financial or economic or physical threat to the United States. Treating them as such is not a wise move. It just isn't. And by the way, it's going to keep Justin Trudeau in power. So President Trump had a conversation yesterday with the terrible leader of Canada. And then he put out a statement, quote, Justin Trudeau of Canada called me to ask what could be done about tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I told him many people have died from fentanyl that came through the borders of Canada and Mexico, and nothing has convinced me that it has stopped. He said it's gotten better, but I said that's not good enough. The call ended in a somewhat friendly manner. He was unable to tell me when the Canadian election is taking place, which made me curious, like what's going on here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I then realized he was trying to use this issue to stay in power. Good luck, Justin. Except for the fact that actually it is good luck, Justin, because the reality is that Pierre Poliev, who is the leader of the Conservative Party and is excellent, a terrific leader, would be amazing prime minister of Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Pierre Poliev has been sinking in the polls since the initiation of the trade war because people in Canada are associating Poliev with Trump, even though he says he doesn't like the tariffs and doesn't like what Trump is doing. So you know what I would like? I would like lower tariffs with Canada. Sure, I'd like more border security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I will point out at this point that the grand total of fentanyl that was caught at the northern border in the last year was 43 pounds. By way of contrast, the amount of fentanyl that was caught at America's southern border was 22,000 pounds. So there may or may not be a major problem with fentanyl coming across our northern border.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The United States should articulate to Canada what are the concrete steps that they want Canada to actually take to crack down on fentanyl trafficking across the border. We should actually make a significant ask and then get the ask, get the win, and then ratchet this thing down because it is not good for Canada and it is not good for the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And hell, I don't care much about Canada, but I do care about the United States. When you ratchet up prices... on everything from oil to cars because of this. That is not going to be particularly good. Howard Lutnick, the Commerce Secretary, he seemed to be linking the Canadian and Mexican policy to our open borders. This, again, totally on board with us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
If you're using tariffs as leverage, that is worthwhile. If you're using them as a way of, quote-unquote, winning economically, not as worthwhile.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Okay, well, that's fine, but we need the deliverables. What are the deliverables so that the tariffs can go back down? And in fact, President Trump has already blown a hole in his own tariff regime because you can see that it's having a massive impact on trade with the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Yesterday, the White House announced a one-month reprieve from tariffs on Mexico and Canada for cars that comply with the USMCA. Again, the USMCA was negotiated by President Trump in his first term. It is a pretty good piece of agreement. The markets immediately rose because it turns out, you know what the markets don't like? The breakup of trade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
It turns out that after you announce that, what you get is an increase in markets. And when you announce tariffs, then you get a decrease in markets. It does not require like a genius level understanding of economics to understand that this is in fact the case. There are a bunch of reasons why a tariff war would not redound to America's overall benefit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Again, maybe it harms others more than it harms us, but it certainly harms us. And I'm not sure what exactly is the achievable goal. If you're doing it for national security reasons, on board. You're doing it to leverage our enemies, on board. You want to get something out of someone, fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
But tariffs are a blunt instrument, and they're a blunt instrument that affects the American consumer and many American producers who import inputs into their product. Why do I care about this? Because the only thing, the biggest obstacle to President Trump's success is an economic downturn. It is the single biggest obstacle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And there's a theory out there that what President Trump is actually doing is quote unquote engineering or I don't believe that's true. I don't think that's true. The theory goes that basically President Trump is attempting to
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
undermine trade regimes with the United States in order to essentially force the Federal Reserve to lower the interest rates, undermining the strength of the American dollar because President Trump likes a weaker dollar in comparison with other countries to rectify the trade imbalance. I don't think it's anything like that. I think President Trump has a very simple view of trade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And that very simple view is we don't like getting screwed. And again, I'm on board with that. Tariffs is leverage, that's fine. But if the idea here is that tariffs are going to make America wise, free, and beautiful on their own, that is a massive mistake that is going to come back to bite. And again, I don't think President Trump believes that. I hope he doesn't believe that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I know the markets hope he doesn't believe that, which is why they rose yesterday on news that he is suspending the tariffs with regard to automakers for at least one month. Meanwhile, there is some movement on Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Mike Walz, the national security advisor yesterday, he suggested that there will be some good movement on Ukraine after Vladimir Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, came to the United States. There, of course, is a giant blow up at the White House between Vladimir Zelensky and the president and the vice president. And then a couple of days ago, Vladimir Zelensky essentially gave up the goes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
He put out a statement saying that he wanted to do the rare earths mineral agreement with the United States, that he was looking forward to moving toward peace. Here was the NSA Mike Walz explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Now, it is worthwhile to note here that the movement is all on the Ukrainian side. I've seen no movement whatsoever from the Russians, and it takes two to tango.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The Russians keep saying that we want to do an agreement, but then when it comes down to sort of the hard-nosed negotiation of what an agreement looks like, they are currently turning down pretty much all of the prerequisites and necessities for any sort of peace agreement. And remember, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia would like to take Kiev.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
If they believe that the West is going to cave in Ukraine, they will continue to push. This is how negotiations work. So pushing the Ukrainians does not come without risk to the Ukrainians, clearly. The reason I say this is because literally yesterday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who's essentially a cutout for Vladimir Putin in Belarus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Belarus is effectively a sort of satellite member of Russia. He warned the Kremlin, quote, will never accept a European troop deployment to Ukraine. In a wide-ranging interview with blogger Mario Nafal, who, of course, is very big on X, he Lukashenko praised President Trump's forthright approach to Russia's war on Ukraine and suggested Putin was ready to make peace.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
However, he said any proposal would be unlikely to win Russian support if it included deployment of European forces into Ukraine. Quote, Russia will never agree to this. At least this is Russia's position today, especially since the leadership of the EU, primarily in the person of Germany and France, is taking a very aggressive position at the moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The Belarusian leader also counterattacks by both Trump and Putin on the legitimacy of Vladimir Zelensky while offering Belarus as a location for peace negotiations. So again, here is the question. This is a very real question. If Russia is unwilling to make an agreement that allows European boots on the ground, how in the world do you get to a national peace agreement?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I've said many times, I've been saying since 2022, again, that agreement looks like Russia keeps Donbass and Crimea together. There are security arrangements with Ukraine that guarantee that this never happens again. That's the only thing that Ukraine will sign on to. If Russia refuses that, then why would Ukraine sign on to anything?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And any peace that would be forced by the West would be a sort of temporary respite before Russia rearms and then goes back in. That's what Ukraine is worried about. I don't think unreasonably. Part and parcel of this is right now, again, the United States continues to ratchet up pressure on Ukraine as though it's Ukrainian intransigence that's responsible for all this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
What I would love to hear is some move by Russia to explain exactly what they want. I've yet to hear that. I want to hear from Vladimir Putin and from the Russians. What is it that would look like an off ramp to you? Because so far it's been everybody else projecting an off ramp onto what Russia wants, including me. I'm telling Russia what it should get.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
if we want to come to some sort of end to this thing. But if Russia refuses to take that, what does the off-ramp look like? Would Vladimir Putin actually accept Donbass and Crimea and real security arrangements, meaning European troops there that would trigger a larger regional war if Russia were to walk across the border?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And if the answer to that is no, there's no agreement, it seems to me, to be made. So the United States keeps ratcheting up the pressure on Ukraine. John Ratcliffe, the head of the CIA, said that they're cutting intelligence support to Ukraine. This, to me, I don't understand this part of the strategy. I'll just be totally frank with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I don't understand the part of the strategy where we are denying Ukraine weaponry to at least maintain the current status in the war, to maintain the current lines. Again, if Russia feels like they have momentum and they can push further, why would they come to the table?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
If it takes two to tango, you have to simultaneously convince the Ukrainians to come to the table by threatening things like, we might withdraw if you don't get a deal. But you also have to say to the Russians, if you don't come to the table, what happens? Where's that other half of the conversation?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Withdrawing intelligence support to Ukraine, which is effectively designed to prevent Ukraine from making attacks inside Russia, which is a way of them, by the way, clawing back territory, which then they will presumably trade for some territory inside Ukraine. I want to see movement from the other side of the table. Has there been any movement from the other side of the table?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
I'm waiting to see it. Now, again, I'll let the administration cook, but I would love to see some movement from Vladimir Putin to justify the kind of movement that is being pushed on the Ukrainians right now. Here is John Ratcliffe over at the CIA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Now, again, what Ratcliffe is saying there is actually correct. So the pause has to be temporary. And again, Zelensky, I think one of the reasons that now he's showing more flexibility is because of the pressure. That means that the pause should actually stop at this point. And the United States should continue to ratchet up pressure on both sides. It requires pressure on both sides.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you're going to be an arbiter who is neutral, a mediator who's neutral, there has to be pressure on both sides to come to the table. Meanwhile, the Europeans are apparently stepping up military spending. The Germans in particular are radically revamping their military spending. The EU is in crisis talks on Thursday focused on defense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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French President Emmanuel Macron says, I want to believe the US will stand by our side. We have to be ready for that not to be the case. The future of Europe must not be decided in Washington or Moscow, which, okay, fine. That's great. I mean, again, I think that President Trump is very much on board with the Europeans taking the lead on this sort of stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Apparently, Germany is about to blow out its debt ceiling in an attempt to radically increase their defense spending, which, of course, is necessary in the face of Russian predation. None of that is particularly bad. And I think all the pyrotechnics aside, we could end up with a salutary end to this war because of what President Trump is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He's putting pressure on the Ukrainians to come to the table. They're ready. Now the pressure needs to be on Vladimir Putin to come to the table. And the pressure that he's put on the Ukrainians has been accompanied by a radical revision upward of European security spending, which is good. And the end of this could be quite salutary from President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And if so, he deserves an enormous amount of credit. It's a little early to say that. Let's get there first. If it does end the way that it could, that would be a very, very good thing. And meanwhile, speaking of foreign policy and the President of the United States' peace through strength. So the President of the United States yesterday
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
put out an ultimatum to Hamas because Hamas is still holding American hostages and indeed holding probably 35 live hostages somewhere in that neighborhood. The president of the United States put out an ultimatum to Hamas in some of the strongest language he has yet issued. Quote, "'Shalom, Hamas' means hello and goodbye. You can choose."
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Release all of the hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered or it is over for you. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies and you are sick and twisted. I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job. Not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don't do as I say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I've just met with your former hostages whose lives you have destroyed. This is your last warning for the leadership. Now is the time to leave Gaza while you still have a chance. Also to the people of Gaza, a beautiful future awaits, but not if you hold hostages. If you do, you are dead. Make a smart decision. Release the hostages now or there will be hell to pay later.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Donald J. Trump, President of the United States. Love it. Love it. Couldn't possibly love that more. Imagine if this had been the angle of the United States on October 8th, as opposed to Joe Biden being a cowardly fraud. Amazing stuff from President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Well, joining us online to discuss is Mary Margaret Olihan. She, of course, is our Daily Wire White House correspondent. She was in the hot seat yesterday. She got the first question at the press briefing yesterday. So how is that, Mary Margaret? That's pretty cool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, explained in more detail President Trump's language here, although it didn't really require a lot of explication. This is the beautiful thing about President Trump. If you're ever wondering what he's thinking, you shouldn't. He just says it. Here was Marco Rubio yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And again, that is excellent stuff there from the Secretary of State and obviously from the President of the United States. And meanwhile, a breaking story courtesy of our reportorial team over at Daily Wire. It's a pretty amazing story. Apparently, it turns out that a former top aide to Kamala Harris is now under criminal investigation by the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Apparently, this person tried to forge paperwork to take advantage of Elon Musk's fork-in-the-road buyout offer, according to Luke Rosiak and the team at Daily Wire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The probe is apparently going to explore whether high-level officials, potentially including Kamala Harris herself or Lena Kahn, Joe Biden's chair of the Federal Trade Commission, who's awful, conspired to embed a person named Nathaniel Siegel into a job at the FTC just before President Trump's inauguration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Apparently, that placement involved a series of maneuvers that appeared to have been designed to evade personnel and ethics regulations, hide that Siegel was a political appointee, and prevent the Trump administration from firing him. So basically, in short, this person was placed on the payroll at the FTC on the direct orders of Lena Kahn, even though he was missing essential paperwork.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And when the scheme began to unravel, Siegel tried to pull the ripcord by doctoring a document to try to secure the deferred resignation program buyout, despite the deadline having passed and Siegel not having received the offer in the first place, which would have insured him something like $200,000 in exchange for leaving the government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
So the fallout continues from President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress the other night. Again, I was there and it was an amazing experience. The enthusiasm in the room from the Republicans was off the charts and the radical depression into which Democrats have sunk is quite real.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The official confirmed, according to the DOJ, that the department was taking a broad look at this story. Apparently, again, it was a bunch of sleight of hands that resulted in Siegel being hired just before the Biden administration left and then classified improperly as a tenured nonpolitical civil servant, making it harder to fire him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I mean, it's this sort of waste, fraud, and abuse that Doge exists to ferret out. And obviously, Attorney General Pam Bondi, if there's criminal activity, is going to be all over this. All right, guys, coming up, we're going to get into some culture. Viola Davis has some thoughts on Black History Month that are sort of bizarre.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Plus, Hamilton and Lin-Manuel Miranda, he says that they will no longer be performing at the Kennedy Center because of the evils of Donald Trump. But in order to hear my thoughts on that, you do have to become a subscriber. And we have all sorts of great stuff, right? You got all access with me. You got Matt Walsh's fantastic movies. What is woman? Am I racist?
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You've got all the kids content you could ever want. Over at Benkei, you've got our entertainment content. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And and she did give cogent answers to both. She's very, very good at her job, obviously. And what what has been the mood around the White House surrounding President Trump's speech? I mean, I actually was at the White House kind of walking around simultaneously yesterday with Matt Walsh. We got to visit and hang out in the White House comms office a little bit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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People seem pretty high about President Trump's speech as well. They should have been, it seems.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Mary Margaret, you were on Air Force One last week with the President of the United States flying back down to Palm Beach. How did that go?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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They are so disorganized, so unable to come to any sort of answer for President Trump's steamroller and juggernaut of an early administration that it felt disorganized. It felt ridiculous. It felt as though a bunch of spoiled college students couldn't get it together. And instead, they decided to sit on their hands.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That was Mary Margaret Olihan at the White House every day as our Daily Wire White House correspondent. Congrats on, again, being in the new media seat yesterday and I look forward to checking in with you soon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, gigantic failure by Democrats. And President Trump did something quite brilliant in the speech. I talked to many people in the White House yesterday and they said that the most brilliant thing in the speech, which was President Trump deliberately calling out the Democrats and saying they won't clap for anything I'm about to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It put them in such a difficult position because then if they clap for what he was saying, they might prove him wrong. But they'd be clapping for what he said. And if they didn't clap for what he was saying, then they look like Jackie. because many of the things that he was saying were totally unifying and apolitical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Like, for example, renaming a national park after a 12-year-old who was murdered by illegal immigrants. Like, how exactly is that something you don't clap for? How do you not clap for the kid getting into West Point? These are things that happened in the speech, and Democrats couldn't clap because Trump had trapped them between a rock and a hard place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That was an excellent piece of strategy by President Trump. Again, he actually thought of that and put it in the speech himself, apparently. Democrats... The smarter ones understand that they are wrong-footed. David Axelrod, who of course was the top advisor to Barack Obama when he was running for president in 2008, ripped into the Democrats for their optic failures.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so again, Axelrod is living in the world of reality, but many Democrats are not. Smart Democrats are going to have to start living in the world of reality if they actually wish to win back the presidency or the Congress or the Senate of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Top Senate Democrats, this would be Blumenthal, Dick Durbin, Cory Booker, even they were saying, yeah, our behavior in there was not particularly good. We need to start actually offering some solutions here instead of just holding bingo signs or Brazilian steakhouse signs to bring more steak.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so it was a big optic win for President Trump, which he is going to need because we are now about to enter the most tumultuous period of President Trump's presidency. I say most tumultuous because the first month, the president has a lot of political capital to spend. This is true for every president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So, again, these are these are Democrats who at least are smart enough to read the tea leaves a little bit. And then there are the Democrats who, of course, are not like, for example, Democratic Representative Latifa Simon from California, who claimed that Al Green, he's the 77 year old gentleman who rose to scream at President Trump about Medicaid while shaking his cane at him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And then was removed by the sergeant at arms in a bizarre move. Here is a congresswoman suggesting that the reason Al Green was removed was way for a way for it wasn't because he was yelling at Trump. for like solidly minutes on end. It wasn't because of that. It's because... Racism! Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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OK, these folks are so off their rocker and they're off their rocker on the easiest issues in the world. I mentioned yesterday that the most obvious issue Democrats should clearly drop just for pragmatic reasons. I mean, for moral reasons, they should, because it's absolute insanity and idiocy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But for pragmatic reasons, they also should, because most Americans recognize that it's idiocy is the boys can be girls routine. But it was just a couple of days ago where Republicans pushed a bill. to bar transgender women and girls, meaning like boys and men, from school sports teams designated for female students. The measure stalled in the Senate on a party line 51 to 45 vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
When a president is first elected, that president usually has a pretty high popularity rating. They have a bit of a halo effect from winning. And they spend the first month putting forward most of their sort of big agenda items. But then the rubber meets the road. Things start to get a lot tougher, ranging from how to fund the government to how to solve war. New crises emerge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Every single Democrat in the Senate voted against that bill. Every single one. which is insane. It's totally crazy. Senator Brian Schatz, Democrat of Hawaii, said, quote, what Republicans are doing today is inventing a problem to stir up a culture war and divide people against each other and distract people from what they're actually doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And then he said the bill was, quote, unquote, totally irrelevant to 99.9% of all people across the country. Well, if it's irrelevant, then why don't you just vote in favor of it? And it's obviously relevant to you. As stated, the Democrats look crazy because of this particular issue. They're crazy on a lot of issues. But there were two big issues in the last election cycle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
They just looked befuddlingly insane. They're ones that are clearly just political games that are bad for the country, like leaving the border open or blowing money into an inflationary economy. And then there's stuff that's just bleep lunacy, like bad bleep lunacy. Those are things like boys are girls and also maybe Hamas isn't that bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Those are like things where people look at them and they go, you must be out of your mind, like totally crazy. And Democrats keep doubling down on the crazy. They're going to have to recover some semblance of sanity if they wish to move forward. Now, meanwhile. The president of the United States has planned to cut into USAID spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Doge basically wiped out about $50 billion in USAID spending, saying that this does not comport with American standards of foreign policy. And so a temporary federal freeze, an impoundment was essentially put on those funds. And a district court judge then put a freeze on the freeze and said, no, no, no, the money has to go out the door.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
And this raises a very serious constitutional issue, as we've discussed. That constitutional issue is whether a district court judge has the capacity to simply shut down a presidential nationwide action. Can one low-level district court judge actually do that? We'll get to more on this in a moment. First, let me ask you a question. Do you trust your internet service provider?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
There's good reason not to. Depending on where you live, ISPs may be required to keep logs of your online activity just in case the government wants to take a peek. In the United States, it's even worse. ISPs can legally sell your browsing history to whomever they want. So what can you do about it? Well, the solution is to get a VPN. The one I use is ExpressVPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
It's an app that reroutes my online traffic through encrypted servers so my ISP can't access it. Neither can data brokers or other third parties. I use ExpressVPN all the time. I was in the airport yesterday using ExpressVPN. VPN, because hell, I don't want anybody checking out on my data while I'm at the airport. For this to work, you have to trust your VPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
After all, you are transferring trust from your ISP to your VPN provider. So why do I trust ExpressVPN? Well, any reliable VPN receives data requests from law enforcement and government entities. ExpressVPN received over 300 of these requests in the past year alone. None of them resulted in any customer data being exposed. Zero. Go read their transparency report on their website.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
It is indeed fascinating. They comply with law enforcement as much as possible, but you can't hand over what you don't have. ExpressVPN simply doesn't keep any customer activity logs thanks to specially engineered server architecture that runs on volatile memory. Nothing is ever saved to disk. It is private by design. ExpressVPN works on all your devices, phones, laptops, tablets. It's easy to use.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Tap one button and you are now connected. So if you want the VPN I trust to protect my online privacy, get ExpressVPN. In fact, you can get four extra months of ExpressVPN for free with my special link. Go to expressvpn.com slash Ben. That's E-X-P-R-E-S-S-V-P-N dot com slash Ben. Get four extra months for free. Also, I've tried pretty much everything to improve my sleep quality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
The sort of act two of any presidency doesn't begin a year in. Act two of any presidency begins about a month in, and that is where we currently are. So the sort of optic capital that President Trump earned from this joint address to Congress – I think was really, really strong. Yesterday, that continued at the White House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2152 - The Supreme Court ATTACKS DOGE Cuts!
Stricter bedtimes, putting the phone out of reach. But all those changes take a lot of effort, not tons of results. Here is the thing. When I really wanted to change the way that I sleep, I discovered it came down to a pretty simple upgrade. Bull and branch. Their 100% organic cotton sheets are amazing. From the very first night, I could feel the difference.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, folks, President Trump has now signed an executive order barring men from women's sports. Everybody knew that men and women's sports was totally insane for years. Well, the Daily Wire, we actually did something about it. First, we made Lady Ballers the most triggering comedy of the decade. And then, of course, yesterday, President Trump signed that order keeping men out of women's sports.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Angry eyes. He's not the only one who's ripping on Elon Musk and the rest of the Trump administration for cleaning out a deeply corrupted agency. Jasmine Crockett, who is sort of the fresh new AOC, and there was a point when AOC was so fresh and so faced. She was a fresh face, an incredibly fresh and incredibly face.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, she's being replaced in her faceness and her freshness by Representative Jasmine Crockett, who is now the darling of the left-wing media because she is spicy in hearings and she says obnoxious things. and seems to have a very inflated sense of her own skill set. Like here was Jasmine Crockett yelling about Elon Musk yesterday in Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
We are 17 days deep and the Democrats are already reverting to type. They're already saying that they will do anything that they can to stop Donald J. Trump from enacting an agenda that was approved by the majority of the American people. Yesterday, Representative Al Green of Texas said he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump. Here he was announcing all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Articulately spoken, madam. It's a lot of y'all happening in that particular clip from Jasmine Crockett. Democrats have decided again to focus their ire on Musk because they are hoping also to drive a wedge between Musk and Trump. What they don't understand is that by focusing their ire on Musk, it makes him closer to President Trump. Senator Elizabeth Warren, fresh from her latest powwow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
She said at a rally, quote, in the building behind me, Elon Musk is seizing power from the American people. We are here to fight back. Musk, quote, wants the power to decide whether or not every road repair in America goes forward, whether or not every Head Start Center in America opens, whether or not every military base anywhere in the world operates according to Elon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Now, again, the thing about this that is absolutely hysterical is that you hear Jasmine Crockett or Elizabeth Warren or Cory Booker ranting about the systems of government, always a threat to the systems of government. You built this system. You did it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
You created unelected bureaucracies, unanswerable to the American people, staffed by people who have never had any level of accountability to Americans directly. That was you. The legislature, over the course of the last 120 years in this country, has abdicated extraordinary responsibility to the executive branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
They decided to write nonspecific laws delegating absolutely extraordinary powers to regulatory agencies filled with unelected bureaucrats who are unaccountable in the extreme. And now you're claiming that it's bad that an unelected bureaucrat, which is what Elon Musk currently is, is coming in and cleaning it out. I'm sorry, you don't get to complain about that. You don't. You built this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
You're just pissed off because you built a weapon that's now being wielded by people you don't like. That's your own fault. That's your problem. If you want to seize back your power, maybe what you should do is stop delegating all your power to the executive branch in the first place. In other words, you are fine with dictatorship.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
You just don't like it when somebody else grabs the power that you established for your own self. That's all that's happening right here. If you're worried about the centralization of executive power, something I've been worried about my entire career. then maybe it should apply all the way across the board. But I noticed that you guys don't have any of those principles. It doesn't matter to you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And now turnabout is fair play because there is no mechanism for clawing back this kind of power. It can't be the one side plays by the rules and the other side gets to violate those rules and destroy the entire system. And then the minute... that the levers of power switch hands, the other side plays by the rules.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
This is one of the huge differences between Team Trump and the entire Trump MAGA movement and prior iterations of conservatism. It's one of the biggest distinctions. Prior iterations of conservatism said, listen, there's a set of rules. We're going to abide by the set of rules that we think is the right set of rules, trusting that the other side will not violate the rules.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And then over the course of decades, Democrats violated the rules over and over and over and over and over. And Republicans, when they got in power, they said, no, no, we're still going to play by the rules. And it turns out that it's just an incentive for Democrats to violate the rules. There must be a mutually assured destruction when it comes to the powers of government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
If Democrats are going to do things like, for example, blow up the filibuster, then absolutely Republicans should use their newfound powers under that exact rubric to ram through conservative justices on the Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
If Democrats are going to centralize all power in the executive branch of government, in regulatory agencies that write tens of thousands of pages of rules and rob Americans of their freedom and initiative, then when Republicans gain control, they should use those exact agencies to do precisely the reverse. Because otherwise, that is a form of surrender. That is not high-mindedness.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
That is not objectivity. That is not constitutional government. It is simply surrender. When the other side is breaking the rules day in and day out, playing by the rules is a form of surrender. That is the message. That is Democrats' fault. This is a boomerang. And you're on the bad end of the boomerang right now. Well, welcome to the party, pal. You broke it. You bought it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
You don't like what Elon is doing? Elizabeth Warren, of all people, doesn't get to complain about this. She created the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, a totally unelected bureaucracy that isn't even funded by Congress. It's independently funded by the Federal Reserve. She created an entire agency to anti-Elon Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And then she complains that Elon Musk is going in and doing things she doesn't like. Well, tough bleep. Seriously, you're the ones who did this. When one side is breaking the rules, it does not behoove you to play by the rules in a rough and tumble world. You got to balance everything out, just like your nutrition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
With an entire month of the new year already behind us, I need to make sure I'm maintaining my health, hitting the gym, spending time with my family, even with my busy work schedule. When I was younger, I used to think I could just power through on pure conservative willpower and caffeine. I learned pretty quickly, peak performance actually requires peak nutrition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And that means eating enough veggies. That's why I'm so thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day. Sounds miserable, time-consuming. With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
balance of nature takes fruits and veggies they freeze dry them they turn them into a powder and then they put those into a capsule you take your fruit and veggie capsules every day and your body knows precisely what to do with them they're kosher so i can pop it right into the protein smoothie to keep the gun show going go to balanceofnature.com use promo code shapiro for 35 off your first order as a preferred customer plus get a free bottle of fiber and spice that's balanceofnature.com promo code shapiro go check them out right now balanceofnature.com
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer plus that free bottle of fiber and spice. Also, let's talk about something that's important for most parents, their kids' nutrition. You know how most kids' vitamins out there are basically candy with a vitamin label? They're loaded with two teaspoons of sugar and artificial ingredients kids really don't actually need.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, that's where Haya comes in. They've created an amazing chewable vitamin that kids actually like. The best part, zero sugar, still totally delicious. They've packed in 12 organic fruits and veggies plus 15 essential vitamins and minerals. We're talking vitamin D, B12, C, zinc, more, all the good stuff kids need for healthy growth. And they've thought of everything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
It's non-GMO, vegan, allergen-free, thoroughly tested for safety. That means you and I can both feel confident giving our kids vitamins made to this high-quality standard. Thank you so much for watching. We've worked out a special deal with Haya for their best-selling children's vitamin. Receive 50% off your very first order. To claim this deal, you have to go to hayahealth.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
This deal is not available on the regular website. Go to h-i-y-a-h-e-a-l-t-h dot com slash Shapiro. Get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults. Representative Jared Golden, a centrist Democrat from Maine, said his office has been inundated by calls in recent days about Musk, not the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Quote, my constituents and a majority of this country put Trump in the White House, not this unelected weirdo billionaire. Listen, here's the thing. Because Musk isn't running for office, it doesn't matter. You can attack him all day long. And guess what? He's not running and he will never run for office. The only question for Trump is going to be, do you like the changes that are being made?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And it turns out the vast majority of Americans do not want to spend billions of dollars on transing the kids in Ethiopia. That is not something that they are interested in doing. You know who understands? This is David Axelrod, the former Obama advisor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
He said officials in his party should not try to save the USAID from its likely illegal gutting at the hands of Elon Musk, according to Mediaite. The strategist told Politico his party is walking into a trap. He says, man, Trump will be well satisfied to have this fight. When you talk about cuts, the first thing people say is cut foreign aid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Rahm Emanuel, former Obama chief of staff, said, quote, you don't fight every fight. You don't swing at every pitch. My view is, well, I care about USAID. That's not the hell I'm going to die on. But Democrats are going to die on these hills because they have no hills that they can die on. This is the dirty secret. Democrats don't have defensible ground. They ceded all the defensible ground.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
This is a point I made during the election cycle. Donald Trump occupies the mainstream middle of American politics. That was the dirty secret of the last election cycle. Democrats kept trying to say Trump is out of the box. He's so crazy, so extreme. It's so wild. Every position they took was psychotic. And he took the non-psychotic position. And then he won.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And so the idea that Donald Trump is going to plug Elon Musk into, for example, the transportation department to gather information, is that scary to people? You know what's scarier to people when it comes to the transportation department?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
That you put in charge Democrats Pete Buttigieg because he liked choo-choo trains and then he went on paternity leave for months without notifying anybody and couldn't be bothered to visit East Palestine, Ohio. That was weird. Plugging Elon Musk in there to clean the place out, that's not all that scary. Secretary Sean Duffy said, quote, big news, talk to the Doge team.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
They're going to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system. And Democrats are pretending that they're freaking out about this. I have a question. What is freaky about this? You mean some of the most technologically sophisticated people in all of the world are going to be plugged into our transportation system as opposed to using computers from 1982? Wow, that sounds absolutely terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
dastardly proposed and dastardly. I didn't realize that those were quote unquote misdemeanors, high crimes and misdemeanors under the constitution of the United States. Al Green is going to write in his articles of impeachment, dastardly deeds done. That's going to be what it says. And by the way, What Trump is proposing for the Gaza Strip is not, in fact, ethnic cleansing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Again, Democrats have boxed themselves and they've painted themselves into a corner. There is no issue on which this is more true, more obviously true than on the trans issue. There is no issue on which this is more true. Again, the Daily Wire fought a pretty lonely fight in the early days of this issue. Many conservatives and many Republicans were like, why are we even fighting this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Ah, you know, let's just be, just be nice. Just be nice. Why are you even making a big deal out of this? What difference does it make if a man wants to be called a woman? And some of us At Daily Wire said no. We said no from day one and we've been saying no consistently for over a decade at this point. And now we win and you lose and Democrats lose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order keeping men out of women's sports. The argument is that this is a revision of the Biden administration's interpretation of Title IX. Title IX, the 1972 civil rights law, prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs. The whole purpose of Title IX was to protect things like women's sports.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
We are winning here at Daily Wire because of you. Help us by becoming a member at dailywire.com slash subscribe and make Lady Ballers your very first watch. Okay, so Democrats have no handle on what to do with President Trump. No handle. at all. We are 17 days deep into the Trump administration. It feels like he's been president for a couple of years, doesn't it?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
The reason you have separate women's divisions is because of Title IX. And so the administration said the obviously true thing. Men should not play in women's sports. That is a form of discrimination. In 2023, the Biden administration proposed a rule change that would prevent schools from categorically barring trans athletes from teams that match their gender identities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
They called that a violation of Title IX. And Trump was like, no, sorry, that's stupid. The answer is no. The answer is no. Now, Democrats are like, why is this even an issue? I mean, there are only 10 publicly identified athletes at the collegiate level who are identifying as transgender. That's not the point. On a principled level, no one is in favor of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
According to CNN, 79% of Americans, 79, oppose men and women's sports. This is an 80-20 issue, and somehow Democrats insist on taking the 20, which means Trump is going to take the win. So here he was yesterday. Again, you want to make the claim that Donald Trump is against women and girls? I challenge you with this picture. There is no way for this optically to be a loss for President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
You're the morons who decided to take the side of a hulking dude in a dress over this conglomeration of women and girls. Here is President Trump surrounded by young female athletes ranging from probably ages seven all the way on up to college age and post-college age. Here he was signing the executive order yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
He is proposing that people ought to be allowed to voluntarily leave an area where there is nothing but rubble. There is no economy. There are no jobs. There is nothing. And then that place would be rebuilt into something that actually is great and decent. And some of those people would be allowed back in dependent on circumstance. That is the proposal that Trump has actually put forward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Okay, President Trump knows how to do this better than anyone else. You handed him the issue and he clubbed you to death with it like a baby zeal. You handed it to him because you're idiots. And you insist on continuing to hand him these issues and then complaining about Elon Musk and Doge. Good luck to you, you political idiots, you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Seriously, I got to say, President Trump is a different President Trump this time around. Why? Well, number one, there's no sort of burning sense of insecurity and rage. He won. And a happy Trump is good. President Trump is happy with life. He is happy with his administration. He's happy with the direction of the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Him being surrounded by young girls and women to defend their rights to play sports without the intervention of a man. is an amazing optic moment. It is a fantastic exclamation point on top of his victory and an end to the transgender madness that we all experienced for about a decade here. Here's President Trump saying, we categorically reject this lunacy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
He is right about all of this, obviously. Our own Mary Margaret Olihan was at the White House and she asked, how would this executive order impact the Summer Olympics, for example?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Speaking of which, Mary Margaret joins us on the line right now. She's our White House correspondent, of course. So, Mary Margaret, you were present at the White House yesterday. The president signed an executive order that basically said that men no longer get to play in women's sports. What was that like? It seemed like a pretty amazing optic moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And according to Al Green, that's now impeachable. OK, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what Trump did. He could have found a thousand things to, quote unquote, impeach Trump over. He is saying, by the way, that the articles of impeachment are still a work in progress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Mary Margaret, you had the opportunity to be at the White House and ask Caroline Levitt about the president's approach to the Olympics that are coming up and what exactly the United States should do about that. What information do you have on that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Senior Democratic sources are brushing off the efforts, casting him as a backbencher who is not in coordination with leadership. But that'll last precisely as long as they think they can to actually get any steam behind it. Democrats are absolutely struggling here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And one of the reasons they're struggling is because Trump is picking targets that are unpopular for Democrats, and he is hitting them with regularity. This is the most targeted administration I have ever seen in my entire life. He has picked a set of targets that are 80-20 targets in favor of the Republican position, and he is hitting them over and over and over.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And Democrats are in full-scale disarray. Aesthetically, they're in disarray. Organizationally, they're in disarray. The Democratic National Committee just picked David Hogg as its vice chair. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, is attempting to lead chance and it is going wildly wrong. He showed up to protest along with his fellow Democrats like Maxine Waters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And yes, Al Green, remember, Al Green's supposed to be a backbencher. There he is right next to Chuck Schumer at this rally protesting Elon Musk's access to the Treasury Department. Now, remember, the complaint, as we'll get to in a moment from Democrats about Elon, is how could this unelected person be doing all of this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, I mean, you guys are defending, I noticed, hundreds of thousands of unelected bureaucrats from the elected presidents of the United States. That's the thing I know. In any case, here is Chuck Schumer trying to lead a chance, and it all goes wildly wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So, Brooke, there's so many sort of claims that are being made that are just legally specious here. So what you've heard is, well, you know, this is Palestinian land. It's a violation of law because it's Palestinian land. There's literally no iteration of law by which this is Palestinian land. Prior to 1948, it was ruled by the British mandate. Between 1948 and 1967, it was occupied by...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
by Egypt. At no point was there an independent Palestinian state there. In fact, the only autonomy ever granted to the Palestinians in this area was granted by Israel in 2005 when it pulled completely out of the Gaza Strip and allowed Hamas to be elected in the Gaza Strip by Palestinians living there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So this idea that there's any sort of legal claim by anyone to that land connected with the Palestinians, what legal grounds? I mean, you've heard this kind of trotted out there routinely by members of the mainstream media and the left. I've yet to hear an actual legal argument for why this is, quote unquote, Palestinian land, as opposed to, say, Israeli land, Egyptian land or anybody else's.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, this is, I think, the reason why this is so groundbreaking. President Trump's plan here, whether it eventually ends up becoming reality or whether he has just kind of spoken it, has exploded all of these premises and completely shifted, again, the grounds upon which all Middle Eastern policy for the West has been based for decades, which is exactly what he did with the Abraham Accords.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And now he's doing it again. He did when he moved the embassy to Jerusalem. He basically gave the lie to the idea that the Arab street was going to explode. If the embassy was moved to Jerusalem, he exploded the lie that the Palestinian issue lay at the heart of all Israeli-Arab relations. He blew that up with the Abraham Accords.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And now he's exploding the lie that the two-state solution was ever a required element of a future. And in fact, he's saying precisely the opposite, that it is in fact that idea that is the obstacle to peace in the Middle East. And I think that's going to change things pretty dramatically. You know, the claims of people that this is somehow inhumanitarian that it's terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
What's amazing to me is that their alternative, their proposed alternative is for people to live in rubble for the next 10 to 15 years without any source of income. No one is going to be allowed by Israel to use a work visa, for God's sake, to go into Israel to get a job. There'll be no functional economy, no infrastructure, no water, no power, nothing in that area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Yeah, as producer Savvy points out, that is the chance at the nursing home right before they take him away to nap time at 5 p.m. We won't rest. And he's holding Maxine Waters' hand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
That area has been completely wrecked specifically because, not because Israel is being brutal, but because Hamas literally implanted itself in these areas to force Israel to destroy them. And now they're all destroyed. What is the alternative plan? Nobody has proposed an alternative plan that actually helps Palestinians other than both Israel and the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
My favorite part of that clip, I think, for those who can't see it, is all the people in the background who look absolutely confused, bewildered, and upset by this old man screaming into the microphone while holding Maxine Waters' hand in the air. It's just pathetic. Politico has an entire piece titled, quote, blow this place up. Frustrated Democrats want the Senate to fight harder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, that's Brooke Goldstein. You can check out her work over at The Lawfare Project. Brooke, really appreciate the time and the insight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And now for something a little bit lighter. I mean, a lot lighter. I mean, it is world shattering and earth changing in its own way, I suppose. You've all been following the Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni scandal that involves Tay-Tay, McTay-Tay Swift, and all of this. I will admit, I have not followed this closely, which is why I, on this show, bring on the experts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
I do know somebody who is an expert on this, the original influencer and host of the Perez Hilton podcast, Perez Hilton. Perez, welcome to the Ben Shapiro Show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So here's the thing. I know nothing about this case. I've talked about it a little bit on the air. You know, Justin Baldoni, frankly, seems like he is right in this, but the public seems like they're siding with him as well. I'd never heard of Justin Baldoni until this whole thing broke onto the public scene. So for those who haven't been watching any of this, what's the story?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And the amount of stuff that is happening, the pace at which President Trump is moving is absolutely unprecedented. And I have to imagine the Democrats sort of feel like a boxer who is just outclassed, where the person they are facing down is throwing such a flurry that by the time they even realize they've been punched, the next punch is already on its way and there's no way to slip it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Why are people generally on team Baldoni versus team Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Tay-Tay, Swift and all the rest?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Senate Democrats are struggling to deal with a rising tide of anger inside their party as President Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk run roughshod over federal agencies. With House members seething and activists demanding they shut down the Senate in response. Instead, it has been in many ways business as usual in the Senate over the first two weeks of Trump's second term.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Okay, so apparently over the course of the last few days, Baldoni's team put up a website dedicated to explaining the lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds. They had sued him. He is countersuing them. What exactly is on his website? What's the damning material that he put up?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Republicans have ground through procedural obstacles to confirm merely a dozen cabinet nominees, a pace that alarms a broad swath of Democrats. The lack of organized pushback has many Democrats wondering when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other party leaders will put forward a more aggressive strategy for resisting the GOP blitzkrieg that has already gutted U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Okay. So what were the accusations originally for people who are sort of new to the story? What were the accusations that Blake Lively originally was making about Justin Baldoni? And then how is he rebutting those? What's his response?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So obviously, this doesn't just involve Blake Lively. This is now dragged in both Ryan Reynolds as well as Taylor Swift. Some of the allegations were that Ryan Reynolds was sort of involved in attempting to cram down a script and script changes on Justin Baldoni, that Taylor Swift was brought into a script meeting where she was giving advice on scripts to Justin Baldoni.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And so this has raised the prospect that Taylor Swift may actually be deposed in this particular lawsuit. What are the chances that we end up with a Taylor Swift deposition?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
foreign aid agencies, halted many federal grants, and left government employees shell-shocked. Representative Alexander Ocasio-Cortez, she of the bartending and the low IQ said, quote, this is not business as usual. And Senate Democrats should not be treating this as business as usual. We need to see a halt on all Trump nominees. Yeah, please do it. Seriously, do it. Try to stop all the nominees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So, yeah, well, I mean, again, there's so many sort of aspects of pop culture that are being dragged into this case. That includes, of course, Ryan Reynolds's latest movie, the Wolverine movie that he did with Hugh Jackman. One of the big characters in it is the so-called nice pool character. There's Deadpool and then there's nice pool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
One of the allegations is apparently that nice pool, which is sort of a mockable, ridiculous character who's a faux feminist, who isn't really that he's actually based on Baldoni. That's what Baldoni is now claiming. You know, how credible is that? How valid is that claim?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
The whole thing is, in fact, much more interesting than I thought it was going to be when we started this interview. So Perez Hilton, thank you so much for walking me through that. And I'm sure that we'll have you on again as the updates flow in. Appreciate your time. Thank you. Happy to be back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Alrighty, coming up, we are going to get to Google, which is now overtly getting rid of its DEI programs. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code ShapiroCheckout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Shut down the Senate. Really shut down. Let's see how that goes for you. See if the American people like that particular plan. House Speaker Johnson, he says, you know, the problem for the Democrats is they don't have a vision. They don't have a leader. They got nothing. Here's Mike Johnson.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Okay, again, Democrats don't have a strategy. So impeachment, obstruction, let's see how that goes for them. And they are picking some of the worst things in the world to defend. It turns out the American people do not like wasting billions of dollars on ridiculous giveaway projects to Democrats' friends, as we've been talking about for several days at this point, maybe weeks at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
The Democrat blue taxpayer pipeline that was set up from the bureaucracy inside the executive branch, billions of dollars flowing from unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch to non-governmental organizations run by unelected Democrats outside the executive branch all over the world. That pipeline is coming to an end thanks to Doge. I'm old enough to remember when Democrats laughed at Joe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
She said, this isn't a real thing. Ah, Elon Musk, what's he really going to be doing? And then President Trump gave Musk the keys to the car to go into all of these agencies and start gutting them and start looking at all the problems in the agencies. And now Democrats are freaking out. Well, Democrats are freaking out right now, and that's good news. But let's be real about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Life is filled with uncertainty. That's particularly true when it comes to the economy. Some economists are forecasting a depression, not a recession, a depression by the year 2030. Here's the reality. All the systemic debt of the United States is eventually going to come due. That includes things like Social Security and Medicare. The largest generation is now hitting retirement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
A smaller workforce means a smaller tax base. Pair that with our growing national debt and the rising cost of living, we could have a very big problem. What are you doing right now to protect your family for the future? Gold is a safe haven in hard economic times. Birch Gold makes it easy to diversify a portion of your savings into physical gold.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Birch Gold will help you transition existing IRA or 401k into an IRA in gold, and it doesn't cost you a penny out of pocket. Protect your future today. Text BEN to 989898. Get your free info kit on gold and a copy of the ultimate guide for gold in the Trump era with forward by Donald Trump Jr. There's no obligation, only information. I buy my gold from Birch Gold. You can trust them as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And because of that, Democrats are going right back to the old playbook. That means 17 days in, Democrats are already talking about impeachment for President Donald J. Trump. He's been president for 17 days. And again, this just shows you that all along, the goal with Trump was never an honest accounting of presidential power.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Diversification is just a smart strategy when it comes to your investment portfolio. Text my name, Ben, to the number 989898 to get started today with my friends at Birch Gold. Also, let me tell you something. I never realized just how bad my old mattress was until I got rid of it in favor of my Helix mattress. You know that feeling where you wake up and your back is already whining at you?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Well, that was me. Very often, actually. And don't even get me started on how my old mattress turned into a heat trap at night, which is the worst. There's nothing worse than waking up in a puddle of sweat because your mattress is trapping the heat. Since switching over to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on the busiest days, the craziest headlines. Here's what makes Helix different.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions. Instead, they use their sleep quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences. Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has the perfect match for you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
We took the sleep quiz, we got a mattress that is firm but breathable, and it's been great. Right now, Helix is offering an incredible President's Day early access sale. Visit helixsleep.com slash men, get 20% off site-wide, plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase. That's helixsleep.com slash men for 20% off site-wide, plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Again, just visit helixsleep.com slash men for this exclusive offer. Musk and Trump targeting USAID, the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has, again, become a corrupted institution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
The original idea that was promoted by Congress and JFK way back in 1961, that idea was not bad, that you counter Russian influence by funding organizations all over the world that do the sort of soft outreach that's necessary to deter people from joining the communists. Not a horrible idea, but in the aftermath of the Cold War, USAID was shifted into
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
a welfare agency for left-wing international and domestic causes. And Doge has uncovered all of that. And it turns out the American people don't like any of that. Democrats are picking a very weird thing to defend. The Wall Street Journal says, quote, no doubt spending $40 billion, which is the budget of USAID, is bound to do some good somewhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
One off-sited example is the PEPFAR program that has funded anti-AIDS efforts in Africa in particular. But USAID, like most foreign aid, has become something of a plaster saint in Washington, even if it does far less good than advertised. And they mentioned some of the things that happened under the Biden administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
The agency during the Biden year supported electric vehicles in Vietnam and a transgender clinic in India. A Serbian LGBTQ group called Grupa Izagi received $1.5 million to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities. And there are many other examples.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
An analysis by the Middle East Forum says $164 million of USAID money has supported radical organizations around the globe. $122 million of that aid was going to groups aligned with foreign terrorist organizations, including organizations directly controlled by Hamas in Gaza. Recipients of that money have called for their lands to be cleansed from the impurity of the Jews.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
It never was about whether Donald Trump had actually committed impeachable offenses when they impeached him twice. It was never about any of that. It was just about they didn't like him. It was beyond their reckoning that a Republican president might actually do the kinds of things that Trump wanted to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So, Musk and Trump going in and cleaning this thing out, turns out the American people generally like that. But one of the element that became very public yesterday was questions over the relationship between members of the federal government and Politico. So Politico, the publication, Politico has a sort of specialized service called Politico Pro. It's usually for lobbyists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
It has kind of public knowledge, but specialized public knowledge and a subscription on a yearly basis goes for something like $10,000, $10,000. Well, USAID spent about $44,000 on Politico payments between 2023 and 2024, but federal government employees did spend something like $8 million on Politico Pro, which is a pretty large subsidy from federal employees to Politico Pro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
By the way, that does include money from Republican places like the Office of the Speaker of the House or the House Committee on Agriculture. However, that is a giant taxpayer subsidy. Whether you're going to say that it's individuals in the federal government doing it or agencies in the federal government or USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Here is Caroline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, saying, well, we're not going to allow that sort of thing anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Okay, so there are a few problems with what she's saying. Number one, it is not USAID money that's going directly to Politico. Also, the number of dollars going to Politico from the federal government is not $8 million. It's $16 million.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So it turns out that if you run in a publication that covers the government and members of the government are paying you $16 million, that seems like that could be a bit of a conflict of interest. But the real answer on all this is that Americans don't want their money wasted on stupid trash. And Democrats are perfectly fine with wasting money on stupid trash.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Yesterday, there was an entire House hearing about where USAID money is going. And Representative Nancy Mace from South Carolina, she asked a Democratic witness named William Resch about spending $2 million to trans people in Guatemala. And here was William Resch's response.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
And so they were going to use whatever tools they had at their disposal, whether it was impeachment, whether it was legal prosecution, whether it was deep state fakery in an attempt to undermine his popularity with the American public, whether it was manipulating the media and social media not to release stories about his opposition. Everything was on the table.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
I have no position. I have no position. Why would you not have a position on that? How exactly does that advance American? The answer is he does have a position. He's for it. The left would love to push trans propaganda in Guatemala with your taxpayer dollars. And then you wonder why precisely Republicans are targeting this sorts of spending. That would be exactly the reason right there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
So Democrats who are struggling for an answer here, they've decided that instead of defending the spending, they're just going to attack Elon Musk because Elon Musk is really, really rich. And in the polling data, Elon has become less popular because it turns out that when you do controversial things, you become less popular. The nice thing for Elon is he doesn't care. Just think about Elon Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Elon Musk is famous for not caring what people think of him. It is sort of his stock in trade. It also happens to be one of the reasons why he is singularly successful. Well, Democrats have decided it's absolutely imperative to yell about Elon Musk and his intervention at USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2133 - Democrats Plan Trump IMPEACHMENT?!
Cory Booker, Mr. Potato Head, took out his angry eyes, popped those things in, and decided to rant about USAID and Elon Musk and how dare they touch our vaunted foreign aid going to transgender people in Guatemala.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Well, folks, yesterday was Liberation Day, and we are going to go through everything tariff-related you could possibly imagine. First, your reminder, we exist to cut through the noise and bring you the unpleasant facts that others will not. Uncensored ad-free daily shows, investigative journalism, live chats with my producers. Breaking news first. No filter, no nonsense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The tariff that is now being applied to all of his imports is like 35, 40%. Those prices will get passed directly onto the consumers. It is a tax paid for by Americans. So this is a massive tax increase on American consumers. That's what it is. And it is designed to be so.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And it is talked about in these terms by the Trump administration that this will cost $600, $700 billion in additional revenue to the government. You know what we call revenue to the government typically?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
paid for by americans because that's who pays for it if you're importing a product and nobody buys it then you stop importing the product and nothing gets paid to the government it has to be sold that is the consumer pays the tax that is what we would call a tax increase okay these secret calculations that are not so secret anymore because it turns out that actually they just have nothing to do with tariffs at all those calculations are nonsensical
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
This idea that President Trump is doing this based on legislation that suggests that there is a national emergency on the basis of trade deficits. No, the answer is no. This is in the purview of Congress. There is no national emergency that justifies a unilateral tax increase of the size that the administration is attempting to levy down on the basis of a trade deficit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Because we buy more stuff from Madagascar than the Madagascays buy from us, That is not a good reason to declare a national emergency because it ain't a national emergency any more than it's a national emergency that I buy more stuff from my public than they buy from me. By the way, there are already free trade commitments that are now being breached by the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
We have free trade commitments. Many of the countries that we are currently slamming with tariffs. Again, it's going to cost American consumers. It will cost American producers who use inputs from other countries. And most importantly of all, if this is supposed to somehow screw, for example, the Chinese, precisely the opposite is about to happen. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Because many of the countries that are about to get absolutely hammered are countries that exist in Southeast Asia. So if you want to know what the actual tariff rates are that these various Southeast Asian nations are charging the United States, the answer is not what President Trump is putting up there, which again is rooted in the
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
the trade deficits that we supposedly have with these various nations. If you want to know the answer, I did. So I asked my friends at Perplexity, sponsors of the show, what are the actual effective tariff rates Southeast Asian nations have against American goods? Not the Trump statistic, which is rooted in trade deficits.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Also, please make a chart correlating the trade deficit or surplus those countries have with the United States with their GDP per capita. So according to Perplexity, The actual effective tariff rates imposed by Southeast Asian nations on American goods vary significantly across countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The figures cited by the Trump administration appear to be exaggerated and based on trade deficits rather than real tariff structures. According to the WTO, Vietnam's average most favored nation tariff rate is approximately 9.4%. Now, remember, according to the Trump statistic, the average tariff rate that's being charged by Vietnam, the effective tariff rate, is 90%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Okay, so 10 times what the actual tariff rate is, is what the Trump administration is claiming. Asian nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, impose average MFN rates, most favored nation rates, of 7.5% and 5.6%, respectively. Those numbers are far lower than the inflated numbers presented by the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Now, as to trade deficits that we have with these various countries, the answer is because they're poor, they generate cheap product like in Vietnam, your t-shirts probably made in Vietnam and they have no money. So we run a $95 billion trade deficit with Vietnam. Their GDP per capita is $4,200, $4,200, okay? So what are we gonna do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Chisel that out of them precisely, that $95 billion trade deficit because we wanna buy their t-shirts? Same thing with, say, the Philippines. We have a $5 billion trade deficit with the Philippines. And the GDP per capita in the Philippines is $3,700. Meanwhile, Singapore... Right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Which Singapore is getting hit with a 10 percent tariff, by the way, for no reason, because we actually have a trade surplus with Singapore. They have a 10 billion dollar trade deficit with the United States. How can Singapore afford that? I mean, aren't we just screwing them? I mean, obviously, according to this logic, we're screwing them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
If they have a trade deficit with us, must be that we're jobbing them in some way. The reason that they can have a trade deficit with us is because, wait for it, their GDP per capita is seventy two thousand dollars. So again, none of this is rooted in economic reality. And the biggest problem is there's no way to sort of get out of the box that's been created by these statistics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Because if you were saying lower your tariff rates, and if the tariff rate is already zero or close to it, where do you go from there? So one of the things that happened during the pandemic is knowing that the Chinese were bad actors. Many producers started shifting their supply chains out of China and into other nearby countries, like, for example, Vietnam.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
believing the United States would punish China, but not Vietnam. Well, now the new tariffs slam Vietnam with a 46% tariff. So why don't you shift your production back to China? More importantly, if you're the EU and you're not getting racked by the United States with a gigantic tariff, or if you're Canada and you're getting absolutely ravaged by an American tariff, you need markets for your goods.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Where are you going to go? maybe to a country that is perfectly willing to militarize capitalism on behalf of fascism, the Chinese. The Chinese are about to make extraordinary inroads in Southeast Asia. They're about to make extraordinary inroads in Europe and in Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Because it turns out when America withdraws from the world and basically declares a trade war on literally everyone, including, by the way, an island with no people. I'm not even kidding. This is a thing. Included in the list of places that President Trump is going to tariff. I wish I were kidding. I'm not kidding. Included in this list is, in fact, the Heard and McDonald Islands.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
We are hitting the Heard and McDonald Islands with a 10% tariff. The Heard and McDonald Islands include zero people. Includes penguins. We're hitting the penguins. Screw them penguins. Penguins. Stupid penguins. Penguins. OK, so it what exactly is this designed to do? Again, it is predicated on a bad idea of how international trade works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Okay, so he's actually making a separate case here, which is that people should pay their own way when it comes to their welfare and defense spending. Totally agree, 100%. That is absolutely true. Also, that has literally nothing to do with what the president of the United States did yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
If I've said this a thousand times, it's not coming from a place of I want Trump to fail. It's coming from a place of if he engineers a recession based on these sorts of tariffs, which seems increasingly likely if you were to stick with this. If you were to do that sort of thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
All of the amazing things that need to happen and that he is pursuing and that his administration is filled with good people who want to do. All that stuff goes by the wayside. A bad economy kills everything around it. It is the neutron bomb of politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
If you drop the neutron bomb of politics, a recession into the lap of this administration, it doesn't just destroy this administration's economic agenda. It destroys the administration wholesale. That is what happens in American politics. Recessions destroy administrations. And by the way, everyone close to them, all the tech bros get destroyed. All of the business people get destroyed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It's really important not to self-engineer a bad economy. Really quite important. It is frustrating at the very least because this has not been well justified by literally anyone, including members of the Trump administration. J.P. Morgan put out its forecast, quote,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
On a static basis, today's announcement would raise just under $400 billion in revenue, or about 1.3% of GDP, which would be the largest tax increase since the Revenue Act of 1968. We estimate that today's announced measures could boost PCE prices by 1 to 1.5% this year. We believe the inflationary effects would be mostly realized in the middle quarters of the year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So, in other words, inflation will start ticking up again fairly significantly. The resulting hit to purchasing power could take real disposable personal income growth in both the second and third quarters into negative territory. And with it, the risk that real consumer spending could also contract in those quarters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
This impact alone could take the economy perilously close to slipping into recession. That's before anyone else tries to punish us for punishing them. This is before, according to JP Morgan Accounting, for the additional hit to gross exports and to investment spending. Headlines about retaliatory measures by U.S. trading partners are already coming out. We expect to learn more in coming days.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It seems to be predicated, his giant tariff policy that he just dropped on the market unilaterally, probably unconstitutionally yesterday. And I'll get to that in a moment. It's predicated on a few false notions about the American economy. One is that the American economy has been a giant fail for the last 40 years. That is simply not true. This is a myth that is propagated by both parties.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The somewhat confusing nature of today's news, coupled with uncertainty over how long these tariffs will remain in place, should make for an even less friendly environment for investment spending. We plan to revisit our forecast later this week. By the way, you know who else is upset? The manufacturers. This was supposed to save the manufacturers, right? You heard President Trump say it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
We are going to bring manufacturing back to the United States. Here is a statement from the National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons. Quote, Needless to say, today's announcement was complicated, and manufacturers are scrambling to determine the exact implications for their operations. The stakes for manufacturers could not be higher.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Many manufacturers in the United States already operate within margins. The high cost of new tariffs threaten investment, jobs, supply chains, and in turn, America's ability to out-compete other nations and lead as the preeminent manufacturing superpower.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Manufacturers build things in America to sell around the world, and manufacturers in America share President Trump's goal of supporting manufacturing investment growth and expansion here at home.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
To empower manufacturers to drive the economy, the administration should minimize tariff costs for manufacturers investing and expanding in the United States, ensure tariff-free access to critical inputs manufacturers use, secure better terms for manufacturers by negotiating zero for zero tariffs. So in other words, bring the tariffs down, not increase them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
That's the National Association of Manufacturers saying that. We'll get to more in a moment. First, Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, believes we are all endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. GCU believes in equal opportunity and that the American dream starts with purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on-campus, and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal, and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others is yours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. With so many terrible institutions of higher education out there, you need a great choice. Grand Canyon University is that choice. Go check them out right now. gcu.edu. That's gcu.edu. Also, Did you know your home could be stolen from right under you without you even realizing it?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The FBI calls this house stealing. It's a growing scam targeting homeowners across America. Here's how it works. Scammers only need to forge your signature on one document, add a fake notary stamp, get a small filing fee, and then submit it to your local recorder's office. Just like that, your home title gets transferred out of your name.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
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Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And I know it's a fun myth. It's something people like to believe is that yesterday was economically better than today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Go to hometitlelock.com, use my promo code SHAPIRO250 or click on the link in the description. Make sure to check out the million dollar triple lock protection details when you get there. That's hometitlelock.com, promo code Shapiro250. Get the protection and peace of mind you deserve. And so President Trump, again, he was laying these out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
He's very enthusiastic about it yesterday in the Rose Garden. He tried to suggest that if tariffs are so bad, why do other people do them? Here he was trying to make this case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And then you look at all the stuff around you, and you look at the phone in your pocket, and you look at the computer before you, you look at the internet, you look at the fact you can literally order any product at any time from anywhere on earth, and it arrives at your doorstep in two days at a price you can afford, and you think to yourself, would I rather live in 1980 when the only person with a cell phone was Gordon Gekko on a beach holding a shoebox to his head?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So then he said, if imposing tariffs and protective barriers actually made us poorer, then why would other countries be doing it? Here is President Trump saying this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The Daily Wire is where the real story lives. Go to dailywire.com slash subscribe and join the fight today. Okay, so yesterday, President Trump declared that it was, in fact, Liberation Day. He said this is our economic declaration of independence. And I want to start with his announcement yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Okay, well, actually, as it turns out, many countries have spent the last couple of centuries eliminating many of these policies. And maybe we should take a look at what he's saying. Here is a chart.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It shows that actually the countries that have, for example, as a general matter, the lowest tariff rates are also the countries with, wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, the highest GDP per capita. Why, it turns out that richer countries have been steadily lowering their tariff rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And many of the poorest countries on earth have really, really high average tariff rates, including, by the way, Madagascar and Burundi and the Central African Republic. Why, it's almost as though Tariff rates actually decrease wealth because tariffs increase prices and reduce trade and all the things that tariffs are designed to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And President Trump suggested that the tariffs are kind and they are generous and they are friendly. Here he was saying that the tariffs are kind because it's only half the rate that other countries are charging us. But as we've already discussed, and herein lies the problem, those aren't the real tariff rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Okay, here is the actual thing. Those are not the real tariff rates, and this is why it matters. Why does it matter how the calculation is done? The reason it matters is because if the goal was to get other countries to lower their tariffs, which I am totally fine with, I would love it. That would be great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
If that was the goal, then you can't tariff countries that have no tariffs on us, where we already have a free trade agreement. If you are using trade deficits to calculate a fake tariff rate and using that,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
as the margin of tariff on those countries, there is literally no way for them to forestall the tariffs who are putting on their country other than by presumably getting the people of Madagascar to somehow buy millions of dollars of American product or the people of Ethiopia to buy billions of dollars of American product, GDP per capita, Ethiopia, 950 bucks a year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
By the way, the actual tariff rates among the biggest countries in the world are actually fairly low. According to the World Trade Organization, the United States has a trade weighted average tariff rate of 2.2% in 2023. That's compared with 2.7% for the EU, 1.9% for Japan, 3.4% for Canada, 3.3% for China, and 1.7% for Switzerland. I mean...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
When central air conditioning was kind of a rarity? When the cars, if you were lucky, had electric windows? Okay, was that like better? Were things better just on an economic level? Forget about everything else. I can make a case about the spiritual level. You can make a case about the dissolution of the family. I agree with many of those cases, but we are talking here about economics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
If the goal is to get the tariffs lower, then maybe we should do that. Maybe that should be the actual goal here. Maybe that's what we should do. Scott Besson, the Treasury Secretary, he was asked about all of this. And his basic perspective is it's not clear how long these tariffs are going to last, how they're going to be implemented.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
As we'll get to in a moment, there are already exemptions that are being put out there for the tariffs by the Trump administration like immediately. Here was the Treasury Secretary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
We're going to wait and see how this plays out is the hope of all markets everywhere, because the markets are sending pretty strong signals. They don't like it very much, by the way, by the polling. Again, this notion that Americans are just they hate foreign trade. They hate it with a pat. Gallup poll, 2025. What do you think foreign trade means for America?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Do you see foreign trade more as an opportunity for economic growth increased through U.S. exports or a threat to the economy from foreign imports? 81% opportunity for economic growth. 14% threat to the economy. I have a basic rule in politics. Do not take the 20 side of 80-20 issues. Unless there's like a great moral reason to do so, don't do it. It's not a good idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So what exactly is the Senate going to do? Well, the Senate voted on a resolution that says that they're going to try to seize back power from the executive branch over tariffs like this. It would require action in the House to actually stop this. I doubt that that's going to happen anytime in the near future. The Republican Party is, of course, very much split over this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Nobody wants to go up against the Trump administration on this. This is the purview of Congress. Let's be clear. What President Trump is doing should never, if it was ever delegated by Congress to the executive, that's insane. And it probably wasn't. It's not a national emergency that justifies one of the biggest tax increases on American consumers in the history of America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It is a very, very, it does not, it does not justify that. There is no national emergency because the United States buys more product from Thailand than we sell to Thailand. That is not in fact a national emergency. Again, there are many reasons why tariffs can be good. Tariffing China to punish them, to try and cut them off from the world economy, good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
This, by the way, is also why you should sign free trade agreements with all the nations that rim China. Tariffs for purposes of protecting national security-laden industries in the United States, good and useful. We can't have outsourcing if, God forbid, we need to produce things for a war or a pandemic or whatever. Tariffs in order to get other countries to drive down their own, fine and good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
We're not talking about the life of the spirit within. We're talking about economics, which is the distribution of goods and services. So I need to start by showing you a few charts that show you that America, in fact, does not suck and has not sucked for several decades economically, because this is a myth that all politicians like to tell.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
But the tell to me here is, again, I go back to this. If the idea is to get other countries to lower their tariffs, if this is raise the tariffs to lower the tariffs, then why are we charging tariff rates on countries that don't have tariffs against us? Why? That's the tell. And so the question becomes what this actually looks like in practice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Now, I've been a little bit catastrophist about this because I'm taking the Trump administration at their word. The reality is I don't think that this thing gets implemented anything like it is currently being retailed to the public. I think in reality,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The Trump administration is likely to bull those holes right through this tariff regime in the areas that it figures is going to most hurt Americans. And it's likely to try and leverage headlines out of various foreign nations, suggesting they're going to invest in America to the tune of some billions of dollars before lowering the tariff rates again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Because, as I've said before, I do have faith that President Trump actually responds to headlines and responds to the news. He lives in the world of reality, and it would not be living in the world of reality for him to simply ignore if markets hate all of this, if costs start going up, if a recession is imminent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
He does not want to preside over a recession, which is why, again, I think this policy is misbegotten. I also think President Trump is not going to implement it as currently stated. So what does this actually mean in practice? Well, the White House quietly put out a fact sheet yesterday to all of its embassies talking about what exactly President Trump is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So apparently, the tariffs will remain in effect until such a time as President Trump determines the threat posed by the trade deficit Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Number one, there is this notion that American deindustrialization has been happening. that America has been hollowed out by de-industrialization, that we are not actually manufacturing anymore in this country. That is not true. It is not true. In the mid-90s, the United States was producing in real manufacturing value-added. In 1997, we were producing $1.4 trillion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
In 2025, we were producing $2.4 trillion. And it is an arithmetic increase. You can see the line on this chart. We are manufacturing more. Why aren't there more manufacturing jobs? The answer is technology. We're manufacturing more because we have better robots.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And they're doing much of the work that people seem to have a very warm and fuzzy feeling about, but that they would never want to do themselves. I noticed a lot of people, why can't I have a factory job just like 1955 Ford or something? Yes, I'm sure that you want it to be in a non-air-conditioned factory riveting all day. That just sounds like you. That's most Americans. That's your ideal job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
No, it isn't. It isn't. Just like working in a coal mine isn't your ideal job either. Here's another chart. We've been told the lie that the American middle class has been hollowed out by international trade. Here's what actually happened to the American middle class over the course of the last several decades. The American middle class stayed approximately the same ties, shrank a little bit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
free markets and free trade don't exist if they're not fair on an apples to apples trade policy basis and i think that's that's a good fundamental uh principle in uh in trade policy and trade negotiations and congressman errington one of the things that i think that that people in the markets are worried about is that there's been a lot of whipsawing a lot of kind of policy uncertainty so far particularly regards to this stuff the investors that i know are kind of holding out their money waiting to see where everything settles which isn't an unreasonable position given the the changes
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
President Trump is declaring these tariffs on a national emergency basis. And the national emergency that he's claiming is the trade deficit. It is difficult to see how a trade deficit amounts to a national emergency under the law. Where do you think the line of congressional authority lays with regard to tariffs as opposed to executive authority on tariffs?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Why did it shrink? Why did it shrink? Not because people became lower middle class or poor, but because a huge number of Americans went into the upper middle class. The number one change in the status of American families in terms of income from just before 1980 to about 2015 was a 16 percentage point increase in the upper middle class. In other words, people got richer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So Congressman Arrington, all of this makes it that much more important that the big, beautiful budget resolution actually get passed because the market's already priced in, I assume, because pretty much everyone I'm talking to has. The permanence of the Trump tax cuts, if that were to disappear, there would be a massive market catastrophe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
I think it's pretty clear to everybody that the big, beautiful bill needs to happen. Where does that stand? How do you see that being ushered through the process?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And then I want to talk about what it is that he actually announced, because the markets are getting rocked and there's a reason they are getting rocked. Here was President Trump yesterday in the Rose Garden celebrating Liberation Day. To be fair, he had warned everybody a month in advance that he was going to do this sort of thing. Here he was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Congressman Arrington, I've said on the show that you co-authored with Phil Graham, former chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, the single most important op-ed of the last five years, which was this op-ed in the Wall Street Journal talking about how means-tested welfare programs are the thing that's bankrupting the United States, that for the most part, Medicare and Social Security are paid for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And by the way, everyone got richer, including the poor, because the stuff you can get as a poor person in America in 2025 is way the hell better than the stuff that you could get as a poor person in America in 1980. That's just a reality. How about wages? We keep hearing that wages are stagnant, that they stagnated since 1979. Here, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a chart.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
For the most part, not in their entirety, but the thing that actually is rising dramatically continues to be the cost on the means-tested welfare programs. When you talk about the budget bill, what in your version of the budget bill was aimed at sort of bringing down the cost curve on those?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Well, that's House Budget Chairman Jody Arrington doing good work on the Hill. Really appreciate your time, sir. And thanks for your insight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Meanwhile, there is in fact breaking news on the Joe Biden front, believe it or not. So there is a brand new piece out from the UK Guardian suggesting a new book, top Biden aides were perfectly well aware that Joe Biden was ailing during the 2024 election. Ron Klain served Biden from 2021 to 2023. And then he came back last June to run debate prep. According to Klain in this new book,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It turned out Biden, quote, did not know what Trump had been saying and couldn't grasp what the back and forth was. Left preparation and fell asleep by the pool, obsessed about foreign leaders saying, quote, these guys say I'm doing a great job as president, so I must be a great president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Didn't really understand what the argument was on inflation and had nothing to say about a second term other than finish the job. As described by Klain to a reporter, Chris Whipple, at one point Biden had an idea, quote, if he looks perplexed when Trump talked, voters would understand that Trump was an idiot. Klain replied, sir, when you look perplexed, people just think you're perplexed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And this is our problem in the race. The book is titled Uncharted. How Trump beat Biden, Harris and the odds in the wildest campaign in history. Well, I mean, yes, obviously, Klain was hiding it. Klain, by the way, has been saying that Biden should have stayed in the race, which, again, is an easy sort of revisionist history, given the fact that Harris then went on to lose to Donald Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
but it's pretty unbelievable. These stories are crazy. Whipple says, quote, at his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin, Klain was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It shows you the average hourly earnings of production and non-supervisory employees. And it shows you what happened to wages between 1980 and 2025. And what you see is a steep increase from the 1990s and up, a very steep increase. I know this cuts against the conventional political wisdom, which is the American economy sucks, and it's because everybody is cheating us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
That evening, Biden met again with Klain and his team, Mike Donilon, Steve Ruschetti, Bruce Reed. We sat around the table, said Klain. Biden had answers on cards. He was just extremely exhausted. And I was struck by how out of touch with American politics he was. He was just very, very focused on his interactions with NATO leaders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Klain wondered half seriously if Biden thought he was president of NATO instead of the United States. Ooh, boy. Well, I wonder why he lost. I wonder why he dropped out and then Kamala Harris lost.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Meanwhile, in other hilarious news, Jonathan Allen of Politico is now reporting that Barack Obama behind the scenes after Biden dropped out was actually working to scuttle Kamala Harris's presidential bid. This is another one of these new books called Fight Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House. Here's Jonathan Allen explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Well, it turns out that, I think that's a little excuse making by Barack Obama, but maybe he shouldn't have selected Joe Biden as his vice president. And then maybe he shouldn't have selected Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's vice president. He was very involved in that actually back in 2020. Alrighty, folks, the show continues in a moment. We are going to be talking about Elon Musk at Doge. Is he out?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Politico says he may be on his way out. We'll get into that. The administration denies. Plus, we'll take your questions. As always, head on over to Daily Wire. Plus, if you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Now, one of the things that President Trump is predicating his tariff war upon is the idea that trade deficits are inherently bad. A trade deficit is where we import more stuff than we export in terms of value. Now, as I pointed out before, you have a trade deficit with literally every business that you do business with unless they are buying your product.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So I have a trade deficit with my local Publix, a large trade deficit. They have bought pretty much nothing from me. And I've bought tens of thousands of dollars over the years from my local Publix. Clearly, they are screwing me. Or maybe they're not because I'm getting value for my dollar in the form of food and supplies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Or maybe I should go over my Publix and just beat the living out of the general manager. I don't know. One of those two things. Trade deficits, they're an accounting procedure, trade deficits. You label something in export and you label something in import. But trade itself is about mutual benefit where you wouldn't do the trade in a voluntary system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So the idea that every trade deficit someone is getting screwed is a zero-sum view of how economies work, and it's not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
As Thomas Sowell points out, the eminent economist, quote, if the goods and services available to the American people are greater as a result of international trade, then Americans are wealthier, not poorer, regardless of whether there is a deficit or a surplus in the international balance of trade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
In fact, I can name you a period in American history where there was a fairly large surplus in America's balance of trade. The entire Great Depression. Now, there were times in American history that were great, where we also had a surplus. There were times in American history that sucked, where we had a deficit. And times in American history that were great, where we had a deficit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
As it turns out, trade deficits have pretty much nothing to do with the health of an economy. They don't tell you very much. In fact, the French economist, Frédéric Bastiat, who's really cutting about this stuff, writing in the 19th century.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
He said, look, if you're so worried about trade imbalances, then actually what you should do is you should sink ships filled with your own exports before they ever get to the other side.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So if we're exporting oranges to Europe and they're going to send us apples in return, the best way to ensure that no trade imbalance takes place is we should send our oranges out of the country and we should sink the ship before it ever gets to Europe so they can't send us apples back. Then we have a large export on our ledger and no imports. Great idea. The economy will be stronger.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So a fundamental misunderstanding of trade deficits. And again, that's not balance of payments. That's a different thing. Balance of payments is about the flow of gold. We're no longer on a gold standard, but it's about currencies and all that. Trade deficits are a different thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The reason I'm bringing up trade deficits is because this is how President Trump is calculating his Liberation Day tariffs. According to the Washington Post, President Trump said Wednesday he will impose a new 10% tariff on all imported goods, along with higher import taxes tailored for each of about 60 countries. His advisors say maintain the largest barriers against U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
products and a sharp turn toward the kind of protectionism the United States abandoned nearly a century ago. So President Trump said that for decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike. This is not going to happen anymore. Okay, so... Let's take a look at the Liberation Day quote-unquote reciprocal tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Okay, so here I have a chart. President Trump held it up. He held like a big chart, like Wheel of Fortune or something. He held like a big chart that showed reciprocal tariffs. And what it said was in one column, the names of the countries. In another column, tariffs charged to the United States, including currency manipulation and trade barriers. And then USA discounted reciprocal tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So his idea is, here is the tariff rate that a country is charging us. And then we're going to take half that rate and charge it to them. There is only one problem. There are many problems. There's only one problem here. What is labeled the tariffs charged to the United States is not, in fact, the tariffs charged to the United States. It is not true. It is not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And I looked at this and I thought, holy crap. The EU is charging us 39% tariff rates on all products. We're exporting stuff there and they're charging a 39% tariff. That's what this chart says. Japan is charging us 46% tariffs. Malaysia is charging us, Cambodia is charging us 97% tariffs. And then I thought to myself, self, I said, that doesn't sound correct to me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
That doesn't sound right at all. In fact, that's it. That sounds totally wild. I mean, that can't be true. And so I made the mistake of actually looking up some of these statistics. What are the actual average annual tariff rates that are charged on American goods by countries like, for example, Japan or Taiwan, which this chart says is charging us a 64% tariff rate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And it turns out there is zero correlation whatsoever. Those are not, in fact, the tariff rates that are being charged on American goods going into Taiwan or Japan or India or any of these other places. It's just not right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Well, listen, I don't love these tariffs, as you may have noticed, but Doge continues to do some good things, like cut the fad from decades of bloated government spending and corruption. Pure Talk, the cell phone company I use for business every day, they're cutting the fad from the wireless industry. That is correct. Pure Talk says, I don't think so.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
$100 a month cell phone plans, that's just wasteful and irresponsible. Instead, they're offering America's most dependable 5G network and America's most sensible prices. Take a listen to this. Unlimited Talk taxed 15 gigs of data plus mobile hotspot for just 35 bucks a month. The best part? Right now, you'll get a free one-year membership to Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Access the entire library of DailyWire Plus movies and documentaries. Enjoy uncensored ad-free daily shows. And as always, your free leftist tears Tumblr. And with Pure Talk's U.S. customer service team, you can switch hassle-free in as little as 10 minutes. You don't need Doge. You got the fat from your wireless bill. You need Pure Talk. Go to puretalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Switch on over to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. Pure Talk is wireless by Americans for Americans. Go check them out right now. puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get one year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. That's puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Also, There's a growing expense eating into your company's profits.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It's your cloud computing bill. You may have gotten a deal to start, but now the spend is sky high. It's increasing every year. What if you could cut your cloud bill in half and improve performance at the exact same time? Well, if you act by May 31st, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure can help you do just that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
OCI is the next generation cloud designed for every workload, where you can run any application, including any iProjects, faster and more securely for less. In fact, Oracle has a special promotion where you can cut your cloud bill in half when you switch to OCI. The savings are real. On average, OCI costs 50% less for compute, 70% less for storage, 80% less for networking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
to check out our friends over at Oracle for those special savings. Go check them out right now. Oracle.com slash Shapiro. That's Oracle.com slash Shapiro. So where's that number coming from? And this is where the trade deficit comes in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It's coming from taking the trade deficit of that country and dividing it into the imports that the United States is taking in from that country and then calling that a tariff rate. That has nothing to do with the tariff rate. Nothing at all. Zero things to do with the tariff rate. The reason, by the way, that we have a tariff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So according to this chart, according to this chart, for example, Madagascar is charging us 93% tariffs and we ought to charge them 47% tariffs. And that's what it says. That's what the thing says. There is only one problem with this. That is not remotely true. And if we have a trade deficit with Madagascar, then so the hell what? It's Madagascar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The GDP per capita in Madagascar is like $530 a year. Our trade deficit with Madagascar is a few million dollars. Is the idea we have to chisel out of the people of Madagascar extra dollars for American products or we are getting screwed by the great and powerful people of Madagascar? Is that the idea here? It makes zero sense. It literally has nothing to do with the actual tariff rate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Sounds cool. So how are we going to actually do that? Well, here's the thing. The president's vision of international trade is, I am sorry to say, mistaken. The president seems to believe that international trade is a zero-sum game. Here is the president explaining that actually the United States is a victim of everyone else when it comes to international trade over the past several decades.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
How do we know this? We've got perfect proof. Yesterday, Israel, which already had almost no tariffs on the United States, 99% of all goods coming into Israel had no tariff on them from the United States. That was something that Israel did in the 2000s because they used to have high tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
And what ended up happening is that Israelis would come to the United States, load up their bags with a bunch of American-made goods, and then take them back with them to Israel to avoid the tariffs. So Israel just got rid of all the tariffs. Yesterday, Israel announced zero tariffs on any American goods.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
The Trump administration hit them with a 17% tariff anyway, claiming that they had a 33% tariff rate on American goods, which clearly is not true. Why? Because it turns out that we buy more stuff from the Israelis than the Israelis buy from us. Shocker, they're a smaller country. We're a giant market, not a giant shock as it turns out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So this is pretty crazy because it turns out the trade deficit has nothing to do with the tariff rates. So we are punishing countries that have a low tariff rate with us. For example, like South Korea is listed on this chart as having a 50% tariff rate on us. The average tariff rate South Korea has on American goods, according to the World Trade Organization, is 0.79%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
We have a free trade agreement with South Korea. It is listed on this chart as 50%. That's nonsense. It's not true. It just isn't true. And it leads to a 25% reciprocal tariff on all South Korean goods. Now, there are a number of reasons why this is a problem. Okay, whatever. Who cares? Do we need other countries? Okay, so first of all, yes, we do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
It turns out that the supply chains all across the planet are incredibly complex. And if you like the products that you have, at the quality that you have them, and the price that you have them, you're not going to get to keep them. You don't get to keep the...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Anybody who tells you that you can is telling you the same kind of falsehood that Barack Obama said when he said, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. You don't get to keep your Xbox at the same rate with the same quality. You don't. That's just not the way that these tariffs are going to work. So what exactly happens?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
Well, Tyler Cowen points out, quoting Scott Lincecum over at Cato, Trump's reciprocal tariffs impose hundreds of billions of dollars in new taxes on Americans without public or congressional input, because that's actually what happened. I have friends, for example, who import product to the United States and then sell them. Why? Because they can't get the product in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2172 - What The Hell Happened on LIBERATION DAY?!
So, for example, I have a friend who's in the jewelry business. And this friend in the jewelry business imports products that are not capable of being manufactured or found in the United States from abroad. So it's not like there's import substitution you can just buy from an American. That's not how it works. By the way, this company is an American company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Tons of news to get to today here on The Ben Shapiro Show. We're going to get to the NPR CEO completely melting down on Capitol Hill. We'll get to the Trump administration capturing the head of MS-13 in the United States. We'll get to a Daily Wire breaking story about waste, fraud, and abuse uncovered inside the federal government. And episode four of the case for Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Now, what exactly will it apply to? According to the New York Times, the tariffs are set to go into effect April 3rd. They apply to both finished cars and trucks shipped into the United States, even if the majority of parts, for example, are made in the United States. Sometimes they are completed in Mexico or in Canada. And to imported parts that are assembled into cars at American auto plants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The tariffs will hit foreign brands, but they'll also hit American ones because Ford Motor and General Motors built some of their vehicles in Canada and Mexico, and virtually all cars use some foreign-made parts. Nearly half of all vehicles sold in the United States are currently imported. So are 60% of the parts and vehicles assembled in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So you could see a significant inflation in terms of the price of your car. Again, these car parts will cross the border three, four times before they actually end up in your driveway. This is, to my mind, a mistake by the Trump administration. I think that these tariffs that are designed to protect, quote unquote, domestic industry, inflate prices at the cost of American consumers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
They create pressures where there need not be pressures. And those pressures are likely to have a negative impact on the economy. So certainly you could get boosts in particular areas of the economy. But understand, tariffs are a subsidy to some at the expense of the others. That is what this is. Stock investors are spooked, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Meanwhile, PBS NewsHour attracted about 882,000 viewers on average in 2022, which means that about 57 million viewers tuned in to PBS's content during any given month in 2022. So, again, these are large numbers. 67%, apparently, of all US TV households, over 160 million people tuned into PBS member stations over the course of a year. Now, that is a decline over the course of time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The markets plummet every time Mr. Trump proposes a new or higher tariff and rise when he delays or cancel them. By the way, this is true. You can see it actually in real time. When President Trump does a press conference,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
and it's broadcast on CNBC, and you're watching the stock ticker in the corner, or on Fox Business, and you watch President Trump talk about tariffs, you can watch the stocks drop in real time as he talks about the tariffs. Whenever he delays them, the stock market goes up again. So it's still unclear exactly what the tariff regime is going to look like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
When President Trump brings it on April 2nd, he has talked about a significant tariff regime, the same thing for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The possibility of economic stagnation arising from this corporate uncertainty, people not investing as much, that is a real problem. The uncertainty is of itself a problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
When President Trump says, for example, that April 2nd is Liberation Day because of the tariffs, that will be applied on any trading partner that charges tariffs or imposes other trade barriers on U.S. products, markets start to freak out. And even if he withdraws them, people start to think, okay, I'm just going to hold out my money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
I'm going to have some dry powder until we actually know what the hell is going on here. And this is, in fact, a problem for President Trump, and there's no reason to do it. It is a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
There is no reason to do it, given the fact that the economy is, in fact, chugging along, and investors are really, really happy with what President Trump is doing on the regulatory side, on the spending side, and on the tax side. Meanwhile, in good news for the Trump administration, huge story today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The top MS-13 leader in the United States was arrested by authorities in Virginia, according to the FBI. According to the New York Post, U.S. authorities have now captured the top MS-13 leader for the U.S. East Coast. The 24-year-old suspect in Woolbridge, Virginia, just south of Washington, D.C., was captured yesterday. Authorities have yet to release the suspect's name.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
They say he's one of the top three leaders of MS-13 in the United States. Both AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel monitored the arrest as it took place on Thursday morning. According to Bondi, quote, they executed a clean, safe operation. The bad guy's in custody. Thanks to the FBI, we got one of the worst of the worst of MS-13 off the streets this morning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Presumably, some court will then demand his release because that seems to be the pattern is the Trump administration starts deporting criminal illegal immigrants, and various courts decide that that's bad and these people have a right to stay in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Speaking of which, according to the Wall Street Journal today, an appeals court upheld an order blocking the Trump administration from using a wartime law to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members on the same day that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited a prison in El Salvador where the migrants are currently being detained. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Circuit's 2-1 decision on Wednesday denied the Justice Department's bid to lift the block while it fights the lawsuit. Karen Henderson, who is a Georgia H.W. Bush appointee, said that the TRO blocking the deportations was, quote, entered for a quintessentially valid purpose to protect the court's remedial authority long enough to consider the party's argument.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So the argument is not that what Trump is doing is illegal. The argument is that he can't do it until it's been totally adjudicated. So before you hear that Trump's action has been struck down or something like that, all that's happening here is that the court is deciding that the temporary restraining order is appropriate so that you don't have further irremediable
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Because if somebody gets deported, you can't exactly bring them back. And in the meantime, it'll get adjudicated up to the Supreme Court, which is likely where this is going to go. So not all is lost on that front. President Trump is solving illegal immigration faster than any other problem. Again, there's a reason why in the polling data.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
the worries about illegal immigration have dropped precipitously. And that is because at the border, particularly our southern border, illegal immigration is almost non-existent now. Now, speaking of scandals that are really, I think, not scandals, I think most Americans are bored with this, just to be... perfectly frank about where I think most Americans are on the so-called Signalgate scandal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
This, of course, is all the members of the Trump national security team who are having a conversation on Signal about bombing the Houthis. And that conversation included some operational details in real time about what was happening, planes taking off, about to strike, that kind of stuff. It was vague in the sense that it did not include as the Secretary of Defense
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
However, these are big numbers. They are sponsored by you, and they are producing left-wing propaganda. The hearings were led by Subcommittee Chair Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is grilling NPR CEO Catherine Maher and PBS President Paula Kerger
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Reminds us any names, any targets, any locations, any units, any routes, any sources, any methods, no classified information. It still included information that was non-public, obviously, because it was saying in real time, planes about to take off, for example. And that signal chat included Jeffrey Goldberg. Somebody included the Obama stenographer, Jeffrey Goldberg from the Atlantic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And this is supposed to be one of the great scandals of our time. Here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
If I have a choice, and unfortunately, apparently I do, between a national security team that does the right things, but also does stupid accidental things like including Jeffrey Goldberg in group chat, and an administration that surrenders everywhere on earth but does it by the book, I'm going to go with A. And that apparently is the choice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And that's the, I wish there was a choice where everything was by the book and it was not surrendering all over the world. But apparently that choice is no longer available to us. Again, this is not going to happen. Again, a mistake is a mistake. A blunder is a blunder. The idea that this is sort of a widespread systemic, oh my God, Americans are freaking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Here's the thing about procedural scandals at this point in American history. No one is getting ousted over a procedural scandal. You're gonna get ousted if you had a sex scandal or if you did something so bad for the American people that you have to go. That's pretty much the only circumstance in which you are going.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
But including a journalist by accident in a signal chat is not going to be that thing. It's not going to be that thing. By the way, I should point out here that Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, people are giving him plaudits for not revealing the classified information until he was called upon to basically go ahead and do that by the Trump administration. Here's what I would have done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
If I had been included in such a signal chat, I would have immediately notified someone in the signal chat that I was a journalist and I probably shouldn't be in it. And then I would have reported that they accidentally included me in a signal chat before I got access to all of these operational details.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Goldberg's bizarre excuse in not doing that was that he thought that maybe it was all a giant prank. But even if it was a giant prank, the first thing you would do is say, I don't belong in the signal chat. Why am I in here? And then you would check it out and go for comment. That's the way you would normally handle it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
suggesting that they were both presiding over publicly funded news organizations that hate the right wing, which is absolutely 100% true. Representative James Comer of Kentucky said people who listen to NPR are totally misinformed. I have a problem with that because you get federal funding. That, of course, is 100% true. And NPR had no excuse for this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Pair them with Bull & Branch's airy blankets, duvets, and quilts for the perfect seasonal upgrade. Bull & Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets were pivotal in my sleep quality from the very first night I could feel that difference. These aren't just any sheets, they really do have an amazing softness. that puts you in instant relaxation mode.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
What really impressed me is how they get even softer with every single wash. I didn't think that was possible, but after a few months, they felt even more luxurious than when I first got them. Believe me, I've tried other premium sheets before. Nothing comes close to the breathable comfort of these. The best part?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Exclusions apply. See site for details. Again, that's bullandbranch.com slash ben and get 20% off sitewide. Also, I need to tell you about my friends at PragerU. They're doing an amazing job. This is the conservative nonprofit fighting to educate the next generation and win back the culture. Conservatives won huge in November. The fight is not even close to over.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The left still controls our schools. They're undermining faith, family, and freedom. One election isn't going to fix that. That's why PragerU is making real, lasting change. They're reaching young people like never before, with pro-American, pro-Judeo-Christian content, nearly 2 billion views a year, with 65% of their audience under 35. And now, PragerU is getting into classrooms.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Nine states have already partnered with them to bring PragerU videos and books into schools, with more states on the way. But they can't do it alone. Right now, every dollar you give is triple matched to help push back against radical indoctrination. Don't wait. Go to PragerU.com. Make your donation today, which will be triple matched.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Together, we can keep the momentum going and stand strong for the values we care about. That's PragerU.com. They're basically a sister company to Daily Wire. They've been making amazing content for years. We've helped them. They've worked with us. They're great. PragerU.com. Make your donation today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
It will, in fact, be triple matched and make a huge difference in keeping the values momentum going. In any case, President Trump, he understands the bottom line, which is, was the attack on the Houthis successful or was it not? Here's President Trump yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Okay, well, he's right about that. And in the end, it is what comes out of the oven that matters, not the ingredients that go. If the cookie's good, the cookie's good. That's all. Caroline Lovett, yesterday, she said that President Trump has confidence in his national security team.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Leavitt also pointed out that these were not, in fact, classified plans. Now, the debate over classification status, the reality is the president can declassify anything that he wants. So if the president says this is not classified, then definitionally it is not classified. Should it have been classified is another sort of question. Here was Caroline Leavitt on this topic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
NPR could not explain why they are so biased to the left. They couldn't explain why they should receive taxpayer dollars if, in fact, they only are a propaganda outlet for the Democratic Party, which is 100 percent true. Catherine Maher was asked yesterday while she was on the Hill as the CEO of NPR about her editorial board, which involves 87. There are 87 people on her editorial board.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Now, again, the easiest thing to say here would be, OK, we botched it. Whoops. I mean, that's the easiest thing. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio essentially said that yesterday. He said, yeah, absolutely. Somebody made a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Okay, he is right about this. And this is the most obvious response. Mistake, oopsie, move on. Democrats, however, have decided this is worse than the Afghanistan pullout, which is quite an amazing statement. Here is Senator Mark Warner saying this is worse than Afghanistan, which I'm going to go no on that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
It seems to me that much worse for the world was the United States pulling out of Afghanistan in absolute ignominious defeat, getting Americans killed in the process and leading to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, among other things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So, worse than Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Representative Jimmy Gomez went the worst possible route, asking whether Pete Hegseth was drunk on the chat, which is just gross and stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Just ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Me and Chris Matthews was going crazy. It's a cover up. It wheeled him in from the local hotel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The number of Republicans on that editorial board, zero, zero. Here she was being grilled by Representative Timmons.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
cover-up well what what is the cover-up precisely she's like it's all out there we know everything that happened what is that what is there to cover up it's literally all public in the chat And then they said to Jeffrey Goldberg, if you release the rest of the chat, it's not classified. And then he did. It's like the least cover-up cover-up I've ever seen in my entire life. Here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So I think most Americans care deeply about this. I really, really don't. I'd be shocked if they do, frankly. It seems like a bureaucratic snafu. It seems like a mistake. And it doesn't seem like it inhibited our ability to kill Houthis. So there's that. And all the sort of over-the-top media coverage is unjustifiable on virtually every level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Joining us online is our White House reporter, Mary Margaret Olihan. And she spent the day with J.D. Vance yesterday. Mary Margaret, good to see you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So tons of stuff happening here on the show today. If you want even more... From The Ben Shapiro Show and The Daily Wire, you need to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Get member-exclusive shows, ad-free streaming, early access to our new releases. Watch premium films and documentaries you're not going to find anywhere else.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Well, it sounds like JD Vance was a good shot from the calls that you're hearing on the range. They're shouting, hit, headshot, and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Well, that is awesome for you. And it's awesome for me because it means Michael Knowles is nowhere near me. So I'm really excited about that. Mary Margaret, doing a wonderful job, as always, from the White House. Really appreciate it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Meanwhile, the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right to an impartial jury, a fundamental cornerstone of our justice system. But what happens when that impartiality is systematically undermined by external forces? What happens when jurors are effectively told that their city will burn if they don't reach the correct verdict?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Well, the problem is that you actually don't believe that. If you believed that, you would have done something about it. 87 to 0 is not exactly an even-handed examination of the news. If you want to be an opinion journalism outlet like we are here at The Daily Wire, admit your biases, openly do it. We also receive zero taxpayer dollars. That is not a thing that we do here at Daily Wire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
What happens when sitting members of Congress and even the President of the United States weigh in on a defendant's guilt before the jury has even deliberated? That's exactly what happened in the Derek Chauvin trial. It represents one of the most egregious violations of due process in modern American legal history. This is The Case for Derek Chauvin, Episode 4, The Jury.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The state trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd took place at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis from March 8th to April 20th, 2021. It was the first criminal trial in Minnesota to be entirely televised and broadcast live, receiving extensive media coverage with over 23 million people watching the verdict announcement on live television.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
But the reality is that Derek Chauvin never received a fair trial, not because the judge was biased or the prosecutor's unethical, but because the entire social and political environment made an impartial jury verdict virtually impossible. As Harvard Law Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz has noted, not moving the Derek Chauvin trial out of Minneapolis was a serious constitutional mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Thank you Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
We are not living off your taxpayer dollars. We have advertisers, we have subscribers, we have members, all of those things. But that's not NPR. NPR does receive taxpayer dollars, which is why Catherine Maher was on the Hill being grilled. Then she ended up being humiliated by Representative Brandon Gill out of Texas. It was a pretty amazing exchange.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Here was Brandon Gill grilling her about her own political beliefs and Maher just openly lying about them on the floor of Congress here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
., en P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P. P,實,實, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and in While Mercer later stated that once the subject is under control and handcuffed, the technique would no longer be authorized, this raises the question of when a subject is truly under control in a dynamic street situation with potential crowd interference.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The MPD call handling protocols specifically instructs officers to, quote, ensure that on-scene notification is reported to the dispatcher and to handle scenes, quote, in accordance with MPD policy and procedures, suggesting that scene management is a continuous assessment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
MPD policy specifically recognizes that officers must, quote, continuously reassess the perceived threat in order to select the reasonable use of force response, indicating control techniques may need to be maintained until officers can definitively establish that all threats, including environmental threats, have been neutralized.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Katie Blackwell's testimony that Chauvin's technique was, quote, not what we train has been central to the case narrative. However, this testimony is now directly challenged by former officers who assert Chauvin did follow his training. As noted in court filings, these officers allege that the restraint technique Chauvin used against Floyd was part of departmental training.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The legal filing goes still further, arguing that Blackwell committed perjury when she testified Chauvin was not following departmental training. This serious allegation suggests the trial may not have presented a complete picture of Minneapolis Police Department training protocols. Closing arguments were made April 19th, 2021.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Prosecutor Steve Schleicher stated that Chauvin's behavior, quote, wasn't policing, this was murder, while defense attorney Eric Nelson argued a reasonable police officer would understand the situation. The jury began deliberations April 19th and reached a verdict after approximately 10 hours. On April 20th, 2021, at 4.07 p.m.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Central Time, Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges, second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter. On June 25th, 2021, Judge Cahill's sentence drove into 22.5 years in prison, exceeding Minnesota's minimum guidelines, but falling short of the prosecutor's request for a 30-year sentence. Let me be absolutely clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
On this day, our justice system failed to provide the due process protection our Constitution demands for all defendants, regardless of the charges they face or how despised they may be. In a system of justice worthy of the name, the verdict must be based solely on the evidence, not on fears of what might happen if the wrong verdict is reached.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
As Judge Cahill himself acknowledged, external pressure and threats of violence have no place in our system of trial by jury. In the fall of 2022, Judge Cahill delivered the Justice Jackson Lecture before a large audience of judges at the National Judicial College.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Curiously, only one news organization covered his remarks, despite their relevance to one of the most high-profile cases in modern history. That organization was The Daily Wire, courtesy of my colleague Matt Walsh.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The lecture, which is available online, begins with Cahill making several jokes about various aspects of the Chauvin trial before covering topics like the importance of upgrading technology in courtrooms. As the lecture progresses, Cahill makes a series of statements that raise serious questions about judicial impartiality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
He transitions from discussing procedural matters to advocating for what he terms racial justice in a manner that appears to depart from traditional notions of judicial neutrality. Most concerning is when Cahill explicitly states to the roomful of judges that, quote, every case should be about racial justice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Cahill said every case should be about racial justice, work for equity. He advised judges to take implicit bias training and suggested hiring practices based on demographic considerations. Cahill advocated for judges to consider race consistently in their cases, claiming this approach would restore, quote, trust and confidence in the judiciary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The judiciary's fundamental purpose is to apply the law equally to all individuals, regardless of race or background. A sitting judge openly advocating for racial consideration in all cases represents a significant departure from traditional judicial ethics. Judge Cahill's comments revealed a concerning ideological framework that may have influenced the Chauvin trial proceedings.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Chauvin's legal team filed a motion for a new trial, citing numerous grounds, including jury misconduct, intimidation, and the court's failure to sequester the jury during the trial. While this appeal was not successful, the legal issues it raised were substantial and would normally merit serious consideration by higher courts. In particular, the defense cited...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
One, the court's failure to change the venue despite unprecedented pre-trial publicity. Two, the city's $27 million settlement announcement during jury selection. Three, the failure to sequester the jury during trial. Four, external intimidation from politicians and protesters. Five, evidence of juror misconduct and bias. Any one of those might be sufficient grounds for reversal in a normal case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Collectively, they represent a devastating indictment of the trial process. Just two weeks after the state verdict, Chauvin was hit with federal civil rights charges on May 7th, 2021. Initially, Chauvin pled not guilty, but faced with the prospect of spending the rest of his life in federal prison if convicted at trial, he eventually accepted a plea deal on December 15th, 2021.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The terms were 20 to 25 years in federal prison to run concurrent with his state sentence. To pile on, they threw in a completely unrelated 2017 incident involving a 14-year-old to make Chauvin look like a serial abuser of power. Judge Paul Magnuson ultimately sentenced him to 21 years in federal prison.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Given all of these factors, a presidential pardon would send a powerful message that justice in America is not determined by mob rule or political pressure, but by evidence, due process, the rule of law. It would affirm that even the most hated defendant deserves the full protection of our legal system. Critics have argued that a pardon would undermine confidence in our justice system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
This is about ensuring that justice is applied fairly and consistently without being swayed by mob mentality or political pressure. Joining us on the line to discuss the case of Derek Chauvin is one of the journalists who helped really uncover many of the explosive details surrounding it. That's Coleman Hughes. Coleman, thanks so much for joining the show. Really appreciate it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Connect with a community that shares your values, not one that cancels you for them. Watch anywhere, anytime on desktop, mobile, and TV apps. With new content added every single week, there's always something worth watching. Join the fight right now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. So yesterday...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So obviously, I've been taking a leading role in calling for the pardon of Derek Chauvin. Part of the, I think, transformation in the public view of the George Floyd-Derek Chauvin case is the series of articles that you wrote for the Free Press where you analyzed the case in detail. I wanted to go through some of that with folks because the case that you make is that
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
You know, it's not as though we know for certain exactly how or why George Floyd died, but that's almost the point. If you are in a criminal justice system in which reasonable doubt is the demand, there is no way this case meets the standards of beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Very rough there for Catherine Maher. And it continued to be rough throughout the entire day. Representative Jim Jordan, out of Ohio, friend of the program, he also humiliated Catherine Maher. It was basically just a series of dunks on Catherine Maher in Congress yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And one of the things that's pretty amazing when you view the original autopsy and all of the medical reporting around it is that this really is not even a coin flip, that the positional asphyxia case is just not really backed by any of the medical evidence in the autopsy, or at least not very much of it. There was no bruising on his neck. There's no bruising on his trachea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The sort of speculation that would have to occur in order to achieve the idea that this was purely due to the weight on his back or on his neck, you'd have to ignore things like the massively enlarged heart, like the 11 nanograms per milliliter of fentanyl in his system. You'd have to ignore the tape, which...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
which shows him saying, I can't breathe, six separate times before he is even removed from the car and put on the ground. He's obviously in a state of panic even before he's put into the police car.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
I'm struggling, honestly, when I look at the autopsies to see where is the physical evidence that the weight alone would have made a person of George Floyd's prior health conditions and excited state and drug use die. That's the part that I have trouble with.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So Coleman, obviously one of the big issues surrounding the George Floyd case is the fact that it became a national issue, which effectively deprived Chauvin of his right to a fair trial. It's the highest profile criminal case that we've had in this country since the O.J. Simpson trial.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
You had the presidential candidate for the Democratic Party essentially calling for his conviction before this trial even happened. You had the city of Minneapolis paying out a $27 million settlement to George Floyd's family. You had members of the jury who are openly at rallies wearing I Can't Breathe T-shirts before the trial took place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
You have jurors who afterward acknowledged that there was public pressure on them and that that affected their judgment. What do you make of the jury deliberations and the fairness of the trial itself?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
No way in the world. So Coleman, obviously, this has massive impact on how Americans have thought about the criminal justice system. I was on with Stephen A. Smith recently, and he basically acknowledged that he was not willing to look at any evidence outside of the nine-minute tape. And his assumption was that as long as there was an E on an X, that meant that that was the cause of death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
I literally asked him, is there anything that could change your mind? And he just said no. which I think has unfortunately been the way that too many people have approached criminal justice issues in the country for a really long time. That obviously speaks to the sort of decline in racial comedy in the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
It wasn't all that long ago when both black Americans and white Americans actually thought that race relations were on a good track in the United States. That was as late as 2012, 2013. For the past 12, 13 years, they've been on the wrong track. The numbers have been bad. Do you see that recovering anytime soon?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And what do you think the fallout from the Chauvin-Floyd trial and conviction of Chauvin is going to be for the long term?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
That's Coleman Hughes. Go check out his book, The End of Race Politics, and his podcast, Conversations with Coleman. Coleman, really appreciate your insight and knowledge on this issue. Great to see you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
All right, guys, coming up, we're going to jump into the Ben Shapiro Show mailbag. Now, I know you've heard about it a lot, but the thing is you can't hear any of the questions or the answers or even ask the questions unless you're a member. That's just one of the amazing things that you get behind the paywall, but it's an exclusive club and you can only get in by joining Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
If you're not a member, become a member, use code Shapiro. I check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Yeah, yeah. There's no bias over at NPR. And Jim Jordan there is referencing a piece by Uri Berliner about the bias at NPR that he put out at the Free Press just a few months ago. We went through it. This is back in April of 2024. The title of the piece was, I've been at NPR for 25 years. Here's how we lost America's trust.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And Uri Berliner, who again, was in fact a veteran at the public radio institution, acknowledged the massive bias. Quote, it's true NPR has always had a liberal bent, but during most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. In recent years, however, that has changed. Today, those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online find something different.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population. And then he goes through in detail what changed inside NPR. Well, again, the windmill jams on Catherine Maher did not stop. Representative Tim Burchett out of Tennessee also went after Catherine Maher.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
there was a big hearing on the Hill involving the heads of NPR and PBS, both of which are in fact publicly funded. Well, I asked my friend Perplexity, which is of course the sponsor of the show, how much money we, the US taxpayers, spend on PBS and NPR every year. Apparently, according to Perplexity, the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Okay, that's weird because again, you have said things along those lines. And this is entirely the game that NPR has been playing for literally decades. They say something that is overtly to the left. And then when called upon it, they say, well, I didn't mean that. Or you're just missing the context. Why is it that every single error NPR has ever made is in one direction?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Literally every, it's amazing. Including, for example, NPR's decision not to cover at all the Hunter Biden laptop story in the run-up to the 2020 election. You remember this. NPR overtly said, we will not cover this because we do not think it is of importance. Which, of course, is insane since there was a ton of information on there that was of high importance to American voters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Here is Maher now admitting that they should have covered the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Well, yes, it wasn't just Catherine Marr who had a rough time of it. PBS boss Paula Kerger, she was out on the Hill as well, and she was trying to explain there is nothing more American than PBS. And of course, the example that people will use here is Mr. Rogers or Sesame Street, both of which, by the way, are perfectly capable of operating on their own in a for-profit environment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
I mean, clearly capable of operating in a for-profit environment. These are two of the most profitable brands probably ever. The idea that you require public broadcasting in order to somehow get Sesame Street on the air is ridiculous on its face. But here is PBS trying to grasp that public money as hard as it can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Well, what you've also done is promote an enormous amount of left-wing propaganda over the years. And again, this is a win for President Trump because of the fact that all of this is now being exposed to daylight. The fact that we are now talking about getting rid of exorbitant spending in these areas is a really, really important thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And all of this is part and parcel of a broader attempt by the Trump administration to cut out the waste of fraud and abuse. We have a breaking story on that from our own Luke Rosiak, our investigative reporter here at Daily Wire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
He points out today, quote, a prominent diversity, equity, and inclusion nonprofit declared bankruptcy this month after its board accused its founder and top employees of stealing millions of dollars, according to a Daily Wire investigation. Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey are set to keynote a conference run by the alleged thief, apparently through his for-profit firm next month.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
taxpayer spends approximately $535 million annually on NPR and PBS through federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Over the last decade, taxpayers have spent about $5.35 billion on these outlets. They have very broad listenership. These are propagandistic outlets that have huge listenership.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The National Diversity Council filed for bankruptcy March 17th after its board said in a lawsuit that its founder, R. Dennis Kennedy, quote, improperly paid himself millions of dollars from NDC's donor funds. The suit said that Kennedy paid himself a grossly excessive salary while using the nonprofit as a front for his for-profit diversity consulting business called Diversity and Leadership, Inc.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The group's 2020 IRS disclosure said Kennedy was paid $450,000 for 10 hours of work per week. In 2022, at the height of corporation CEI hype, Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer Angeles Valenciano, and Chief Financial Officer Jason DeGroote also unilaterally decided they were owed almost $3 million in back pay, and then they paid themselves more than $1 million in donor funds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Board members started to become suspicious, and they figured there was nothing there that justified the payments. Kennedy systematically moved the nonprofit's trademarks and web domains into his own name, and essentially created a fake organization with the same name that would trick people into paying him directly according to the lawsuit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
NationalDiversityCouncil.org now leads to a website of an organization that purports to be the National Diversity Council, listing Kennedy as its founder and no board. John Hooper, an accountant who manages bankruptcy for NDC's board, told The Daily Wire the site is not operated by the National Diversity Council. So deep corruption with taxpayer dollars, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And the imposter NDC website, by the way, is having a conference in L.A. next month, which is supposed to feature Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. The necessity of wiping out bad taxpayer spending is deep and real, and it is having a positive impact on our markets, obviously. Cuts to regulation, cuts to bizarre subsidization schemes, all of that is quite good for the American economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Along those lines, yesterday, the Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, he said it's time to invest in energy. The Trump administration is making a bunch of really good moves for the economy, which is why, despite all the tariff threats, the economy seems to be still chugging along. Here yesterday was Secretary Christopher Wright.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
The Trump administration is making a lot of very good economic moves, and those moves, of course, include Doge, which continues to surgically trim the fat from decades of bloated government spending and corruption. Pure Talk, the cell phone company I use for business every day, is cutting the fat from the wireless industry. That's correct. Pure Talk says...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
Right now, you'll get a free one-year membership to Daily Wire+. Access the entire library of Daily Wire Plus movies and documentaries. Enjoy uncensored ad-free daily shows. Access to Daily Wire Kids programming. And as always, your free Leftist Tears Tumblr. With Pure Talk's U.S. customer service team, you can switch hassle-free in as little as 10 minutes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
According to Perplexity, in 2022, NPR had about 23.5 million average weekly listeners for its terrestrial broadcast programming. And NPR, of course, is just trash stacked atop trash. It is a left-wing agitprop organization that puts out sort of modulated voices with well-produced music and segments and Sounds very easy to listen to, and it turns out that it's just Noam Chomsky propaganda.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
You don't need Doge to cut the fat from your wireless bill. You need Pure Talk. Go to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Switch to PeerTalk at PeerTalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. PeerTalk Wireless by Americans for Americans. I've been using PeerTalk myself for years. I value, obviously, clarity in my cell phone conversations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
PeerTalk provides me excellent coverage. And at a lower price, go check them out yourself. PeerTalk.com slash Shapiro. Again, that's PeerTalk.com slash Shapiro for the special deal. Meanwhile, the big sort of issue of the day when it comes to inflation is, of course, egg prices. Egg prices are now falling. They're falling nationally. That's particularly on the wholesale level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
They've yet to drop tremendously on the retail level. There are a few reasons for this. One of them is, in fact... economic sanguinity with regard to gas prices and transportation prices. It costs money to get the eggs from the farm to the grocery store and all the rest of it. It is also because the avian flu is basically giving out, so fewer chickens are dying.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
So you have an increase in the supply of eggs, and that is combined with a drop in the demand for eggs because of the high prices, so you get lower prices. Here's President Trump praising the Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, over the drop in egg prices yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
OK, so again, all of this is quite good. Now, on the problematic side of the ledger, President Trump yesterday announced that he would be driving up tariffs on non-American made cars. Now, one of the problems with this is that how do you define a non-American made car? An enormous number of cars that have foreign brands on them are actually made in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2167 - MORE TRUMP WINNING: NPR CEO IMPLODES, MS-13 Head ARRESTED
And so it's unclear exactly quite how this applies as of yet. Here's President Trump announcing it yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Well, folks, woke leftism is totally on the ropes. The Democrats don't know what to do about this, but their entire centralizing philosophy is on the ropes. We can get into all of that today, ranging from the Washington Post to the war in Ukraine to how Democrats are responding to everything that President Trump is doing. But we begin today with the Washington Post.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And the new middle in America is... Fairly pro-free market. It's a middle that doesn't like the idea that the American economy is rigged on behalf of white people or rigged on behalf of men. It's an American middle that believes in the American dream and thus believes in the idea, generally speaking, of capitalism. It's also an American middle that, well...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, so again, Musk acting as sort of an outside actor is the best version of all of this. Meanwhile, as Politico points out, the layoffs are just getting started. Quote, federal agencies are being ordered to submit plans by mid-March for laying off employees in large-scale reductions in force, an escalation in President Trump's efforts to reshape the federal workforce.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
According to an Office of Management and Budget and OPM, Office of Personnel Management memo released on Wednesday, quote, pursuant, And so they're talking about laying off a bunch of people. As President Trump suggested yesterday, he was left with a government that was bloated, fat, and disgusting. You know, sort of typically colorful language from the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, meanwhile, other secretaries also spoke up. Secretary of Defense Hegseth, who's excellent, he said that one of the chief goals that he had as Secretary of Defense was to fully investigate every aspect of the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, one of the most shameful moments in American history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Howard Lutnick, his Commerce Secretary, all spoke up about President Trump's new proposal for the so-called Golden Cards, which apparently will be wrapped around chocolate bars and stowed all around the United States in various candy shops. But actually, it's like five million bucks and you get a citizenship. Anyway, here is Howard Lutnick explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Now, let's talk about that debt because this is a serious question. The big budget that the House is pushing forward is, in fact, going to add to the national debt. Why is it going to add to the national debt? Well, because by preserving the Trump tax cuts, supposedly there's less tax revenue to the federal government. It's not about the tax cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
fairly liberal about what their neighbors do is not completely liberal about what their neighbors do, meaning that if their neighbors decide to open a porn shop next door, the answer is no. If their neighbors decide the local public school is going to be teaching genderqueer, the answer is no. That's the new middle in America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
It is about the simple fact that the debt is going to keep going up and to the right because of our embedded Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid programs. That's all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The means-tested welfare programs, things like SNAP and TAMF and all the various other gigantically bloated programs that funnel literally trillions of dollars a year from one segment of society to another segment of society via the American taxpayer dollars and mostly via debt. That is going to eat the American economy. It is. And herein lies a bit of the problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And here is where I think conservatives ought to be wary. Not that President Trump isn't doing amazing things. Not that Doge isn't doing useful things. But the systemic underlying problems of American politics are not going to get solved by either party right now. That is just a fact. President Trump yesterday, he was talking about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He said we're not going to touch them. And we won't. He's right. We're not going to touch them. At the same time, there are consequences to not touching them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, so no matter how much fraud you identify in these programs, and literally every dollar of fraud should be cut, it ain't even a drop in the bucket compared to the kind of spending America has done. This is a bloated legacy of FDR and LBJ. It is eating the American economy, and it is going to cause a crash in the American economy sometime in the very near future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Again, one of the things that I've suggested about the Trump administration is that they have to focus laser-like on ensuring increases in productivity, cutting regulations, ensuring ease of economic transaction. These are the only things that Trump can do if he's unwilling to touch the actual systemic drivers of America's national debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And the reality is that without touching those drivers of America's national debt, the debt's just going to keep going in the wrong direction. So when President Trump says that he's going to balance the budget, that is not a real fiscal possibility. You can't do it without touching any of these big programs. So one of those two things is untrue. I'm going to go with balancing the budget.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I was thinking about this a lot last night, about President Trump and the fact that, as I said during the election cycle, It's not that President Trump is uniquely right-wing. It's that the left in the United States has moved so far away from the center that by occupying the middle, Donald Trump now appears to be right-wing because the left has alienated everybody to the right of MSNBC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And we're not even going to do zero base budgeting going back to like the 2019 budget. Let's just be real about this. None of this stuff is going to happen. Both parties are going to spend like drunken sailors until austerity measures are forced into place about five years from now. That is actually what's going to happen in the United States. That train is coming down the tracks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Ain't nobody getting in the way of that train because it's politically dangerous to actually try to stop the train right now. So instead, we'll just run right off that cliff. Well, it's actually one of the things I like least about working in the news industry, you know, actually having to cover the fact that most of our politicians will not do the things we need to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
But there are things I do love about working in the news industry. The thing, like, for example, I get to connect every day with millions of listeners and share these breaking stories and work with incredible talent who are just as passionate about the political sphere as I am.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
There's nothing quite like the energy and thrill of creating content that not only informs but also resonates with people around the country. If you're doing what you love to do, there's nothing better than being surrounded by people who also love doing that thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And if you own your own business, you want to hire employees who love what they do to boost the overall success of your business, plus make it a pretty great place to work. But how do you find passionate employees who are a good fit for all your roles? ZipRecruiter right now. You can try it for free at ziprecruiter.com. slash dailywire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
ZipRecruiter is the hiring site employers prefer most based on G2, and their powerful matching technology works fast to find top talent, so you don't waste time and you don't waste money. Hire experienced people who are excited about what they do with ZipRecruiter. Four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the very first day. See for yourself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Go to this exclusive web address and try ZipRecruiter for free. ZipRecruiter.com slash dailywire. Again, that's ZipRecruiter.com slash dailywire. ZipRecruiter is the smartest way to hire. Also, Victory is in the air, and so is the scent of renewal. Behold, a candle. Yes, yes, you see.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Here at The Daily Wire, we also, in fact, have candle companies, and we light a candle in memory of the stupid leftist ideas that Donald Trump is destroying. Well, Donald Trump's first joint session of Congress since his historic re-election is almost here. America is already winning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Celebrate the triumphs of a new era from Doge's major cuts to protecting America's borders to major cabinet confirmations and more with my all-new Smells Like Victory candle from The Candle Club. Again, I already lit it. I already showed you, but here it is again. It's really cool and it smells good. Capture the essence of American renewal with a fresh invigorating scent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
A burning reminder that with strong leadership, our best days still lie ahead. Don't wait. Right now you can get 20% off when you order by Friday. Bask in the smell of victory. Order now at thecandleclub.com slash Ben. That's thecandleclub.com slash Ben. Thecandleclub.com slash Ben. Meanwhile, again, the big danger to President Trump's presidency would be Things like inflation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Inflation is, in fact, going the wrong way in the United States. Right now, it is not headed in the right direction. The Agriculture Secretary, she suggested yesterday, Brooke Rollins, that they have a five-point plan to bring down the price of eggs. Here's what she had to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So what does that mean? It means that there is now a real market possibility of newspapers like the Washington Post reorienting. Jeff Bezos is by no stretch of the imagination a traditional Republican. He is not somebody who believes in sort of traditional conservative social values. He's not somebody who, as far as I'm aware, is particularly hawkish on foreign policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, so will this have a massive impact on egg prices? Well, it could have some impact. It's going to have a massive impact if the inflationary pressures continue. Again, we've blown too much money into the American economy, and it appears that's not going to stop anytime soon, despite the relatively high interest rates by sort of historical standards.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Now, President Trump did announce yesterday that tariffs are back on the table, although he says that they're not going to be kicked back in place on Canada and Mexico until April 2nd. And if he's using this for leverage, I just want to know what's on the other side of the leverage. I'm fine with President Trump using tariffs as leverage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He's done it successfully against the country of Colombia, for example, to get them to take deportees. He's done it against Mexico to get Mexico to pledge to put 10,000 troops on the border. All that's fine. What are the deliverables that we can look forward to from Canada and Mexico that would justify the threat of tariffs? That's all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
That's all because then maybe Canada delivers and we don't have to do the tariffs. The problem with tariffs, folks, trade wars are not good and they are not easy to win as a matter of fact. And they are not good for inflation because when you restrict supply and demand remains the same, prices go up. This is just basic econ 101.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Here's President Trump saying that the tariffs will kick back in place on April 2nd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, now again, reciprocal tariffs as a way of driving down tariffs to get everybody to go weapons down, that's fine with me. But tariffs as sort of an America strengthening policy do not have a long and storied history. And if you want the Trump administration to be successful, you need the Trump administration to actually keep the economy humming. You need inflation to come down.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
It's really important. The other thing you need is no distractions. I've said this over and over and over. What President Trump is doing right now is way too important for there to be stupid distractions. I bring this up because the big distraction of the day is that Grifter's extraordinaire, the Tate brothers, are apparently now arriving in Florida.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And this is happening because apparently the Trump administration put significant pressure on the country of Romania to release them from house arrest. Now, I don't need to get into sort of the legal vagaries of what house arrest means in Romania. Does this mean that they're never going to go back to Romania and they won't be prosecuted? There are criminal allegations in Romania.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
But Jeff Bezos does exist in the business world and in the world of semi-rationality. And so yesterday, Jeff Bezos put out an announcement. His announcement was that he was going to be remaking the Washington Post editorial board. Quote, I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning. I'm writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
They're under indictment in Romania for allegations of sex trafficking. One of the allegations apparently includes rape of an underage girl. Put all that aside. Andrew Tate is an American citizen. He was born in the United States. His father was an American citizen. His mom was a British citizen. He's always considered himself more British than American.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
But the real question is, is it good for America for the Tates to be here? Now, again, that's not a sort of legalistic question as to whether they should be released from house arrest. I have no actual opinion on release from house arrest for American citizens who are accused of sex trafficking in foreign countries. I'll leave that one to the lawyers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The question is going to be whether it is good for the Trump administration, for example, the Tates to go walking around with all these people who are very closely associated with the Trump administration. My suggestion is no. I'm not sure what the popularity rating there would be. My guess is not particularly high.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
If you want to give a spate of bad headlines to your opponents, make sure that you put people who are self-professed pimps who literally ran a pornography industry and made millions of dollars off of it. alleged sex traffickers, radical Muslims who are self-proclaimed terrorist supporters, including supporters of Hamas, running around the United States with some of your closest allies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
If that sounds like a winning proposition, I'm just wondering, where's the political win there? Forget about the morality of it. OK, the morality of it. I've spoken about the Tate brothers before. I think they're disgusting. I think that they have diagnosed many problems with feminism and they have diagnosed many problems with left wing thought that are easily diagnosable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And then all of their solutions are not just wrong, but prurient and ugly. The question as to why the Trump administration would expend political capital to do this, that's a bizarre one. And again, if you think that the left-wing president is going to hang this around Trump's neck, you got another thing coming. Apparently, Andrew and Tristan have left the country for the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
They're supposed to arrive early Thursday morning in southern Florida. Apparently, the Romanian prosecutors said in a news release they are still pursuing criminal investigations against the two British American citizens. And they said they'd been allowed to leave Romania and had to appear before judicial authorities whenever summoned.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Again, this raises legal questions about when, if they return to Romania at any point. But I really don't care about the Tate brothers. I do care about the effect on the Trump agenda of association between these kind of scumbags and members of the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
That does not seem like a particular win in a time when you're going to need political capital to expend on actual serious projects. So from a practical point of view, don't see it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So the Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, he's the owner of the Washington Post. He bought it several years ago. And he said at the time he was not going to get involved in the editorial side of the newspaper. And then the newspaper decided to basically become the repository of the most radical, woke nonsense in all of American media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
From a moral point of view, I'm just going to say, I don't think that America needs more self-professed pimps who hate marriage, believe that impregnating tons of women is the mark of manhood, who preach support for actual terrorists, have outstanding criminal allegations of sex trafficking with a proud history of pornography distribution, and make their money today on a grift university that effectively suckers young men into giving them thousands of dollars for basically no return.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars, personal liberties and free markets. We'll cover other topics too, of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I don't know. Call me strange. I'm just not sure what the upside is there for anybody involved and for people who are going to now tout these folks as some sort of heroic characters, which undoubtedly will happen. The right has a massive problem with this. The right has a massive problem with touting grifters as actual heroes now. And this is this is
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
shall we say, not salutary to the goals of actually making America great again. OK, meanwhile, President Trump is doing something pretty phenomenal with regard to Venezuela. So the president announced yesterday that he'd be terminating the Biden era oil deal with Venezuela.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So Biden, in an attempt to lower oil prices before the election, had essentially given concessions to the Venezuelan government, which is, again, a dictatorship, a socialist dictatorship. in order to get the oil prices down. Supposedly, that was contingent on Venezuela being slightly nicer to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Well, the president made the announcement Wednesday afternoon, claiming Venezuela is transporting violent criminals deported from the United States at a rapid pace. Trump blasted Biden for making the concession agreement with the evil regime of Nicolás Maduro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He said, we are hereby reversing the concessions that crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela on the oil transaction agreement in November 26, 2022, and also having to do with electoral conditions within Venezuela, which have not been met by the Maduro regime. So again, that is a positive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He said the regime has not been transporting the violent criminals they sent back into our country, back to Venezuela at the rapid pace they'd agreed to. I'm therefore ordering the ineffective and unmet Biden concession agreement be terminated as of the March 1st option to renew. Thank you for your attention to this matter. That, of course, is a good move.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader's doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views. Today, the internet does that job. I am of America and for America and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, in just a moment, we'll get to the latest negotiations surrounding Ukraine, an important Supreme Court case. But first, this is the one you don't want to miss. Tuesday, March 4th, President Trump addresses Congress, 9 p.m. Eastern, laying out his America First vision. tackling immigration reform, economic revival, national security. We're not going to sit this one out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Join us for Backstage Live at 8.30 p.m. Eastern, our pre-show breakdown with the full crew at The Daily Wire. Then we'll watch the entire speech together live at Daily Wire Plus. And when Trump is done, we're back with unfiltered, no BS reactions you won't get anywhere else. This is an event shaping America's future. So be there. Watch it all live on Daily Wire Plus this Tuesday night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Subscribe right now at dailywire.com. Meanwhile, there's a lot of talk about the Possible end of the war in Ukraine. Apparently, Vladimir Zelensky is going to show up in the United States and he is going to be holding a meeting with President Trump. According to The Post, President Trump and President Zelensky offer differing expectations on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit later this week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The Ukrainian leader underscored his need for American assurances about Kyiv's future security. The U.S. president stressed the benefits of a deal to reap Ukraine's vast mineral wealth. Trump said that he and Zelensky would use a hastily arranged meeting at the White House on Friday to finalize that mineral compact his administration has pushed on Kyiv.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Now, again, that mineral compact actually is a pretty good deal for Ukraine. It is a mineral compact in which the United States invests in future development of rare earth minerals that have yet to be basically identified in Ukraine. Trump told reporters, quote, my number one thing is to get the war stopped. My number two thing is I don't want to have to pay any more money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Yeah, well, I mean, that was always his priority. President Trump also said yesterday Ukraine will not be joining NATO. That is not a shock. And the sort of possible membership in NATO that had been dangled before Ukraine for years and years and years, that was bad American policy. If you're not going to do it, then don't threaten it. In any case, here is President Trump saying it yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And a big part of America's success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical. It minimizes coercion and practical. It drives creativity, invention, and prosperity. I offered David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter. I suggested to him that if the answer wasn't hell yes, then it had to be no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So President Trump did say, I'm not going to make security guarantees beyond very much. We're going to have Europe do that because Europe is their next door neighbor. And so the question is whether the Europeans are actually going to pick up the ball. Keir Starmer is also visiting. He is the Labour left wing prime minister of the UK.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He apparently is going to try and convince President Trump to continue to support the war in Ukraine. According to the New York Times, Starmer will face the same balancing act as Emmanuel Macron did without the benefit of years of interactions dating back to 2017.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Unlike Macron, Starmer will arrive in the Oval Office armed with a pledge to increase his country's military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 into 3% within a decade. And Starmer is going to pare back on Britain's overseas development aid, echoing actually some of what President Trump is doing. Apparently, Starmer is going to show strong support for Vladimir Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He's going to tell President Trump that they shouldn't rush into a peace deal with Vladimir Putin that doesn't establish security guarantees for Ukraine. But again, here is the reality. The Europeans can, in fact, take the lead here. If the Europeans say, listen, we're going to keep funding this forever. Our economy is 10 times the size of Russia's. We're going to keep funding this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
We're going to keep making sure that Ukraine has the hardware. And so, you know, we're part of this equation as well. And this negotiation is basically done. What is it they are asking the United States for that Trump is unwilling to do at this point that they can't do themselves? That is sort of the big question going forward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Because realistically speaking, if Russia believes that Europe as a whole is going to continue to fund the war, what Putin is gambling on is that basically the entire West just gets tired and he walks into Kyiv. But I've yet to see a unified Western belief that that is the next thing that is going to happen right here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, meanwhile, the Supreme Court of the United States is making a couple of fascinating moves. First, yesterday, John Roberts, Chief Justice, granted the Trump administration's request to put on hold a lower court order that required it to pay an estimated $2 billion in foreign assistance funds for State Department and U.S. aid projects by midnight on Wednesday. So Roberts is getting tired.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The Supreme Court is getting very tired of these district court judges who are putting nationwide injunctions on presidential actions. which of course is correct. Whether or not the Supreme Court rules with the president in the end, he's saying, listen, that's up to us. It's not up to random district court judge appointed by Joe Biden to shut down the workings of the American government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is also now hearing a case. about whether, in fact, you can sue for discrimination under anti-discrimination law if you are not a member of a quote-unquote discreet and insular minority.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So there is a case from Ohio that was heard where a person named Marlene Ames claims a state agency where she works denied her a promotion and then demoted her because she's heterosexual, instead giving both her old job and the one she had sought to gay people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
After careful consideration, David decided to step away. This is a significant shift, says Jeff Bezos. It won't be easy. It will require 100% commitment. I respect his decision. We'll be searching for a new opinion editor to own this new direction. Okay, so that is a sea change, and it is a recognition, a true recognition, that the Washington Post was never.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
A federal appeals court in Cincinnati had thrown out Ames' lawsuit, finding she failed to show the background circumstances suggesting the employer was hostile to straight people, a threshold step that wouldn't have been required if the gay employee had claimed discrimination.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So, in other words, the law did not require you to show, for example, if you're a gay person suing, that the entire agency was anti-gay. It just had to show discrimination in this particular case. But the judge in this case said you have to show evidence that the entire agency is anti-straight. But that is stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
As Justice Samuel Alito said during oral arguments, that rule is apparently based on an intuition about the way most employers behave. Maybe it was sound at the time, but it's no longer sound today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested the case could be resolved easily by, quote, a really short opinion that says discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, whether it's because you're gay or because you're straight, is prohibited. And the rules are the same, whichever way that goes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The double standard that is implicit in so much of our discrimination law has been part and parcel of the left-wing reorientation of the United States for decades.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Christopher Caldwell wrote an amazing book called The Age of Entitlement all about this, about how anti-discrimination law, particularly parts of the Civil Rights Act, completely restructured the way that American law was done, how regulations were done in the United States. Well, that double standard should not apply. If discrimination is wrong in one direction, it is wrong in all directions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
It should be that simple. And the Supreme Court looks like it's going to make that clear as well. Well, joining us online to discuss everything going on at the White House is our Daily Wire White House correspondent, Mary Margaret Olihan. Mary Margaret, thanks for joining the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So let's talk about a story that Daily Wire actually broke a little bit earlier this week. There was this big confrontation that happened at a governor's meeting with President Trump at which President Trump basically told the governor of Maine that federal money was going to go away unless they got on board with the executive order saying that men can't play in women's sports.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And then a meltdown occurred. Can you detail exactly what this was?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The fallout is obviously going to continue. And meanwhile, the fireworks continue at the White House. So one of the big controversies over the course of the last week or so is the White House Correspondents Association being basically barred from deciding who's in the press pool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
For people who don't understand this issue, Mary Margaret, why don't you explain what the press pool is, how it used to be decided, and now what the new sort of regime is?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
one of these places that had a broad spectrum of opinion. The tacit recognition in what Jeff Bezos is saying is, sure, there might have been a time when you could claim that the Washington Post was a place that was sort of a platform for a variety of opinions. Charles Krauthammer and George Will used to write for the Washington Post. And then something changed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
It is pretty embarrassing, especially considering that the head of the WHCA is now going to go work at MSNBC and was supposedly a representative of the unbiased press pool. Mary Margaret, you're doing a great job over at the White House. We'll check in with you soon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And meanwhile, the left continues to just be incompetent. Michael Moore is somehow still being trotted out as a moral voice at this point. It's kind of amazing. So apparently, Michael Moore put out a Substack post on Tuesday, and he is making the claim that, effectively speaking,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
We need illegal immigrants everywhere because otherwise you're not going to have the people who are going to stop an asteroid on a path to decimate the earth. Quote, who's really being removed by ICE tonight? The child who discovered the cure for cancer in 2046? The ninth grade nerd who would have stopped that asteroid that's going to hit us in 2032?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And then he cited the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, whose dad was born in Syria. He said, we get nothing from that Syrian Muslim who sired a junior, Abdul Fattah, a nothing migrant with a nothing out of wedlock baby, except that nothing baby was soon adopted and given an American name, Steve Jobs. Yes, that Steve Jobs. I'm grateful for that Muslim migrant baby being born here 70 years ago today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Okay, well, I mean, first of all, Steve Jobs' story is largely about his adoptive family, not about his natural birth. So if you're going to give credit to anybody for Steve Jobs, you really should talk about his adoptive family. That's exactly who Steve Jobs gave the credit to. But if the case is that illegal immigration is somehow similar to legal immigration, I'm just wondering why.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And so once the Washington Post became the exclusive preserve of the radical left on matters economic and social, Once it did that, it was no longer a platform. It was now, in the most real sense, a publisher, only of the things that the editorial board wanted to publish. And so he says, listen, if that's going to be the way that it is, then I want it to publish the things I want.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Hilariously, in his list of various people who should have been allowed to immigrate because they're making America great, he includes Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, an actual terrorist supporter. He also includes Linda Sarsour. I don't think you're making the case that you think you're making, Michael. I really, really do not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Meanwhile, at the same time that Michael Moore is trying to make the case for open borders and open immigration, a representative named Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, she is questioning whether Elon Musk is loyal to America. Guys, you're gonna have to pick one lane here. Are you gonna be xenophobes or are you gonna be open borders people? Pick one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Only? That's a long time to be a citizen. 22 years. I know American-born citizens who've only been a citizen for 21 years. They're 21 years old. What the? Yeah, you're right. Elon is loyal to Canada. Nailed that one, lady. That's really good. But again, the left has no capacity to stand up to its own radicals. That was made clear yesterday over at Barnard.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Barnard College, of course, which is part of Columbia University, The New York Post reports dozens of keffiyeh-clad anti-Israel protesters took over a building at Barnard College for several hours Wednesday evening, assaulting a school employee while protesting the expulsions of two students who stormed a Columbia University class in January and threw around flyers loaded with hateful rhetoric.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Videos circulating online posted by X... By Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, which is in fact a pro-terror group, showed the masked students lining a hallway in Milbank Hall, the oldest building on campus, beating drums and loudly chanting through the microphones. By the way, they did this on the same exact day that in Israel a eulogy was being held for the Bibas family.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The Bibas family is the mother and two babies who were murdered point blank in cold blood, the babies with the bare hands of Hamas. This is the day that the pro-Palestinian protesters decided to take over Barnard College.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Hundreds of thousands of people showed up in the streets, up to perhaps 10% of the entire Israeli population showed up in the streets to pay tribute to the family of Yarden Bibas. He is the surviving father who was released as a hostage. His wife was murdered by Hamas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Again, his four-year-old and his one-year-old were murdered in the captivity of Hamas, apparently according to autopsies, with the bare hands of Hamas and their bodies were battered with rocks to make it try and look like they were killed in an airstrike. Here are some of Yardin Bibas' eulogy. He's saying it in Hebrew. I'll give you the translation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn't have fired. I think about everything we went through together. There are so many beautiful memories.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I remember Ariel and Kafir's birth. Those are the two kids.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I spent $100 million on this newspaper. I own this newspaper. I get to decide what's in this newspaper. And to this, I say, of course, that's true. As the co-founder of a rather major publication, we publish the things on our publication that we think are appropriate. And we don't publish the things that we don't feel are appropriate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So thank you, my beloved. Okay, so the same day that was happening, these truly evil protesters showed up at Barnard College and took over the hallways in solidarity with pro-Hamas students who were expelled because they are foreign exchange students who actually support terrorism. This led... to the Columbia University spokesperson, Christina Miller, offering concessions to the protesters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Again, the absolute incompetence is not incompetence. They're on the side of the protesters. That's all. They are pro-hamasniks. Half of these administrators are pro-hamasniks. Cut the student aid to these universities. Taxpayer dollars should not be flowing to universities that teach pro-terrorism tripe and make room for it. Just gross.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
You ridiculous people just kick them out of the building and then expel the people who are foreign exchange students. It's that simple. But they never will do that because they have to concede to the pro-terror side. They must. It is apparently in their Columbia University contract. All righty, guys, coming up, we're going to jump into that vaunted Ben Shapiro show mailbag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
You have to be a subscriber to have your question answered in the mailbag. You should also subscribe because we just have so much awesome stuff. We've got Jordan Peterson stuff, the Gospels, Exodus, Depression, Anxiety. We've got Matt Walsh's big movies. And of course, we have all access live today. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro.
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Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So you're not going to find pro-abortion positions at the Daily Wire. You're not. You are not going to find pro-communism positions at the Daily Wire. That's not a thing. You're going to find pro-sex trafficking or pro-pedophilia positions. There are lots of things you're not going to find at the Daily Wire. And what Jeff Bezos is saying is the same thing. He's saying, this is my newspaper.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I bought it. I get to run it. And good for him. Good for him. I think that we are exiting the era, and we have exited the era, of quote-unquote objective journalism. And we've now moved toward the realization that there is no such thing. Now, you can make the case that there are, in fact, journalists who do their best to try to remove their personal bias from situations. However...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The notion that writ large, there is a quote unquote objective news media was a lie and is a lie. It is untrue. There's a prism of politics through which the news is refracted at every one of these major publications. Everybody knows the Wall Street Journal editorial page, opts toward the right. And everybody knows the New York Times editorial page, opts toward the left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The Washington Post blew out its credibility more than any other major newspaper in the country. It was the paper of Record. It was the paper of Watergate. It was the paper that broke an enormous number of serious scandals about American government, and instead it turned into basically Salon.com. It was just Jennifer Rubin whining about how Donald Trump was a mean, bad, mean man.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
For Bezos to say, our editorial page is now going to promote economic and social freedom, for example, that's at least a perspective. Now you know who to call when there is a problem. And the left is absolutely losing it. So as stated, Washington Post opinion section editor David Shipley resigned, suggesting, of course, that this is not what he wanted to stand for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Meanwhile, Post chief economics reporter Jeff Stein posted, quote, massive encroachment by Jeff Bezos into the Washington Post opinion section today. Makes clear dissenting views will not be published or tolerated there. Well, I mean, that's not his responsibility. It's his job to run the paper as he sees fit. He owns it. And turnabout is fair play here, gang.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I'm old enough to remember when Twitter was owned by Jack Dorsey and when conservatives said that the standards that were being applied were unfair and that even the standards that Twitter said it was applying were not the standards they were actually applying. People on the left said, well, then build your own. And then Elon Musk bought it. And now they're whining about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The same thing is true here. And when people complained about the editorial direction of the Washington Post, the left said, well, you know, you don't own the Washington Post. You don't like it, build your own. So we here at The Daily Wire, we did build our own. Okay, but so Jeff Bezos coming around and saying, okay, well now I'm going to run this thing the way I want to run this thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
That is not only laudable, it is useful. It is highly useful because let's just be transparent about this. Now the Washington Post has a direction. The New York Times always had a direction. It was the lie that killed the mainstream media. It was the lie that killed the legacy media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Jeff Stein, however, the chief economics reporter said, quote, I still have not felt encroachment on my journalism on the news side of coverage. But if Bezos tries interfering with the news side, I will be quitting immediately and letting you know. Wow, what a hero. What an absolute hero. Now, again, Bezos says he's not going to interfere on the news side of the business.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And I will suggest that the sort of hard line, bright line division between news and opinion is not quite so bright. Again, I think we're more honest about this at Daily Wire. Our news pages lean conservative. Everything is refracted through a system of values. That's us being honest, not us being dishonest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Well, the ex-Washington Post editor, Marty Baron, of course, presided over the spotlight scandal that was uncovered by the Washington Post. He went after Jeff Bezos, attacked him for it, He put out a statement suggesting that it was just terrible. He said he was sad and disgusted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He said, Bezos argues for personal liberties, but his news organization now will forbid views other than his own in its opinion section. It was only weeks ago the Post described itself as providing coverage for all of America. Now its opinion pages will be open only to some of America, those who think exactly as he does. Again, trying to preserve the lie. It was never for all of America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The Washington Post was never for all of America. It was a left-wing rag for decades. Barron said Bezos himself has done personal liberties a disservice by cravenly yielding to a president who shows no respect for liberty, one who aims to use the power of government to bully, threaten, punish, and crush anyone who's not in his camp, especially the press.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And then he said, there's no doubt in my mind he's doing this out of fear of the consequences for his other business interests, Amazon, the source of his wealth, and Blue Origin, which represents his lifelong passion for space exploration. He has prioritized those commercial interests over the Post. He's betraying the Post's longstanding principles to do so.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So first of all, if that's true, that would be terrible, right? You don't want actual journalism, conservative or leftist, being held hostage by any president. And it defeats the purpose of journalism. It defeats the purpose of opinion journalism, too. However, there is no evidence to suggest that this is, in fact, the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
It was Eugene Robinson whining about how America was terrible. It was all the usual suspects just saying the most radical, stupid things. And the Washington Post's subscribership began to seriously dip because they weren't making any of the same sort of smart business moves the New York Times made. The New York Times also became a liberal fan paper, but they also decided to diversify into Wordle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And the accusation, by the way, that anybody who does anything non-leftist is motivated by money, I know this is a favorite of people on the left. I know this is a favorite. It's so funny. The people on the left who claim they are least about money, they love money. All they think about is money. All they think about is, quote, unquote, income inequality. They never think about the poor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
They only think about income inequality. Well, folks, the left tends to think that everything is free, but the truth is that most things aren't, including freedom. Freedom isn't free, and freedom has to be defended. What isn't said enough is that online freedom is not free either. It too has to be defended, not by military force, but by technological force. Encryption.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Strong encryption can protect your right to privacy online and defend you from hackers. So how do you get this encryption? With ExpressVPN. Internet providers track and sell your data. Hackers plan public Wi-Fi. Governments monitor your every move online.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
With ExpressVPN, their powerful encryption reroutes 100% of your online activity through secure servers, making your data invisible to prying eyes. Now, I'm constantly on the go. I'm constantly using public Wi-Fi. I'm in an airport, for example. And I don't need hackers checking my email for me. Don't take my word for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
They invited the world's top auditors, PwC and KPMG, to verify their own revolutionary trusted server technology. It's the only system that physically cannot store your data because it runs entirely on volatile memory. While other companies profit from invading your privacy, ExpressVPN goes the extra mile to protect it. So if you want to join me in defending your online freedom, get ExpressVPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
You can use my special link to get four extra months of ExpressVPN for free at expressvpn.com slash ben. That's E-X-P-R-E-S-S-V-P-N dot com slash ben. As you all know, the Holy Land is under threat of attack every single day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
In fact, this morning, there's another car ramming attack in Israel, surrounded by enemies who vow never to stop until Israel has been destroyed, while still recovering and rebuilding from the devastating October 7th attacks the people of Israel are suffering, along with many Americans who stand with Israel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I want to help in any way I can, and that's why I partner with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The fellowship has been on the ground in Israel for more than 40 years, providing food, shelter, and safety to those in need. They deliver meals to the elderly. They place bomb shelters in the most vulnerable places, bulletproof ambulances, and life-saving equipment to hospitals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
That's only scratching the surface of what they do. As anti-Semitism continues to rise around the world, the people of Israel and our Jewish brothers and sisters need us now more than ever. Please join me in supporting the fellowship in this life-saving work. A gift of $100 will help provide bomb shelters and other security equipment for the people of Israel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
As the world turns its back on Israel, join me and faithful listeners like you in standing with Israel. Visit benforthefellowship.org. That's www.benforthefellowship.org. Thank you and God bless. The same people who claim that the people who are in favor of free markets are greedy are the people who spend all day trying to figure out how to pry money out of people who have actually earned it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So when you see Marty Baron suggesting the only possible reason Jeff Bezos, you know, one of the richest people on earth would be doing this is for money. No, my dude, that is not what is happening here. It is not. Bernie Sanders, of course, one of the greediest leeches in American society, put out a tweet saying, quote, this is what oligarch ownership of the media looks like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
The second richest guy in the world, Bezos, owns the Washington Post. He has now declared the editorial page of that paper is going Trump right wing. Surprise, Mr. Musk agrees. We must support independent media. Question, it is independent media. Bezos is the owner. He's not owned by the government. Independent media typically means media that is not owned by the government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
That did not happen with the Washington Post. The Washington Post simply kept doubling down on the anti-Trump radical leftism. And the suggestion that boys weren't just girls, boys had to be girls. This had to be taught to kids. The idea that all politics could be boiled down to racial and sexual identity. The idea that capitalism was in and of itself bad. Well, there is a new middle in America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
That's typically what it means. Also, nothing in Bezos' note actually says that it's going to be pro-Trump. You can be very pro-free market and very pro-liberty, and you can object to some of the things that Trump is doing. The notion that these two things are coincident is because the left has so lost the plot. It's simply saying you like capitalism and free markets and liberty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Apparently, this now makes you Trump-coded. Well, that's your fault, gang. Not anybody else's. Good for Jeff Bezos. I hope he puts his money where his mouth is. I hope that he actually starts hiring columnists. You know, it'd be great. Seriously, it'd be great if somebody at one of the major newspapers voted for Trump. That would be great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
I'm not sure I can name a single op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Washington Post, who voted for Trump. Maybe at the New York Times, Ross Douthat voted for Trump. Maybe. No one else did. So, you know, over 50% of the country voted for Trump. It might be nice if the Washington Post actually gave some exposure to those views. That might be good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
But this is all part and parcel of a radical sea change that is happening in American politics, again, driven by the Democrats who are totally disconnected from reality. They're all on blue sky, mentally stroking themselves to left-wing idiocy. And then they are surprised that everybody is running screaming away from them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
And meanwhile, other big news yesterday, President Trump had his first big cabinet meeting Obviously, a lot of famous people in that cabinet. And while the left is really quite exercised about Donald Trump's cabinet, all these people were individually powerhouses in their own right before they joined the cabinet. Trump had a lot of good things to say in this cabinet meeting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
He began, of course, with his sort of signal issue, the border. He said, we will be closing the border. He was flanked on one side by his Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and on the other side by Marco Rubio, his Secretary of State.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
So he is right about all of that. President Trump also continues to push forward on the layoffs of large numbers of executive branch employees. He said we could fire up to a million people in the executive branch, about three million who work for the executive branch right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Now, one of the sort of big questions here was whether Elon Musk, who's leading Doge, was going to have a seat at the table because he actually does not have an official governmentally approved position. At this point, the answer is no. He showed up for the cabinet meeting, but he wasn't given a seat at the table with the other secretaries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2147 - HUGE: The Washington Post SURRENDERS…To Reality!
Here was Elon Musk suggesting that he was essentially President Trump's tech support.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
What if everything you were told about the trial of Derek Chauvin was a lie? Today, we're examining the terrible miscarriage of justice that took place in the case of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. This is a comprehensive multi-episode breakdown of the case. All the facts, all the evidence, all the political context. We're tearing this case apart piece by piece.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This critical moment is captured clearly on both Officer Thao's and Officer Lane's body cams, but was conveniently downplayed during the trial, which we'll get to in episode four. Here's what's absolutely critical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
MPD officers were explicitly trained they could maintain a prone position with the body weight until the scene is a code four, meaning until everything is under control and the scene is safe. The prosecution's own witness, Lieutenant Johnny Mercer, confirmed this under oath.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
What's particularly telling is that when paramedics arrived two minutes later, even they did not consider the scene code for due to the increasingly hostile crowd. That's why they performed what's called a load and go quickly loading Floyd into the ambulance and immediately moving to a safer location before attempting treatment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Again, they did not attempt treatment on the ground because they did not deem the situation safe. The entire prosecution narrative collapses under this evidence. They need you to believe Chauvin acted with conscious indifference to loss of life while performing an act that was highly likely to cause death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
But the evidence shows an officer following his training while simultaneously dealing with a potentially violent crowd during those final 50 seconds. That is not murder. That is clearly, clearly reasonable doubt. Floyd was loaded into the ambulance unresponsive. Officer Lane actually joined the paramedics in the ambulance and assisted with CPR efforts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This fact has received very little attention in media coverage, but it's important to note that one of the officers on scene did attempt to help with resuscitation efforts. Unfortunately, those efforts were unsuccessful. George Floyd was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center at 9.25 p.m.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Within 24 hours of the incident, before any thorough investigation could be completed, all four officers involved were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. On May 26th, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry publicly stated, quote, being black in America should not be a death sentence, effectively prejudging the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The following day, Mayor Fry explicitly called for criminal charges, asking why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail? On May 29th, Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Later, those charges would be upgraded to include second-degree unintentional murder. Viewing these videos, we need to ask ourselves, does this constitute murder?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The prosecution argued, and the jury ultimately agreed, that Chauvin's actions directly caused Floyd's death and that his use of force was excessive and unreasonable. However, there are several problems with this conclusion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
First, as we'll discuss in our next episode, the autopsy findings revealed that Floyd had a potentially lethal level of fentanyl in his system, along with methamphetamine, had significant heart disease as well that put him at risk for sudden cardiac death. Second, Chauvin was using a restraint technique that was part of his departmental training.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Minneapolis had been a laboratory for progressive criminal justice policies. Racial tensions had been mounting for years. Following the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the subsequent Hands Up, Don't Shoot narrative, the Black Lives Matter movement had gained significant influence over police policy nationwide.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Third, the body cam footage shows none of the officers on scene believed they were witnessing a murder. Lane's assistance with CPR efforts indicates that the officers were not acting with malicious intent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
What we are left with is a tragic situation where an officer used a department-approved restraint technique on a resistant suspect who's experiencing a medical emergency related to drug intoxication and pre-existing health conditions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Then on May 31st, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that Attorney General Keith Ellison would lead the prosecution of Floyd's death, taking the case away from the Hennepin County District Attorney's Office. This was a purely political decision designed to ensure conviction regardless of the evidence. The media abandoned any pretense of objectivity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
They repeatedly showed the edited bystander video while ignoring body camera footage that provided crucial context. They highlighted Floyd saying, I can't breathe while on the ground, while failing to mention he was saying this before Chauvin ever restrained him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
They portrayed the knee on the neck as the obvious cause of death while ignoring the medical examiner's findings about Floyd's heart condition and drug use. Coleman Hughes, a writer and commentator who also happens to be black, analyzed the case in depth and concluded the media narrative was fundamentally flawed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
As he noted in his piece, What Really Happened to George Floyd, Chauvin did not improvise the restraint position. He was utilizing the maximum restraint technique, again, part of the MPD training manual. But the photo on the training slide demonstrating this technique was redacted at trial. In the documentary, The Fall of Minneapolis, six current and former MPD police officers affirm that
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The MRT was indeed standard training, training they themselves had received. When asked if he was trained on MRT, Rich Walker, an African-American MPD sergeant with 19 years on the force, replied, yes, all the police officers were trained in MRT. Politicians, celebrities, corporations all rushed to signal their virtue. Companies pledged millions to Black Lives Matter organizations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Sports teams knelt during the national anthem. Social media profiles posted little black squares. Anyone who dared to suggest we should wait for the legal process to unfold was immediately branded a racist." As Hughes noted in a subsequent piece on Derek Chauvin, George Floyd, and reasonable doubt, there are two different theories of what caused Floyd's death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The positional asphyxia theory put forth by medical examiner Dr. Michael Bodden, hired by Floyd's family, and the adrenaline surge theory, a term coined by Hughes and presented by the county medical examiner Dr. Baker.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
As Hughes correctly points out, as a juror, if you have two reasonable explanations for cause of death, one of which implicates the defendant and one of which does not, you are supposed to acquit. But that's not what happened. In our next episode, we'll examine the autopsy findings in detail and explore how the prosecution's narrative required jurors to disregard key medical evidence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Stand up for the rule of law. Go to pardonderrick.com today and sign our petition. We'll also put the website to donate to Derek Chauvin's Legal Defense Fund in the description. And join us right here on The Ben Shapiro Show on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next few weeks for future episodes in this series. We'll get to more on this in a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Minneapolis was at the forefront of implementing reforms that restricted officers' ability to effectively police high crime areas. To understand the full context, we actually need to go back to the 1990s, when critical race theory began to migrate from the academic fringes into mainstream discourse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
First, if you're with one of the big phone providers, you could be saving a fortune every month by switching on over to Pure Talk. That's right, Pure Talk. My cell phone company is cutting the fat from the wireless industry. For just $35 a month, you can get unlimited talk, text, and 15 gigs of data with Hotspot on America's most dependable 5G network.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The average family of four saves over $1,000 a year when they switch on over to Pure Talk. That is real money back in your pocket. Plus, it's back. When you switch to Pure Talk's super low $35 plan this month, you'll get one year of Daily Wire Plus for free.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Access to the library of DW Plus movies, series, and documentaries, including Lady Ballers, What is a Woman, Mr. Burcham, Run, Hide, Fight, and more. Uncensored ad-free daily shows. One year free of DW Kids platform, Benkei, plus a free Leftist Tears Tumblr. The only way you can do all that is by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Switch on over to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. Pure Talk is wireless by Americans. for Americans. Again, their coverage is awesome. I use it for all my phone calls. I value my phone calls the way you do yours. So check them out right now. PureTalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Meanwhile, the big news of the day was that President Trump released the JFK files. And oh my goodness, the secrets that were buried within so many nothing burgers. Just gigantic piles of nothing burgers everywhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration released more than 30,000 pages of previously classified or censored documents related to the death of former President John F. Kennedy, potentially providing answers to decades-old questions that helped make the 1963 assassination an emblem of distrust in government. But... What was in it?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The answer was pretty much absolutely nothing. And you could see that there was nothing by the way that people treated it. So there were people online who immediately started trafficking around one page that was essentially just a recapitulation of a story from Ramparts magazine, which was essentially a communist front magazine in the 1960s, suggesting that the CIA had done it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And people traffic this around, like, look what I've discovered. This is amazing. Okay, that actual Ramparts Magazine piece has been part of the JFK lexicon for a very long time. Nonetheless, people were trafficking it around like there was something brand new. As The Blaze points out, the contents of the document...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Scholars like Derrick Bell and Kimberly Crenshaw push the idea that America is fundamentally racist at its core, that our entire system is designed to oppress minorities, that concepts like colorblindness, equal opportunity, meritocracy are themselves racist constructs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
A July 19th, 1967 CIA memo marked secret consists of excerpts from a June 1967 article in Ramparts and now is a funk leftist magazine that was deeply antagonistic to the CIA and suspected by the FBI as acting as the agent of a foreign principal, meaning the Soviet Union. Actually, David Horowitz, who became a very prominent conservative voice, started off at Ramparts magazine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And people online started treating this as though it were absolutely shocking news. My goodness, this was finally the smoking gun that the CIA killed, JFK. That Ramparts article had noted that a person named John Garrett Underhill Jr., known as Gary Underhill, left Washington in a hurry following the assassination and then showed up to a friend's house in New Jersey in an agitated state.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
supposedly Underhill, who served with the military intelligence service during World War II and then worked on special projects for the CIA, told his friends that a cabal of CIA agents was responsible for the assassination. Six months later, he was found dead of a gunshot wound in his Washington apartment, which was ruled a suicide. Now, again, this is nothing new.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This person, for example, had met with Jim Garrison. You remember Jim Garrison, the district attorney from Louisiana, who is the subject of the Oliver Stone gigantic movie? Again, none of this is anything new, but it was treated by people who really know nothing about the JFK assassination as though this was magical, new, important news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Senior reporter at the Epoch Times wrote, quote, this seems to be the biggest doc so far from the JFK files. A popular ex-account concluded the CIA assassinated JFK, the sitting president of the United States. And the answer is no. The answer is no. Here is the reality about the JFK assassination. It was performed by a man named Lee Harvey Oswald.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Lee Harvey Oswald happened to have many screws loose. In fact, just a few weeks earlier, he attempted to shoot a general in Texas and missed. He happened to be a full-on Soviet sympathizer. He'd actually gone over to the Soviet Union, and he lived in the Soviet Union before the Soviet Union realized that he was a complete useless turd bucket of a human.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And then he ended up exported back to the United States, and he showed up in Mexico at the Cuban embassy in Mexico. And so there was suspicion that maybe the Cubans had something to do with it, and it turns out nothing there either. Nonetheless, did any of this evidence put any of the conspiracy theories to bed? Of course not. Of course not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This ideology, once confined to university grievance studies departments, increasingly began to influence Democratic Party politics and policy, particularly during Barack Obama's second term. Barack Obama had initially presented himself as a post-racial candidate. His 2008 A More Perfect Union speech promised a transcendence of racial division.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
because that's the whole point about conspiracy theories like the ones about JFK. They do not require evidence. The way that you can tell there's an actual conspiracy is evidence. I know this is something that seems to have fallen out of fashion across a wide spectrum of our political conversation, but evidence is generally required for outsized claims.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
If you are going to claim, for example, that Donald Trump was a front man for the Russians. You need some outsized evidence to demonstrate that that is a fact before it becomes the narrative that drives your entire political party and legacy media for four long years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
If you're going to claim that the CIA murdered JFK, well, you need more than some suppositions that you personally stitched together in your basement like Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind with some string, like Charlie Day in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. You actually need evidence. because I've noticed that these conspiracy theories are becoming quite prominent on the right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
People just throw things out there, and then they stitch together a pastiche of nonsense. They'll take one fact, they'll take something that is utterly untrue, they'll stitch them together, and then they'll pretend that this constitutes hard evidence that the conspiracy is real. Why does any of this matter? Why do we care?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Well, the reason that this matters is because there is such a thing as what Karl Popper, the philosopher, called the great conspiracy theory of life. And that is that if you fail in your own life, it is because there is a conspiracy that is out to get you. And you see this great conspiracy theory of life pop up in politics all the time because demagogues can take advantage of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
If you are on the left, you are told that you are a failure because, not because of your own decision-making, but because the American system is deeply and systemically racist or sexist or capitalistically evil.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And if you're on the right, you're told that perhaps you're a failure because of a secret cadre of the Jews, or maybe you're a secret failure because the industrialists all got together in the back room to screw you. Now, if you wanna make a case that bad policy has led to your current life outcome, you can provide evidence of that bad policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
If you wanna show that there's a conspiracy, typically some evidence should be required. This is how we distinguish fact from fiction here in the real world, not on X, where it just becomes viral
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
in a hot second, but like in the real world where you live in your house with your family, if your child came home and said to you, mommy and daddy, the aliens controlled my grade, you would say that's psychotic unless you have evidence of aliens. And yet we constantly do this in the political sphere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
We just suggest that unnamed, unknowable forces are responsible for really weird things happening in the world. And again, it turns out that many of the conspiracy theories that are not conspiracy theories are backed by say some evidence and generally tend to be kind of plausible from the get-go. So for example,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The left labeled it a conspiracy theory when Tom Cotton, the senator from Arkansas, suggested that perhaps a lab leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology was responsible for, you know, a virus in Wuhan arising from bats. And it wasn't a wet market. That was a pretty plausible theory because, you know, it was the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
That, you know, was where the pandemic started, was in Wuhan. That's pretty plausible just on its face. And then, of course, evidence started to be produced for the fact that there was gain-of-function research that actually was done at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. And that there had been, in fact, prior problems with leaks from the lab.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And so that starts to look like a theory that has evidence to support it. But when you are doing a conspiracy theory for, at this point, 62 years, and evidence has not yet emerged to back your conspiracy theory, and you just keep saying, as soon as evidence emerges, that doesn't back it, well, that's irrelevant. You know, you're just part of the conspiracy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
By the end, I think you'll agree with me that President Trump should immediately pardon Derek Chauvin for his federal convictions. New episodes of the series drop Tuesdays and Thursdays. Watch them, share them, join discussion with Daily Wire members and Ben Shapiro Show producers inside the Daily Wire Plus app. The truth matters, justice matters, and you won't hear this anywhere else.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This is, if people do this to you, the first thing you should do is wonder whether they are trustworthy on any issue. Seriously, if people lie to you by promoting conspiracy theories that have no evidence long past the sell-by date, then you should start wondering whether or not they are telling you the truth on many other issues, it seems to me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Because there are a lot of people who have spent the last two days continuing to promote completely specious, evidence-free conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination because it matches their priors politically. It was the American, secretly was the American government. It had to be the American government. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Because the American government is bad and because the CIA is evil and because the CIA is responsible for all the world's ills. Or maybe, maybe the assassination was the fault of the evil industrialists who didn't like JFK. The military-industrial complex that wanted to get us into war in Vietnam, even though it was JFK who got us into war in Vietnam and had no intention of withdrawing us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Or maybe it was Mossad. I mean, there's no evidence of it, but sure, maybe. Now, I'm noticing that if your priors line up really, really well with your conspiracy theory and then evidence... of your conspiracy theory never emerges. And your first move is to suggest that absence of evidence is evidence of absence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Okay, that there being no evidence for your conspiracy theory means that it's only not there because of the conspiracy. I think you're lying. I think you know you're lying. And if you don't know you're lying, you probably should give a rethink to how you do the logicking in the real world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And if you are a fan of people who do this sort of thing, I would suggest that perhaps you think twice about whether they are credible on many other issues. Are they willing to spin out full-scale theories that have no support for them for years on end, long after they have been effectively debunked by all available evidence?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
In other words, if you were surprised by anything in the JFK files, like namely the fact that there's nothing new there, I don't know what to tell you. Also, if the evidence had been different, then the theory would change.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
But if your theory is precisely the same before and after the release of the evidence, and there's no new evidence to adduce to your theory, and your theory never had a lot of evidence, then I just think you're being kind of dishonest for the clicks. That's my take. All right, meanwhile, Tesla has been victimized by wild, crazy people on the left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Apparently, wide variety of attacks on Tesla dealerships across the country because of Elon Musk's association with President Trump. Now, the violent left is quite a real thing, as it turns out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Chuck Schumer, the absolutely god-awful Senate minority leader from New York, he has a new book out about anti-Semitism, which, again, is an absurdity considering how much anti-Semitism he himself has fostered within his party. And he has not been going on his book tour because he's afraid that somebody's going to take a swipe at him or something. Not from the right, from the left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Well, the celebration of anti-Tesla violence also continues on the left. According to the Associated Press, Cybertrucks set ablaze. Bullets and Molotov cocktails aimed at Tesla showrooms. Attacks on property carrying the logo of Elon Musk's electric car company are cropping up across the United States and overseas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
While no injuries have been reported, Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been targeted. There's been a clear uptick since President Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Governmental Efficiency that has been slashing government spending. And members of the left, some members of the left are absolutely fine with all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Rick Wilson of the Excrable Lincoln Project, he put out a full article about how tearing down Tesla is great for the country. Tesla failing would be great for the country, which is weird because it's one of the most highly valued companies in the American market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
If the Tesla stock goes completely south, it's going to hurt a lot of people, not just people who own the Tesla stock, but people who work for Tesla. It's going to hurt the market more generally. President Trump, for his part, says these attacks on Tesla are obviously domestic terrorism, which they are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
But by his second term, his administration had embraced much more racially divisive rhetoric and policy. The Department of Justice under Eric Holder and later Loretta Lynch pushed a narrative of systemic police racism, despite comprehensive studies contradicting this narrative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Okay, and he is right about that. Meanwhile, Tim Walz, I mean, and thank God Tim Walz never became the vice president of the United States because this guy, what an unbelievable schmuck he is. Tim Walz, this goofball weirdo with all the wrong political principles, he was celebrating the decline in Tesla's stock price.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Because after all, when a great American company starts to fail, then probably you should celebrate it, according to Tim Walz. A man who literally has never produced a job, has never actually had to pay anybody, who's like an employee, he's never had to make payroll, who brags that he owns no stock and no real estate. This person was almost vice president of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Harvard economist Roland Fryer, who happens to be black, conducted the most extensive empirical analysis of racial differences in police use of force and found no statistical connection linking police brutality and racism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
As he stated in his findings, when it comes to the most extreme use of force, officer-involved shootings, quote, we find no racial differences in either the raw data or when contextual factors are taken into account. Fryer ultimately faced professional repercussions for publishing those findings, showing just how ideologically entrenched the narrative had become.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Minneapolis specifically became a hotbed of far-left politics. Keith Ellison, a progressive Democrat with past ties to radical organizations, had been elected as Minnesota's Attorney General in 2018. The city council was dominated by progressives who had campaigned on transforming policing. Mayor Jacob Fry was a progressive Democrat who had positioned himself as a champion of police reform.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Into this politically charged environment came a concerted effort by progressive billionaire George Soros and organizations like Color of Change to install progressive district attorneys nationwide through initiatives like Winning Justice, the prosecutor project.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
A quick search on Open Secrets shows that Soros had donated a million dollars to Color of Change, as well as another $12 million to the campaigns of progressive DAs like George Gaskin, Larry Krasner, and Alvin Bragg, according to a report from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund. These progressive prosecutors openly advocated for reduced incarceration and more lenient treatment of criminals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
And I'm just going to note here that Bernie's pitch here is actually better than the pitch of many other people in the Democratic Party, which is why the economy needs to stay on good footing, because if it does not, it's going to be the Bernie bros who actually rise.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
All right, coming up, we're going to get to Hillary Clinton, who is still out there littering the international landscape for some reason. We get to that, plus the mailbag. First, you have to become a member. And we have so much good stuff coming. Pendragon looks great. I'm just telling it. You're going to want to see it. We've got Am I Racist? What is a Woman? We've got Run, Hide, Fight.
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Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
We've got Morning Wire. All Access. Backstage Live. So much good stuff. But the only way that you can watch all of that and the rest of my show, because I don't end the show right here, is to join Daily Wire Plus. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro at checkout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
They created a perception among officers that proper enforcement of the law would not be supported by city leadership. This toxic political climate directly impacted police morale and effectiveness. Officers increasingly found themselves caught in an impossible situation, tasked with maintaining public safety while being told that traditional policing methods were inherently racist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The so-called Ferguson effect was taking hold, a phenomenon where police withdraw from proactive enforcement due to fear of public criticism, all of which resulted in increased crime rates. And as I mentioned earlier, let's not forget the unprecedented context of the COVID-19 lockdowns that served as the backdrop to this entire situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
By May 25th, 2020, Americans had been subjected to nearly three months of draconian restrictions. Businesses were shuttered, unemployment was skyrocketing, citizens were effectively imprisoned in their homes by government mandate. The psychological and economic strain on Americans was immense. People couldn't work, they couldn't socialize, they couldn't go to church.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Basic freedoms were suspended indefinitely with constantly shifting justifications from health authorities, all of which created a pressure cooker of social tension waiting to explode. The lockdowns had particularly devastating effects on low-income communities, where people couldn't simply work from home on their laptops. Jobs were lost, savings were depleted, futures were uncertain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This is the case for Derek Chauvin. Episode 2, The Incident. So, folks, yesterday, Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt explicitly said that President Trump is not considering a pardon for Derek Chauvin at this time, which, of course, is perfectly fine and, frankly, expected at this stage. The clear pattern we've seen time and again is the grassroots movement build momentum first.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The media stoked fears about the virus, while simultaneously downplaying the devastating consequences of lockdown itself. It was in this powder keg environment, with people frustrated, economically stressed, socially isolated, already primed to see everything through a racial lens after years of media conditioning, that the incomplete video of Floyd's arrest went viral.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
On the evening of the arrest, Eric Chauvin was working as a field training officer in the Minneapolis Police Department's 3rd Precinct. He was partnered with Officer Tao Thao, patrolling one of the higher crime areas of Minneapolis. Meanwhile, George Floyd spent part of his day with friends.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At approximately 8 p.m., Floyd walked into the Cup Foods grocery store at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis' Powderhorn Park neighborhood. Surveillance footage from inside the store shows Floyd moving around, acting erratic, interacting with store employees and customers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
According to Christopher Martin, the 19-year-old cashier who testified at Chauvin's trial, Floyd appeared to be high, but was very friendly, approachable, and talkative. Floyd purchased cigarettes with a $20 bill that Martin believed to be counterfeit because of its blue color and texture.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
After Floyd left the store, Martin and other employees at their manager's direction went outside to ask Floyd to return to address the issue of the potentially counterfeit bill. When Floyd refused, the manager instructed an employee to call the police. This single phone call set in motion the chain of events that would end with Floyd's death approximately one hour later.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At 8.08 p.m., officers J. Alexander Kung and Thomas Lane arrived on the scene, responding to a call about a man who'd allegedly used a counterfeit $20 bill. They briefly entered Cup Foods before crossing the streets of Floyd's SUV, which was parked in front of a restaurant called Dragon Walk. Floyd was in the car along with his alleged drug dealer, Maurice Hall.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Hall would later invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during the trial. The body cam footage from Officer Lane shows him approaching the driver's side of Floyd's vehicle while Officer Kung approached the passenger side. Lane tapped his flashlight on Floyd's window, startling Floyd inside.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
When Lane instructed Floyd to show his hands and Floyd did not immediately comply, Lane drew his weapon and pointed it at Floyd. When Floyd placed his hands on the steering wheel, Lane holstered his gun.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
That initial interaction is critically important to understand. Within seconds of approaching Floyd's vehicle, an officer had drawn his weapon because Floyd had immediately failed to comply with command. That escalation set the tone for the entire encounter. Lane ordered Floyd out of the vehicle. Floyd apologized repeatedly while explaining that he had been shot before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
After Lane ordered Floyd to step out and face away, Floyd remained in the car for about 13 seconds. So Lane used both hands to grab Floyd's left hand and right arm and partly pulled Floyd out of the car. Lane continued pulling Floyd from the vehicle and handcuffed him. The body camera footage shows Floyd did not physically resist being pulled out in handcuffs, though he did appear distressed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At 8.12 p.m., Lane sat Floyd on the sidewalk against the wall in front of the restaurant and began to question him. Floyd explained that he wasn't on something right now when Lane asked, although he appeared agitated. Kung mentioned to Floyd that he was acting real erratic, to which Floyd responded that he was scared.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
When questioned about the foam around his mouth, Floyd said he had been hooping earlier, a slang term that could refer to playing basketball, or in some contexts, apparently using drugs rectally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Concerned citizens speak out consistently. Eventually, those voices permeate the administration's awareness and influence what makes it onto the president's agenda. That's precisely what happened with the January 6th defendants and others who received pardons or commutations. The administration initially distanced itself from those cases too, but then public pressure mounted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At 8.13 p.m., Kung and Lane informed Floyd that he was under arrest for passing counterfeit currency and walked him across the street to their police vehicle. This is where the situation began to escalate significantly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
As the body cam footage shows, Floyd told the officers repeatedly he was not resisting, but that he was claustrophobic and anxious about getting into the backseat of the police car.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The footage shows Floyd becoming increasingly distressed as the officers attempted to place him in the vehicle. He told them multiple times, I can't breathe, well before he was on the ground. That critical fact has been largely overlooked in public discussions of the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Floyd was claiming breathing problems while he was still standing before any significant restraint was applied, suggesting that any breathing issues may have been related to his anxiety, his medical conditions, and or the drugs in his system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At 8.17 p.m., officers Derek Chauvin and Tao Thao arrived on the scene in a third police car. This is key, because Chauvin was not involved in the initial interaction with Floyd. He arrived after Floyd was already handcuffed and refusing to get into the police vehicle. When Chauvin arrived, he asked if Floyd was going to jail, and Kung replied that Floyd had been arrested for forgery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At 8.18 p.m., body cam footage and security video from Cup Foods shows Kung struggling with Floyd for at least a minute in the driver's side backseat of the police vehicle. Thao stood watching as this occurred. At 8.19 p.m., Chauvin pulled Floyd across the backseat from the driver's side to the passenger's side as Floyd is heard asking to lay on the ground.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Floyd then exited the vehicle while being pulled out by police. Again, Floyd asked to be withdrawn from the vehicle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
This statement from Caroline Lovett isn't a reason to stop educating yourself on the issue or to remain silent if you believe a terrible injustice has occurred. In fact, it is even a better reason for citizens to familiarize themselves with the facts, analyze the case objectively, and speak out if they believe our justice system has failed. Now, let's dive into the incident. Memorial Day 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
What happened next has been viewed by millions around the world. At approximately 8.20 p.m., Chauvin placed Floyd in the ground in a prone position. Kung applied pressure to Floyd's torso. Lane applied pressure to Floyd's legs. Thales stood nearby, managing the growing crowd of bystanders. Multiple witnesses began recording videos of the incident from different angles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The footage shows Floyd repeatedly saying, I can't breathe, please, and mama.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
What the mainstream media deliberately omits from their coverage is that Chauvin was using a departmentally approved restraint technique that was explicitly taught to Minneapolis police officers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Court documents filed in State of Minnesota versus Derek Chauvin show the Minneapolis Police Department's official training materials, which specifically instructed officers on the neck restraint as a non-deadly force option.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
These training materials explicitly define this technique as compressing one or both sides of a person's neck with an arm or leg without applying direct pressure to the trachea or airway front of the neck.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
When you actually watch that complete unedited body cam footage, which by the way, the legacy media rarely showed you in their entirety, what becomes clear is that for portions of the nine minutes and 29 seconds, Chauvin's knee is on Floyd's shoulder blade or upper back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The autopsy report from Hennepin County Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker explicitly states there was, quote, no life-threatening injuries identified, no bruising on the neck, no damage to the trachea, no evidence of asphyxiation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
We also know from officers late in Kung's body cam footage that Floyd was saying, I can't breathe, at least six times while still upright in the police vehicle before any restraint was applied.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The video further shows Floyd exhibiting what the American College of Emergency Physicians documented in their 2009 white paper as excited delirium syndrome, characterized by strange behavior, dilated pupils, superhuman strength, imperviousness to pain, and hyperthermia, a condition explicitly taught to Minneapolis officers as part of their use of force training.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
At approximately 8.22 p.m., the officers called for an ambulance on a non-emergency basis, upgrading the call to emergency status one minute later. At approximately 8.25 p.m., Floyd appeared to lose consciousness. Bystanders can be heard in the videos urging the officers to check his pulse. Officer Kung checked Floyd's wrist but reported he couldn't find one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
According to Dr. Martin Tobin's testimony, that's the prosecution's star witness, there were approximately 50 seconds between Floyd's last words and the moment he died.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The prosecution wanted the jury to believe that these 50 seconds represent the smoking gun of Chauvin's alleged murderous intent, that any reasonable officer would have immediately recognized that Floyd was in distress and removed his knee. The body cam footage tells a completely different story. At precisely 8.25 p.m.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
The country was nearly three months into the COVID-19 lockdowns. Businesses were closed. Millions were unemployed. People were increasingly frustrated with government-imposed restrictions on their daily lives. Minneapolis, like many urban centers across America, was experiencing this pressure cooker environment, along with pre-existing tensions between law enforcement and minority communities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
and 20 seconds, just as Floyd loses consciousness, Chauvin's attention is suddenly drawn away from Floyd to a hostile crowd member wearing a boxing hoodie who aggressively threatens him, shouting, I'm not scared of you, bro. You're a f***ing ass dude, bro. These aren't the words of a concerned bystander. These are the words of someone potentially preparing to attack officers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2162 - The Case For Derek Chauvin | Episode 2: The Incident
Chauvin immediately responds, don't come over here. Don't come over here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So yesterday, President Trump decided that he was going to go whole hog on Vladimir Zelensky. The Trump team is in Saudi Arabia negotiating with the Russian team over the end of the Ukraine war. Ukraine is not present in these negotiations, a matter of some consternation in Ukraine. And let's be very clear about that. Where I stand when it comes to the Ukraine war, Russia attacked Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So again, I think Zelensky is taking a rather unwise position vis-a-vis the Trump administration because a position of personal animus with President Trump is a bad place to be if you're a foreign leader. However, the result of this is likely to be Again, what has been suggested for years? One, the Ukrainians are likely to rally around Zelensky because of Trump attacking him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Number two, Ukraine was going to have to have some pretty significant security guarantees to make sure that Putin didn't just do this again. One of Putin's demands was that Ukraine essentially disarm. That was never going to be a going concern. It was never going to happen. So that was always going to be the outline of the deal. Security guarantees for Ukraine. Russia keeps Donbass and Crimea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So oddly enough, you'll end up in a stronger domestic position because of Trump's attacks than he otherwise would. And again, the sort of bizarre parallel here is Joe Biden full-on attacking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and that making Bibi significantly more popular in Israel because they were in the middle of an existential war and the slow walking of the aid was happening via Biden, who's attempting to oust the sitting prime minister. It seems like the same thing is happening with Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
According to Politico, Yulia Tymoshenko, former prime minister of Ukraine and leader of the oppositional motherland faction in the Ukrainian parliament, put out a statement backing Zelensky, quote, Ukraine is a sovereign state. Vladimir Zelensky is the president of Ukraine, legitimate until another is elected.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Only Ukrainians can decide when and under what conditions they should change their government today. There are no such conditions. And again, this is coming not from Zelensky himself or Zelensky's puppets. This is coming from people who legitimately oppose Vladimir Zelensky in Ukraine. So, for example, Member of Parliament Ivana Klimpush-Sinsadzy didn't defend Zelensky outright, but...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
This person is the senior figure in Ukraine's European Solidarity Party. The leader of that party, Petro Poroshenko, is seen as one of the chief rivals to Zelensky. But this MP described Trump's remarks as unacceptable. She's pushing for the president to form a unity government and to involve all political parties in the negotiation process as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
She put out a statement saying, quote, Yes, we heard completely unacceptable statements by the U.S. leader about who started the war, about resolving the conflict in Ukraine by completely satisfying Putin's wishes, about de facto potentially forcing Ukraine to surrender everything we've been fighting for for 11 years against aggressive dictatorial Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
She said Zelensky should bury the acts of war with the opposition and unite the country. And again, pretty much all of the politicians, right, left, and center in Ukraine, are coming to Zelensky's defense because they don't like the characterization of the war by President Trump. So ironically, Zelensky gains in popularity domestically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Meanwhile, the Europeans are finally deciding that, hey, maybe if the United States isn't going to lead the way here, we ought to lead the way here. So, for example... Kemi Badnok, who's the leader of the Conservative Party in Great Britain and who's generally warm toward President Trump, put out a statement, quote, President Zelensky is not a dictator.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
He's the democratically elected leader of Ukraine who bravely stood up to Putin's illegal invasion. Under my leadership and under successive conservative prime ministers, we have and always will stand with Ukraine. President Trump is right that Europe needs to pull its weight, and that includes the UK. We need to get serious. The PM will have my support to increase defense spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
There is a fully funded plan to get to 2.5% sitting on his desk. That should be the bare minimum. Summer should get on with it, get on a plane to Washington and show some leadership. We cannot afford to get this wrong. Meanwhile, President Zelensky put out a statement after a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rudy. Same quote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Mark informed me about his meeting with General Keith Kellogg. Keith Kellogg is an envoy from the United States to Ukraine. Quote, the key messages align with our goal of achieving guaranteed peace, not just a temporary ceasefire. There must be confidence that in a few months or years, Putin won't return with his war. We also discussed our future contacts with partners and coordinated next steps.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
We cannot allow Putin to deceive everyone again. Before any potential negotiations, all partners must clearly understand strong security guarantees are the priority for lasting peace. Thank you, Mark, for your support and assistance. And again, that is him calling on NATO, which... is American, but also European, for support. So the predictable result of actually all of this could be salutary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
That was always how this was going to look. It's been this way for almost three years at this point. Now, there's some other additional elements that President Trump, as the president, is throwing into the mix. One of those is that he believes the United States has spent an exorbitant amount of money in Ukraine, and somehow Ukraine should repay all of that money forthwith.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
As I say, it is quite possible that the predictable result of this is we get to the deal everybody knew was coming. The Europeans are the ones who actually have to enforce it and pay for it, not the United States. And Zelensky ends up more popular in his own country. That's quite possible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
That does not alleviate the sort of moral responsibility to say true things as opposed to false things about Vladimir Putin. But from a real politic sort of point of view, This could end in a decent way. Well, speaking of actual solutions to real problems, you've heard me talk about FitBod before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Let me reiterate, it is a true game changer when it comes to building muscle and creating workout routines that are ideal for you and your body. Everybody hits a wall in their workout routine at some point, wondering if they're really making any progress. With FitBod, that concern and frustration disappears. Just last week, I opened the app before I headed over to the gym.
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Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Within seconds, it created a personalized workout based on my goals and available equipment. The app also noticed which muscle groups had been hitting harder, so it automatically adjusted to focus on other muscle groups that were fresh and ready for action.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Also, I gotta say, I love how the app helps me record my reps and keep track of how much I'm actually lifting every session so I don't just kind of lose it in the wash. Look, there are plenty of fitness influencers trying to sell you generic workout plans for giant prices, but Fitbod is different. It's like having a personal trainer in your pocket minus that hefty price tag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
The app adapts as you get stronger, ensuring every workout pushes you just enough to make progress without burning out. I also love how it tracks my muscle recovery and suggests new exercises to keep things fresh. With over 1,000 demonstration videos, I'm constantly learning new exercises.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Whether you're just starting out or trying to break through a plateau, Fitbod creates a custom fitness plan that works for you. Level up your workout. Join Fitbod today to get your personalized workout plan. Get 25% off your subscription or try the app for free for seven days at fitbod.me slash Shapiro. That's F-I-T-B-O-D dot M-E slash Shapiro. Let me tell you something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
I never realized just how bad my old mattress was until I got rid of it and got a Helix mattress. You know that feeling where you wake up and your back already hurts? Well, that was happening like a lot on my old mattress. It was kind of collapsing in the middle. And don't get me started on how it turned into a heat trap at night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
But since switching on over to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on even my busiest days. Here's what makes Helix different. They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions. Instead, they use their sleep quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has a perfect mattress just for you. Again, for me, I need a mattress that is actually firm but also breathable because I heat up at night. Helix got me a mattress that does all those things. Right now, Helix is offering an incredible President's Day sale.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
They have an exclusive offer for my listeners that is even better than you will find if you just visit their main website. Visit helixsleep.com slash Ben, get 27% off site wide, plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase, plus free bedding bundle. It's two dream pillows, sheet set, mattress protector with any Lux or Elite mattress order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
That's helixsleep.com slash Ben for 27% off site wide, plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase and free bedding bundle. Again, two dream pillows, sheet set, mattress protector with any Lux or Elite mattress order. helixsleep.com slash Ben for this exclusive offer. Now, Democrats, of course, are sounding off in extraordinary ways about all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And here, I'm sorry, I do not care what Chuck Schumer has to say about this. I do not. The Democrats are the ones who created this situation in the first place. It was Democrats who had control of the boat for three years and they did nothing. Democrats had a choice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
They could either increase the amount of aid to Ukraine sufficient to allow them to actually attempt to liberate Donbass and Crimea, or they could have found an off-ramp. They had three years to do it. And instead, they decided that they were going to slow walk aid such that Ukraine couldn't actually take back any of those areas despite heroic defense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And so he's got a couple of proposals on the table for that. One of those proposals was a sort of economic proposal that was pretty punitive with regard to Ukraine's future industry. Now, the case in favor of that particular economic proposal, which effectively speaking, forced...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And they decided they were also not going to look for an off ramp. They were going to simply allow this war to continue to percolate with tens of thousands of people dying on both sides. That was going to be their plan. So I don't want to hear from you guys about Donald Trump and his mean words about Vladimir Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It was you who left Ukraine in the lurch while simultaneously promoting the continuation of a war to which you had no endpoint. Here is the Senate minority leader on this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, again, the moral suasion argument from the same people who slow walked aid to Ukraine, who did not give them the jets that they needed, did not give them the weaponry that they needed in the middle of a war that they then were encouraging them to run across into Donbass and get themselves killed. I'm not willing to hear that from Chuck Schumer. He has no moral leg to stand on here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Again, I think that Trump is factually and morally wrong when he says that Zelensky started the war or when he labels Zelensky a dictator or when he suggests the true immoral power here is Ukraine. But I'm not willing to hear that from Chuck Schumer, who is largely responsible for the terrible Western policy toward Ukraine over the course of the last three years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Same thing coming from Senator Tammy Duckworth again. It's the same routine message. I'm just not buying it from these folks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
the Ukrainian government to split pretty much all exportable material with the United States, or at least profits from that exportable material with the United States. The good news for Ukraine in a deal like that was that it would have tied the United States into Ukrainian security for the future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, again, that's not true. Any deal here is going to end with security guarantees from the NATO powers to Ukraine to prevent a further invasion. It will end with that. Because otherwise, Ukraine won't be able to accept it and the war will continue. No matter how much pressure President Trump puts on Vladimir Zelensky. That's just the reality. Putin is not going to end up with Kiev.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
He's not going to end up running Ukraine. That is not, I've said this for years, Trump does not want that happening. No matter how much he personally dislikes Vladimir Zelensky, he does not actually want Vladimir Putin walking down the streets of Kiev in triumph. That's not something that he wants. It was Democrats who blew this. And that's how they end up with Donald Trump as president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
He's the one who's going to have to negotiate the deal. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is looking into overspending at the Department of Defense. And it is unclear to me what exactly the policy is. So if the policy here is to unleash doge on the Department of Defense to find golden toilet seats, I'm all for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
If we're talking about getting rid of the sort of waste, fraud, and abuse that we've seen in pretty much every other department, I'm in favor of it. It's not clear that's what the policy is. Apparently, according to the Washington Post, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has now ordered senior leaders at the Pentagon and throughout the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
military to develop plans for cutting 8% from the defense budget in each of the next five years, according to a memo obtained by the Washington Post and officials familiar with the matter. That is a massive, massive reduction in military expenditure. Among the areas that the Trump administration wants exempted, operations at the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
southern border, modernization of nuclear weapons and missile defense, and acquisition of some one-way attack drones and other munitions. Robert Salisa, a senior Pentagon official, said in a statement the money saved could be realigned to pay for new priorities in the Trump administration, including, for example, Iron Zone for America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So if what we're talking about is to save money in some areas to move toward new weapons systems, all in favor of it, that sounds great to me. Because obviously the money that's been allocated to many of the older weapons systems is money that is wasted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
If the goal, however, is actual spending cuts that are not reallocated into growth of our military power around the globe, that to me is a large-scale mistake. The Pentagon budget for 2025 is about $850 billion, with broad consensus on Capitol Hill that extensive spending is necessary to deter both China and Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
If adopted in full, the cuts would include tens of billions of dollars in each of the next five years. Now, again, if the goal here is to simply cut that waste, fraud, and abuse, that's one thing. If the cuts are being identified by size and not by location, that is another thing. The argument that I'm making here is if you find a bad weapons program, you should cut it no matter how much it costs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Because if the United States and Ukraine had a big economic deal that was already in the offing and was already operating, then the United States would have a pretty significant interest in making sure that Ukraine was not then invaded once again by Vladimir Putin. That was the case in favor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
If the goal is to cut 8% and you're just spotting places to cut to hit that 8%, that is a bigger problem because you could be cutting into actual muscle. At that point, you're no longer cutting fat. At that point, you're cutting into actual muscle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And this is a problem because the reality is that the United States is actually not spending like a country that is preparing to retain its position of world dominance. We're not. Here, for example, is a chart of US military spending by percentage of GDP historically. This particular chart, You can see that during wartime, it spiked. It was all the way up at near 15% in 1953.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And then it's been steadily declining since the end of the Cold War. By the end of the Cold War, the United States was spending north of 6% of GDP. Today, we are spending approximately 3.6% of our GDP on defense. And that's in the face of a very aggressive China. China is a rising power. China is extraordinarily aggressive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Cutting our own defense capacity in the face of all this would be a fairly large-scale mistake. The commander of Indo-Pacific, Admiral Sam Paparo, he said, quote, We're very close to the point where on a daily basis the fig leaf of an exercise could very well hide operational warning, meaning China doing these sort of military exercises around Taiwan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Their aggressive maneuvers around Taiwan right now are not exercises, they call them. They're rehearsals. They're rehearsals for the forced unification of Taiwan to the mainland. Papparo said, our magazines run low. Our maintenance backlogs grow longer each month. We operate on an increasingly thin margin of error. Our opponents see these gaps and they're moving aggressively to exploit them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And that is right. And when it comes to, for example, Chinese military spending, the reality is that China, while the claim is that China's only spending like 1 point something percent, 1.6 percent of their GDP on defense, that's not actually true. Other estimates suggest they're not spending $280 billion on their military every year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
They're spending close to $700 billion on the military every year and hiding it in order to prevent the United States from seeing exactly what it is that they are doing. And this raises some generalized questions about what exactly the Trump foreign policy is going to look like. And we have some indicators.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Obviously, it's an aggressive foreign policy willing to use economic power in order to leverage change in places like Colombia or in Mexico. President Trump is willing to think outside the box in the Middle East in, I think, new and amazing ways. And President Trump obviously wants to get to a solution in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
The case against is that the amount that Trump was actually asking of Ukraine was extraordinarily burdensome, according to the at least leaked reports as to what exactly it was that was being asked.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
If, however, the goal is to cut defense, if the goal is a sort of generalized American retreat from the world, the sort of neo-isolationist position that if the United States retreats from the world, that nothing fills the gap, that is just not true. Something will fill the gap, and the thing that fills the gap will not be friendly to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, maybe you make the calculation somehow, somehow, that the turning of the Far East into a giant Chinese pond. It's somehow not all that damaging to the United States, or at least, you know, if we save a couple hundred billion dollars here or there around the military, somehow that outweighs the amount of cost to China taking over the South China Sea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
I fail to see how that pencils out precisely. Because what we're talking about here in ramping up American military capacity is deterrence. The goal is to never have to go to war. That is what peace through strength is all about, to push people off the line.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Something, by the way, that Trump is very familiar with and that he's been very successful at in the past, that credible threat of use of force has been President Trump's friend, historically speaking, withdrawing from areas all over the globe in this sort of
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
hackneyed belief that the rest of the world will then become a friendly place, that a multipolar world will be constructed similarly to the current world order, that allies that we have across the world won't simply reorient toward China, which is much more ambitious and willing to expend capital and willing to expend military force where it wants. That's just not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
There are countries that we take for granted, say Japan, Australia. These are countries that have been longtime American allies. If the United States were to abandon its footing in the Far East, what do Japan and Australia do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
The New York Post, which obviously is a Trump friendly newspaper, suggests that that offer that Trump was making to Vladimir Zelensky and the Ukrainians was far too burdensome for Ukraine to really undertake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Well, either they arm up, in which case you have arms races in the Far East, which raises the prospect of serious conflict, or you have these countries trying to make some sort of accommodation with China, which of course strengthens China at the expense of the United States. Economics is not a zero-sum game because if two sides trade, both sides get richer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
But foreign policy power is a zero-sum game and trajectory matters. The United States is, in fact, the guarantor of, say, freedom of the seas. The United States is the force that is keeping North Korea from walking across the border in South Korea. It's our trigger force in South Korea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
There is no good reason for Russia to attack Ukraine. Russia's goal in attacking Ukraine was to take over all of Ukraine up to and including Kiev and originally to kill Vladimir Zelensky and anyone else who is ruling in power and who is not going to act as a puppet of the Putin regime. None of this is speculative. That is all just the reality in February of 2022.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It is, in fact, American presence in places like Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, in the Baltic states, that does prevent further Russian aggression in those states. It is not the grand threat of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia's military prowess. preventative power, it's always very easy to do the counterfactual.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And the counterfactual is like, well, you know, if we just withdrew from these areas, if we didn't have military power, if we cut the defense budget, then probably everything would be okay because that's an imaginary world. The costs right now are real, but the success... of the counterfactual is imaginary. So it's easy to make that case. Well, you know, the costs are real.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
We have to keep soldiers in a lot of places and spend a lot of money. And we really want to be doing that. The counterfactual, however, fails to acknowledge the reality of life, which is that America has aggressive enemies, all of which have their own interests in mind. They act on their own. They're not acting in opposition to the United States in the sense that the U.S. does something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
They simply react. They have their own priorities. They have their own agendas. And those agendas do not align with the agenda of the United States. Again, I don't think that that is what President Trump is looking for. I think what President Trump is looking for here is a peace through strength policy. I think that because he told me that on this show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And that is why I think it's important to see who gets staffed up in, for example, the Defense Department. There's a bubbling battle over a potential Defense Department nominee named Elbridge Colby. And there's a lot of controversy over exactly what Elbridge Colby thinks. Very good piece over at Tablet Magazine by Lee Smith talking about Elbridge Colby.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Quote, the proposed contract, which reportedly hit Ukraine President Vladimir Zelensky's desk last week, demands half the country's revenues from natural resources, ports and infrastructure indefinitely as payback for U.S. military aid since the war began. So apparently that was met with a rather cold reception in Kiev. And so that ticked off President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
But the bizarre thing about Elbridge Colby, who, again, is being pushed by some segments of sort of the MAGA right. The bizarre thing about Elbridge Colby is that his actual history is working in Democratic circles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
He began his career working for the Center for a New American Security, which is a think tank founded by Clinton officials and allies with the purpose of turning military officers into loyal Democrats. He then worked at West Exec Advisors, founded in 2017 by two former Barack Obama officials, Anthony Blinken and Michelle Flournoy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Avril Haines, the West exec consultant, went on to become Biden's director of national intelligence. Blinken, of course, went on to be secretary of state. And Flournoy was theoretically going to lead the Pentagon, where supposedly she was going to actually hire Elbridge Colby.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Instead, Colby ended up working in the first Trump administration under James Mattis, who, of course, was not a friend to the Trump foreign policy. He's advised a bunch of people in the GOP, including, for example, Jeb Bush. So Colby's foreign policy doesn't truly align particularly well with many of the things that President Trump has said.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Colby's argument historically has been that we need to reorient American interests away from, say, Europe and the Middle East and toward China, which is a fair enough argument if what you mean to do is actually then ramp up your capacity around Taiwan. But as Lee Smith points out, many of the people who are being put into place in the Defense Department don't even want to confront China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Michael Domino, who's named as the Pentagon's principal Middle East policy advisor, and Andrew Byers, who's tapped for a South and Southeast Asia job. Both of those people are fellows at Defense Priorities, which is a Koch-funded think tank. The Koch brothers are quite isolationist on foreign policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Byers believes the United States should abandon belligerent military initiatives targeted at China because the two are, quote, more geopolitical rivals than full-fledged adversaries. Meanwhile, Colby himself, he says we ought to orient again toward China. But he says, quote, it is true that Taiwan is very important strategic interest to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It is not, however, an existential interest. America has a strong interest in defending Taiwan, but Americans could survive without it. And then he posted Taiwan is very important, but not existential interest for America. The real focus is denying China regional hegemony there. Thus, defending Taiwan must make a cost benefit sense for Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And then he suggested that the only logical and coherent position was to raise the alarm that we are heading to a situation in which defending Taiwan won't make sense and may not even be possible. So in other words, swivel attention from the Middle East to China and then ignore China, which is a very, very weird policy and certainly not one that seems to align with the Trump foreign policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
But the Trump foreign policy remains in the early stages here. We'll have to see how all of this shakes out. We'll have to see how this ends up defining itself over time. Suffice it to say that America that abandons a leadership interest in the world is going to watch its interests get wrested away by opponents of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Because, again, those opponents don't stop existing just because you wish they would, and then you start unilaterally cutting defense or divesting from certain parts of the globe. It doesn't mean every intervention everywhere is a good idea, obviously, clearly. Many interventions aren't worth it. It doesn't mean that we ought to expend money in stupid places.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Beyond that, Vladimir Zelensky has a way of getting on President Trump's nerves. There's just no question about this. This goes back years. This goes all the way back to the phone calls that they were having, the perfect phone calls that President Trump was having with Vladimir Zelensky during Trump term number one. And then, of course, Zelensky decided to make best friends with Joe Biden.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It doesn't mean we ought to expend money on bad weapons systems. It does mean, however, that pretending away America's enemies and pretending that there will be no cost to the United States if those enemies gain regional power is whistling past the graveyard. Okay, in just one second, we'll get to the latest with regard to Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
First, if you were with us for election night or the inauguration, you already know, The Daily Wire doesn't just show up. We take over, and now we are headed back to D.C. to do just that at CPAC. Join me, along with Matt Walsh, Michael Moles, Andrew Klavan, and Jeremy Boring, all on stage, live, tonight, February 20th. Check it out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
No scripted talking points, no corporate approved narratives, just real conversations that actually matter streaming live at Daily Wire Plus. And we are taking your questions. Don't just watch CPAC be a part of it. Live tonight, February 20th at Daily Wire Plus. Meanwhile, controversy continues over Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
President Trump announced yesterday in a piece of interesting news that he is considering a Doge dividend, which would essentially take a per capita dividend. payment, saved by Doge, and then pass it back to the American people in the form of a check or tax cut.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, there's a case to be made that we actually should use that money to pay down the national debt because, of course, that is one of the reasons that you're cutting the spending. However, I'd rather the taxpayers have back their money than that that money be blown on random turning-the-kids-gay-in-Guatemala nonsense. Here is President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So again, I think that not a bad idea. How much is Doge actually cutting is sort of one of the open questions at this point. Because Doge is working so fast, And because they are citing a bunch of different things they're cutting, it's sort of hard to get a handle on what exactly is being cut.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Apparently, according to the website for Doge, they account for $16.6 billion at this point of savings via cuts. But there was an error in some of the data that was published at the Doge website. They mislabeled the contract as an $8 billion contract. It was actually an $8 million contract. So you're talking about under $10 billion in actual itemized savings at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Nothing ticks off President Trump more than that sort of nonsense. Then you recall in the late stages of the election, Vladimir Zelensky actually came to Pennsylvania and for some odd reason was going around to munitions factories with Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, which was seen correctly by the Trump campaign as an attempt to warm up Kamala Harris in anticipation of a Kamala Harris victory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It may be much, much more than that. It may be less. We don't actually know. At this point, the itemized list includes a huge number of failed spending initiatives. And you can imagine that by the time we go through the entire federal government, it is going to amount to, say, $100 billion. Now, in the vast scope of federal spending, is that going to make a huge dent?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Are you talking about trillions of dollars that is suddenly going to get clawed back? I seriously doubt it. And herein lies the problem that I've noted for a while. Doge is doing great work, and I love what they're doing. And I love the idea of naming all these programs because the American people need to be made aware of how much of their money is being wasted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
But the reality is the big drivers of America's debt are, of course, the giant entitlement programs. Kevin O'Leary on CNN makes this case, says, listen, Doge actually needs to be radically increasing the amount of cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
By the way, this is exactly how a company should be run. If you come in and there's a lot of fat dripping from the edges of the company, you got to cut and cut nearly everywhere. By the way, there's tons of fat that needs to be cut. A Washington Free Beacon report now says that the Biden EPA actually awarded a group linked to Stacey Abrams with no real track record.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
a $2 billion environmental grant in 2024, which looks very much like just a money laundering attempt to left-wing causes, which, of course, is what so much of the spending actually is. And Democrats are trying to fight back against this, and they are doing so unsuccessfully. They have two angles. One is, how dare you cut all of our fat? That fat needs to remain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Chuck Schumer, the awful Senate minority leader, he tried to say this. He said, listen, I'm fine with taking a scalpel, but you're using a meat ax. Well, yeah, because the government is as bloated as any government in human history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So, no, actually, the Meat Act is a good thing. And, you know, good for Trump and good for Musk for taking the initiative on all of this. Angle number two Democrats are trying is to find single incidents of cuts that really tug at the heart. And they're having a problem here because it turns out that government employees are not the most sympathetic victims.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And so Trump didn't like that either. Then Trump made some not particularly nice remarks about Vladimir Zelensky a couple of days ago. And Zelensky responded by suggesting that Trump was part of a disinformation echo chamber. And this led to the big blow up yesterday. So President Trump first went on Truth Social. And he made a very lengthy statement. Quote, think of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So, for example, here you have Chelsea Milbourne, a former federal employee fired from the Education Department, brought on to CNN to cry about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Inhumane? I mean, not respecting you as a human? Like, what if we just don't want you doing the job that you were doing because we don't feel like paying you for that? You are not owed a job. Good luck with this. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer is trying to blame President Trump for airplane crashes now. They're getting desperate. Here's Chuck Schumer yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
OK, but there's only one problem, which is they've yet to connect any of the cuts to any of the airplane crashes. This is what Delta CEO was saying to Gayle King, who tried the same exact routine yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
So, no, actually, it is not President Trump at all. They're having some real trouble, some real trouble out there. Okay, in just one second, we're going to get to Democrats who are trying to vie now for leadership of a failing Democratic Party. The Democratic Party ratings, by the way, are absolutely in the toilet. We're talking like 30% in the 20s. Truly terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us. We've got so much great stuff behind the paywall, ranging from our various movies and TV shows to things like all-access special... Behind the scenes stuff all about Matt Walsh's work. Just tons of great stuff behind the paywall.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Go check it out right now over at Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
A modestly successful comedian, Vladimir Zelensky, talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn't be won. It never had to start, but a war that he, without the US and Trump, will never be able to settle. Okay, so just on the facts, this is not true. On the facts, Ukraine did not talk the United States into the war. Russia invaded Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Russia is the aggressor party in this particular situation. As far as the United States' expenditures, the United States has spent an extraordinary amount of money. The United States has given or lent to Ukraine. It really is more of a gift because it's never going to be repaid. The United States, up through the end of last year, had committed somewhere in the arena of $120 billion to Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
About $25 billion of that is basically coming back to the United States in the form of defense expenditures. So it's somewhere around $100 billion that has been given to Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, to be fair, the result of that has been the complete evisceration of Russia's forward military power, which as a bit of a bargain is not terrible if you see Russia as a geopolitical enemy, which of course it has been historically for the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
President Trump continues, the United States has spent $200 billion more than Europe and Europe's money is guaranteed while the United States will get nothing back. I see no evidence of this particular proposition. Europe apparently has actually spent slightly more money than the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
When you aggregate all of the European countries together, they spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $138 billion or committed that much money. And it's gone up again recently, so closer to $180 billion committed to Ukraine. So they actually have spent slightly more money than the United States in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
As the idea that Europe's money is guaranteed, meaning Ukraine is going to pay it back, no, no shot. President Trump said, why didn't Sleepy Joe demand equalization? And that this war is far more important to Europe than it is to us. We have a big, beautiful ocean of separation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, Ukraine did a masterful job of fending off that attack. And by summer of that year, it was very clear that basically a stalemate had set in. And despite all of the best attempts by the Europeans and the half-hearted attempts by the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with additional arms, the lines just weren't moving that much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, this is the first point that Trump is making that is actually correct, which is, OK, why is the United States footing the bill for this war? The Europeans really need to step up. And as we will see, whether that is the intended effect of Trump's attacks on Vladimir Zelensky or whether that is the kind of positive byproduct of those attacks, Europe is going to have to step into the breach here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
He's right. The Europeans have much more of a stake in Ukraine remaining Russian-free than the United States does. Trump continued, on top of this, Zelensky admits that half of the money we sent him is missing. He refuses to have elections, is very low in Ukrainian polls, and the only thing he was good at was playing Biden like a fiddle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Okay, well, as far as refusing to have elections, martial law is declared because you may have noticed there's a war on, a war that has currently cost at a minimum 43,000 dead between February 2022 and December 2024 in Ukraine, large swaths of Ukrainian territory. is currently occupied by Russia. Like, do those people get to vote in Donbass and Crimea in a Russian election?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Millions of people are refugees from Ukraine because they've left since the war began. And you have hundreds of thousands of men in fighting positions. So it makes it kind of difficult just on a logistical level to actually have a workable election. As far as him being very low in Ukrainian polls, that's not particularly true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Either Vladimir Zelensky is riding above 50% in the Ukrainian polls and going up in part because of the conflict with Trump. Trump says a dictator without elections, Zelensky better move faster. He is not going to have a country left. Now, again, this may be just a tactic by Trump to put pressure on Zelensky to come to the table and recognize the obvious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
But the truth is that he doesn't have to recognize the obvious. The United States can basically just sign his name on the dotted line. In fact, I have been suggesting just that since August of 2022, that the United States would have to basically go around Ukraine, cut a deal Ukraine doesn't like, and then cram it down on Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
I still don't believe that that requires the moral blindness of suggesting that Zelensky is, in fact, a dictator, you know, as opposed to Vladimir Putin, who has not held a legitimate election in the country of Russia for a quarter century at this point. Zelensky was elected in 2019. His term expired at the end of 2024. And there will presumably be another election.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
By the way, we should point out at this point that these statements have resulted in Zelensky's opposition in Ukraine coming to Zelensky's defense. So the idea that he is a dictator who's quashing the opposition doesn't really explain why all the opposition parties are now coming to the defense of Vladimir Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
President Trump says, in the meantime, we are successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia, something I'll admit only Trump and the Trump administration can do. Biden never tried. Now that part is true. Trump is the only one who's attempting to get to a solution. Biden did never try. This is one of the signal failures of the Biden administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
I pointed this out throughout Biden's entire term. Europe has failed to bring peace. Again, he is correct about this. Zelensky probably wants to keep the gravy train going. Again, that is a pretty nasty accusation that Zelensky is willing to let tens of thousands of his own people be slaughtered in the streets simply so the money can keep flowing to Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And so since summer of 2022, the lines have been pretty much set. The Donbass area has been occupied by Russia. Crimea has been occupied by Russia. And love nor money is not going to move Russia forward. off of that particular land, not unless the Biden administration was willing to do much more, which they simply were not. What does that mean?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
I love Ukraine, says President Trump, but Zelensky has done a terrible job. His country is shattered and millions have unnecessarily died. And so it continues. Now, again, these are the sorts of words that presumably the Russian delegation is very happy to hear. We'll get to more on that in a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
First, you know that creepy feeling you get sometimes like you're being watched while browsing online. Well, here's the thing. You actually are. Every time you hop on the internet, your service provider can see literally everything you do. And get this, in the United States, they can legally sell your entire browsing history. Yep, even that incognito browsing isn't so private after all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Who would have thunk? That's why I started using ExpressVPN. It's this brilliant app that encrypts everything I do online and routes it through secure servers. Since I started using it, my internet provider can't see any of my browsing history, which means they've got nothing to sell because they actually don't have anything on me. But here's what I really love about ExpressVPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It also hides my IP address, so those annoying data brokers can't build a profile about me to sell to advertisers. Plus, it's incredibly user-friendly. You don't have to be a tech wizard to use it. They made it so simple, even your kids could figure it out. All you have to do is tap one button and get protected. They've got apps for all your devices.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It's rated number one by CNET, The Verge, and other major tech reviewers. So if you want to start taking your online privacy seriously, don't wait. Use my special link. Get four extra months of ExpressVPN for free at expressvpn.com slash ben. That's E-X-P-R-E-S-S-V-P-N dot com slash ben, expressvpn.com slash ben. Also...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
You know, they say money can't buy you happiness, and that's mostly true, but it turns out money can buy you a lot of other things. And when you're not in control of your money, your money actually controls you. Acorns is a financial wellness app that helps you take control of your money with simple tools that make it easy to start saving and investing for you, your retirement, and your kids.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
You don't need to be rich. Acorns lets you start investing with the spare money you've got right now, even if that's just your spare change. You don't need to be an expert. Acorns will recommend a diversified portfolio that matches you and your money goals. Plus, Acorns has tons of videos, articles and tips to help you grow your financial literacy. Ready to take control of your money?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Sign up right now. Join the over 13 million all-time customers who have already saved and invested over $22 billion with Acorns. Plus, Acorns will boost your new account with a $20 bonus investment. And we should point out here that just in terms of the return to the United States on its investment here, the Russian military machine has been absolutely crippled by the war in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
According to one NATO official quoted today in the international press, Russia's overall dead and wounded in this war amounts to 837,000. That is a massive number, a huge number. At a minimum, you're talking about 90 to 100,000 Russian troops have been killed in this war, war in which Putin was supposed to stroll into Kiev.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, as we can talk about and as we will talk about, Joe Biden was a signal failure in leading the world on this. And when it comes to practical policy, the policy that is likely to emerge from what Trump is doing here is likely to be a much better policy than anything Joe Biden was doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
It means that any sort of settlement between Russia and Ukraine was always going to have the following basic outline. One, Russia was going to retain control over Donbass and Crimea. Because otherwise, there was no off-ramp for Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
However, Trump's statements about Zelensky, the attacks on him as a dictator, the suggestion that somehow Russia is the moral party here, that is wrong and it's not true. Trump then reiterated this in a speech. This is clearly White House policy now. This is not Trump making a mistake, whether it is animus for Zelensky on a personal level or frustration with Zelensky or whether –
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
in a sort of Machiavellian way. It's an attempt to pressure Zelensky, make Zelensky look bad so that he can cut a deal without Zelensky and then cram it down on Zelensky. And he feels he needs the imprimatur of public opinion to do that. I don't know why he's saying this. The motivations are unclear to me. He is obviously reiterating this. This is purposeful. Here he was last night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, Russia is attempting to make economic overtures to President Trump. This, of course, is one way to the Trump team's heart because President Trump has a very longstanding policy when it comes to foreign policy, which is that the United States should earn money. And again, that's not a bad policy. It's just that there are other countervailing interests that sometimes overcome those interests.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
You can earn a lot of money doing business with China. You can also completely undermine your manufacturing base, have all of your IP stolen, and pave the way to Chinese aggression all over the region. And so money is not the only consideration. It is, however, a fair consideration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Vladimir Putin was not going to lose face as the dictator of Russia and simply hand back territory that had originally been invaded in 2014 and has been held by Russia ever since. That was number one. Ukraine was not going to win back that territory. It was a victory for Ukraine simply to continue existing in the face of the Russian bear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
According to the New York Times, the Russian government's top investment manager, who has Harvard and McKinsey credentials and fluent English, brought a simple printout to Tuesday's talks with the Trump administration in Saudi Arabia. Its message, by pulling out of Russia in outrage over the invasion of Ukraine, American companies had walked away from piles of cold, hard cash.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
The document, which was handed over by Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, showed to a New York Times reporter, it said total losses $324 billion. And appealing to President Trump, the Kremlin has zeroed in on his desire to make a profit. President Putin on Wednesday praised the US delegation in Riyadh for not criticizing Russia as previous administrations had done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Now, again, you can make the case that the reason Trump's not doing that is what's the point? If he goes out there and he just shouts at Putin about being a dictator, then is he able to get to the actual end point that he wants? By the same token, is there a real politic rationale for attacking Zelensky in this way? If there is, you know, I'm hard pressed to see it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And again, on a moral level, what he's saying is obviously not true. Russia attacked Ukraine. Vladimir Putin is, in fact, a quite murderous dictator who has no problem poisoning his enemies or throwing them off of the top buildings and such. The predictable result of all of this, however, could be salutary in the end.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And the reason I say that is if you already knew how this war was going to end, which, once again, many of us have been asking for and demanding for nigh on three years at this point, perhaps it gets to an end faster because of the kind of activities that Trump is participating in. Now, it may not get there faster with the United States as part of a broad economic deal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
That economic deal that was proposed by the Trump administration is almost certain to be refused by Ukraine because it wouldn't pencil out for them in any way, shape or form. In all likelihood, what is going to happen here is the United States is going to try to cut some sort of deal with Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
And then there will be a countervailing negotiation led by the Europeans and Ukraine on the other side. Europe is going to be forced to step up here. And that part is what Trump really does have right when it comes to Russia, Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
President Zelensky has pulled out of his trip that was planned to Saudi Arabia to avoid what he called coincidences following that meeting between the United States and Russian officials in Riyadh. This is according to Euronews.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
Zelensky's announcement came as he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Ankara, during which he said any Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations should not take place behind the backs of the parties involved. He said the Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia came as a surprise to us, just as it did to many others.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2142 - Trump HAMMERS…Ukraine?!
When we saw the media coverage, I don't know who will stay, who will leave, where anyone is going. To be honest, I don't really care. What matters to me is that our partners take time to think about us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Well, folks, as always, there's a lot happening in the news. The Democrats are now threatening a government shutdown. No one really knows why. Pete Buttigieg apparently wants to run for president. A lot happening. But you don't just watch The Daily Wire. You are The Daily Wire. Put your money where your values are. Join All Access.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Okay, so again, he was having a good time over at the White House. However, he then got into commentary on tariffs. I was at the gym yesterday watching President Trump talk about tariffs. And I watched in real time as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped as he talked. When he talks about tariffs and he discusses trade barriers, the markets start to freak out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Because at the very least, it means more volatility. We don't know what's happening next. I'm not saying this because I wish to criticize President Trump. I'm saying this because I wish President Trump to succeed. If you look at the chart of President Trump's first term, what you see is the Dow Jones Industrial Average on a straight arithmetic increase line up, up and to the right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And so far in his term, the line has been down. And that is not exactly what you are looking for. Well, President Trump is upping the ante by now saying that he wants to increase tariffs on the EU. Now, again, if the goal of all of this is to get the EU to lower its own tariffs against the United States, I'm for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Only 39% approve of President Trump's tariffs. And in terms of helping the middle class, only 43% approve. These are bad numbers for President Trump in this polling. Now, again, that doesn't mean that if the economy picks up or continues to truck along, that President Trump can't heal all of that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
If the goal is to leverage some other deliverable from other countries, if the goal is to protect national security, I'm for it. If this is just because tariffs are fun and games or because President Trump has been talked into the idea that trade wars are both good and easy to win, that is not good economic policy. It just isn't. Right now, inflation is cooling, actually. That is good news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It should be good news for the Trump administration. According to the Wall Street Journal, inflation actually cooled last month. Consumer prices were up 2.8% in February from a year earlier. Now, again, remember, that is still an increase in inflation. You're looking generally for a 2% year-on-year increase.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It is a decrease in the rate of inflation, but it is actually an increase in the actual inflation of the cost. There was a January gain of 3%, so it's moving in sort of the right direction. Prices excluding food and energy rose 3.1%. That was the lowest year-over-year reading since 2021, and it was lower than 3.2% expected by economists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
But all of the sort of uncertainty that is being injected into the process by President Trump is not helping matters. And tax cuts, deregulation, consistent policy, these are the things that make for a strong, healthy, and growing economy. And yet this morning, President Trump threatened a 200% tariff on alcohol from the EU.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He said the EU, this is on Truth Social, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% tariff on whiskey. That, of course, was a retaliatory tariff put in place by the Europeans after the United States put tariffs on other European products.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
If this tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200% tariff on all wines, champagnes, and alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU-represented countries. This will be great for the wine and champagne businesses in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
I mean, it's not great for the wine and champagne consumers in the United States, but he is correct that when you institute taxes on American competitors, it tends to be good for the businesses in those particular areas. Here's President Trump ripping on the EU yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Okay, well, I mean, one of the reasons that Ireland has been drawing American businesses is because they lowered the corporate tax rate, which is something we should do in the United States. Ireland never signed on to the idiotic Joe Biden worldwide global corporate tax rate that he was proposing at 15%. Ireland just went right under it at like 10% and drove a bunch of businesses to reshore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It just means that because of all the volatility that's been injected into the economy, because of all the talk about tariffs, which, again, I don't really see the purpose of. I want President Trump to succeed in effectuating his agenda. And if that agenda gets thwarted by Democrats, an economic downturn, that would be a very large scale mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
That's something the United States could do. If we are the best place in the world to do business, businesses will come here. It is that simple. That is why the United States historically has been such an unbelievable powerhouse in terms of foreign investment, in terms of economic growth. That's why the dollar is the world's reserve currency and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
President Trump, when he said that the EU was set up to take advantage of the United States, that's not true. The European economic community was actually mostly set up in opposition to the communist bloc in Eastern Europe. It was meant to create a robust trading and free trade infrastructure inside Western Europe to combat the influence of communists from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And the real question in all of this is what is President Trump intending to do? If President Trump wants to explain what the goal is and how long it's going to take and how we get there, that would be a welcome development for everyone who invests. And again, I'm a person who invests, right? I have a lot of money in the stock market, in real estate, in various different investment vehicles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And as an investor, I'm looking for certainty. I'm looking for reliability. I am not unique in this respect. The markets are speaking as a sort of aggregated knowledge of pretty much everybody who has money in the markets. Now, President Trump is relying on some advisors like Peter Navarro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Peter Navarro has always been a sort of trade hawk who has sought higher tariffs as a form of actual positive policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Again, his mouth to God's ears. That's what we're all rooting for. But the tariff policy is, in fact, a wrench in the plans of the Trump administration. Caroline Lovett, whose job it is to defend the president's policies, obviously, from the White House podium, she says that President Trump is going to continue to use tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Okay, so, again, the kind of notion that we actually need to protect as a sort of matter of national security, the domestic American steel industry, their problems with that basic idea. So I thought this would be an excellent time to ask our sponsors over at Perplexity, quote, what percentage of total US steel production goes to US military consumption? In other words, US military consumes steel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Well, that's an opening for Democrats, a clear and obvious opening for Democrats. And yet Democrats are not only not going to take advantage of the opening, they're going to shoot themselves directly in the head, which I got to say. I, as a Republican, approve. I'm just not sure what you are doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Of the total US steel production, how much of that steel is consumed by the US military? Because if we're kind of even, you would imagine, okay, fine, we need to subsidize US steel production. We need to protect US steel production. If let's say, that 70% of all U.S. steel was consumed by the military, you'd be like, yeah, we really need to protect that. As it turns out, that is not the number.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Quote, according to recent data, the percentage of total U.S. steel production that goes to U.S. military consumption is relatively small. The American Iron and Steel Institute reported that in 2020, military applications represented approximately 3% of annual domestic steel production.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
However, some sources suggest that the actual figure may be even lower, with the Pentagon historically purchasing significantly less than 1% of the U.S. steel industry's output.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
So yeah, in other words, the idea that you need like massive steel tariffs to protect the American steel industry so that our military has access to the materials it needs, that doesn't line up with the factual reality here. The predictable effect of all of this is that the EU is going to unleash new tariffs. Canada is unleashing new tariffs as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Get everything, every article, every show, every documentary, every film 100% uncensored and ad-free. That's not all. As an All Access member, you're not just watching, you become part of the conversation. You can live chat with me,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
According to the Washington Post, both the EU and Canada hit back Wednesday at President Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs with levies of their own on billions of dollars worth of US products, including bourbon and motorcycles, warning of further retaliation as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Apparently, the European Commission, which is the executive branch of the EU, according to the Washington Post, said it will reimpose tariffs dating to Trump's first term on April 1st. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said we deeply regret this measure. Jobs are at stake. Price is up. Nobody needs that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And by the way, if you're trying to face down Chinese predation and Chinese growth, actually pushing away countries that are then going to turn to China for more of their product and to Chinese markets, that's not the way to do this on sort of a national security basis. Folks, none of this is a great way to face down Chinese growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The fact is that China is a geopolitical enemy of the United States. They do everything. from cheating on trade to stealing our IP to maybe threatening your identity. Tax season is upon us. While we may be weary of numbers, some deserve our immediate attention. $16.5 billion in IRS refunds flagged for potential identity fraud last year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Identity theft tax fraud surged by an alarming 20% in 2024 alone, affecting thousands of unsuspecting Americans. But there is hope in these numbers as well. LifeLock vigilantly monitors 100 million data points every second, creating a shield around your financial identity when it matters most. Their sophisticated systems work tirelessly to protect your personal information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The reason I say this is because Republicans were able to, through the leadership of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and no thanks to Thomas Massey, pass a continuing resolution that will fund the government until about September.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
She's emphasized the peace of mind that comes with knowing their experts are always monitoring her sensitive information for suspicious activity. We'll be right back. Let's talk about that car you own. You know, the one you're not using, the one that's rusting in the front yard, the one you're paying to keep registered and insured. It's taking up space on the driveway. It's just sitting there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It's not doing anybody any good. Well, here's what you should do about that car. You should give Cars for Kids a call and have them take care of it for you. That's right. Just give them the info. They'll come to you as soon as the next day. Take that car right off your hands at no cost to you. Even better, they'll turn that car into funds to help kids. So visit carsforkids.org slash Ben.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
That's K-A-R-S with a K. And then the number four, to donate, call K-A-R-S for Kids directly. Cars for Kids directly at 1-877-CARS4KIDS. They will get that car picked up for you. Plus, you get a tax deduction and vacation voucher. Who doesn't want those things this time of year? They've been around for 30 years. They've done this over a million times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Call now or head on over to carsforkids.org to help fund kids' futures today. That's carsforkids.org. Remember, that's cars with a K. Again, that's carsforkids.org. And you're not doing anything else with that junky old vehicle. You may as well give it to your friends over at Cars for Kids. Go check them out right now. Carsforkids.org.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
That's cars with a K. Meanwhile, Canada is turning toward the left, not toward the right. And if you want parties who are more right-wing elected in allied countries, then perhaps what you ought to do is not provide fodder to the opponents of those allies in those countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
That gives the Republicans plenty of time to negotiate a budget deal amongst themselves, come up with the one big, beautiful bill that they need to pass, and get that done without the government simply falling apart. So that's why the government shutdown was averted by the Republicans in the House. So now it gets passed on to the Senate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
If Pierre Pelliev becomes not the prime minister of Canada because of President Trump's tariffs, that is not going to be a good thing Meanwhile, the Canadians are injecting their own brand of uncertainty into the markets because they're saying to everybody else, listen, if President Trump is coming after us, who the hell won't he come after?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
We have like a free trade agreement that we signed with President Trump that he negotiated in his first term and he's still coming after us. According to Politico, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly plans to welcome her G7 counterparts to Quebec with a warning, quote, if the U.S. can do this to us, their closest friend, then nobody is safe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Jolie told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday she plans to raise the issue with European and British members, advising them Canada is the canary in the coal mine. Speaking to reporters from Ireland on Wednesday, Secretary of State Rubio said that there will be a lot to talk about at the G7 meeting. Quote, it is not a meeting about how we're going to take over Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
But again, the more that the Trump administration makes that joke, because we're not taking over Canada, the more the Trump administration makes that joke, the more the Canadians, particularly on the left, respond as though he is serious. Here is the Canadian Minister of Finance, Dominique LeBlanc, who says precisely that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Again, this sort of thing, what's the impact? Why is it smart? Why is it smart? Stop this. What is the goal? What is the goal? At least articulate the goal. I don't want President Trump's numbers going down. He's doing too many important things right now. Here's CNN reporting on President Trump's numbers on the economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And in the Senate, obviously, the Republicans also have a majority. In fact, they have a 53-seat majority. Rand Paul has said he's going to vote against the continuing resolution. But there are still 52 votes left. Even if it got down to 50 votes, Shady Vance would then break the tie in favor of the continuing resolution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Now, as I say, there are too many important things that President Trump has to do in the next two years to get caught up in this particular battle to no great upswing in the economy or really in long-term manufacturing in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And the reality is that unless you have a robust tariff regime for a very long period of time that is specifically designed to increase prices on American consumers, you are not going to get a vast number of manufacturing jobs back into the United States. And even if you do, companies are going to start trying to drive down prices through automation. So. What is the goal?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Again, that's the question we should all be asking ourselves. I hope the Trump administration is asking itself that. What is the goal? What are we trying to accomplish here? Because there are too many other important things and there's too many good things happening. So President Trump yesterday cut half the staff at the Department of Education. That's great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And here he was explaining that the goal is to move all of that power back to the states, which is precisely what he should be doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Yes, that is correct. That is good. If every president's agenda is tied to kind of the low point of the agenda, this is true for every president, whatever is the worst thing in the agenda tends to define the entire agenda. Then what you want to do is avoid the boo-boo. This is a good thing. It's a necessary thing. Cuts to the DOE are undoubtedly an excellent thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Not only that, other good things are happening too. Yesterday, according to Breitbart, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced he would move to clear the hundreds of backlogged cases to clean air, saying the Biden administration focused on ideological pursuits rather than the agency's core mission.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The agency said it would commit to working with states and tribes to resolve hundreds of backlogged state implementation plans and tribal implementation plans the Biden-Harris administration could not or would not resolve.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The EPA administrator wrote, quote, with more than 140 million Americans living in non-attainment areas around the country, cooperative federalism and clearing out the state implementation plan backlog will make significant strides to improving the air we breathe. Now, again, one of the goals here is to also free up industry.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to review and approve all of the so-called SIPs that meet the requirements of the law. But many states have raised concerns about being punished for emissions outside the control of their state and air quality monitors not being placed in the most logistical areas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The EPA says that it's going to make sure that air quality is protected, but also they're going to generate more economic growth by getting rid of stupid regulations and stupid regulatory overreach. Zeldin said the EPA is going to aggressively pursue an agenda powering the great American comeback. That is our agenda we wanted to announce with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
So if you're a Democrat at this point, you're looking at the state of the economy, which is somewhat dicey. It appears to be, again, volatile. You can't predict the future there. And that is really the only tool you have to attack President Trump. And what you don't want to do is get into the business of owning the economy if you're the Democrats. Why would you want to own that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
EPA wants to help power the great American comeback. This is the kind of stuff that needs to be focused on. Like, let's focus on those things. Meanwhile, it's funny. If you go back to that CNN poll, what you will see is that when it comes to handling the federal budget, President Trump's highest approval ratings are in that particular area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He's got immigration at 51%, handling the federal budget at something like 48%. And that's due to Elon Musk. Elon Musk is out there doing Doge. And the media are still fulminating over all of this, complaining about Elon Musk. The reality is that President Trump has handled this whole situation with aplomb. He's handled it quite brilliantly, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Allowing Elon Musk to be the face of Doge means that Elon takes all the incoming. Elon is not an elected official. Elon is the richest person in the world. Elon owns X. So Elon can take it. It's not just an Elon condition. Elon can take it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Meanwhile, President Trump can sit over here and just reap the benefits of having a very, very famous person be the focus of the ire of his opposition while the good effects are actually accruing to his administration. Meanwhile, the media don't know how to handle it. Dana Bash on CNN had maybe the funniest line yesterday. She was talking about big balls again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
This would be one of the young Elon Musk staffers who's going through the federal government. And she started talking about apparently how Elon Musk likes when she says balls on TV. I don't even know what's happening now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Yeah, boy. Okay. Great, great things happening over at CNN. And the complaints by people like Rashida Tlaib about how Elon Musk is being funded by the government, they just don't ring true. So Rashida Tlaib was out there screaming yesterday about how billionaires are being funded and Medicaid is being cut. Medicaid is not being cut. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Oh, man. These are the best the Democrats have to offer. Again, credit to John Fetterman for being the only sane person in the building. He was on MSNBC. And MSNBC was suggesting once again that the Republicans were in league with the oligarchs. And Fetterman's like, come on, man, really?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Again, leave it to the man with brain damage to be the only intelligent person inside the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, other important things being done by the Trump administration. Yes, we should be deporting Hamas next. I don't even know why this is controversial. If you are a supporter of Hamas here on a visa, here on a green card, you should go. We don't need more of you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
If Republicans had followed down on the job and been unable to pass a continuing resolution, you could have blamed Republicans for the shutdown. This was the Democratic plan in the House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
I'm confused as to why this is even an issue. Again, we're not talking about American citizens who are participating in speech we don't like. We are talking about people who are here as guests of the United States or trying to earn their way into citizenship.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
This notion that they magically ought to be treated exactly the same as natural born American citizens or people who have already earned their citizenship is like, if that's the case, then why do we even have immigration standards at all? Maybe we just shouldn't. Maybe being a terrorist supporter should just not be on your immigration application. This is all absurd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Marco Rubio had the best response to this yesterday. Secretary of State Rubio has invoked his power as the Secretary of State to say that this guy is a foreign policy threat. He's a member of a group that actively called for armed uprising against Western civilization. Here is Secretary of State Rubio yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It's the reason why, for example, Hakeem Jeffries instructed Democrats not to vote in favor of the so-called clean CR, the clean continuing resolution, which is just a maintenance of funding at current levels all the way through September. So Democrats, except for one, did not participate in the CR.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
This seems inarguable, and yet Democrats are somehow finding a way to argue with all of this. The lawyer for Mahmoud Khalil read a letter from Mahmoud Khalil's wife yesterday suggesting he had been kidnapped. Oh, the irony.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Oh, the irony of a man who cheers for actual kidnappings by a terrorist group claiming he has been kidnapped because the legal process is now kicking him out of the country for being a supporter of that terror group.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
I'm sorry. The family of Idan Alexander, the American citizen being held in Gaza by Hamas, would like to have a word. I've yet to see the Democrats tweeting out free Idan Alexander, an actual American citizen being held by an actual honest to God terror group, kidnapped into Gaza. And yet here we have this lawyer for the wife reading a letter in which she claims that he was kidnapped. Nope.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
That's called the legal process taking place. Right now, Khalil is being held in Louisiana pending deportation. The U.S. District Court judge, a guy named Jesse Furman, who is heavily associated, shall we say, with family members of the left, his family members worked for the Obama administration, set a schedule on Wednesday for the lawyers to present written arguments later this week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
But now the Democrats seem to want to actively kill the CR and push America into a government shutdown that they clearly will own. That's the part that makes no sense politically speaking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He said his order to keep Khalil in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana Those do not to the merits of any arguments, but to provide time to address the important issues his case raises. It's unclear where the case is going to be held. We have heard he has a green card. It is not totally clear whether that is true or not. We'll assume that he does for the sake of argument.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Again, the real question in all this is how this guy got in the country in the first place. Who is actually analyzing the student visas? Who decided that America desperately needs someone who worked for the UNRWA? in the United States to study at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs, where apparently his only job was to agitate on behalf of Hamas. Amazing stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Meanwhile, Democrats embracing him full scale. A person who may, in fact, become the next mayor of New York. This person apparently is running second in polls to Andrew Cuomo right now. A person named Zoran Kwame Mamdani went to a... An event yesterday at which Borders are Tom Homan was. And he started trying to yell at Tom Homan. So first of all, I do like the hold me back element of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Hold me back. If he got within an arm's length of Tom Homan, Tom Homan would eviscerate him. Tom Homan is one of the scariest people I've ever been in a room with. We were in a room with him last week. And he is simultaneously one of the nicest people and one of the scariest people you will ever meet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Here is Zoran confronting the Trump Borders are over his immigration policy, including the policy surrounding Mahmoud Khalil. Yeah, hold them back. Hold them back. Okay, if Democrats want to do this, I guess they can do this all day long. Meanwhile, negotiations continue over the possibility of Ukraine-Russia ceasefire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
According to the Wall Street Journal, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threw a wrench into a Republican plan to avert a government shutdown this weekend, saying there was not enough Democratic support to advance the measure funding federal agencies through September 30th. Now, you're saying to yourself, hold up, don't Republicans actually have a majority in the Senate? Yes, they do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
As noted yesterday, the Ukrainians have embraced the idea of a 30-day ceasefire without preconditions at this point. They're hoping to negotiate for the return of their children, their actual kidnapped children. Kids have been kidnapped from Donbass and Crimea and sent back into Russia and placed with families who are not their own. Actually, I mean, it's horrific.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Caroline Leavitt at the White House said, we hope that the Russians will accept this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
and all the other Daily Wire hosts during our weekly exclusive all-access live events, debate with our writers, connect with the community that actually thinks for itself. Join now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. Okay, so you thought Democrats couldn't possibly get any dumber, and yet somehow they have managed to achieve this signal feat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is saying the same intelligence sharing has continued with the Ukrainians. It should, because one of the things that's happening right now is that the Russians are pushing very aggressively back against Ukrainian gains in Kursk, which is a Russian area. The reason the Ukrainians are trying to hold that is for purposes of negotiation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
They want to say you withdraw from here and we'll withdraw from there. The Russians are taking this time to really up the ante. Here's Secretary of State Rubio saying, listen, the Ukrainians are at the table. We await Russia's response.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Okay, so the question now is whether Russia is going to take the United States up on this offer. It appears the answer for now is not even remotely. According to the Financial Times, quote, Russia does not want a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine and is pushing for a long-term peace settlement that will take into account its interests and concerns, according to a senior aide to Vladimir Putin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Yuri Ushakov, the president's foreign policy advisor in Russia, told state television on Thursday the 30-day ceasefire proposed after talks between the U.S. and Ukraine this week, quote, was nothing other than a temporary breather for Ukrainian troops. Nobody needs steps that imitate peaceful actions in this situation, said Ushakov, adding Moscow hopes the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
knows our position and wants to believe they will take it into account as we work together going forward. That is Putin taking an extremely hard line prior to the arrival of Steve Witkoff, the president's envoy, who's arriving today in Moscow. The demands that are being made right now are crazy from the Russians. I mean, they're just not doable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
But in order to overcome a filibuster, in order to invoke cloture, you need 60 votes. Now, Democrats could simply not filibuster. They could just say, fine, listen, you want to vote for the CR, vote for the CR. Instead, Democrats are now actively considering filibustering a clean continuing resolution. which, again, makes no sense. Most Americans are just saying, leave us alone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
According to a document written in February by an influential Moscow-based think tank close to the Russian Federal Security Service, the FSB, which is sort of the modern KGB, lays out Russia's maximalist demands for any end to the conflict in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It dismisses any preliminary plans for a peace deal within 100 days as impossible to realize and says a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis cannot happen before 2026. That's them attempting to get Trump to pressure Ukraine. That's what they're doing. They're saying they know the midterms are coming up. They know Trump has pledged an end to the war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And so they feel that they have the negotiating leverage. The document rejects any plan for any peacekeepers to Ukraine. It insists on recognition of Russia's sovereignty over the Ukrainian territories. It is already seized.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It calls for a further carve-up through the creation of a buffer zone in Ukraine's northeast on the border with Russian regions such as Bryansk and Belgorod, as well as a demilitarized zone in southern Ukraine near Crimea. That latter would affect the Odessa region. So in other words, they actually want more territory than they have actually won on the battlefield.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
In addition, the document discusses the need for the complete dismantling of the current Ukrainian government. So this is a non-starter, obviously. This is a non-starter from the Russians. So if it's a non-starter from the Russians, the administration is going to have to bring the hammer. President Trump suggested that that is very much on the table yesterday. Here he was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Okay, well, whether we want to see peace or not, Russia may not want to see peace. And if that's not the case, then it's going to be very difficult to reach anything like a deal. Well, folks, as always, it's been a busy week at the White House. And our Daily Wire White House correspondent, Mary Margaret Olihan, is on point to cover all of it. Mary Margaret, welcome back to the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
So a lot going on this week at the White House. You were able to ask a question this week about the situation in Ukraine. What did you ask? What was the answer?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
So Mary Margaret, obviously a lot of eyes on Russia and Ukraine. Russia today apparently suggested that they were not going to sign on to any temporary ceasefire, that instead they were going to seek some sort of permanent settlement. Of course, the terms of that permanent settlement are extraordinarily onerous on Ukraine. Very unlikely Ukraine accepts that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
That's effectively what the CR does. It just kind of leaves things alone. If Democrats want to throw a wrench into that for no apparent reason, then they will own any government shutdown. And then if the economy turns south, then I guess they own it. They own a big chunk of that because a government shutdown is going to throw all sorts of scares into the market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
So we'll have to see how all of that plays out. Meanwhile, the president of the United States hosted the president of Ireland in the Oval yesterday, and they got into a number of topics ranging from trade to his love for Conor McGregor. What was the mood in the room like?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Mary Margaret, really appreciate your time. And she, again, is the person on the ground at the White House keeping an eye on things every single day. Mary Margaret, good to see you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Alrighty, coming up, we'll get into controversy surrounding Meghan Markle. Yes, she's back. She won't leave. Can we deport her? And I understand she's an American citizen, but you know, maybe we can make a trade with the Brits or something. First, you have to be a member. Head on over to DW right now, and then you can access everything.
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Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
You can get Morning Wire, Backstage Live, All Access, Am I Racist, What is a Woman, and all the rest. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code ShapiroCheckout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Schumer said that Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate to move the resolution. He indicated that his party was prepared to block it. And then he blamed Republicans saying they chose a partisan path. Well, I mean, it seems kind of partisan to use your 47 votes in the United States Senate to hold up 53 votes in the United States Senate simply because what?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Your base is mad at you for not standing up to President Trump's agenda enough? So Schumer's alternative, believe it or not, is in fact a clean CR, but for a month. So instead of this clean continuing resolution that funds the government through September, instead he's proposing a 30-day clean continuing resolution, and then we can redo all of this in a month.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He, of course, is hoping the Republican coalition will fall apart in the meantime and that the economy will fall apart in the meantime during that month. If they got what they wanted, there'd be a month of continuing resolution. He's hoping the stock market crashes in that interim month, and then he won't be blamed no matter what happens. But what he's doing right now makes no political sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He is injecting Democrats into the middle of the most dicey proposition for the Trump administration. It's bizarre. It really is strange. As an analyst of politics, I don't understand any of the logic here. The first rule of politics is do not get in the way of your opponent making a mistake. Do not interrupt your enemy when your enemy is making a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
If the idea from the Democrats is the Republicans own every aspect of the economy, you then have to let the Republicans own the economy. If you inject yourself into that process in order to shut down the government, you now own what comes next. By the way, Republicans know this, which is why House Speaker Mike Johnson says the ball is in Schumer's court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
On Fox News, he said that the New York Democrat court has a big decision to make. Is he going to cast a vote to keep the government open or is he going to be blamed for shutting it down? Republicans cast Schumer's remarks, according to the Wall Street Journal, as risky posturing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
A Senate GOP aide said there was only one legislative vehicle available to the Senate that will keep the government open beyond Friday night, the House passed bill, and Democrats know that. Schumer's comments came apparently after Senate Democrats huddled for nearly two hours Wednesday behind closed doors. Apparently, many Democrats emerged grim-faced and laconic. Most did not want to talk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The reason I say this is because right now, President Trump is having some trouble when it comes to the economy, obviously. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is off significantly since he took office. There's a lot of concern about the possibility of recession in the near future in the United States, despite some pretty strong economic fundamentals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Some, including Senators Mark Warner and Mark Kelly, both senators from somewhat purple states. Warner is from Virginia. Kelly, of course, is from Arizona. So they wanted to vote on a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government open for 30 days. Kelly said such a move would enable Congress to work on passing this year's appropriations bills on a bipartisan basis, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
They're hoping that, again, only funding the CR for a short term would force the Republicans to basically negotiate with Democrats. But that is not what's going to happen here. The GOP is fully willing to allow Democrats to own a government shutdown because Schumer is going to have to own it. If you invoke a filibuster in order to own a government shutdown, you are a moron.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And what Chuck Schumer is doing here is really stupid and really quite bad. Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado said, quote, if we shut the government down in a funny way, you're giving the president even more power. So whether he keeps this part of government open, closes that part, how that money gets spent, he has absolute control, you know, like a king, which is true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
During a government shutdown, the executive branch then gets to decide who is an essential worker. So they're playing right into Trump's hands. It's almost best case scenario for President Trump. Let's say that Chuck Schumer does the filibuster and the government shutdown occurs because Chuck Schumer did the filibuster.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Well, now President Trump has the unique capacity to determine who exactly is an essential worker under federal law, at which point, let Elon Musk in there with a chainsaw, man. Senator John Fetterman, apparently the last non-moron in the Democratic caucus, said he would back the GOP bill. He said, I refuse to burn the village down to claim to save it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He said, imagine what would happen if you shut the government down. For how long? Who knows? That is correct. It is amazing that the Democrat, who apparently has brain damage from a stroke, is the only rational one inside the Democratic Party at this point. They have completely lost their minds. And this is partially due to a complete lack of leadership in the Democratic Party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
The Barack Obama-led Democratic Party is dead. Donald Trump killed it off. And there's no one there to replace it. And so now it's a battle between the Wokies, led by AOC and Jasmine Crockett. Some of the progressives, led by Bernie Sanders and maybe Pramila Jayapal, who cross paths with the Wokies all the time. And then the pseudo-moderates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And I say pseudo-moderates because you have Gavin Newsom out wandering the landscape, having on Michael Savage in an attempt to pretend that he is, in fact, some sort of moderate himself. One of the pseudo-moderates is Pete Buttigieg. So this is kind of a hilarious story. Pete Buttigieg, you'll recall Pete Buttigieg. He was the mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
a place with a population of approximately 150,000. And then he was elevated into a presidential candidate because he likes dudes. That's really his only qualification. He ran for president on the basis of not being able to fill potholes in South Bend, Indiana. And then he lost, he overperformed, but he lost to Joe Biden in 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And then he was elevated to secretary of transportation where he presided over Parts falling off of Boeing planes and trains derailing in East Palestine, Ohio. He was elevated to that position, not because he knew anything about transportation, but because in his own words, he liked trains. He had a romance for trains. He liked choo-choo trains.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And in the polling data, President Trump is actually moving the wrong way on the economy. According to a brand new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, the question is, how have Donald Trump's policies affected U.S. economic conditions? 51% say worsened conditions. 28% say improved conditions. 21% said have no effect. So that is not a great number for President Trump. 51%, again, say worsened conditions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Well, now a man who was so useless that he left on paternity leave. Remember, paternity leave is usually because you are attempting to help your physically recovering wife. as recognized, Pete Buttigieg, is married to a man, which means that his non-physically ailing husband, he stayed home with for two months and no one even noticed because he was so useless.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Now he wants to run not for Senate, but for president. Now you say to yourself, wait a second, how do you run for Senate? Isn't he from Indiana? You just said he was the mayor of South Bend. Ah, yes, but you forget. He moved with husband Chasen Buttigieg to Michigan in 2022, and he has spent approximately 22 seconds in Michigan. Therefore, he was considering a Michigan Senate run.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Well, he announced today that he is not going to be running for Senate in Michigan, which, I mean, hell, I'm not running for Senate from New York. I mean, I have the same connections to New York that Pete Buttigieg has to Michigan. So he's not going to run for Michigan's open Senate seat. Instead, he is going to run a campaign for president in 2028. Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Of course, of course he is. Why the hell not? Why not? Well, Pete Buttigieg is a bad bet, and so is debt, folks. Are you struggling with credit card bills, personal loans, or medical debt? It can feel like your money is working harder for your lenders than it is for you. It doesn't have to stay that way with PDS Debt. PDS Debt doesn't just manage your debt. They help you take back control.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Also, even if you think it's a bit overhyped, AI is suddenly everywhere, from self-driving cars to molecular medicine to business efficiency. If it's not in your industry yet, it is coming. Fast. But AI needs a lot of speed and computing power. So how do you compete without costs spiraling out of control? Time to upgrade to the next generation of the cloud. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
OCI is a blazing fast and secure platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, plus all your AI and machine learning workloads. OCI costs 50% less for compute and 80% less for networking, so you are saving a pile of money. Thousands of businesses have already upgraded to OCI, including Vodafone, Thomson Reuters, and Suno AII.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Right now, Oracle is offering to cut your current cloud bill in half if you move on over to OCI for new U.S. customers with minimum financial commitment. Offer ends March 31st. See if your company qualifies for the special offer at oracle.com slash Shapiro. That's oracle.com slash Shapiro. Again, I've been using AI consistently all the time. My company is using AI, which is why we rely on Oracle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Go check them out right now, oracle.com slash Shapiro. That's oracle.com slash Shapiro. David Axelrod said, quote, Pete was an A-list recruit who would have been a formidable candidate for the Senate had he chosen to run, but had he won in 26, would almost certainly have taken him out of the conversation for 28. This certainly keeps that option open. Uh-huh. Sure. Yeah. Okay, fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Pete Buttigieg, that's the one you choose? Or maybe Politico is pushing Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, who did such a spectacular job that Chicago is now one of the most sought-after places to live in America. That'd also be the guy who was chief of staff to Barack Obama, famous for leaving dead fish. I'm not kidding. That's when he was in Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He'd leave dead fish, apparently, and near his congressional colleagues to threaten them to vote in particular ways, like the Godfather. So now Rahm Emanuel is traipsing across the political landscape, seeking to gain support for a presidential run. According to Politico, Name the political podcast. Emanuel has likely been on it or will be shortly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
21% say have no effect. Well, if things start to get worse, that 21% is going to cave into the 51%. You're going to end up with three quarters of Americans who are going to blame President Trump if the economy goes south in all likelihood. Only 44% of Americans currently approve of how President Trump is handling the economy, inflation. In terms of helping the middle class, 43% approve.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He immediately snagged a CNN contract in a regular Washington Post column. No small accomplishment for a formal official at a moment of retrenchment for news organizations. He's also hitting the lecture circuit. Just as striking is to talk to anybody in high-level Democratic politics who knows Emanuel and hear how matter-of-fact they are about the inevitability of his candidacy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Apparently, he's already road-testing the first outlines of a stump speech, or at least an issue, that he can make his own. He said, I'm done with the discussion of locker rooms. I'm done with the discussion of bathrooms. We better start having a conversation about the classroom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
He said, we can lead a discussion and force the topic onto the agenda of this country that's worthy of having a debate about. So, okay, good luck. Good luck to Rahm Emanuel. So you're traipsing out, again, a guy who was last relevant in like 2010, maybe, Rahm Emanuel. and a guy who's mostly famous for being an absolutely horrible secretary of transportation, but is also gay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
You guys, you're doing great. You're absolutely doing great. Well, meanwhile, President Trump is having fun. Yesterday, he had in the awful president of Ireland, and he proceeded to have some fun with this. Here he was ripping Rosie O'Donnell for moving to Ireland. Rosie O'Donnell announced that she was moving to Ireland, which, you know, good luck to Ireland.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
It was hard for me to think that Ireland could get any worse in its politics, but Rosie O'Donnell will certainly help.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
Okay, so first of all, I think President Trump... This is like one of his longest standing feuds is Rosie O'Donnell. You remember Rosie O'Donnell from like the 2015 debates in which Megyn Kelly asked him about women bleeding from there wherever. And he said, I was only talking about Rosie O'Donnell. So, yeah, this is a very long standing feud that he has with Rosie O'Donnell.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2157 - Democrats To SHUT DOWN The Government?
And I think it's fair to say that Trump won this feud. He's the president twice and Rosie O'Donnell is moving to Ireland. Meanwhile, Trump was also raving about the tattoos of Conor McGregor. So, listen, President Trump is living his best life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Well, President Trump promised that when he entered office, he was going to look at the Russia-Ukraine situation and try to facilitate an actual end to the war. People have been watching this war very closely understand that Russia's original goal, which was to take Kyiv to completely ingest and then digest,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Okay, so again, one of the reasons not to cover Ukraine under Article 5 is presumably, let's say that Ukraine gets into another shooting conflict over Donbass or Crimea. That would now obligate all Article 5 members of NATO to actually get directly involved in the war. But he's saying we're still going to make the security guarantees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
There may even in fact be European troops on the ground to guarantee the peace. This always was the pragmatic solution. Always, always. And Trump's position had to be caricatured by the media as some sort of surrender to Putin. But... Again, common sense is the watchword. It is the byword. And Trump, by the way, his successes are happening on a daily basis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the intelligence chief, which is an amazing switch in the nature of the Directorate of National Intelligence. Remember, Tulsi Gabbard was actually put on a no-fly list at one point. She was targeted by the intelligence community because of her past contacts with Bashar Assad in Syria and her supposed past contacts with the Russians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Gabbard, according to the Wall Street Journal, a combat veteran and former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 in the GOP-controlled Senate. Senator Mitch McConnell, the former GOP leader, broke with his party to side with Democrats in voting no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
McConnell, again, is continuing to make a sort of traditionally conservative case that anybody who is heterodox should not be confirmed. However, that is not going to cut a lot of ice because, again, Trump is the one who's in charge of his administration. The truth is most Republicans probably feel
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
the same way that Bill Cassidy, the senator, feels, which is Trump wants Gabbard, Trump gets Gabbard. I mean, that seems to be the going methodology in the Senate. And frankly, that seems right if you're talking about many of the top-level cabinet secretaries who are answerable directly to the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
I'm not sure that that is directly right about many of the people who are being nominated for, say, undersecretary positions. There, the Senate is going to be able to kind of flex its muscle a little bit more in terms of a check and balance on the direction of those departments from underneath.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
The reality was that barring some sort of massive war effort, much larger than anything that Ukraine was actually given, those areas were not going to be retaken by Ukraine. And so this conflict had settled into a stalemate for almost three years at this point because the original invasion took place at the end of February 2022.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
President Trump, in an Oval Office swearing in, called Gabbard, quote, an American of extraordinary courage and exceptional patriotism. He said she would have the responsibility of overseeing urgently needed reforms in the intelligence community. Again, the DNI is sort of a paper position. It's a position that sits on top of the CIA and the FBI and coordinates the two agencies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
It was originally put into law as a way of breaking down the Chinese firewall that separates intelligence from CIA and FBI. That firewall had led to 9-11 because the CIA had information about the hijackers and it wasn't passing it along to the FBI because they were afraid that that would have compromised the FBI's domestic terrorism investigations and prevented prosecutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
The DNI was supposed to sit above both of those agencies and help coordinate the intelligence from both. That's essentially what Gabbard will be doing. But one of the things Gabbard presumably will be doing is also looking into and investigating many of the malfeasances by the FBI and the CIA over the course of the last 10, 15, 20 years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
McConnell, in explaining his vote to the nation, should not have to worry that the intelligence assessments the president receives are tainted by a director of national intelligence with a history of alarming lapses in judgment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
But again, I seriously doubt that Tulsi Gabbard is going to be sitting there and just blacklining, redlining and blacking out portions of reports that don't meet with her political priors. That doesn't seem correct. Okay, so Gabbard has been confirmed. Meanwhile, over at Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy looks like he is ready to be confirmed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
The Senate voted 53-47 to end debate on RFK Jr. 's nomination following public statements of support from some GOP senators who'd been on the fence about Trump's pick in the betting markets. It's like 99% that RFK Jr. ends up being confirmed. Kash Patel will also end up being confirmed as head of the FBI. So President Trump's selections for his cabinet, he's going to get his cabinet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Again, there are some other members of the cabinet who frankly, I think, are so far outside of what even what Trump would like to do that it is worthwhile talking about shooting them down. That would include Representative Lori Chavez de Remmer, former representative of Oregon, who has been extraordinarily anti-free markets, extraordinarily pro-unions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Putting her at the head of the Labor Department would be kind of a disaster. So I could see Republicans opposing her. But and they weren't going to, I think, waste their fire on Tulsi Gabbard or Kash Patel or on RFK Jr. And I think they are right not to do so. Now, the fact is, this administration is letting me sleep more comfortably at night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
But it's not just, you know, the fact that Trump got elected and we now have a government worthy of its name. It's also that I have a better mattress. You know, I used to have this old mattress, the one that I got from the mattress store, and it would sag in the middle. And you're like, oh man, it's probably just as good as everything else. Wrong. Helix is better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
You know that feeling when you wake up and your back is already complaining? Well, that was me more often than not. Don't get me started on how my old mattress turned into a heat trap at night. I mean, just terrible. Since switching over to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on my busiest days and the craziest headlines. Here's what makes Helix different.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions. Instead, they use their sleep quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences. Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has a perfect match for you. And again, I've got that firm mattress that breathes at night, means I'm sleeping better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And for a very long time, the Biden administration had a conflicting strategy, a mutually exclusive strategy. On the one hand, the Biden administration suggested that they would continue to provide endless aid until, quote unquote, victory was achieved.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Right now, Helix is offering an incredible President's Day sale. This exclusive offer for my listeners is better than you will find if you were just to visit their main website. Visit helixsleep.com slash men. Get 27% off site wide plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase and free bedding bundle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That's two dream pillows, sheet set, and mattress protector with any lux or elite mattress order. That's helixsleep.com slash men for 27% off site wide plus two free dream pillows with mattress purchase and free bedding bundle. Two dream pillows, sheet set, mattress protector with any lux or elite mattress order. Again, just visit helixsleep.com slash men for this exclusive offer. Also,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
With their decade of experience and excellent Trustpilot rating, you know you're in good hands. Get to Insurify.com, compare car insurance quotes in real time, and start saving today. That's I-N-S-U-R-I-F-Y.com, Insurify.com. Average potential savings based on initial quotes received by 183,234 customers seeking insurance through Insurify.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Actual savings may vary depending on state of residence, individual circumstances, coverage selections, and insurance provider. Savings results are not guaranteed. Go check them out right now, insurify.com. That's insurify.com. Meanwhile, controversy continues over the cuts that are being made to the federal government under the Trump-Musk revolution in government spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
What's amazing about this is, again, how many people on the left seem to think it's a winning argument to argue in favor of waste, fraud, and abuse. Poll data show that Americans do not like waste in government. The latest polling that I saw from Gallup about these broad issues shows 56% of Americans believe that a huge percentage of government spending is in fact waste and abuse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
But they refused to either provide the necessary aid to achieve full scale victory or to define victory as something other than full scale victory. These were mutually exclusive tactics. If they were defining victory as Ukraine takes back Donbass and takes back Crimea, then you have to give Ukraine the weaponry necessary in order to accomplish that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
In fact, according to the Gallup poll from this November, just after the election, 55% of Americans believe the government is doing too much. Only 41% believe the government needs to do more. When it comes to the waste of inherent in government, most Americans, in fact, the vast majority of Americans, want government made more efficient.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Americans' views of the federal government, 26% positive, 58% negative, are second from the bottom of all 25 industries tested. The only industry that is less popular than the federal government is the pharmaceutical industry. A Pew Research poll in April showed that 56% of U.S. adults, this would be April 2024, agreed the government is almost always wasteful and inefficient.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
58% of Americans were dissatisfied with the size and power of the federal government. And so what Trump is doing here, and it's quite smart, is he's singling out bad, wasteful, abusive projects, and he's making those the tip of the spear in a broader attack on the size and scope of the federal government. And what's amazing is the Democrats are falling right into it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
They're claiming there is no waste, fraud or abuse. So, for example, yesterday, a Democratic witness named Dylan Hitler Gaudet testified before Congress suggesting that he could not see widespread abuse or fraud in the government. He's the director of government affairs, an NGO called the Project on Government Oversight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
which, again, is another one of these ridiculous left wing front groups funded by George Soros project on government oversight. But they don't do any government oversight. And apparently the government's doing an amazing job, according to Mr. Hedler Gaudet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Well, I mean, it's not a matter of bad people doing bad things with bad intent. Whether you intend to waste our money or whether you're just wasting our money is irrelevant to the taxpayer whose money is wasted. President Trump, for his part, again, this is going to be a popular case with the American people. He said, of course there's lots of fraud.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Have you seen the size of our federal government?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Anything less than that is going to lead to stalemate and loss. Or theoretically, you redefine victory to survival, meaning Russia already controlled Donbass and Crimea before the 2022 invasion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Now, what is different about what Trump is doing than what Republicans have historically done is that by unleashing Elon Musk, who's an outsider, and aiming at the technological systems that actually generate the payments by aiming at the actual machinery of government rather than sort of overall policy. And those are two separate things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
When it comes to the bureaucracy, there's the overall policy, very, very difficult to shape the overall policy without touching the machinery. The machinery is the thing that keeps printing the money and sending the money, and it keeps going no matter what.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And you can question the policy, but if you don't actually change the machinery underneath the hood of the car, you're just changing the paint of the car. And the machine continues to move in the same direction. The engine continues to churn. Trump, by unleashing Musk, was a systems guy, is looking into the technological systems of distribution. He's looking into the employment systems.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He's actually looking under the hood of the car of the federal government. And it's ugly what he is finding. Joe Lonsdale, who's an expert at this, he's the founding partner of 8VC, which is a major venture capital firm, one of the founding partners of Palantir. He talked on CNBC about what is different that Elon is doing from historically what Republicans have done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
all of Ukraine, turn it into a functioning part of the new Russian empire, that that failed. And that failed very early on in the war. But very quickly, the war then transmuted into something else.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And so Russia's goal had already been defeated, at which point victory could have been achieved by any sort of rational stretch of the imagination simply by fending off further Russian territorial aggression.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
I mean, this is the point. And this is why everybody in Democrat land is so panicked. Because nobody's actually taken a look at the systems before. Republicans have pledged they're going to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. But Trump is just unleashing people into departments that he is the head of, right? He's the president. They all work under him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And he is saying, I want you to go and screw with the systems. If you have to break the system, break it. And then we'll fix the parts that we need to fix. But put sand in the gear, stop the machine, stop the machine dead. And that is what Elon has been doing. And it's now pervading throughout every branch of government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator, who was a guest on our program just last week, he said, listen, I've been trying to identify waste, fraud and abuse with the help of Doge and we're finding it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And by that measure, the war should have come to an end a couple of years ago because basically the battle lines in Ukraine have been fairly solidified for two years, two and a half years at this point. Henry Kissinger, the late Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State under Richard Nixon, among other titles, he had proposed that this off-ramp essentially be offered way back in May of 2022.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Again, is this stuff going to be unpopular with Americans? I'm hard pressed to see precisely how. Mike Lalo, representative from New York, he was talking about USAID, which of course has had its funding dramatically slashed by Musk and by Doge. And he says, you want to talk about a waste of money. And here's an example of a waste of money by USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Well, again, he is right about all this. It's not going to be hard to find examples of bad spending. And that is a great way of approaching these issues. From a public relations perspective, it's a great way of approaching these issues because it puts Americans in mind of how much money is being wasted. Now, Democrats are trying to do the opposite.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
They're trying to find examples of things being cut that are just so devastating. That's every day in The New York Times. Somebody who's been deprived of their government paycheck. And oh, how sad. Somebody who's in Thailand who's been deprived of a medical appointment. because USAID is no longer paying for it. Oh, how sad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
But the truth is, in a time when Americans feel that America has been overstretched, that our economy is basically stretched beyond its capacity, that we are paying too much money for everything, there's not a lot of sympathy for the Democrat position that we need endless largesse and waste of taxpayer money in order so that one government employee can get her retirement salary at a level that she wishes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That is not going to be a popular position. At the same time, And the Trump government is being very careful and meticulous, actually, in how they are presenting this publicly. One of the things that they are saying is when it comes to things that are really important government benefits, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, we're not touching those things. Again, that's not something that I want.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
I, as a fiscal conservative, would love to see a restructuring of many of these gigantic entitlement programs, which are, in fact, the systemic drivers of our debt. However, when it comes to those programs, Trump is being very clear we're not touching those. Again, he's just going to say waste, fraud, and abuse. We're not going to touch the third rails.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Here was the VA Secretary Doug Collins saying, you know, you're hearing that veterans benefits are being cut. That's not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
So, and this is all very smart PR. Kristi Noem, who's the head of the Department of Homeland Security, yesterday she announced that she was clawing back payments that FEMA had given to a migrant hotel, the Roosevelt Hotel. She wrote, quote, I've clawed back the full payment FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to New York City migrant hotels.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
FEMA was funding the Roosevelt Hotel that serves as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to house Lake and Riley's killer. Mark my words, there will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people. And the entire government is being brought to bear behind the idea that they're going to cut the size and scope of the government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
All this talk about Musk being a fascist, Trump being a fascist, they're all Nazis. When was the last time you saw a fascist movement that was cutting the size and scope of government? Please name it. Seriously, name it. Attorney General Pam Bondi, fresh off of her confirmation, she says we will use every aspect of law to back what Elon Musk is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And frankly, I thought that that was the correct approach. Because there was no actual end goal that was achievable. And the Biden administration was openly admitting this. They were saying, we are going to provide weaponry up until victory is achieved. How is victory defined? They said, we don't know. Well, you cannot win a war if you refuse to define victory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
I mean, again, this is a very aggressive approach and it's going to be very popular. Americans are going to like this. Democrats are going to cry chaos. We'll get to democratic reaction in just a minute.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
But what they are saying when they say that the judges are being overridden and all the rest of this, Americans are not in the business of listening to district court judges who say we have to keep spending wasteful dollars because they say so. There's another point that Pam Bondi was making yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
She is right about all of that. By the way, a judge yesterday did, in fact, lift the ban on Trump's buyout offer to federal employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
According to the Washington Post, a judge on Wednesday lifted his pause on the federal government's deferred resignation program, prompting the Trump administration to swiftly declare victory as it closed the offer to any more workers who might still have been mulling it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That program had been halted since last Thursday, but now the judge said that the union's lawsuit could not succeed because they lacked standing to sue him because his court lacked jurisdiction. Well, good. So, I mean, I thought that it was evil for Trump to do so. I mean, Trump didn't even like continue doing the thing. But again, all these things are going to go to the Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And what's amazing is that the left keeps taking legal positions that are pretty much unsustainable on executive power. If Trump were designing in a laboratory some methodology for legally giving the go ahead and giving the imprimatur of Supreme Court legitimacy to his actions, he's basically doing it. He's doing things that are pretty uncontroversial, actually, under the Constitution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He's being sued. District court judges are ruling against him with these nationwide temporary restraining orders. All that's going to get elevated to the Supreme Court. And in all likelihood, Trump's actions are going to get upheld. That is where we currently stand. In just a second, we'll get to the leftist resistance. They are searching for a methodology of resistance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Singing is one of those methodologies. I'm not even joking with you. First, the best reason to become a Daily Wire Plus member, you're directly supporting the fight. Every dollar goes right back into building a real alternative to the mainstream. More shows, more movies, more investigative journalism. This is how we continue to reshape the culture. But here's another reason.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
If you like this show... There's more of it waiting for you. Only Daily Wire Plus members get exclusive content at the end of every episode. The show after the show, plus live chats and more. Don't just listen, be a part of it. Download the Daily Wire Plus app or go to dailywire.com slash subscribe and become a member today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Meanwhile, Democrats are looking for a way to resist the ongoing Trump train. It's not going amazing. Their tip of the spear in terms of personalities is, believe it or not, Bernie Sanders, who's 100,000 years old. Bernie Sanders was a colleague of Eugene V. Debs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And again, either victory is going to be the taking back of all Ukrainian territory, which would have required the Biden administration to send F-16s to Ukraine, among other things. Or victory had to be defined in some other way, in which case an off-ramp should have been sought. Trump is taking a much more concerted view at reality. And so he has now opened negotiations with the Russian regime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Bernie Sanders may in fact have marched with the original Karl Marx, and yet he is being trotted out as the ideological thought leader of the Democratic Party because always and forever, the Democrats continue to double down on stupid. Instead of moderating and moving more toward common sense, they have decided that all of the juice is with the far left. And listen, it could work out for them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
You could see a world where, for some exogenous reason, the economy goes through a really rough patch and suddenly the entire country swivels and the pendulum swings the other way and suddenly you got AOC as president. You could see that because, again, politics is unpredictable, but... Is it a smart move to put Bernie Sanders at the head of your ideological party? I don't see how.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
It hasn't really borne tremendous fruit for them, but they continue to do it. According to Politico, Bernie Sanders, the two-time presidential candidate, is barnstorming Iowa and Nebraska to rally voters against what he calls the oligarchy, the kind of high-profile offensive that typically signals a potential run for the White House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
In Sanders' case, he's more likely paving the way for someone to follow in his footsteps. Well, is he, though? Is he? I mean, so Bernie Sanders right now is 83 years old. Could he run for president in two years at 85? I mean, be good. Why not? I mean, seriously, he's probably looking at Joe Biden and thinking, I'm a spring chicken next to that guy, and that guy was president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Sanders is supposedly not interested in mounting a third presidential campaign, but he's trying to figure out who would carry the torch in 2028. Ben Cohen, of Ben and Jerry's fame, The ice cream shop, the socialist ice cream shop that is not, in fact, socialist. He says, I have no doubt that weighs heavily on his mind.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
I have no doubt that's a focus of his, as it would be with anyone who's passionate about a campaign, who's passionate about particular issues and is reaching, according to the actuarial tables, the end of their lives. Sanders is hoping to use his megaphone to invigorate a demoralized liberal base to fight back against President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk as they slash the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Meanwhile, Roseanne Tamora, longtime friend of Sanders and former labor leader said, quote, I think he's trying to inspire a very strong resistance to the oligarchy. And it is hilarious to me that the oligarchy is being called Elon Musk when Elon Musk is cutting the size and scope of government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
How do you make the case that an oligarchy is running the country on its own behalf when they are literally cutting the amount of funding available to other people and to themselves, by the way? Elon is a contractor with the federal government. All of his contracts are put under federal scrutiny. He's going to get more scrutiny now than he would have if he never involved himself in politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
For sure. By far. Not close. Sanders apparently has a more immediate target in mind. He's looking to influence the budget fight ruling Congress by traveling to battleground districts as part of his upcoming tour. It'll be fascinating to see who he attempts to tap as a sort of heir apparent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
There's been a lot of talk about AOC, which again, we live in a very stupid timeline, so that is quite possible. Meanwhile, speaking of a stupid timeline, Democrats yesterday came up with their piece de resistance. And it was, in fact, a song, a beautiful, beautiful song sung by members of Congress. Somehow, somehow, this is worse than sexy red.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Wow, that's beautiful. That's just beautiful. Apparently they were activists at a save the civil service rally because there's nothing that unifies Americans like save the civil service, save the government employees, save the people you are paying so they can do trash DEI jobs or file retirement paperwork in salt mines or something. That is a classic protest song.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
By the way, which side are you on? But it was adapted to be about Doge and Elon Musk. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Is this what you guys got? Really? And they're trotting out all the most popular faces. They got Bernie and then they've got Randy Weingarten, the super corrupt head of the American Federation of Teachers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
They're trotting her out to say that she's going to sue everybody in sight because there's nothing Americans love more than career bureaucrats and union leaders who have miseducated our children, trying to sue everyone into stopping the train for which they voted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He has put forward a proposal that he meet with Vladimir Putin directly. He revealed on Wednesday, according to the New York Post, that he and Russian President Putin had agreed to start talks immediately to end Moscow's war on Ukraine. He said he wanted to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war with Ukraine-Russia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Invasion of privacy. The American Federation of Teachers, which wants to remove your children from you and trans them. They are very deeply concerned about the invasion of privacy of Elon Musk might know your social security number while he's looking to possible cuts. Well, they do have another strategy, which is to just call Elon Musk over and over and over.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That's Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, who did that yesterday. Again, Democrats are a little frustrated.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Well, wow. Wow. Notice what Democrats are trying to do, and it's not going to work. They just keep saying President Elon Musk over and over and over, hoping that that will somehow see discontent between Trump and Musk. That is not the way this is going. But here's MSNBC trying to do the same thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
They're so desperate to stop Musk that they're trying to basically get Trump to fire Musk out of some sort of misplaced egotism. It's not going to happen, guys. That's not how this works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He said that this war would not have happened if I were president, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost. He said that he and his Russian counterpart expressed openness to visiting each other's nations. While letting slip to reporters in the Oval Office Wednesday, we expect that he'll come here and I'll go there, and we're also probably going to meet in Saudi Arabia.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
This is not going to work. Carolyn Leavitt, the White House press secretary, here she was yesterday saying, you know, you guys are being ridiculous with your Musk has the power. He works for the president. This is somewhat like saying that my producer is the co-host of the Men Shapiro show. I love my producers, but I'm the host and they're the producer and they work for the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That's how that works. I mean, I understand that Democrats have never worked in the private sector, and so they don't actually understand, presumably, how this actually operates, but here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Yes. Again, if this is the best you guys got, it's going to be a long time in the wilderness for all y'all. Meanwhile, President Trump continues to move forward. This administration is moving at the speed of light. I mean, they're moving so fast. Yesterday, President Trump vowed to shut down the Department of Education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Again, that has been a promise that has been made since the Reagan administration. As long as I'm alive and Trump is actually going to do it, he's going to outsource all of the functions of the Department of Education to other departments. And if he doesn't fully shut down the Department of Education because he requires congressional approval to do it, he'll just gut it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And that was a Ukrainian attempt, backed by Europe, backed by the Biden administration, to take back portions of the country that had essentially been conquered by Russia in 2014 after the Euromaidan revolution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That's precisely what he should do. The Department of Education is a giant subsidy machine for left-wing causes. That's what it is. Here is President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
By the way, one of the things that Trump – it's so funny. Democrats continue to claim that Trump is some sort of idiot. I'd like some evidence of this proposition, please. Really? He goes out there and talks to the press every single day. He has a fairly solid level of fluency with the issues about which he is speaking. He's not afraid to take the questions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Trump added on Truth Social, the negotiation process will begin by calling President Zelensky of Ukraine to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He's not hiding behind his old age the same way that Joe Biden did. You guys are getting run over and you deserve it. All right, coming up, speaking of getting run over, Pam Bondi is now suing, the attorney general is now suing the state of New York over illegal immigration. If you're not a member, become a member, use code Shapiro, check out for two months free on all annual plans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And then he revealed that any American delegation to the peace talks would be led by the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Mike Walz, and Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Zelensky then confirmed in a Facebook statement that he and Donald Trump had a meaningful conversation about opportunities to achieve peace and discussed our readiness to work together at a team level and Ukraine's technological capabilities, including drones and other advanced industries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
In other words, he was making an argument to Trump that the United States should provide Ukraine with enough weaponry to fend off any future Russian attack. Now, in reality, Zelensky is going to have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the deal, at least publicly. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Well, because let's assume you're a Ukrainian citizen and you've watched your brothers and sisters get murdered by the Russians, which is what has happened over the course of this war. You're talking about hundreds of thousands of people, if you combine both sides, dead and wounded.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
So let's say you're a Ukrainian citizen and you've been told by Zelensky that you're going to not just win the war, you're going to push the Russians off of every inch of Ukrainian land. And now you're going to get less than that. Zelensky is going to have to take the political hit unless the United States is willing to take the political hit. Biden never was. Biden always...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
was cowardly, pusillanimous when it came to the idea that he would take the hit for anything less than a full Ukrainian victory. He did not want to be blamed for Ukraine not being able to push Russia off that land. So instead, he decided to let the war percolate and simmer on. And he was willing to allow his poll numbers to be boosted by Russian and Ukrainian debt. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Because he was unwilling to do the thing that actually had to be done, which was in public. Biden would need to have negotiated a deal with Putin over Zelensky's head and then crammed down the deal on Zelensky. And that would have made him a bad guy in the eyes of many members of the left in the United States. who for some odd reason decided that the Ukrainian flag was gonna go in their profile.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Now, again, that's fine with me. You wanna put the Ukrainian flag in your Twitter profile or whatever, but the reality is, That if that's the only flag in your profile, it's kind of strange. And not only that, putting the Ukrainian flag in your profile seems less like objection to Russian intervention.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
The attempt to take the Donbass and Crimea back from Russian forces, that was largely doomed to failure because the only way to do that would have been to arm up the Ukrainians to the extent that it might have prompted a larger Russian intervention using perhaps things like tactical nuclear weapons. That is the only way that could have been done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
I don't remember a Georgian flag in any of these people's profile or even a Ukrainian flag back in 2014 in their profile. I just remember it in 2022. And that was largely because it was tied to the idea that Russia was a pro-Trump force. There's a lot of domestic politics tied up in all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
But if Joe Biden had been a brave and capable leader, what he would have done is he would have negotiated the off ramp that everyone saw coming. The off ramp looks something like this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Ukraine does not become a part of NATO because, again, one of the reasons that Russia says that invaded Ukraine is because it didn't want to be bordered by NATO nations, even though it already has a bunch of borders with NATO nations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Instead, there would have been effectively a mutual defense guarantee between the United States and Europe and Ukraine to prevent a further act of Russian aggression that was not exactly NATO. There wouldn't have been an entry by Ukraine into the EU, which has always been a sort of hot button issue in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
In fact, Vladimir Zelensky, when he was first elected, was not somebody who is considered supremely pro-entering the EU, believe it or not. It's only after the Russian invasion that he seemed to turn wildly in that direction. And what the deal looks like is Ukraine is armed up to prevent a further Russian invasion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Russia gets to claim sovereignty over these areas, which, by the way, it already has in its own Duma. They've already voted to claim sovereignty over Donbass and Crimea. The international community probably half accepts it. They don't say, yeah, this is now sovereign Russian territory, but they say that we are not going to foment war over the retaking of that territory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And then everybody sort of goes weapons down for the moment. That doesn't end the conflict. It's more like the Korean War. There's an armistice line. There was never any peace agreement signed at the end of the Korean War. It just ended up that there was a North Korea and a South Korea, and that armistice line has been holding since 1953.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Probably the best case scenario is something like that in this particular situation. Well, President Trump said that. And by the way, President Trump is not willing to allow Vladimir Putin to sort of slow play this. to wait for Trump to withdraw aid and then invade the rest of Ukraine. I said this all during the campaign.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
There was all of this talk, loose talk by both isolationists on the right and nutjobs on the left that Trump was going to walk into office, immediately pull all aid from Ukraine and allow Vladimir Putin to stroll down the streets of Kiev. I said that was not something that Trump was willing to do. Why? Because Trump doesn't want the bad headline.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Trump does not want a headline in which he surrenders Ukraine to Vladimir Putin. If there's one thing that President Trump cares about on a personal level, it is not being made to look weak and feckless. And so he was always going to provide continued aid to the point where some sort of off-ramp could be reached. He said that yesterday in a presser.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
President Trump is a strong president, and he wishes to actually give off the image of a strong president, which is why he's not going to cut off the aid. See, here's the thing. President Trump is deeply American, and this country was founded on strength and on freedom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Freedom from a country that forced us to buy overpriced tea and then tried to blockade us when we dumped their tea into the ocean, which is why Britain no longer rules us. Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
With a qualifying plan, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service on America's most dependable 5G network. Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 with a qualifying plan by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. You can make the switch in as little as 10 minutes. No hassle, no gimmicks, just honest-to-goodness wireless priced right. Again,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Or to allow the Ukrainians to attack inside Russia in such a way that could have provoked a larger war. Now, it may be that those concerns over a larger war were exaggerated. However, the risk-reward relationship there was out of balance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That's puretalk.com to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company. Visit puretalk.com for details. Again, that's puretalk.com and get the best wireless for the best price. Also... You can choose to handle the measurements and installation yourself or have their local pros take care of everything. There's no showroom markup.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Installation is just one low cost, regardless of how many windows you're covering. I'm a big movie guy, and when I'm watching a movie on the TV and I've got the light shining in through the windows and it's reflecting, it just ruins everything. I need my perfect movie-watching environment, which is why I trusted Blinds.com. I don't worry about this anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
It's no wonder they're the number one online retailer of custom window coverings with over 40,000 five-star reviews. Every purchase is backed by their perfect fit and 100% satisfaction guarantee, giving you complete peace of mind. With hundreds of styles and colors available, you're sure to find the perfect match for your home. Shop Blinds.com right now. Save up to 45%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
Get up to 45% off for a limited time at Blinds.com. When you check out online, don't forget to tell them you heard about Blinds.com from the Ben Shapiro Show. Rules and restrictions may apply. Again, Donald Trump speaks to the press every single day. Here he was in the Oval yesterday talking about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
This is a pragmatic utilitarian approach to the situation. It has been the correct approach for several years. Joe Biden just was unwilling to do it because Trump will be seen by many people on the left, particularly as a bad guy for having sold out Ukraine. But the reality is Ukraine was never going to be able to retake this territory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And this is something the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said yesterday. He said, listen, Trying to go back to the pre-2014 borders, namely Donbass and Crimea becoming an integral part of Ukraine again, that is not realistic at this time. And trying to pretend that it is, is foolishness that leads to death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
The reality was that the West had very little interest in Ukraine fighting a large scale war to take back Donbass and Crimea, areas that are predominantly by virtually all polling data, even before the fake Russian Democratic takeover. Those areas were very pro-Russian historically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He is correct about this. Again, this has always been the correct position. I've been advocating for this position since a couple of months into the war. So Trump had a conversation with Zelensky, and then he put out a statement, quote, he, like President Putin, wants to make peace.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
We discussed a variety of topics having to do with the war, but mostly the meeting that is being set up on Friday in Munich, where Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the delegation. I am hopeful that the result of that meeting will be positive. It is time to stop this ridiculous war where there has been massive and totally unnecessary death and destruction.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine. And again, Trump is trying to warm relations with Russia, given the fact that the cold relationship with Russia has not been particularly productive at this point in time. Does that mean that he trusts the right? Absolutely not. Trump is not a fool. He's not going to trust Vladimir Putin, who's a deeply untrustworthy evil dictator. That's what he is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He throws people off third stories of buildings if they happen to cross his regime. But Trump understands power politics is something he innately understands in his bones. The president goes on, quote, we both reflected on the great history of our nations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
He's talking about his discussion with Putin and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering that Russia lost tens of millions of people and we likewise lost so many. We each talked about the strengths of our respective nations and the great benefit we will someday have in working together. President Putin even used my very strong campaign motto of common sense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
We both believe very strongly in it. And now, again, Trump likes to use warm words as sort of the carrot, but then the stick still exists. As he said, the aid is going to continue flowing to Ukraine sufficient to deter the Russians from continuing this invasion. In fact, Trump actually said in the Oval Office, he thinks that some of the pre-2014 territory will, in fact, end up in Ukrainian hands.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
That presumably is because Ukraine, basically ignoring Joe Biden, made territorial incursions directly into Russia, and now they're looking for land swaps, Russian territory for Ukrainian territory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
And so Russia taking over those areas, while it is devastating to the economy of Ukraine, much of the oil-rich area of Ukraine is in its east in the Donbass region. Crimea, of course, is on the Black Sea. And so much of the warm water ports available to the Ukrainians were via Crimea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2138 - Tulsi CONFIRMED, Trump Pushes UKRAINE DEAL
OK, so again, does this sound like Donald Trump is surrendering to Vladimir Putin? If so, you are reading him completely wrong. Now, Hegseth is, again, being practical about this. He says this is not the moment for Ukraine to join NATO because that presumably would be provocative. But we can make many of the same security guarantees without actually them formally joining NATO.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Well, folks, President Trump lives in the world of reality, as I've been saying for a very long time. When the headlines change, so does the president's opinion on things. We'll get to that in a moment. First, at Daily Wire Plus, as you know, we lead with facts. We deliver the truth from the most trusted voices in conservative media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
OK, and then the president went on to say the bond markets were getting queasy. So in other words, the people who are getting yippee and queasy shaped what exactly was happening with his opinion. And if everybody else had stayed strong, then presumably he would have gone forward with the plan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So if you're happy that he reversed the plan, which apparently Trump fans are today, as they should be, then what caused it? This is a question because it does relate to who is trustworthy in the public space when you're talking about these issues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The people who would be just as happy if he left the tariffs on or the people who are happy that he took the tariffs off and always thought he should take the tariffs off except for on China. And again, President Trump just says the quiet part out loud. I mean, he just he says it again. The people who are positing that this was all part of the of the magical Ocean's Eleven plan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
All those people keep getting undercut by the fact that the president of the United States is telling them openly that that's not what happened. Here is the president yesterday. He said the stock market is doing great. But wait, I thought five seconds ago that Wall Street and Main Street were in complete opposition. We should pay no attention to the stock markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
They were just filled with a bunch of dullards and and queasy hipsters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, so whether you think we had to go through the operation or we didn't have to go through the operation, bottom line is we ended up in a spot that is a much better spot than we were in three days ago. And again, all of the reporting suggests precisely the theory that the president changed where he was on this because of the reaction. Again, that is a praise of the president, not a rip on him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
If the president changes his opinion for utilitarian reasons in order to achieve a better end goal, that's him being smart. It would be stupid to continue running full speed into a wall in the name of Peter Navarro's benighted idiocy with regard to trade. You don't need Ron Vera guiding you on trade, Mr. President.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan appeared on Fox Business specifically to message to the president because the president watches Fox News. Jamie Dimon has essentially admitted as much. Here he was Wednesday morning explaining that a tariff war would bring a almost certain recession.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
If you want to see a real bull market, the president should fire Peter Navarro today if he wants to see an actual bull market run. Charlie Gasparino at Fox News, he was reporting from the White House. He said, yeah, pretty clearly this was sparked by the bond market sell-off.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
I mean, historically speaking, this is correct. He, of course, is exactly right. When you're talking about bond yields dramatically spiking, very often that presages serious economic turmoil, downturns, and all the rest of signals an underlying real problem. In fact, I asked my sponsor, Perplexity. About this, I asked, quote, can you please provide historical examples of situations in which U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
bond yields spiked dramatically? How often did they presage serious economic turmoil? Perplexity says, historically, spikes in U.S. bond yields have often signaled economic stress or shifts in fiscal and monetary policy. In some cases, they have preceded serious economic turmoil. And then it gives a bunch of examples, including the 1980-81 inflation and Paul Volcker's rate hikes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So bond yields surged because investors anticipated aggressive action by Paul Volcker to combat inflation. And you got a recession, 1993-94. The yields on 10-year treasuries rose from around 5% to 8% as bond traders reacted to increased government spending. And what ended up happening? Clinton ended up reversing. He's got absolutely clocked in midterm elections in 1994.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Republicans won Congress for the first time in like 50 years. And then he reversed his policy. 2009, 2010, following the 2008 financial crisis, bond yields rose amid concerns over inflation and unsustainable debt levels. And then the Federal Reserve had to step in. 2013, yields spiked after Ben Bernanke hinted at reducing quantitative easing. 2020, 21, pandemic, it happened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And then of course it just happened the other day. So as Perplexity.ai points out, while not all yield spikes lead directly to economic crises, they frequently signal underlying vulnerabilities in fiscal or monetary policy that may contribute to turmoil if left unaddressed. In other words, bond yields don't spike for no reason at all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
There is a reason the bond yield spiked and there's a reason why President Trump saw that and went, you know, maybe I should do a U-turn here. Fox News also reported that even staffers in the White House were taken by surprise by President Trump's about face. So the idea, again, that this was like a well thought out plan with everybody involved, clearly not for the staffers of the White House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The Wall Street Journal itself has a long report today on exactly why President Trump changed his opinion. And he did. Let's be clear. He changed his approach here. Why did that happen? Because he responds to reality. He's a president who lives in reality. And I don't know why this is so offensive to people who are big Trump fans. That's a good thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And yet it's also offensive to people on the left who think that President Trump lives in fantasy land. Clearly, he does not. He puts forward a proposal. If the proposal breaks all the rules and the rules were stupid, he maintains the proposal. If it breaks all the rules and it turns out that things are going to crater, then he changes where he was. And that's precisely what he did here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
OK, between him saying that and also the bond market completely wrecking itself on Wednesday morning, the president of the United States saw the reality and he reversed himself. The bond market sell-off that was initiated by President Trump's statements about tariffs, meaning that people started selling their bonds in the market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
According to the Wall Street Journal, quote, President Trump finally blinked. It took a week for the plunge in the stock and bond markets, along with the sustained campaign by executives, lawmakers, lobbyists, and foreign leaders to prompt Trump to roll back for 90 days a major element of his sweeping tariff plan. The president said the reaction to the tariffs was getting a bit yippy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
like a nervous athlete unable to perform. And he relied on his instincts to change course as he watched the bond market tank and listened to business leaders, including Jamie Dimon, express fears of recession. The episode was classic Trump. He took a drastic action, closely tracked the reaction, kept advisors and allies guessing, and then changed course.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
In this case, the extraordinary reversal was announced via Trump's social media platform just hours after so-called reciprocal tariffs officially went into effect. He tapped out the post in the Oval Office as he sat with Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Trump also significantly raised tariffs on China. So what exactly happened? Quote,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
He decided on a Wednesday morning. It's all part of the plan, but he decided. Besson said more than 75 countries have reached out seeking a deal to ease tariffs with Japan at the front of the queue. One key to the change, Trump's decision to give Besson more authority within his team of trade advisors, people close to the discussion said, along with the talks on Sunday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Besson flew down Sunday to Florida. I reported on this yesterday. Politico had reported on this. Besson flew down Sunday to Florida and afterward was authorized to make comments publicly about deals, which heartened many people close to Trump who believe the Treasury Secretary could find an exit ramp.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And indeed, on Wednesday morning, as Scott Besant went out there and retailed deal after deal after deal, the markets were kind of roiling, but they had not yet dumped. And I tweeted shortly before President Trump actually U-turned. I tweeted that Besant was single-handedly holding the markets up because that was absolutely true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
If you were an investor and we were watching Howard Lutnick, you were selling. And if you were watching Scott Besant, you were not selling. And it was pretty much that simple because Besant represented the off-ramps. When the two men returned to Washington together on Air Force One, Besant encouraged Trump to focus on negotiations according to a person familiar with the conversation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Another factor that made Trump more willing to relent on tariffs was that so many countries are in negotiations with the administration. Trump was also swayed by the stock market and the parade of business leaders expressing concerns about the tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
People who say what you can, who fight where you can't, and who won't back down. Members get this show ad-free and unfiltered with live chat, investigative journalism that takes you inside the story, and premium entertainment that actually reflects your values. Now is the time to become a member. Go to dailywire.com slash subscribe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So in other words, all the people who he labeled panic hands who were in his ear telling him this was a bad idea, he listened to them as he should have. Over the past few days, executives and lobbyists had flooded White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' phone according to a person close to her. A White House aide noted it was standard for the president's chief of staff to feel calls on his behalf.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The message delivered to Trump and his top advisors by chief executives was that they needed to find an off-ramp. He privately acknowledged his trade policy, Trump did, could trigger a recession, but said he wanted to be sure it didn't cause a depression, according to people familiar with the conversations. Trump was also in listening mode.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Over the past few days, he has been asking friends and advisors about the markets, and he was indicating he was closely watching them. Again, this is all the Wall Street Journal. This is being reported.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
They were so disquieted by what was happening that they realized they couldn't be in stocks. The stock market was about to tank. And they realized they couldn't shift their money over to bonds because inflation was going to kick in, which meant that the bonds would be worthless as inflation increased. So bonds were not a safe haven. And so people started selling their bonds off.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
At the White House on Wednesday, he had lunch with financier and investor Charles Schwab and with Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who had warned Michigan was already feeling the impact of the tariffs throughout its automotive industry. On Tuesday evening, Trump said he absorbed the bad news about the plummeting bond market. I saw last night where people were getting a little queasy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
He then watched Diamond's interview Wednesday morning with Maria Bartiromo. That's when we played a few minutes ago. During the interview, Diamond said a recession was a likely outcome. Diamond has not had a substantive conversation with Trump for years, apparently, but his appearance on Fox Business had been in place for some time, and Diamond knew Trump and his inner circle often watched Fox.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Trump told reporters he'd been thinking about pausing tariffs over the last few days, adding, quote, it probably came together early this morning, fairly early this morning. We wrote it up from our hearts, Trump said. We don't want to hurt countries that don't need to be hurt and they all want to negotiate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So again, this idea that this was sort of like brilliantly negotiated all the way back a week ago or a month ago, it's not true, but that doesn't matter. That's good. It means he is listening to outside advice. It means he's listening to the markets. It means he watches the realities of the world and these are all good things. President Trump listened because he is not a stupid man.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Granted, no one actually likes speed dating, but people do like hiring qualified candidates quickly. Wouldn't it be nice if there were an efficient format that allows you to connect with several pre-screened, interested applicants all at once, streamlining your recruitment process? Well, there's good news. There is. It's Zip Intro from Zip Recruiter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
You maintain complete control over which applicants you'd like to meet. The best part, you could be connecting with promising talent as early as tomorrow through their efficient back-to-back video call format. It's hiring made remarkably simple. Enjoy the benefits of speed hiring with new Zip Intro. Only from Zip Recruiter, rated number one hiring site based on G2.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The bond yields spiked yesterday morning. All the way up to the 30-year bond yield spiked all the way up to 5%, meaning that no one was buying bonds. Everybody was selling bonds at a particular time. And so the president of the United States did what he was supposed to do. And he saw reality and he changed his mind. That is the thing that actually happened. And naturally, the stocks rallied.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Canada's Mark Carney, the prime minister who replaced Justin Trudeau, he says that this is a welcome reprieve. He put out a tweet, quote, this pause on reciprocal tariffs announced by President Trump is a welcome reprieve for the global economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
As President Trump and I have agreed, the US president and Canadian prime minister will commence negotiations on a new economic and security relationship immediately following the federal election. As part of today's announcement, the president has signaled that the US will engage in bilateral negotiations with a number of other countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
This will likely result in a fundamental restructuring of the global trading system. In that context, Canada must also continue to deepen its relationships with trading partners that share our values, including the free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
This election is importantly about who can best fight for Canadian families, workers, and businessmen at the negotiating tables with the United States and other potential partner countries. So that is Canada looking for an off-ramp. The tariffs on China remain, and that is going to be the big sort of push down on the economy in the near future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Now, that may be pain that is worthy of going through. I've been an advocate of tariffing the living hell out of China for as long as I can remember. I've said for years, I'm not even sure it was good policy in the 1970s for Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon to open China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Maybe we should have just let them collapse from within instead of ushering them into the global trading system with the bizarre hope that this was somehow going to moderate their politics. Instead, they've retained all of their authoritarianism, but they've also gained enormous amounts of global economic power.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
With that said, the shock and awe of the tariffs that President Trump is putting on, those will have ramifications. There's no question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The pre-markets were down fairly significantly because the reality is that 10% across the board tariffs are staying, which will in fact lead to some level of inflation, not remotely the kind of thing that was going to happen if President Trump had been putting 40 or 50% tariffs on a wide variety of inputs and goods from other countries, but it will lead to a global economic slowdown of some effect.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Meanwhile, the markets are trying to price in what it means that we are slamming the door on China's fingers really, really, really hard. So Scott Pesant, he's going after China hard. Again, I'm all in on this. I think this is good. I think we should be going after China hard. The question is going to be the sort of approach that is being taken. Is this a negotiating tactic?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
What is the off-ramp with China if there is one? Because there are risks that attend on upping the ante with China in this sort of dramatic, non-escalatory fashion, just kind of like ramping up to zero to 60 in 2.6 seconds. Here's Scott Pesant going after China yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So again, for all the people who believe that the stock market didn't matter five seconds ago, when the stock market was declining, we were told the stock market didn't matter. And then when the stock market spiked after President Trump did this, we were told that the stock market now mattered an awful lot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So Besant, again, is basically saying choose China or choose us. And then he says we will keep slapping China. This is yesterday after the U-turn and reversal by President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
OK, then he continued along these lines, says, listen, China can hurt us, but we're going to hurt them more in a trade war, which is true, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, so he's pointing out here that, again, we do an enormous amount of trade with Europe. We do an enormous amount of trade with the global south. Now, there are countries that trade much more with China than they trade with us. Japan is one of those countries, for example. Kind of approximately the same percentage of Japan's export market goes to the United States as goes to China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
They import significantly more from China, Japan does, than they import from the United States, for example. However, there is, in fact, bipartisan consensus that China cheats. And they do. They steal intellectual property. They make it impossible to do actual, solid, honest business in their country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
If you contravene their belief system, they will shut down your business and in some cases just steal your property. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin, no ally of the president. She was out there stumping against China yesterday on CNN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
One of the same people who a moment ago were saying a giant global tariff war would actually be salutary and good for the United States, who then reversed themselves and said, actually, it was all part of the plan. A tariff war would have been super bad, and we're glad the president actually planned it out this way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And so, again, there's bipartisan consensus for this. So what actually is going to happen next? And this is one of the big questions. And this, again, is why the market is roiled. Because China does have tools it can use against the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
According to the Wall Street Journal, the escalating trade conflict between the United States and China has reignited fears that Beijing could use financial markets to hit back at Washington. China is one of the largest overseas owners of U.S. government debt. There have long been fears that China could dump U.S. treasuries that make up a large chunk of its foreign exchange reserves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
China owned about $1.2 trillion in U.S. treasury securities in January, but they might be able to actually own more because they have third parties that are buying them and all the rest. U.S. government data showed China owned about $761 billion of treasuries as of January, trailing only Japan. That data covers treasuries held by both the government and private investors.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Some have speculated about whether China was behind this week's treasury sell-off. Goldman Sachs said that they were skeptical of that, but China could also use its currency. They could devalue the yuan to help offset the impact of tariffs. The yuan's value is tightly controlled by the central bank. Investors have watched the daily fix. They could be subsidizing their domestic industries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
There's a bunch of stuff that China could try to do. All of it would hurt China. The real question is, Is there an off ramp here for China that forces them to, for example, abide by IP regulations? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Why don't we just get your position at the outset, and then we can tell whether you are fibbing or not in order to achieve a particular political end. Okay, President Trump made that announcement and naturally the market spiked.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Of course, because everyone in the investment community, everybody who understands how basic economics 101 works understood that when the president backed off of the most severe tariff regime in modern history, that that would spike the markets. That was perfectly obvious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
I was at the gym yesterday working out when this went down, and I was watching the stock tickers, and suddenly the markets jumped 2,000 points.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And I turned and said to a friend, he must have paused the tariffs because that was obviously the only reason that the markets would spike, which suggests that, again, the investment community is not stupid when it comes to, you know, investment and economics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
According to the Wall Street Journal, investors had spent nearly a week dumping everything American when seven minutes after markets opened on Wednesday, the president posted on social media it was time to buy. By the day's end, U.S. stocks staged a historic rally after another Trump post announced a 90-day pause on some tariffs and signaled a willingness to negotiate on trade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Wednesday's surge added a record $5.1 trillion in value to the market. So the president did what he was supposed to do. He prevented a global market sell-off, a complete tanking. President Trump then came out and he said, we will be making deals with every country that is not China. Again, this is the thing that he should be doing. This is it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So yesterday at one o'clock in the afternoon, the president of the United States made a U-turn on his tariff policy. He put out a statement on Truth Social that read, "'Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the world's markets, I am hereby raising the tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125% effective immediately.'"
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And the president then made clear that any military action would be led by Israel, not led by the United States. This is the right approach. And all the people out there, of course, suggesting that a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities using, for example, American B-2s or B-21s, that that would somehow lead to an all out war with Iran. Yeah. What's Iran going to do? Attack Hawaii? Well, what?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Kudos to the president for doing the right thing and you turning on the policy that he announced last week with that corkboard. Here he was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
This president authorized the killing of Qasem Soleimani, and it resulted in zero repercussions from the Iranians, because it turns out Iran is a particularly weak state that does not have projective power against the United States. If they get a nuclear weapon, a lot of that changes. That's President Trump's whole point. And meanwhile, the president should be avoiding distractions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Again, I've been saying since he was elected, before he was elected, that if this administration does all the things President Trump wants it to do, that is only going to happen if distractions are avoided. And that means avoiding the sort of
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
water torture that is drips and drops of action that are unpopular with the American people, because the way that relationships go bad is a bunch of smaller things, and then the floor goes out, and there isn't enough goodwill to hold up the relationship with the politician.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Yesterday, the president announced that he was revoking the security clearances belonging to former CISA leader Chris Krabs, and also ex-DHS official Miles Taylor. Now, Miles Taylor is a bit of a different story, because Miles Taylor was writing anonymous op-eds from inside the Trump administration while the president was the president. Chris Krebs is a bit of a different story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So Chris Krebs is an appointee of President Trump, and he was leading the cybersecurity agency. It's not just that he decided that he was going to revoke security clearances, which of course he has the power to do. He also signed an executive order calling for the DOJ to investigate their activities as government employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So again, Taylor was the chief of staff to Homeland Security Secretary during the first Trump administration. Then he started writing anonymous accounts, ripping into President Trump. He fired Krebs by tweet after Krebs fact-checked the president and said that the 2020 election was the most secure in American history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Trump called Krebs a wise guy, a fraud, and a disgrace during Wednesday's signing. I'm not sure that any of that is criminal. Here he was instructing the DOJ to investigate his own former cybersecurity head.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, so again, this sort of stuff is a distraction and it's a mistake by the president. He should not be sticking the DOJ on people who have a different opinion about the 2020 election. Again, including people who are inside his own administration. Even if you disagree with Chris Krebs' viewpoint on this, that doesn't make it criminal activity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And if it's bad when the Democrats do it to President Trump, you know, using the DOJ to simply go after political opponents is not good when President Trump does it either. All right, folks, now it's time for a segment that we are now initiating in which I break down a terrible argument of the week piece by piece. Today's featured takedown is John Oliver. from HBO.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Somehow that dude still has a show. Not sure why, but he did an entire monologue this week about why men who want to play with ladies in sports should be allowed to do so. It is not a good argument, so let's go through it. This is The Takedown. The stupidest segment of the week. It comes courtesy of John Oliver, who should immediately have his citizenship revoked and he should be deported.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, so that's what everybody's talking about. That's what people want. I said this literally the day that he announced the tariff regime, that if it was a negotiating tactic to get everybody back to the table, then fine, but you actually have to say that, and then you have to give people time to negotiate those deals. I was not the only one saying this. Of course, Elon Musk was saying this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
I understand. He's a citizen now. I don't know why we gave him citizenship, truly. I don't know what he added to the country, except for obnoxious smarminess and a British accent. He did one of the dumber monologues the other night I've ever seen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
John Oliver is so trapped inside the left-wing echo chamber that he actually believes that it's necessary for him to defend the idea that men should punch women in a boxing ring, that quote-unquote trans athletes must be allowed to play with members of the opposite biological sex.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And in order to make this claim, he somehow has to square the circle of pretending that men playing with women is not unfair to the women, which means he now has to pretend that actually men are not better at sports than women. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
There are a bunch of... Okay, pause it there for a second. Okay, first of all, this is amazing. I love this. Okay, so he's like, you know, we can't look at studies that say that men are stronger than women because we're now talking about men who have had a bunch of hormone treatments. So we don't know. And so we have to look at the studies of men who have had hormones, but there are no studies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Therefore, men who have hormone treatments don't have any sort of accessibilities over women. Therefore, they should be allowed to play with women. This is a classic in the genre of absence of evidence does not equal evidence of absence. Okay? In other words, absence of evidence that men with hormone treatments have an advantage over women does not mean evidence of absence of that advantage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
This is like a classic logical fallacy in which he is engaging right here. So he's like, we can't look at these studies that say that men are stronger than women. We have to look at the non-existent studies. But those studies don't exist. And therefore, men don't have an advantage over women. Okay, my dude, that is not how logic works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, pause it there. This is hilarious. Again, this is hilarious. He's laying out a bunch of studies. that don't support his own position. But then he's dismissing the studies because the sample size is too small. So he has literally cited zero evidence for his proposition so far. And somehow he's going to magic that into the idea that men playing against women is somehow fair.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Bill Ackman was saying this. A number of people were saying this. Scott Besson, the Treasury Secretary, who essentially talked the president into the reversal. He lauded the negotiating strategy yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, pause it for a second. I just got to say that he has still provided no evidence to the proposition that it's fair for men to play with the ladies. We should point out that the expert he is citing is a former man, meaning a man, There's a person named Joanna Harper. Joanna Harper transitioned to female in 2004, 2005. Joanna Harper is in his 60s.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And he cites his proudest athletic achievement as running a 223 marathon as a young man. And that's the person who's being cited as the unbiased source on trans athletes in opposite sex sports. And does this go anywhere? I mean, the answer is it goes nowhere. The answer is it goes nowhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
He just continues to argue based on no evidence that it's totally fair for men to play with the ladies because he says so, essentially.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
After having come up with zero evidence to the proposition that it's fair for men to play with the women, he then says it shouldn't be an issue anyway because no man is transitioning just to play with the women, which is weird because there actually are a bunch of men who are transitioning to play with the women.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
By this I mean, not that they would not do whatever they are doing, hormone treatments and surgery, in the absence of playing athletics, but they seem to want to play real bad with the ladies. They could continue to race with the men, but they would lose. And you don't see a lot of women who are transitioning into quote-unquote men who are desperate to play with the men, I noticed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
It's kind of weird, isn't it? You don't see a lot of women who are like, you know what? I'm cutting off my breasts and I'm having a fake penis attached and now I want to box the men. It never happens. I wonder why. It's strange. So here's John Oliver moving away from his zero evidence to his proposition that the only reason you would care about... Why are you even noticing? Why do you even care?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Why? Like, sure, there are people doing this, but they're not doing it because they want to beat up on the women. What does that matter to the women? Why should the women care about the motivation for why a gigantic man like Leah Thomas is now racing against Riley Gaines? Why should Riley Gaines care what the motivation is?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
She has to race against a dude who was a a low ranked male swimmer, but blows the other women out of the water because he's a dude.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Still, let's engage. Okay, pause it there. Who cares? Who cares? Who cares about the motivation of the person who wants to play with the ladies? I mean, by the way, you can have two different motivations. A motivation to, you know, add some fake boobs and cut off your penis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And that might be a very different motivation than the motivation for wanting to play with the ladies now that you are bigger and stronger than all the ladies. It doesn't have to be the same motivation. That's silly. And reductive. But silly and reductive is, that should actually be the name of John Oliver's show. Silly and Reductive, starring John Oliver.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
No, the thing that gets implied is that if you are looking at the ends of the bell curve, which is where top athletic performance happens, the end of bell curve, not the average, the ends of the bell curve. If you have men who have transitioned into women at the end of the bell curve, they are almost always going to outcompete women because they're at the end of the bell curve by necessity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And by the way, you can make this dumb argument about anything. Why should we have age ranges in sports? Seriously, why not have a bunch of 12-year-old little leaguers play the major leaguers in baseball? Because, I mean, every so often you might have a 12-year-old who's huge, like a gigantic 12-year-old kid who can actually hit the ball.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
I mean, hey, if the bell curves overlap at all, then probably we should probably, you know, just get rid of the categories entirely. We should do this with everything. Makes perfect sense. Or maybe what you're saying is stupid. Because it is entirely stupid. Then, of course, he gets mad at Mike Johnson because Mike Johnson cited scripture to the effect that men and women exist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, Howard Letnick, the Commerce Secretary who lost this argument, the Commerce Secretary Letnick, he was the one who was arguing for these tariffs to basically remain. He thought that was just good for the economy, period. Besant always saw them as a way of achieving reciprocal tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
You don't have to cite scripture to the effect that men and women exist, but scripture does in fact say it. And scripture has a much better record than John Oliver and his stupid glasses.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So making fun of the Bible, good times from John Oliver. You'll notice that he completely elides Speaker Johnson's statement and nature. So he's saying for those who believe in the Bible, the Bible says this. And for those who don't, there's the thing called nature, which is the thing John Oliver is ignoring.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
But then he does get to dunk on his peculiarly simplistic read on the Bible, which I'm sure has made him a very happy person. deliberately misinterpreting biblical scripture and religious belief. And good for you. That particular argument isn't played out at all. Just making fun of miracle stories in the Bible. No one's ever tried that before, John. Wow, unique, unique brand of humor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Well, John Oliver is clearly not the brightest bulb in the basket, but at least he somehow parlayed that into an American citizenship without having to pay President Trump $5 million. So I guess good for him on that score. Alrighty, folks, coming up, we're going to jump into the mailbag. Remember, the only way to have your question answered or to see my answers is to become a member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Head on over to Daily Wire. Plus, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Howard Letnick put out a statement, "'Scott Besant and I sat with the president while he wrote one of the most extraordinary truth posts of his presidency. The world is ready to work with President Trump to fix global trade, and China has chosen the opposite direction.'"
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Okay, so the big argument that's now broken out online is whether this is all part of a 40 chess plan, an underwater, upside down, hungry, hungry hippos plan in order to somehow achieve a 5% drop in the markets, a 125% tariff on China, tremendous uncertainty with regard to investment futures and tariff deals with a bunch of countries that we could have called up on the phone. Why does this matter?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The answer is it really doesn't. It doesn't matter in one sense. If the president gets to the right policy, I don't really care how he got to the policy, but he's getting to the right policy. And again, I think there are two going theories here of what President Trump did. Theory number one is the theory that I have posited.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The president lives in the world of reality, meaning if he puts out a proposal and that proposal does not work, he is not ideologically tied to his own proposal such that he is willing to undergo enormous pain in order to prove the veracity of his ideology.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So if he puts out a tariff plan and it turns out the markets hate it and it turns out people are calling him up day and night telling him it's a bad plan. And it turns out the bond market experiences a mass sell-off that he reverses himself and then finds a better policy, which is one of the good things about it. That's not a criticism of President Trump. That is a praise of President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the United States and other countries is no longer sustainable or acceptable. Conversely, and based on the fact that more than 75 countries have called representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
That is good. You don't want a president who keeps just driving off the cliff once it is clear that this thing is headed for a cliff. You want him to change course. The president made a U-turn. That's a good thing. The U-turn is not a sign of weakness. The U-turn is a sign of strength.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Because making a U-turn in the middle of a bad policy shows that you are more interested in getting the right outcome than you are in your own perception of ego. The U-turn matters. It is a good thing. And I think there's this bizarre setup in politics where if a politician makes a mistake and then walks back the mistake, somehow this is a sign of cuckery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Somehow this is a sign of weakness by the politician. Or maybe it's a sign of strength because number one, you can get away with it. And number two, it shows that you actually care about the end outcome.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The argument I've made about President Trump over and over and over to people who would not vote for President Trump in the last election cycle is even if you don't like what President Trump is selling, he is utilitarian enough that if the outcome is likely to be bad, he will change his policy. And that's exactly what you saw here. So that's opinion number one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And then there's opinion number two, which was, again, that this was 5D chess existing in dimensions beyond time and space. that it was all planned out, every element of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Now, in order for you to believe that every element of this was in fact planned out, you would have to believe that the president a month ago at his State of the Union laid out a hardcore tariff regime in order to not do it within 13 hours after announcing that it was now in place a month later.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And that he couldn't have just achieved the actual goals that he achieved here without all this sort of manipulation. So he would have to lay out a giant Liberation Day plan at the State of the Union address. Then he would have to unleash gigantic tariffs based not on reciprocal tariff rates, but based on trade deficits that would include islands, including penguins.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And then you would have to have the stock market. This is all necessary, right? This is all part of the plan. The stock market would have to tumble 10% and come to the precipice of complete nuclear meltdown. You would have to assume that President Trump then wanted his entire team to fight with each other publicly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
He would want Elon Musk calling Peter Navarro, Peter Retardo, and Peter Navarro calling President Trump, and Peter Navarro calling Elon Musk a car assembler as opposed to a car manufacturer, and Scott Besant and Howard Letnick retailing completely different messages. All of this was necessary to the plan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Trade Representative, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to trade, trade barriers, tariffs, currency manipulation, and non-monetary tariffs,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And then let the tariffs go into place to spark a bond market sell-off, a historic bond market sell-off, all to achieve a reversal of all of those things within 13 hours of implementing those things. That would have to be the plan. That would be the art of the deal sort of strategy here. Well, with all of this uncertainty, many things remain unclear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
and that these countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90-day pause and a substantially lowered reciprocal tariff during this period of 10%, also effective immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
That's tryarmra.com slash Shapiro or enter Shapiro to get 15% off your first order. Now, again, I don't care whether it was the art of the deal, whether it was a plan or whether it was not a plan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
The only reason that it makes any difference at all, whether it was quote unquote part of the plan or not part of the plan, is because the suggestion from people who say that it was all part of the plan is that if you criticize bad policy, somehow it undermines the plan. But here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
If it was all part of the plan, you need people to criticize the bad policy so as to push the president into doing the reversal. If it's all part of the plan, then so is the criticism. Again, this is part of the problem with these very sophisticated theories of it was all part of the plan. Okay, so it's all part of the plan except for what? The people who said that it was bad policy?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So if those people had shut up, then he still would have done exactly the same thing. Or maybe, or maybe the president, because he is a smart, capable man who is able to read tea leaves and see headlines and adjust and stick and move, because he's able to do that, actually, it is quite important that honest commentators actually say the thing. That when a policy is bad, they say it's a bad policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
So that is, in fact, a U-turn for the president of the United States, who was suggesting just a couple of days earlier that there would be no postponement. That was suggested by pretty much everybody in the president's cabinet, who said over and over and over again, this is the right thing to do. The president did the right thing here. He reversed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And when a policy is good, they say it is a good policy. Because otherwise you can't tell what the hell they think. And you can't tell what is good policy and what is bad policy. And so again, both of these lines are sort of being retailed. And then the president, it turns out, just basically said, one of the things I love about President Trump, he's totally transparent. He really is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
He's very, very transparent about the reasons he does, the things that he does. So there were, again, multiple lines being retailed yesterday after the reversal. One was that it was all part of the plan. So Howard Letnick, the Commerce Secretary, he said, no, no, no, it wasn't the bond markets or the stock. None of that made the president change his mind.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
This is Howard Letnick, the Commerce Secretary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
OK, so apparently, according to Commerce Secretary Lutnick, the markets, the bond markets, nothing of this had any impact on Trump. This is all part of the 40 hungry, hungry hippos upside down underwater chess plan. And then Caroline Lovett. I understand all these people work for the Trump administration. And so they have an interest in suggesting, of course, that this is all part of the plan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
I get it. I get it because they think that they have to project strength and that if you say that was all part of the plan as opposed to the reality, which is that the president is utilitarian enough and smart enough to react to circumstance, that somehow that undercuts him. Again, I disagree, but I understand why they're doing it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
Here is Caroline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, saying, you know, this is all the art of the deal. Again, you'd have to assume that all of this was designed in order to achieve what? That couldn't have been achieved by picking up the phone or just doing the tariffs on China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
OK, we'll get to that in a minute, because what China is going to do next, what every other country is going to do next still remains sort of an open question. Yes, they want to negotiate an off ramp with the United States to avoid these tariffs. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are not also going to triangulate with China. However, then there is the other theory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
what was going to be a meltdown moment for the global markets. And the question is why? What made him reverse everything? And the answer is pretty obvious. Basically, the entire global economic system was shouting at him that he needed to reverse this tariff system that he was about to put into place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
OK, the theory that I have retailed, which is that the president changed his mind because the circumstances changed, that he put in place a tariff regime that was unsustainable for the global economy. And the markets reacted as they do when they take in new information. And then he saw the markets react and he didn't like it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2177 - TRUMP U-TURN WIN: Tariff War Paused, China Isolated!
And as exhibit A in the explanation for his activity, that market activity, bond sell-offs, market sell-offs, criticism changed the president's opinion. I present to you Donald J. Trump, president of the United States, saying exactly that yesterday. So here is the president saying it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Well, folks, the news is breaking hot and heavy because it is always breaking hot and heavy in Trump 2.0. But to be part of our conversation, generally, you do have to be a Daily Wire Plus member. You get all sorts of magical privileges. First of all, Daily Wire Plus members get everything. All of our content, ad-free, including daily shows, hit movies, documentaries, and more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The tariffs are coming. No negotiation. The tariffs are coming. To which the markets say, price is right horn. Boo, boo, boo, boo. It turns out the markets do not like that because the tariff regime as it currently stands is the single greatest increase in taxes, because tariffs are a tax, in modern American history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And they are the single greatest increase in trade war since the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1932. I mean, you're going back almost 100 years to get to the kind of tariff rates that you're talking about right now. Again, Lutnick keeps saying this. He keeps saying over and over, there's no postponing. We're not postponing it. It's going forward. Here's Lutnick again saying the same thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
All the companies are going to come and build there. There's significant problems with this, as we'll explore in a moment, including the fact that when you build a factory, you need to have, wait for it, parts from other parts of the globe. Because what are you going to make? A factory with all the stuff that's made here? The problem is it's not made here right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
So how's that going to work, precisely? There are all sorts of holes in this logic. Again, the very idea that a trade deficit means another country is screwing you is wrong on its face. It's not true. If you have a trade deficit with another country, it's possible that country is screwing you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It is certainly not sufficient to say you have a trade deficit, therefore the other country is screwing you. It's not true. In fact, there are several countries, many countries that have a trade deficit with the United States. Is that because we're screwing them? I again use the case of Ethiopia, the $12 billion trade deficit with the Ethiopians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
either because those countries are our enemies and we want to do harm to them, or because we wish to get other countries to lower their own tariffs. And the end goal is a lower tariff regime. And then there's the third possibility. And this is the possibility that is retailed by President Trump and many other members of the administration. And...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Is that because they're screwing us or is it because no place in America really grows good coffee? Hawaiian coffee ain't going to cut it, not for the entire country. And meanwhile, Scott Besant, who I believe the Treasury Secretary is significantly less, shall we say, committed to the tariff regime than the Commerce Secretary, but he's the one out retailing it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Here he was trying to walk this back a little bit, at least give President Trump the possibility of an offer. I'm saying it could be permanent, could be a negotiating tactic. Who knows? Mystery meet here on a here on a Monday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, so there's that quote that Kristen Walker was then citing back to Lutnick. Okay, but at least, at least Besant is providing an off-ramp there. He is saying, okay, well, these are bad actors. We're going to negotiate bilateral deals with them. We'll go down to zero. They'll go down to zero. They'll stop with their currency manipulation. Okay, fine. That's an actual off-ramp.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
That sounds like maybe a plan. But Letnick seems to be saying, I don't want there to be a plan. No negotiations. Just go all the way to the wall. The entire purpose of this is to basically reshore manufacturing. It's autarky time here in the United States. Now, the Treasury Secretary Scott Besson was asked how long we're supposed to hang tough.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
You heard President Trump's tweet that we're going to hang tough. And he's asked, how long are we supposed to hang tough? And Besson is not going to commit to any timeline here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Yeah, I mean, there's only one problem. The difference is that Donald Trump inherited an economy where the inflation was too high. Typically, if the inflation is too high, that means you have to increase the interest rates, which is the actual thing that Paul Volcker did as the head of the Federal Reserve under Ronald Reagan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
In order to break inflation, he had to increase the interest rates, which increased the unemployment rates. Then the interest rates went, then the interest, the inflation went red down, the interest rates could drop, and then employment went up. That's the way the Reagan administration works. That is nothing like what we are talking about here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
To be perfectly honest, all of these various rationales for the tariffs have been put forward. The third one is the one that's really problematic and the one that the economy is currently reading, that the markets are currently seeing. And that is the idea that tariffs are good. Trade wars are good and easy to win. Tariffs themselves are good and make us rich.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
President Trump is actually pushing policies that create more price inflation in the markets and calling on the Federal Reserve to lower the interest rates so as to inject more money into the economy. So that is an apples to oranges comparison.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Meanwhile, Kevin Hassett, who's the head of the National Council of Economic Advisors, he's trying to rebut something that President Trump put out on Truth Social. So President Trump put out on Truth Social a video saying that he was purposely crashing the market. And again, President Trump on Truth Social, he kind of posts stuff, like kind of whatever he's feeling like that day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
If you see something that's pro him, he posts it. It's not necessarily an indicator of his actual policy. Kevin Hassett says, no, no, no, he's not purposefully crashing the market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Again, remember, that was an actual going theory, that he was purposefully crashing the market in order to push everybody from stocks into bonds, thereby lowering the yield rate, increasing the demand for bonds generally, and allowing for the lowering of interest rates on the repayment of our debt, right? That was the kind of sophisticated 4D chess theory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Kevin Hassett's like, no, that's not what's happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, then Kevin Hassett says, don't worry, none of this is going to have any big effect on consumers. I would like a detailed explanation. Why? You can't just say that. Why? How? Okay, here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Oh, boy. Okay, and then Hassett says the job numbers will go up. If the tariff regime stays in place, the job numbers will go up. Okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Well, Howard Lutnick, in what had to be the funniest moment of the weekend, in what appears to be a rather dismal economic cycle, Howard Lutnick was asked about the herd of McDonald Islands. You'll remember that that chart that President Trump held up contained the herd and McDonald Islands, which are islands that have no people on them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
That somehow the simple fact of taxing product as it comes in, which is a tax on consumers, because again, people aren't going to ship us product if nobody's buying it on the other end. They'll just stop shipping us product. So it is a tax on American consumers. The idea that this is inherently good, it makes the American economy strong, is wrongheaded. It is untrue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
We are apparently putting 10% tariffs on the penguins that live in the herd of McDonald Islands. Lutnick was asked about this. I will say that this particular excuse, I am skeptical about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And then he was asked, you mean, so your theory is that China is going to use the penguin land as a cutout, like the penguin land near Antarctica. That's your theory. We had to tariff the penguin land because otherwise people will escape the tariffs by building factories in penguin land, again, near Antarctica in the middle of nowhere. Okay, well, there is some good news.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
You know that at least they're not gonna outsource, you know, like all the agriculture to herd and McDonald's islands. But the reality is that actually a lot of ag is taken from abroad. And if you actually care where your food comes from, you should make the switch to goodranchers.com. When you choose Good Ranchers, you know exactly what you're getting, meat, you know, like just meat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
No hidden additives, no antibiotics, no hormones, no seed oils, no misleading country of origin, just the meat. And it's all raised and harvested right here in the United States. Plus, Good Ranchers now has Gulf of America shrimp.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It's 100% wild caught from the Gulf of America by local fishermen, flash frozen on the boat to lock in freshness, then vacuum sealed by Good Ranchers and delivered straight to your door. I cannot eat it. However, you can. Producer Savvy, for example, she just got the shrimp. Her son absolutely loves it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And as part of their spring into action special right away, when you subscribe to any Good Ranchers box, you'll get free bacon, ground beef, chicken nuggets, or salmon in every box for a year, plus 40 bucks off with my code Ben. Once again, visit goodranchers.com for food you can trust. Because when it comes to what's on your plate, you deserve transparency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Good Ranchers is American meat delivered. I know that Savvy's kid, he's a monster, that kid. He's a tiny little man, but he is huge. That is because he's being fed well with good ranchers. American meat delivered.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Plus, exclusive investigative journalism that gives you the whole story, not just the part that fits a narrative. Become a member today at dailywire.com slash subscribe or download the Daily Wire Plus app in the App Store right now. Well... it was a bit of a fraught weekend. The stock futures dumped all over the place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Also, Grand Canyon University, private Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, believes we're all endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. GCU believes in equal opportunity and that the American dream starts with purpose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
GCU equips you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and creates a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come. By honoring your career calling, you impact your family, your friends, and your community. Change the world for good by putting others before yourself to glorify God.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The idea that it is going to result in massive reshoring of manufacturing is also untrue, as we'll talk about in a little while. And this is why Bill Ackman, investor extraordinaire and ally to President Trump, put out a statement over the weekend saying, quote, the country is 100% behind the president on fixing a global system of tariffs that has disadvantaged the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on-campus, and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal, and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others? That's yours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. Goodness knows that there are enough terrible universities out there indoctrinating kids in all manner of stupidity. Not the case at Grand Canyon University. Go check them out right now. That's Grand Canyon University. Private, Christian, affordable. Visit gcu.edu. That's gcu.edu.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
So the most obvious manifestation of debate inside the administration is coming courtesy of Elon Musk. Elon happens to be 100% right about this. So Elon Musk is ripping into trade advisor Peter Navarro. Navarro is a big tariff advocate. He's been a big tariff advocate for years. And the Tesla CEO ripped Peter Navarro as someone who ain't built bleep.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And then when asked about his Harvard PhD in economics, he said, that's a bad thing, not a good thing. And then he posted a quote from economist Thomas Sowell that said, in every disaster throughout American history, there always seems to be a man from Harvard in the middle of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
He then suggested that Navarro had an excess of self-confidence, writing, quote, results in the ego brains greater than one problem. Meanwhile, Musk himself suggested that he wants a zero tariff situation, which again, this is the good explanation for why you would do the tariff game. I urge the president to do precisely what Musk is saying here. Go to zero with all these countries. Go to zero.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
That's a win. Take the win. Move on. That'd be good for the economy. Good for you. You'd have flexed your muscle. You'd have flexed American muscle. That'd be good. Here's Elon Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Navarro, for his part, started fighting back. Here was Peter Navarro on Fox News trying to push back against Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, so open battle between Elon and Navarro. Navarro is wrong. Elon is right. It's that simple. The reality is that Navarro's trade prescriptions, which is this giant trade war where he believes the tariffs are in and of themselves good, not to get to zero. They in and of themselves are good. That is a bad economic policy. We'll get to that in a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
but business is a confidence game and confidence depends on trust. President Trump has elevated the tariff issue to the most important geopolitical issue in the world and he's gotten everyone's attention so far so good. And yes, other nations have taken advantage of the US by protecting their home industries at the expense of millions of our jobs and economic growth in our country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The biggest problem here is who's going to tell President Trump the bad news? Who in that inner circle is going to be the person who delivers that news to President Trump? President Trump has a feedback loop. That feedback loop, I've said before, I trust that President Trump can see reality. He's very good at seeing reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
He's able to wipe away the BS of prior assumptions on a variety of issues and cut straight to the heart of the matter. But that's only if someone is providing him the data. It's only if somebody is telling him the truth about what exactly is happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And right now, because President Trump is such an outsized man on the national and international stage, that's creating a climate of fear right around him, which means that the feedback loop may in fact be closed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
As Politico reports, Capitol Hill Republicans, corporate America, and White House allies are terrified about what's next in President Trump's escalating trade war, but they fear Trump's wrath even more. Republican lawmakers are signaling they're willing to tolerate the pain for now despite the economic fallout back home. Lobbyists are quietly prodding the same lawmakers to defend their interests.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Don't want to have a target on their back or their clients. Even some Trump world confidants, alarmed about the terrorist impact, are hoping someone else intervenes. An official in the energy industry said, quote, hearing angst and frustration from all quarters, but no one wants to be first out of the box saying anything negative about Trump's decision making. Okay, well...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
A good leader, and President Trump is a good leader, a good leader listens to reality, recognizes the reality of the situation, and then makes the best possible informed decision. I trust that President Trump is going to do that. That's literally his job. Because here is, now we get to the reality. Here is the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The reason that futures are dumping is because the recession risk is now quite real. According to the Wall Street Journal, the world changed on Wednesday, which Trump dubbed Liberation Day. JP Morgan's head of economic research, Bruce Kassman, raised the probability of a global recession from 40% to 60%. The bank now expects U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
gross domestic product to contract 0.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025 from one year earlier. It previously expected 1.3% growth. That is a delta of 1.6%. Unemployment, says JP Morgan, will reach 5.3% next year. Kasman says, the size and disruptive impact of U.S. trade policies, if sustained, would be sufficient to tip a still healthy U.S. and global expansion into recession.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The tariff shock will likely be magnified by its effects on sentiment and through potential disruptions to global supply chains. Now, again, that is the worry that everyone is currently fearing, that recession is on its way, because if economic activity slows, if investors pull their money out of the markets, if there's less investment, fewer IPOs, less innovation,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
By placing massive and disproportionate tariffs on our friends and our enemies alike, and thereby launching a global economic war against the whole world at once, we're in the process of destroying confidence in our country as a trading partner, as a place to do business, as a market to invest capital.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
If all that happens because everybody is afraid of what comes next, then you will get an economic slowdown and it will affect everyone. It will affect everyone. As Bloomberg points out, there's a major problem with the possibility of debt default. Quote, Donald Trump's global trade war is already priming financial markets for the next wave of corporate defaults.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
A Bloomberg News measure of distressed debt worldwide swelled the most in at least 15 months this week, sending more than $43 billion of bonds and loans to levels that make it challenging to refinance. Few expected Washington to go after so many of its key trading partners with such high duties. So corporate debt is being called in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The pile of distressed debt in the America's region has now surpassed that in Asia Pacific for the first time since August. Robert Schwartz, portfolio manager at Alliance Bernstein said, quote, retailers are getting smacked. If you're a retailer, you tried to diversify into Vietnam or the Philippines. Those tariffs were not priced in until this week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Michaels, for example, the arts and crafts chain, have been working with its suppliers on pricing and sourcing in preparation for the announcement. This week, its bonds due 2029 tumbled almost 10 cents on the dollar. It's now trading at 44 cents on the dollar. What does that mean? It means people don't expect these companies to survive and be able to pay back their debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
They expect them to go bankrupt. Other companies that are now in serious trouble, Wayfair, Nordstrom, Klairs, PetSafe, The owner of luxury department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue is one of the biggest additions to the distressed universe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
According to Bloomberg, a $2.2 billion bond that it issued less than four months ago to finance the acquisition of Neiman Marcus is now trading at 73.5 cents on the dollar and yielding 16 percentage points more than Treasury's.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
So people are buying up the corporate debt because what they realize is that perhaps that corporate debt, maybe these companies come back, but people are freaking out because most companies have to operate on the basis of rotating debt. Most companies, again, do not have a Scrooge McDuck giant vat of cash in the back that they dive into every night. Most of them are operating off credit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The president, and here's where Ackman is basically saying to Trump, take a timeout, figure out what it is that you want to do here. He says, the president has an opportunity to call a 90-day timeout, negotiate and resolve unfair asymmetric tariff deals and induce trillions of dollars to invest in our country. If on the other hand, on April 9th,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
to get to payroll. Because the way that the cash flow works in pretty much every company, you use debt to pay the payroll, and then, kind of like your credit card, and then all the money comes in, you use it to pay back the debt. That's how the cycle works. What happens when, for tariff reasons, this cash stops coming in? Now the debt starts to get really, really dicey.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
This is just another reason that margin calls are getting steep. So margin calls, hedge funds, are now being hit with the worst margin calls since 2020, since the COVID crisis. This according to the Financial Times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Wall Street banks have asked their hedge fund clients to stump up more money as security for their loans because the value of their holdings had tumbled, according to three people familiar with the matter. Several big banks have now issued the largest margin calls to their clients since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
For those who don't know what a margin call is, here's the simple explanation. Let's say that you want to buy $10,000 worth of stock. So what you do is you drop $5,000 in cash, you buy $5,000 with cash, and you borrow $5,000 worth of stock from the broker. You get a loan, $5,000 worth of stock from the broker. And because the broker's lending you the stock, you have to have some collateral.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
So what's the collateral? The margin of 30%, which is the actual equity against the loan. So then the stock drops to $8,000. So now your margin is 30% because $8,000 is the value of the stock minus the $5,000 loan, which means $3,000, which is 30% of, again, the original purchase. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
We launch economic nuclear war in every country in the world. Business investment will grind to a halt. Consumers will close their wallets and pocketbooks. We'll severely damage our reputation with the rest of the world that will take years and potentially decades to rehabilitate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
What CEO and what board of directors will be comfortable making large, long-term economic commitments in our country in the middle of an economic nuclear war? I don't know of one who will do so. Again, this is Bill Ackman, who is a Trump supporter. When markets crash, new investment stops. Consumers stop spending money. Businesses have no choice but to curtail investment and fire workers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It's not just big companies that suffer. Small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs will experience much greater pain. Almost no business can pass through an overnight massive increase in cost to their customers. That's true even if they have no debt. And unfortunately, there's a massive amount of leverage in the system. Business is a confidence game.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The president is losing the confidence of business leaders around the globe, the consequences for our country, and the millions of our citizens who have supported the president in particular. Low-income consumers who are already under a huge amount of economic stress are going to be severely negative. This is not what we voted for, says Bill Ackman.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The president has an opportunity on Monday to call a timeout and have the time to execute on fixing an unfair tariff system. Alternatively, we are headed for a self-induced economic nuclear winter and we should all start hunkering down. May cooler heads prevail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, that is a flashing red light that Ackman is aiming at the president of the United States saying, stop for the love of God, stop, or at the very least, take the off ramp. And so today is going to be a very big day for the president. not just because of what the markets do, but because of what he could say. So Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is visiting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, well, again, don't make these kinds of mistakes. And I understand that on the right, we don't care about this sort of stuff. I get it. I get that we are constantly saying nothing matters. President Trump is Teflon. And to this point, he has been. Recession stops everything. Economic downturn stops everything. You can do whatever you want so long as things are chugging along.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
When that number is going up into the right, everybody's pretty happy. Rising tide lifts all ships and covers for a myriad of political sins. It doesn't when people are feeling insecure, when people are feeling bad. That is just the reality of politics. The rules of gravity still apply. They do. And there's no way really around that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Now, it is quite possible that these tariffs end up basically knocked down by the courts. That is a real possibility. According to the Wall Street Journal, a stationary company in Florida on Thursday challenged the president's earlier 20% tariffs on China through legal, but its legal arguments also apply to the Liberation Day tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
As I mentioned before, President Trump is using national emergency authority to declare this massive tariff war. I don't understand how it is possibly covered under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. That sanctions law gives the president authority to address what is called an unusual and extraordinary threat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Well, with regard to Canada and Mexico, he tried to declare that it was fentanyl. I think you can make the fentanyl case with Mexico. Hard to make that case in Canada when last year we seized a grand total of 43 pounds, which is a backpack of fentanyl at the Canadian border. When you say that the national emergency is trade deficits, I don't know how you can do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
I honestly don't know how that is upheld by a court. It seems difficult to suggest that you should be able to declare a national emergency based on trade deficits that amount to wiping $6 trillion from the books in the first two days in terms of stock value. So we'll see how that holds up over time. Meanwhile, economic policy has bleed over into the real world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It turns out that trade policy does have intersection with foreign policy, more generally military policy as well. Obviously, China, for example, growing its influence has some significant military ramifications. It is also true in Ukraine. So that giant cork board that President Trump held up, the poster board, it did not have Russia listed on it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It listed dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of countries. It did not list Russia. Kevin Hassett tried to explain why Russia was not actually listed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The market was set to open as of Monday morning down, pretty much across the board. Markets prepared for a bloodbath, according to the Wall Street Journal. In the United States, contracts tied to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 led the declines down more than 5%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Well, it is pretty obvious at this point that all of the niceties toward Russia are bearing very little fruit with regard to Russia actually caving and changing its position. Over the weekend, according to the U.S. Sun, NATO had to scramble fighter jets as Vladimir Putin unleashed a barrage of nuclear-capable bombers and ballistic missiles on Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The reason this is important is not just because of all the security-related concerns in Gaza and Iran, but more specifically with regard to the tariff war that's dominating the news. Netanyahu has already offered to go to zero. Zero tariff rates with the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Russia struck Central Kiev and other locations in brutal new strikes involving ballistics, cruise missiles, kamikaze drones, and aerial bombs. That came one day after a Russian missile strike on Vladimir Zelensky's hometown of Kerviri, killing at least 19 people, including nine children.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The latest attack involved at least four 295 MS strategic bombers, with Putin's forces unleashing deadly KH-101 missiles from over the Caspian Sea. So again, this is all in the middle of Zelensky saying that he is perfectly willing to sign a ceasefire like today. And Russia continues to push forward. And meanwhile, the administration continues to say we're not going to tariff you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Everybody else on earth gets tariffed, not you. At some point, reality has to set in and Vladimir Putin has to be brought to the table. If the idea is, push Zelensky to get to the table. I'm all for it. I've been calling for it since 2022. I've been doing this for three years, calling for this. But Zelensky's now at the table. That ain't the problem anymore. Putin is not at the table.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
That is very clear. And again, more niceties on trade are not fixing the problem, pretty obviously. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is actually doing a bunch of good things. And this is the thing that's killing me about this trade war that is, again, being poorly run out. Get to the off-ramp. The off-ramp should be zero tariffs. Get to that off-ramp.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
If President Trump uses leverage to get there, great. He did it. He did the thing. Awesome. Get there because there's too much other important stuff that is happening. So, for example, the Trump administration is absolutely kneecapping higher education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The Trump administration escalated its campaign against American universities, according to the Wall Street Journal, by preparing to pull $510 million in federal grants from Brown University while also laying out demands Harvard must meet to avoid losing billions in government dollars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The administration is freezing National Institutes of Health grants to Brown while it investigates the Ivy League school's handling of anti-Semitism and DEI. Additionally, new developments emerged regarding Harvard after the government opened a review of nearly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts earlier this week. This is great. This is necessary. This should be done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Now, to be fair, Israel already had zero tariffs on 98% of all product coming into the United States and has had a free trade agreement with the United States for 40 years. This, again, is why it was rather frustrating when the Trump administration put out a ridiculous chart last week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The administration is also looking into wastes of money, like, for example, an initiative called the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Brent Schur reports this exclusively for Daily Wire. More than three decades ago in 1990, Congress mandated an initiative called the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Now it spends billions of dollars a year empowering liberal climate radicals to spread climate change doom. The government group says its role is to provide the scientific foundation to support informed decision-making across the U.S. on climate change. What that has amounted to is the production of five national climate assessment reports, the crown jewel of climate research.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The report appears to be just about the only thing that the group actually does. While the U.S. Global Change Research Program states on its website it has a budget of nearly $5 billion in 2025, it only lists two full-time employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Mostly, the National Climate Assessment outsources its work to a group called the ICF, a massive government contractor that has an active contract to work on the report. The Daily Wire identified at least one active contract from NASA for ICF to support the U.S. Global Change Research Program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It's set to be paid millions of dollars during the Trump administration to, quote, assist the nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change. That contract was first announced in June 2021 and described as a $34 million five-year contract to help with national climate assessments.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
So basically, it is a giant SOP to a left-leaning organization. And now, Russ Vought, who runs the powerful Office of Management and Budget, is taking a look at this sort of stuff, which we should be doing. And this is the sort of stuff that has to be done. Doge is doing this sort of stuff. I was on the All In podcast last week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And one of the former members of the all-in kind of team, Antonio, he is part of Doge. He's going through everything at Social Security, and they are coming up with giant lists of people who have been imported to the United States and given Social Security cards. And the vast uptake in the people who are being given those social security cards cannot be explained by simple legal immigration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And it was a ridiculous chart suggesting that, for example, Israel had a 33% tariff and non-tariff rate on the United States. That's not true by any possible measure. That is a measure of trade deficit. It is not a measure of the actual tariff rates. But put that aside. President Trump can take the off ramp here and get to zero with Israel. He should do the same exact thing with Vietnam.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
It is because Joe Biden was importing people across the border. Doge is doing really important work, really important work. If that's getting obscured by a tariff war, the rationale for which is utterly unclear and the endpoint of which is utterly unclear, and all of that is resulting in significant losses across the economy, This is not what the Trump administration should be focused on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
There are things that are really important to do. And if this is really important, then let's hear it. Let's explain. What is the end goal? What does the future America look like at the end of the pain that President Trump is pitching here? All right, coming up, we'll be jumping into the latest from The Atlantic. We now know how that reporter from The Atlantic got into that secret signal group.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Plus, we'll jump into the mailbag. But remember, to have your question answered in the mailbag and to actually listen to any of it, you have to become a member. Head on over to Daily Wire. Plus, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Vietnam also has a free trade agreement with the United States. That free trade agreement means that the effective tariff rate that Vietnam has on American goods is actually quite low. if you were to look at the very elevated version of the Vietnamese tariff rate on American goods, including for example, their value added tax, which is like a 10% value added tax.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The reality is that the tariff rate on American goods would be like 9.4%. Again, that's like a very high end estimate. That chart had Vietnam at a 90% tariff rate with the United States, which of course is not true. So I asked our friends at Perplexity, our search partners and sponsors, what is the effect of Vietnamese tariff rate on American goods?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Not the tariff rate President Trump listed, including their value-added tax. As long as we're going to put in non-tariff additions, the value-added tax is where essentially they tax their consumers for buying any goods, kind of a sales tax. And what is their tariff rate on American goods under our free trade agreement with them?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And perplexity says, Vietnam's effective tariff rate on American goods, including the value-added tax, is significantly lower than the figures cited by President Trump. According to the 2025 National Trade Estimate Report, Vietnam's average most favored nation applied tariff rate was 9.4% in 2023, with agricultural products facing an average of 17.1% and non-agricultural products 8.1%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Now, realistically, we're not sending all that many agricultural products to Vietnam, I believe. When factoring in VAT, which is typically 10%, the total effective tax burden on American goods averages around 19.4% for agricultural products and 18.1% for non-agricultural products.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Under the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral trade agreement and subsequent frameworks, Vietnam has made commitments to reduce tariffs on certain American goods. Recent negotiations suggest Vietnam is willing to lower tariffs to 0% on American imports as part of a potential bilateral agreement with the U.S., although that deal has yet to be finalized. And that's the thing that President Trump should do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped nearly 8% shortly after open actually hit the circuit breakers, meaning they had to shut down trading for a little while. Bitcoin and oil prices fell sharply as well. And remember, Thursday and Friday were terrible days on the stock market. U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Vietnam is saying, let's go to zero. President Trump should say, cool, let's go to zero. That's the off-ramp here. And then President Trump can fairly say that he has leveraged all these countries in bilateral trade agreements to go to zero. More free trade. That's better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
However, that would require the president to believe not the sort of tariffs are good for America on their own version of what tariffs are good for, but the other two. The tariffs are there to actually protect Industries that are important to America and also to get other countries to lower their own tariffs. And that is it is absolutely unclear what President Trump is thinking at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And herein lies the problem. You have a vast combination of radical uncertainty. And policy that is being spouted by members of the administration that is overtly bad. There's no one in the administration who's making the overtly good case. There are many people in the administration who are making bad to strained cases right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
In fact, the only person who seems to be making an overtly good case at this point is Elon Musk. So President Trump over the weekend, he put out a statement on Truth Social. It said, China, has been hit much harder than the USA, not even close. They and many other nations have treated us unsustainably badly. We have been the dumb and helpless whipping post, but not any longer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
We are bringing back jobs and businesses like never before already. More than $5 trillion of investment and rising fast. This is an economic revolution and we will win. Hang tough. It won't be easy, but the end result will be historic. We will make America great again. Okay, those words, this is an economic revolution, hang tough, that scares the living daylights out of the entire market. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Because hang tough sets up a lengthy period of tariffs, a lengthy, significant period of tariffs. If that is to happen, we'll get into all the consequences. Basically, it melts down the markets. It melts them down. As Bill Ackman says, nuclear winter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
If you're talking about these tariff rates on countries maintained as they currently stand, if they are implemented, as President Trump and team are saying they will be just a few days from now. If that happens, you are talking about an economic catastrophe, like a serious, serious economic problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
And even if on the other end, there is a brand new world, we still have not heard what exactly that brand new world looks like. Is that a brand new world where what? We are reshoring manual labor from Vietnam to make t-shirts? This is the confusion. No one knows what the hell is actually going on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
There are people who are hopeful, like Bill Ackman, that what this all is is a sort of 4D chess game in order to leverage other countries to open up their tariffs. Fine. If that's the case, sounds great. Cool. I think the rollout sucked, but that's fine. We can get there. If the final policy is good and I don't like the rollout, you know, I can be wrong. That's cool. That's fine with me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
stocks lost $6.6 trillion in value during that two-day washout after President Trump announced that giant tariff regime that he called Liberation Day. And it appears that many traders are betting that things are going to continue to be really, really chaotic in the world of tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
I would much rather have a booming economy and be wrong about the original implementation of the policy than the opposite. OK, but President Trump keeps saying over and over there will be pain. So here is President Trump on Sunday night saying this. There will be pain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, now that sounds like he wants long-term tariffs. We've got hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into our country, and it's going to continue pouring into our country, and we've been screwed by the Canadians and the Mexicans, which, again, we have not. Okay, the President of the United States negotiated the USMCA in his first term. Our tariff rate with the Canadians is extraordinarily low.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Except for oil, we have a tariff surplus with the Canadians. And when he says we've been screwed by China, that's true in terms of IP, and I'm very much in favor of the harsh penalties on China. But the problem is, if you tariff everyone, everyone, including China, you know what all the other countries do, as we'll talk about in a moment?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
They actually reorient toward China, because China is perfectly willing to do free trade deals with all these other countries, while the United States is shutting them out. Well, speaking of pain, you're feeling the pain every time you pay your cell phone bill. I know you are, because it's bloated. but not if you're using Pure Talk. Pure Talk is the cell phone company I use for business every day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
They are cutting the fat from the wireless industry. Pure Talk says, I don't think so, to 100 bucks a month cell phone plans. That's just wasteful. It's irresponsible. Instead, they're offering America's most dependable 5G network and America's most sensible prices. Take a listen to this. Unlimited talk, text, 15 gigs of data, plus mobile hotspot for just 35 bucks a month. The best part?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Right now, you'll get a free one-year membership to Daily Wire+. Access the entire library of DailyWire Plus movies and documentaries. Enjoy uncensored ad-free daily shows. And as always, your free leftist year's Tumblr. With Pure Talk's U.S. customer service team, you can switch hassle-free in as little as 10 minutes. You don't need Doge to cut the fat from your wireless bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Instead, you just need Pure Talk. Go to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Switch on over to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of DailyWire Plus for free with qualifying plan. Pure Talk is... Wireless by Americans for Americans. If you're looking for a great way to save these days, and I think everyone now is, head on over to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The biggest problem here is that the Trump administration has not made it clear what exactly they want to accomplish with these tariffs. This has been my point the entire time. There are times when tariffs can be useful. In fact, out of three times, tariffs could theoretically be useful. Two times could actually be useful. Okay, so theory number one as to tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
That is puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with qualifying plan Pure Talk. Wireless by Americans for Americans also. Well, there's good news. There is. It's Zip Intro from Zip Recruiter. You can post your job today and start talking to qualified candidates tomorrow. Right now, you can try Zip Intro for free at ziprecruiter.com slash dailywire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Post jobs today, talk to qualified candidates tomorrow. And then President Trump doubles down on this. He says, it's not just that we need to get Europe to open its markets to us. We need them to pay us back. They need to actually pay us some sort of back taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Okay, so he wants them to what? Like just sign us checks? So it's not just he wants the trade barriers going. He wants them to sign a check. By the way, it is not true that they are not importing American cars. Tesla is one of the best selling cars in Europe. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Because they have all sorts of greenhouse gas emission rules in Europe that we don't have in the United States, which means Tesla is a hot seller in Europe. In some countries in Europe, it's actually a hotter seller than it is in the United States. As far as the idea that foreign car companies don't do business with the United States, that's not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
If you look at companies like Honda, a huge percentage of a Honda is made in the United States in American factories. Okay, so there's sort of a battle inside the administration over messaging. And this is, again, one of the things that is roiling the markets is who's standing up for the position that says, let's get to zero. Let's get to zero on the tariffs. Who's doing that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
Again, we keep being told there's a 40 chess position. There are basically two 40 chess positions that are being presented. One 40 chess position is President Trump is using leverage in order to get everybody to go to zero. Okay, if that's the case, people should be making that case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
The other 40 chess position is, this is all an engineered recession designed to jam down the yields on the bonds, thus to increase the bond market effectively so we can refinance our debt and take, what, a couple of hundred billion dollars off our national deficit? Again, I think the logic there does not stack up. I also don't think that's what President Trump is thinking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
One, tariffs are important to protect important industries. Like for example, defense industries, because you need to produce that stuff here at home instead of producing it elsewhere. And so you actually protect and give effectively artificial subsidies to American defense industries. Totally understandable. Two, tariffs are designed in order to leverage other countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
So inside the administration, there are a bunch of voices who have now been deployed on behalf of this particular position. The one who is obviously most pro-tariff is Howard Letnick, the Commerce Secretary. Secretary Letnick, a big fan of tariffs. And he is saying the tariffs are coming. And no matter what you want, no matter what you like, the tariffs are indeed coming. There will be no delay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2174 - WHAT COMES NEXT?! Trump’s Tariff War Continues…
There will be no postponement. They are coming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Well, folks, America is on the comeback, but the fight for truth is far from over. While the left tries desperately to keep its grip on legacy media education in the courts, Daily Wire is leading the charge for fearless journalism and the values that made our country great. Now is the time to join us. Stream my show ad-free. Watch along with my producers in the chat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
30% of people said the same. Today, only 23% of Americans say that Trump's policies are making them financially better off. 42% say worse off, which is a 33-point swing. And 35% say the same. When it comes to inflation, 38% of Americans say that Joe Biden's policies are still to blame the most for today's inflation rate. 34% say Trump's policies and 19% say both equally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Well, that means that 53% of Americans say that Trump bears some responsibility for the nation's inflationary policies. This is a problem in the middle of President Trump's threats that he is going to have a liberation day with regard to the global economy. And by that, he means that we are going to push extraordinarily broad and high tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration is scrambling to determine the specifics of its new tariff agenda ahead of its self-imposed deadline of Wednesday, weighing options as the president has promised to remake the American economy with a swath of new levies. One key point of debate is whether to impose individualized tariff rates for U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
trading partners, as President Trump has previewed in recent weeks, or to revert to his campaign pledge for an across-the-board tariff that would affect virtually every country doing business with the United States, according to people familiar with the conversations. Trump spent most of last week playing down expectations for his so-called reciprocal tariff plan on April 2nd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
It's the only thing the press wants to talk about because you have nothing else to talk about. It has been the greatest 100-day presidency in the history of our country. So again, this is President Trump ignoring the foolishness in favor of the actual policy, which is if the Houthis hit at American assets or American allies, then they get struck.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
But in recent days, Trump has pushed his team to be more aggressive, according to people familiar with his conversations, encouraging them to devise plans that apply higher rates of tariffs on a broad set of countries. Trump reinforced that narrative on Sunday night. He said he would target, quote, essentially all of U.S. trading partners with tariffs of some kind.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Well, that would be an extraordinary move by President Trump. Frankly, I don't understand how he has the executive authority to do that. This really is in Congress's purview.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And if the Republican Congress wishes not to lose a bunch of seats in the midterm elections, I would highly recommend that if President Trump pushes really high tariffs over the next couple of days, that Congress start thinking about taking back some of its constitutionally mandated authority over tariff policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Regardless of what you think of President Trump's policies, no president, Democrat or Republican, should have the unilateral ability to simply increase the prices on goods across the board by 20% on all Americans. That is not a power delegated to any president under the Constitution of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
In recent days, advisers have considered imposing global tariffs of up to 20% that would hit virtually all U.S. trading partners. Trump and his team for months promoted such a plan on the campaign trail before the president publicly ditched it in favor of that so-called reciprocal tariff plan that is still possibly on the table.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Whatever the final plan, the official said, the president wants the policy to be, quote, big and simple. which means the final action will be broader than earlier plans to prioritize levying tariffs on the U.S. 's biggest trading partners, about 15% of the world's nations, which Treasury Secretary Scott Besant had labeled in the media appearances as, quote, the dirty 15.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Now, again, this is not good policy. It just isn't. Again, I want President Trump's policies to succeed. This is not a policy geared towards success. Now, the case to be made, if you're gonna steel man the argument in favor of a broad tariff regime, the steel man case is the effect of the tariffs over the long haul. Let's say that you believe that
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
trade deficits are one of the biggest problems facing America. The idea that we buy more from other countries than other countries buy from us. I don't believe in this because again, you have a trade deficit with your grocery store. You have a trade deficit with your barber. You have a trade deficit with your local auto dealer. You have a trade deficit with everyone from whom you buy.
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That does not mean they ripped you off. It does not mean some great injustice has been done. That is not the way global economics works. And in fact, when we run a trade deficit with another country, they have to use those dollars for something. And typically they use it to buy up treasuries. Very often they are using that in international trade in order to finance our debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So let's be clear that it is not just we spend money on Vietnamese T-shirts and that money disappears into the ether. That is not the way any of this works. And you may not like the fact that Vietnam makes T-shirts and the United States no longer does, but we also make the entire world software industry and Vietnam does not. There are good purposes to tariffs for national security reasons.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I've said this a thousand times. When it comes to important national defense industries, obviously we have to maintain their production capacity in the United States because we don't want to be reliant on anyone else if it comes to a war, for sure. And for national security reasons, there may be reasons to tariff other countries as a punishment.
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And President Trump seems to be upping the ante all over the world with regards to this sort of stuff. So many people have been fearful that President Trump was simply going to cave to Vladimir Putin, that Vladimir Putin is sort of slow playing President Trump in Ukraine. Now, as you recall, Vladimir Zelensky came to the White House, got chewed out by both Trump and Vice President J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You want to do a tariff, as we mentioned earlier on, Russian oil, because you want to stop them from pursuing a particular policy. Or you want to tariff China because you want to stop them from stealing our IP. Totally in for that as well. But the idea that tariffs in and of themselves are going to be good for the economy, that's wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But to steel man the argument, the basic idea would be that the American dollar right now is very strong in international trade. And the reason the American dollar is very strong is there's a large demand for American treasuries and services and all of that because of the trade deficits that we run. If you end those trade deficits and you rebalance it, you weaken the American dollar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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What is the good part about weakening the American dollar? Well, if you're President Trump, the good part about weakening the American dollar is that it leads to more domestic consumption because everything becomes more expensive imported from overseas to the United States. Your dollar doesn't go as far. It's not as strong. And two, it means that we get to pay off our debt in inflated currency.
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However, we're already in the middle of an inflationary spiral. It has not ended yet. And so the deliberate idea that we are going to essentially inflate the currency by weakening it against other currencies and making prices higher for Americans in the process, that's a lot of pain for what I think is not a lot of gain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The reality is we are not going to, at this rate, inflate our way out of our national debt without crushing the economy. The actual way that you are going to be able to get out of the national debt is by growing the economy by leaps and bounds. And that does not happen via tariff regimes. That is, tariff regimes do not lead to massive economic growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There was something that was widely applied in Latin America, South America during the 1970s and 80s. It was called dependency theory. It was actually a Marxist theory. The basic idea was, that all of these countries in South America were being ripped off by the more sophisticated Western countries who were trading in sophisticated products.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And then all of these countries in South America were trading out unsophisticated, unfinished materials, for example. And this was leading to, quote unquote, dependency. And so what these countries did is they raised tariffs on developed products from other countries that did not make their countries richer. Overall, it made their countries significantly poorer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It was very, very bad economic policy. So what does this look like? Well, President Trump already, this is not a great political pitch. It just isn't. He told NBC News on Saturday he does not care, for example, if foreign automakers raise their prices for U.S. consumers in response to new tariffs. Quote, I couldn't care less. Here's Christian Welker reporting on President Trump.
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I promise you, by the way, American consumers do care if their prices go up by leaps and bounds on the cars they want to buy for their families.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Vance, and then expelled from the White House over his sort of brazen attempts to get Trump to commit to security. commitments in the room. And then Zelensky effectively apologized on the world stage, and then he said that he was going to agree to an immediate ceasefire. And in the meantime, Vladimir Putin has refused to agree to anything like a comprehensive ceasefire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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OK, autarky is bad economic policy. It just is. It's been bad economic policy forever. The idea you can produce everything within America's borders for the same prices that you're currently getting is not true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I understand that politicians have a stake in pretending that magic can happen in the economy whereby you shut down global trade and you don't import anything and everything gets produced right here in America and it's the same price and your life doesn't change in any way. That is not true. Things are going to get more expensive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The product in the United States, by the way, gets worse because if you don't have competition with foreign competitors, there's no reason for you to make a product any better. This is basically the story of the American car industry during the 1950s and 60s. We dominated the planet in the 1950s. By the end of the 1960s, Toyota was eating our lunch. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Because we had massive tariffs on foreign automakers. We had huge subsidies to American automakers. Those subsidies were largely going to the UAW and other union members. And then when we finally lowered our trade barriers, better cars came in at a lower price and they completely swamped the American auto industry to the point that we had multiple bankruptcies in the 1970s.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And tariff policy, protectionist trade policy is overall not good for, it can be good for certain sectors of an economy that are now receiving benefit at the hands of loss for the vast majority of American consumers. But let's not pretend that it is good economic policy for the vast majority of American consumers. It's just like any other subsidy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you tax everybody a buck and then you pay somebody $300 million, great for the guy who gets $300 million, not great for everybody who has to pay a buck. And here we're talking about a lot more than a buck. Tariffs, as it turns out, are not amazing for the vast majority of Americans. But you know what's great for all Americans? Spring, it's here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And that means it's time to bring some life back to your home or yard with some new trees and plants. Did you know that Fast Growing Trees is the biggest online nursery in the United States with thousands of different plants and over 2 million happy customers? They have all the plants your yard needs, like fruit trees, privacy trees, flowering trees, shrubs, and so much more.
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Whatever plants you're interested in, Fast-growing trees has you covered. Find the perfect fit for your climate and space. Fast-growing trees makes it easy to get your dream yard. Order online, get your plants delivered directly to your door in just a few days without ever leaving home. Their live and thrive guarantee also ensures your plants arrive happy and healthy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Whether you're like me and you want to add some privacy to your yard or you just want to enhance your curb appeal, fast-growing trees makes the whole process incredibly simple. Plus, you can get support from trained plant experts They're on call to help you plan your landscape, choose the right plants, learn how to care for them.
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This spring, they have the best deals for your yard, up to half off on select plants and other deals. Listeners to this show get 15% off their first purchase when they use code dailywire at checkout. That's an additional 15% off at fastgrowingtrees.com using code dailywire at checkout. fastgrowingtrees.com code dailywire. Now is the perfect time to plant. Use dailywire to save today.
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Offer is valid for a limited time. Terms and conditions may apply. Also, If you're not able to watch old family videos anymore because, I mean, they're all on VHS and you haven't had a VCR for like 15 years and everything is recorded and stored on that outdated technology, well, you need Legacy Box. I've used Legacy Box myself for my family, for my in-laws.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Spring cleaning might have you tossing everything out, but you don't want to toss out the family videos and the photos, right? You want to see that stuff, but you can't, except with Legacy Box. With Legacy Box's spring cleaning sale, you can check digitizing your memories off your to-do list and protect them forever for only $9 a tape. Legacy Box makes it incredibly simple.
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Just pack up your outdated tapes, films, and photos, mail them in, they handle the rest. Everything comes back digitized to the cloud so you can view and share your memories from any device anywhere. It's so effortless, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Again, I've done this myself. I've done it for my parents. I've done it for my in-laws.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He said maybe he'll have a ceasefire with regard to energy infrastructure, or maybe there'll be a ceasefire in the Black Sea. Well, in reality, Vladimir Putin is playing a game, and everybody can see that he's playing a game. On Friday, he called for a transitional administration to be put in place in Ukraine, and then vowed his army would, quote, finish off Ukrainian troops.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There are all these old memories that are just out in the garage, and over time, they degrade, and then they disappear. There's no reason for that. Instead, check protecting your memories off your spring cleaning to-do list with Legacy Box. Visit LegacyBox.com slash Shapiro to shop their $9 tape sale. Get 90 days free access to Legacy Box Cloud.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That's LegacyBox.com slash Shapiro to unlock this incredible offer. Again, LegacyBox.com slash Shapiro. The price of core goods, by the way, in the Consumer Price Index fell 1.7% between December 2011 and December 2019. Over the same period, prices of core services like housing, healthcare, and education rose 2.7% per year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That led to an inflation rate of 2% a year overall, according to the Wall Street Journal. Goods prices shot up during the pandemic. They peaked in summer 2023. But in September, core goods prices started rising again by an average of 0.1% a month, including 0.2% in February. So we already do have inflation. And that inflation continues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, the Trump administration, because of course they work for President Trump, they continue to push forward this vision of tariffs. Peter Navarro, who's a big fan of tariffs and one of the president's advisors on trade policy, he said that we are going to make $600 billion in tariff revenue. This is not true. It is not going to happen. Here's Peter Navarro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so last year, tariffs in the United States were responsible for about $80 billion in revenue. To get to $600 billion in tariff revenue, we would need to assume that people are going to continue consuming foreign products at the same rate. It's sort of mutually exclusive ideas. One is that we're going to continue to consume foreign products and thus the tariff revenue will increase.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But also we're not going to consume foreign products and we're going to buy American. So one of those two things is not true.
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Either we're going to redirect our consumption toward American products, in which case the tariffs actually are not going to raise that much money, or we're going to continue to buy foreign products, in which case we're going to raise more money via the tariffs, but we're not going to buy American. Navarro and some of the team wants to have it both ways.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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By the way, even if we raise $600 billion through tariffs, you've heard from people that this is going to pay off our national debt. It is not going to pay off our national debt, not remotely, not close. We run a deficit every year in this country because we spend too much money. It is not because of lack of tax revenue. We pay an enormous amount of tax revenue in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It rises pretty much every year. It just doesn't keep up with our spending. And then Navarro suggested that tariffs are tax cuts. They are not, in fact, tax cuts. That is silly. You can have tax cuts. You can have tariffs. Those are not the same thing. Tariffs are, in fact, an increase. They are a tax on the consumer. That is what they are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So while Putin is attempting to pretend that he actually wants to get to the end of the war, it is now pretty clear which side does not want to get to the end of the war. Zelensky has accepted the reality, which is that Ukraine is not going to, at least in this round of fighting, win back Donbass or Crimea.
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In the same way that Obamacare was a tax on consumers because it got passed along to the consumer every time you paid a bill, tariffs are a tax on American consumers.
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Okay. Well, I mean, you can try this sell. The bottom line is that if Americans feel it in their pocketbook, they're not going to care about the sell. Vice President J.D. Vance was on the campaign trail as well, and he was explaining why he was a fan of the tariffs while he was in Greenland.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so that is not true. J.D. Vance is a very, very smart person, and what he's saying here is just economically false. When he says that our European friends have, in fact, taken money from us, he's correct on the defense side. That is absolutely true. They've been living off our largesse since World War II.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It's one of the reasons why President Trump is absolutely 100% correct to demand that NATO countries pay a certain percentage of their GDP for defense. He's totally right about that. However, when he suggests that the Europeans have used us to, quote, absorb all of their excess economic production. That is not remotely capitalist language. What exactly is excess economic production?
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Please, like, I want to hear it. Do you think that there's a factory in Germany that churns out things at zero cost, basically, for no reason, and then just ship them here? And what, force us to buy them? Well, what exactly is, please define excess economic production. The laws of supply and demand do not work that way.
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If there is no demand for T-shirts, then no one is going to produce the T-shirts or they're an idiot. It bankrupts them. When he says that using America as a piggy bank to absorb all of their excess economic production, what does that mean? That we are buying their stuff? You know, like you buy a thing at the store? That's you absorbing their excess economic production?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But Vladimir Putin does not want the war to end because he feels the momentum is on his side and that if he can sort of continue the push, that eventually the West will give in and stop funding Ukraine. And he will, in fact, end up sitting in the presidential palace in Kyiv. According to Yahoo News, a rapprochement between Washington and Moscow since Trump's return to office and the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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When he says that's meant manufacturing jobs declining and middle class wages going down. Middle class wages have, in fact, not gone down in the United States, adjusted for the benefits that are received from the federal government. In fact, much of the middle class in the United States over the course of the past 40 years has become upper middle class over the course of the last 40 years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And as far as the manufacturing decline in the United States, the truth is that manufacturing production has gone up in the United States. The number of jobs that it takes to make the manufacturing go up has gone down. That is because of technology in the main. It is not, in fact, because of outsourcing to China. Now, again, you can make the argument we shouldn't outsource that stuff to China.
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But to pretend that America was going to look in 2025 the way it looked in 1980 is not true. So again, you can make this case. It's just not going to be a particularly successful case. When this was pointed out, by the way, then J.D. Vance, who spends an awful lot of time on X sort of fighting his critics, he said, it is this brain-dead liberalism pretending to conservatism that saw the U.S.
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go from the world's manufacturing superpower to one in which the PRC makes nearly twice as much as we do. And where if the small island of Taiwan fell to an invasion, we'd be hurled into a Great Depression.
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Now, I'm confused at the idea that if the United States had divested itself of global trade, then magically all manufacturing of semiconductors would be done in the United States as opposed to, say, in other places in Southeast Asia or in other places in Europe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It turns out, actually, that the line of manufacture for, for example, superconductors for semiconductors goes through places in Europe as well. There are many firms that are involved in the production of this sort of stuff. He says this is not just about a few union workers. This is about a globalized economic system in which the United States absorbs much of the producer surplus of the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, producer surplus is a term that does not appear in classical economics for a reason. What is a producer surplus that is absorbed? Who is sitting around just making extra stuff, hoping that people are going to, quote unquote, absorb it? He says a system whose brittle supply chains exposed our economic vulnerability after COVID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And speaking of those autoworkers, this guy has such contempt for, it was autoworkers of the 40s who allowed the United States to go from a peacetime economy to the best mass producer of aircraft the world has ever seen. Is anyone making the suggestion that GM and Ford are going to be making our airplanes now?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Like the F-13, the F-47 that President Trump talks about is going to be manufactured by GM and Ford. It is true, actually, that the auto manufacturers turned to wartime production during World War II. And again, if you're doing tariffs in order to maintain our national security production, I'm with you. That's fine. But the idea that you need broad-based tariffs in order to protect What?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Not even Stellantis to protect Tesla, I guess, because Tesla is then going to make our national security apparatus if there is a global war. And there's a lot of misdirects from the vice president. It just is. And I'm not saying this because I want the president to fail on this stuff. I'm saying this because I think that his economic plans here can harm him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The worst thing that could happen to the Trump administration, by the way, the vice president, Van Stu, who wants to run for president in 2028, the worst thing that could happen here is an economic downturn. That is the worst thing that could happen. As Axios points out, economic growth has flatlined so far this year. Inflation has picked up. Consumers expect both to get worse in the months ahead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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leader's threats to stop supporting Kyiv have bolstered Putin's confidence more than three years into an offensive that has killed tens of thousands of people on both sides. The renewed call to essentially topple Zelensky was the latest demonstration of the Kremlin leader's longstanding desire to install a more Moscow-friendly regime in Kyiv.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Stagflation is starting to be pretty openly discussed. The backward-looking data lately has been distinctly stagflationary. Consumer spending in the first two months of 2025 has been soft coming in, 0.6% below its December rate when adjusted for inflation. A real-time estimate of GDP published by the Atlanta Fed is now pointing to economic activity shrinking at a 0.5% rate in Q1.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Meanwhile, the inflation measure favored by the Fed has risen at a 4.1% annual rate in the first two months of 2025, the highest in a year. I'll repeat again. If you like President Trump's agenda, he needs to avoid stepping on economic rigs. He needs to avoid it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The notion that you're going to rejigger all of global trade and that's going to have no effect on American consumers, on the American economy, on American businesses. Thank you. Thank you.
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Zelensky dismissed Putin's call for a U.N.-run administration as the Russian leader's latest ploy to delay a peace deal, which of course is true. Putin said that Russia could discuss with the United States, Europe and Moscow's allies, quote, under the auspices of the U.N., the possibility of establishing a transitional administration in Ukraine.
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. . . . .
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And then he said that that would organize a democratic presidential election that would result in the coming to power of a competent government. So basically, he wants to oust Zelensky by threat of force. And then he wants his own man put in place in Ukraine. Well, President Trump is now seeing through all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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President Trump, in an interview with NBC News, said that he was, quote unquote, very angry and pissed off when President Putin criticized the credibility of Zelensky's leadership, adding the comments were not going in the right direction. And there's a phone conversation between President Trump and NBC News. Here is Kristen Walker reporting.
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And I think it's that part that is puzzling to people because they've been taught the miracle story. They've seen the movies about Nelson Mandela. They've seen the films and TV shows about the great moment when apartheid ended.
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And there's sort of been a ban publicly on talking about the problems that exist in South Africa post that because to mention that there are some fairly significant problems, as it turns out, in post-apartheid South Africa is seen as some sort of endorsement of apartheid itself, which is a false binary.
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So let's talk about the history of South Africa since the end of apartheid. Again, that's where most people's story ends, is end of apartheid, happily ever after. What has actually happened? What were the political transformations that took place in South Africa after the settlement of 94?
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Now, a secondary tariff means that it's not just that the United States will put a tariff on oil coming out of Russia. It's that he is going to essentially put tariffs on any country that takes Russian oil, which would devastate the Russian economy because Russia is basically a giant gas station with nuclear weapons.
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Well, President Trump continues to resist the calls from isolationists on the right and from insanely anti-American voices on the left to essentially make his foreign policy subject to the whims of other countries. He's just refusing to do that. So the Signalgate story, which ate up the headlines all of last week,
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President Trump said that would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can't do business in the United States. There'll be a 25 percent tariff on all oil, a 25 to 50 point tariff on all oil. Now, again, this is the correct response from President Trump. He has now pushed the Ukrainians as far as it is possible to push the Ukrainians. They're agreeing to rare earth minerals deals.
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So let's talk about the details of that. Because a few years ago, this started to pop up in the news. I remember we covered it on the show at the time. That's when you and I first got in contact, actually. And the... take from the media is that statistically speaking, it's not a big deal. People are being killed at kind of the normal rate that people are killed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There is a comparison between the rate of killing of farmers in rural South Africa to the rate of killing of people in Johannesburg, which is notorious for having significant violence problems. Talk a little bit about that. What's been happening with the killing of farmers?
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They're agreeing to immediate ceasefires. Zelensky gets the picture. The problem is that Vladimir Putin does not, in fact, get the picture. And so when President Trump is pissed off, he has every right to be pissed off because he understands that Vladimir Putin is, in fact, playing him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So when it comes to the politics here and the excuse that you hear in the world media is when you see videos of Malema saying kill the boar. Number one, you'll hear, well, he doesn't actually mean it. It's just it's just song. Who cares? Which is absurd on its face. But the other thing they'll say is, well, you know, he's part of a party that isn't actually the governing party.
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ANC is the governing party. So why are we focusing so much on Malema, for example? Isn't ANC just fine?
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And so for all the sort of tankies on both right and left who believe that Trump is going to simply cave into Vladimir Putin, that is not how Trump operates. The thing about President Trump is that all these people who sit around trying to figure out exactly what he is saying, what exactly he's doing, there is no massive backroom calculus that is happening here.
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One of the things that is fascinating about what's happening and horrifying is the connection of a sort of communist philosophy of economics with a Frantz Fanon decolonization. Violence is the solution and transforms people spiritually attitude that seems to have crept in South Africa.
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And it's part of a sort of third world ism that now spans not just South Africa, but wide parts of the Middle East, enormous parts of Asia. And it's part of a broader movement that we're seeing globally that basically suggests that the the. anyone who is failing is a victim of capitalist excesses predominantly by white people, and that all of that has to be overthrown.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And you can see this manifesting domestically. You can also see it in terms of the foreign policy of South Africa. South Africa famously sponsored this ridiculous international court of justice assault on the Israeli government, suggesting that Israel is committing a genocide in in Gaza.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
He is not sitting in the backroom with one of those Charlie Day, it's always sunny in Philadelphia, boards with all of the strings connecting picture to picture. President Trump says exactly what he thinks, and he says it clearly and openly, which is why he's been president twice. The American people know what they are getting from President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And there are deep connections between Hamas and the South African government, between Iran and the South African government. There's presumably money that's changing hands along those lines as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
So what are the answers in South Africa? Obviously, the Trump administration is now applying sanctions or talking about applying sanctions to South Africa based on the racial discrimination in the law, based on their threats to expropriate property from essentially white people. What would the actual solutions be domestically? What would a better governed South Africa look like?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And everybody who keeps looking for some sort of secret motivation, there's no secret motivation. He just does the thing. This also happens to be true with regard to Iran. So President Trump. had sent a letter to the Iranian president saying, would you like to open negotiations over your nuclear program?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
I mean, the fact that that's even remotely controversial is sort of beyond me because that is the way that it has historically worked. It worked that way in the United States originally, where even the states, members of states had their own identities. And that's why we have a very weak central government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And that's why Virginia was governed different than Massachusetts, which is governed different. from New Hampshire. And the same thing is obviously true in Europe. I mean, much of the angst about the EC and then the EU has been specifically about the idea that a French identity is different from a British identity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And when you have people who don't share a philosophy or a history or a culture or an ideology or anything like that, what you end up with is one group having to dominate another group. And in one form that can take is apartheid. And a reverse form of that can be a racist regime that cracks down on white people. Yeah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And so the idea that – and what you're talking about here is not racial identitarianism. What you're talking about here is cultural affinity. And the fact that you have cultural affinities between people, that, of course, is totally real and inarguable. You're not suggesting that white is better than black. Black is better than white. Black can't live with white.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
What you're saying is that they're – There are cultures that are different. Those cultures should be able to self-govern. And the idea that those cultures have to be put into a system that is ruled top-down in tyrannical fashion by either one group grabbing the gun or the other group grabbing the gun is unworkable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And if you don't want to open negotiations over your nuclear program, bad stuff is going to happen. Well, on Sunday, Iran's president said that the Islamic Republic had rejected direct negotiations with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
I mean, again, I think that one of the things that people are trying to tie this into is sort of white nationalism or white supremacy. And that's a category error. That's not actually what you're talking about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
President Massoud Peshikian said that Iran's response delivered via the Sultanate of Oman left open the possibility of indirect negotiations with Washington. But such talks have made no progress since Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
It's basic Montesquieu, right? I mean, there's nothing new here. I mean, this is what all the American founders talked about, the idea of...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Your local government is going to be the government that is best for you, that you do have to have decentralization, that you do have to have local rule, that most of the things you agree on with your neighbors are going to be things that you agree on with your actual neighbors, not people who live thousands of miles away and share a completely different culture and affinity for different philosophy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Again, the fact that this has become controversial is because – we live in a sort of bizarre world where you have to force yourself into these false choices again. It's either apartheid or it's racial rule by the ANC, and there's no in between. There's nothing else that can be done here. And that obviously is untrue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
So is there any level of support inside South Africa for this sort of decentralization? How does that level of support feel?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
I mean, I think there's also a great example of how paper guarantees mean nothing if you don't have some level of cultural affinity and unity among the population.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
That, of course, was the so-called JCPOA, which was the ridiculous nuclear deal that was negotiated by Barack Obama that essentially gave Iran a clear pathway to a bomb. It said, you have to delay it for 10 years, but you can use all the money that we are giving you and now freeing up. to spread terrorism all over the Middle East.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
When the South African Constitution was written, Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously suggested it was a better constitution than the Constitution of the United States because it guaranteed things like a right to health care and a right to housing. A right to a good environment. Exactly. It's like a list of these rights that aren't actually rights. They're things that have to be provided to you by others.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
It's not like a right to free speech where essentially a right to free speech means you have a duty not to infringe on my free speech. A right to housing means you have a duty to provide me housing. And it turns out that none of that materialized. There's a lack of housing. It turns out that...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
The right to health care doesn't mean that health care in South Africa magically materializes in amazing ways where the health care is just tremendous. All these sorts of paper ideas that were put forward at the expense of realism in the 1990s in places like South Africa have completely fallen. Exactly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
For sure. And one of the things Burke warned about was the idea that these sort of free-floating rights were equally applicable at all times and all places without any roots in the actual soil of a culture. I mean, the idea of Western-based rights are based in a particular ideology of the West that is an outgrowth of thousands of years of history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And the idea that they sort of magically manifest anywhere you drop them is obviously untrue. You have to put in place institutions. You have to develop cultures around them. And if those things don't happen, then they don't mean anything. It's just a paper, right? So you're looking at what the Trump administration is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And we have seen the consequences of that over the past couple of years when the entire Middle East has gone up in flames, thanks in large part to the additional funding that was granted to Iran by the Obama administration and then the Biden administration. The relief that was given to them said they could then spread their terror all over the Middle East. Pajekian said, we don't avoid talks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Obviously, the State Department is now sounding off pretty openly about this under Secretary Rubio. What would you like to see the Trump administration do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And so for a normal American who's watching this, and I think that we've talked about this, the fact that what's happening in South Africa is a bleeding edge indicator of sort of trends that are growing rapidly. Across the world, also in the West. I mean, this is an internal battle in the West that is happening right now about what exactly the West means. What are the West's values?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Do the West's values require that you essentially sacrifice all the values of the West on behalf of empty rhetoric about... about rights or about constitutional guarantees or about that sort of stuff. Like what, what does it mean to be a member of a culture? What does it mean to be a member of the West?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
What do you recommend that, you know, resources for, for Americans want to learn more about this. And also if Americans want to help, because this actually does have ramifications far beyond what's going on just in South.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Well, Dr. Ernst Roots, really appreciate you being here and thanks for what you're doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
It's the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far. They must prove they can build trust, that we can build trust with you, who are using all the money that the Obama administration freed up, To pay for terrorist proxies all over the Middle East and ballistic missile development. That you can trust us? Excuse me. So the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
All right, you guys, coming up, Representative Jasmine Crockett, the hot new face of the Democratic Party. She just goes totally racist. Plus, we'll jump into the mailbag. Remember, you can only ask questions in the mailbag and hear my answers if you are a member over at Daily Wire+. If you're not, now's the moment. Become a member. Use code Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
State Department responded, Again, this is not a complex calculus. President Trump himself. said that if they don't come to some sort of answer with regards to their nuclear program, the United States is going to come to an answer with regards to their nuclear program. And that answer might involve some bombs falling on their nuclear facilities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
This idea that because there was a group chat involving the national security apparatus inside the Trump administration that also accidentally invited in Jeffrey Goldberg, the pseudo journalist editor of The Atlantic, that this was a rationale for him to blow up his entire national security infrastructure. That isn't true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Now, of course, it wouldn't be the United States predominantly that would do that. Presumably, that would be the Israelis doing that with armaments essentially lent them by the United States. However, President Trump's foreign policy is very clear. He is willing to make a deal at any time with anyone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
But if you aren't willing to make a deal, the kind of deal the United States wants to enter into, he is going to clock you or he's going to allow America's allies to clock you. Again, this is called peace through strength. It is not particularly difficult to understand. It's actually quite easy to understand. Now, meanwhile, in sort of funnier foreign policy news, J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Vance arrived in Greenland over the weekend. And I think he spoke for all Americans when he dropped this particular line. He arrived. He was talking to American troops. We do have American troops stationed in Greenland for national security purposes. We have a base there. And here is J.D. Vance summing up the feelings of all Americans with regard to Greenland.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Okay, so yes, it is indeed cold as bleep in Greenland. He said, nobody told me. JD is right about that. The vice president is correct about that. I will say that I think it's bizarre that we are extending the same sort of logic to many of our allies that we have extended to our enemies. So JD Vance slammed Denmark. Now again, Greenland has like 50,000 people. If
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
The Greenlanders wish to join the United States. They could hold a referendum tomorrow and join the United States. They've made clear they don't actually wish to join the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
The United States does have serious national interest in Greenland because of the Arctic channels that flow around Greenland that are now being victimized and used as bases in some ways by the Russians and the Chinese. However, slamming Denmark, like this part I don't really understand, I'll be honest with you. Here's J.D. Vance slamming Denmark.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And President Trump said, we will get Greenland, yeah, 100%. And then added, there's a good possibility we could do it without military force, but I don't take anything off the table. So war for Greenland, apparently, is still on the table. Okay. Greenland Prime Minister Jens Fredrik Nielsen pushed back and said, President Trump says the United States is getting Greenland. Let me make this clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
President Trump addressed that over the weekend, according to a brief phone interview he did with NBC News over the weekend. He told the network, I don't fire people because of fake news and because of witch hunts. Here was NBC's Kristen Welker reporting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
The United States is not getting that. We don't belong to anyone else. We decide our own future. Again, I don't think that's what President Trump is actually going for. Maybe he is. Maybe he is. It would be a... large use of political capital to go get Greenland. I suppose there are some reasons to get Greenland, but expending political capital in this way, it's a choice.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
I'm not sure it's a choice most Americans are deeply invested in. So obviously the United States does actually have I have some pretty significant national security interests in Greenland. I asked our friends over at Perplexity to spell those out. Of course, Perplexity is a sponsor of the show. By the way, I should mention here, Perplexity is such a great tool.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
They're not even paying me for this particular bump. I'm just saying this. Producer Zach went to the car dealer over the weekend, and Producer Zach got like a $10,000 discount on his car by using information that he got from Perplexity about, for example, the VIN number of the car, how long it had been on the lot, how much it was costing them to keep the car on the lot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Every day, he'd been there for like 200 days, and he negotiated down his car price based on information he got from Perplexity. So good for Producer Zach, a smart use of Perplexity. Anyway, I asked Perplexity, what are the United States' national security interests in Greenland? What is the U.S. 's history of protecting and defending Greenland? And here's what Perplexity says.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Greenland holds significant strategic importance for the United States due to its location in the Arctic and its role in global security. It's situated at a critical juncture between North America and Europe, making it vital for monitoring air and sea routes. The U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
operates Pitufik Space Base, formerly called Thule Air Base, which serves as a key installation for missile detection in Arctic operations. The 1951 Greenland Defense Agreement allows the United States to establish and maintain military facilities on the island, ensuring rapid response capabilities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
As global rivalries intensify, particularly with Russia and China, Greenland is pivotal for maintaining U.S. influence in the Arctic region, which is becoming a contested area due to climate change and emerging trade routes because a lot of the ice up there is thawing, and that means that ships can now travel up there. The United States has a long history of protecting Greenland.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
During World War II, the U.S. actually established military bases there because Denmark, of course, had been occupied by the Nazis. The 1941 Defense of Greenland Agreement allowed American forces to protect the island from German influence during the Cold War. It was a strategic outpost for us to monitor the Soviets. The U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
has tried to buy Greenland a bunch of times, all the way from 1867 to 1946, basically. So nothing new in what President Trump is trying to do, whether we take it by military force or not. You know, I'm a little skeptical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Well, President Trump's polling remains solid because the government continues to do better things under Trump than it would otherwise, as Doge continues to surgically cut the fat from decades of bloated government spending and corruption. Pure Talk, the cell phone company I use for business every day. They're cutting the fat from the wireless industry. That is correct.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
PeerTalk says, I don't think so, to $100 a month cell phone plans. That's just wasteful. It's irresponsible. Instead, they're offering America's most dependable 5G network at America's most sensible prices. Listen to this. Unlimited talk, text, and 15 gigs of data plus mobile hotspot for just $35 a month. The best part? Right now you'll get a free one-year membership to Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Access the entire library of Daily Wire Plus movies and documentaries. Enjoy uncensored ad-free daily shows. And as always, your free leftist here is Tumblr. With Pure Talk's U.S. customer service team, you can switch hassle-free in as little as 10 minutes. You don't need Doge to cut the fat from your wireless bill. You need Pure Talk. Go to puretalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Switch on over to Pure Talk right now at puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. Pure Talk is wireless by Americans for Americans. Go check them out right now. PureTalk.com slash Shapiro. That's PureTalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Also, if you're the owner of a growing business the way I am, imagine a hiring approach similar to speed dating, but instead of meeting potential romantic partners, you'd meet multiple qualified job candidates in a single scheduled session. Granted, No one actually likes speed dating, but people do like hiring those qualified candidates quickly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Wouldn't it be nice if there were an efficient format that allowed you to connect with several pre-screened interested applicants all at once, streamlining that recruitment process? Well, there's good news. There is. It's Zip Intro from Zip Recruiter. You can post your job today and start talking to qualified candidates tomorrow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Right now, you can try Zip Intro for free at ziprecruiter.com slash dailywire. Zip Intro transforms your hiring process with our streamlined approach to candidate assessment. Just select a convenient time slot. We handle everything else, finding qualified candidates, managing all the scheduling logistics on your behalf. You maintain complete control over which applicants you'd like to meet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
The best part, you could be connecting with promising talent as early as tomorrow through our efficient back-to-back video call format. It's hiring made super simple. Enjoy the benefits of speed hiring with new Zip Intro. Only from Zip Recruiter rated number one hiring site based on G2. Try Zip Intro for free at ziprecruiter.com slash dailywire. Again, that's ziprecruiter.com slash dailywire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Zip Intro. Post jobs today. Talk to qualified candidates tomorrow. According to a brand new CBS poll, President Trump remains at a 50% approval rating, 50% approve, 50% disapprove. When it comes to immigration, He's at $53.47, which makes sense. On the economy, he's at $48.52. On inflation, he's at $44.56. And this is the big problem for President Trump that faces President Trump right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Now, why did he say that? Because according to Trump, quote, we had a tremendously successful strike. We struck very hard and very lethal. Nobody wants to talk about that. All they want to talk about is nonsense. It's fake news. He says, I have no idea what signal is. I don't care what signal is. I can tell you it's a witch hunt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
And this is the thing that President Trump has to focus in on. As I've been saying for weeks at this point, the only thing that can stop the Trump train here is a sinking economy. A sinking economy stops any train. It doesn't matter who the president is. If you're the president and you have a bad economy, it really stops you in your tracks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
Well, right now, the polling data show that the American people are pretty skittish about some of the economic plans that President Trump is making, particularly with regard to tariffs. And again, there's plenty of great stuff happening on the economic front, everything from Doge to tax cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2169 - BREAKING: Le Pen BANNED?!?
However, these swings with regard to the economy in public opinion polling are not good for President Trump right now. That same CBS News poll that showed him at 50%, which again is a very solid number for President Trump. The question of whether Trump's policies are making you financially better off, worse off, or the same In January, 42% of people said better off. 28% of people said worse off.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Got a ton coming up for you on today's show. It is a mega show today. President Trump throws Vladimir Zelensky, the leader of Ukraine, out of the White House after a nuclear meltdown of a press conference. The rest of the world reacts, and we examine whether there is a new Trump doctrine or whether Zelensky simply blew it. We'll get to all that first tomorrow night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so what is he saying? Again, he's saying the same thing. When it comes to the economy, he's going to make the deal first, and that is going to be the lever that allows for security guarantees, right? That is what he is saying. Okay, this continues. This is clip five. So a reporter asks Zelensky if he feels like the United States is on the side of Ukraine at the moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And President Trump's like, what are you even asking that for? I mean, clearly we are. I'm here with him. I'm signing a rare earth minerals agreement with him, like right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so again, that's Zelensky pushing. So Trump says, of course, I'm going to decide what we're going to sign an agreement. All Trump wants from this meeting is to get out of there with the rare earth minerals deal that is going to provide the lever for a broader American commitment or tacit American commitment. to the security of Ukraine. That's what this is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And Zelensky keeps pushing because he feels like publicly he needs to push. I don't know if he thought that he was going to get Trump to cave in the room or something, or if this is all virtue signaling for the cameras, or if he feels he needs to say this for his own people at home, or if this was all a sort of design to blow up the meeting in order to get the Europeans to step in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I'm not sure what Zelensky's strategy here was. All I know, it's a very, very bad strategy. So President Trump, again, being very sober about all of this, And for all the talk about how Trump was the one who was combative in this, he really was not. For 40 minutes, he sat there while Zelensky effectively attempted to negotiate a deal in the room.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And so my view when it comes to the war in Ukraine is whatever gets us to that durable off-ramp is good. And whatever gets in the way of that durable off-ramp is bad. That's all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And here is President Trump talking about compromise.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Now, you can see a fundamental difference between Trump and Zelensky here. Zelensky thinks that the United States is full-fledged on the side of Ukraine in terms of this negotiation, meaning they should, like Biden, just pour in the aid without any sort of end, without any sort of designs to end the war. And Trump says, listen, I got to broker a deal. I want the deal. Now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
We'll talk about the ramifications of the meeting and how actually one of the things that the Trump administration might think about doing and President Trump had said during that campaign pretty clearly is say to Vladimir Putin, listen, we want a deal. You know we want a deal. We've been very obvious about how we want a deal. I've been giving you all sorts of props in public.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If you don't make a deal, then we're going to ratchet up support because we can't just let you win by default, right? But that's not actually the approach that Trump is taking and that's arguable. But again, in the meeting, So far, Trump is the person who's being mature, and Zelensky is the person, as I say over and over again, you can hear him being combative. This is for 40 minutes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
You know, one of these sort of hot moments happened when one of the reporters is a guy from One America News Network. I believe this reporter happens to be dating Marjorie Taylor Greene, the congresswoman from Georgia, and asks Zelensky about wearing a suit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
By the way, that also happens to be the policy of the Trump administration, which is seeking an off-ramp that would, in fact, not allow Vladimir Putin to waltz into Kiev, but also acknowledges that the likelihood of Ukraine winning back Donbass and Crimea is basically zero and has been since 2014. So that was the predicate to the big meeting that was supposed to happen on Friday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Thank you. Well, there was a sartorial spat inside the Oval Office and, you know, it's kind of fun to cover that sort of stuff. But there are other things I love about working in the news industry as well. Every day I get to connect with millions of listeners, share breaking stories and work with incredible talent who are just as passionate about politics as I am.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If you're doing what you love to do, there's nothing better than being surrounded by people who love it the way that you do. And if you own your own business. You want to hire employees who love what they do to boost the overall success of your business, plus make it a pretty great place to work. But how do you find passionate employees who are a good fit for all your roles? ZipRecruiter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Right now, you can try it for free at ziprecruiter.com. ZipRecruiter is the hiring site employers prefer most, based on G2. And their powerful matching technology works fast to find top talent so you don't waste time or waste money. Hire experienced people who are excited about what they do with ZipRecruiter.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the very first day. See for yourself. Go to this exclusive web address and try ZipRecruiter for free. ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. Again, that's ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. ZipRecruiter is indeed the smartest way to hire. Go check them out right now. ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
There's a reason we've been using it here at DailyWire for years ourselves. ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. Also, let me tell you something. I never realized how bad my old mattress was until I got the Helix mattress. You know the feeling where you wake up and your back is hurting? Well, that was me a lot. Don't even get me started on the old mattress turning into a heat trap at night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Since switching on over to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on my busiest days and the craziest headlines. And here's what makes Helix different. They don't believe in one size fits all sleep solutions. Instead, they use their sleep quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, now back to sort of the real issue of the day. President Trump is asked about security agreements. And again, he's saying the thing over and over. He's basically offering Zelensky an off-ramp. Like here's the rare earths mineral seal, let's sign it. We're on side. That is the way we get involved. Here he is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So on Friday, President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, was supposed to arrive in the United States and go to the White House, and he was supposed to sign a minerals deal. Now, there was an immediate conflict between what both parties wanted from this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
OK, he's right there giving Zelensky what he wants is where Zelensky should say, OK, great, Mr. President, we'll talk about this behind closed doors. And he doesn't. Right. Trump said these words, quote, we haven't committed, but we could conceivably, you know, we have security in a different form. He's giving Zelensky what he wants. He's giving him the excuse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
But Zelensky can't take the W. He can't take the W. So Zelensky keeps pushing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so again, you can see Zelensky is saying that Putin can't be trusted. This is why we need security. And again, I don't think that Zelensky is wrong about this per se, but why is he negotiating all of this? He's not going to get what he wants in the room. Okay, so President Trump has asked about NATO.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And again, I think one of the things that the people want to attribute to Trump is that he wants to rewrite all the bargains of the world. And there are people inside the Republican Party who clearly want to do this. But I'm not sure that that is what President Trump wants. There's been a lot of talk about Trump, for example, pulling out of NATO. Some loose talk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Elon Musk suggested that over the weekend. That would be, I think, a terrible move. There's been a lot of talk about President Trump basically ripping up the idea that America guarantees the freedom of the seas and sort of conceding the Far East to China and all the rest of this kind of stuff. And we'll get into that in a little bit. But here's President Trump projecting that outright.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
President Trump, he wanted the minerals deal because, number one, he believes that the United States ought to be repaid for its investment in other countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
He's asked about NATO. He's asked about Poland. He's asked about the Baltics. And here's what he says.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Daily Wire Backstage returns live for President Donald Trump's address to Congress. We are covering it all. Do not miss the exclusive pre-show at 8.30 p.m. Eastern, followed by the full address completely uninterrupted. And when he's done, we're back with a breakdown of what it all means. Watch with us tomorrow night at Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so again, this is President Trump actually saying the peace through strength thing, right? We want to be in NATO. Everybody's got to pay their pay up, pay their fair share. Nothing here is radical. Nothing here is particularly polarizing in what President Trump is saying. OK, and then Zelensky, he continues to push. This is the theme.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The theme is that for the first 40 minutes, Zelensky pushes and Trump is pretty passive. Trump does not push back too hard. Here's Zelensky talking about Russia's intentions on the Baltics, on Poland. And by the way, he's not wrong that Russia obviously is revanchist. That Russia would love to split apart NATO by invading, say, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, if NATO weren't there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
This has been a longstanding belief of President Trump's that when we get involved in foreign policy, there ought to be sort of a clear return to the United States, whether we're talking about defending Kuwait from Saddam Hussein or whether we're talking about paying to defend Ukraine from Russia. There should be some sort of return to the American taxpayer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
But Trump just committed to a continued NATO funding in those places. Here's Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
You know, President Trump could fire back on him right there. You could say, well, that's not true. You know, why would American soldiers have to fight in the Baltics? He doesn't fight back on this because President Trump is actually not talking about surrendering all of Eastern Europe to Vladimir Putin, like all of his critics claim that he is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And then Trump is asked about why he has not said mean words about Putin. And this is Trump's perspective. If I say mean words about Putin, does that get us to a deal or does it not get us to a deal? Here's President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Again, Trump is just saying, I want to get to a deal, right? Okay, now the meeting could have ended any time in here. Here's where it started to go sideways, like really sideways. And again, it's very tense. You can see the tension. Zelensky's tense. He's leaning toward Trump almost aggressively throughout this meeting. Trump's kind of sitting back, kind of taking it like an adult.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And the adult in the room was Trump in this meeting. It just, that is the reality. Okay, so J.D. Vance jumps in. So J.D. hasn't said anything this entire time. And the vice president of the United States is sitting there. Now, in my belief, the vice president of the United States should have been attempting to facilitate the end of this meeting, okay?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Otherwise, in President Trump's beliefs, we are getting screwed. That has been a longstanding Trumpian position. But there is something else going on here. And this was made clear during the press conference. President Trump always saw the economic minerals deal as a sort of foot in the door to prevent a Russian invasion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Everything that needs to be said has now been said. He should have, and Trump should have, and everybody should, and Zelensky should have. It would have been everybody's interest to say, okay, guys, now we've taken 45 minutes of questions. We're going to go in the back room. We're going to talk, and then we're going to do a signing ceremony, right? So here's what happens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Vance decides he needs to jump in and he needs to defend President Trump. Again, I know this is Vice President Vance's sort of typical role as bulldog for Trump. I get it. That's fine. But it does set off a conflagration. So here is Vance. And again, what he says right here is not particularly controversial. But Zelensky decides that he is going to go after Vance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Now, the reality is that whatever relationships Zelensky has with Trump, his relationship with Vance is terrible. His relationship with Vance is terrible because Vance has openly said he does not care if Russia just eats up Ukraine, just doesn't care.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Because Vance associates with a number of public figures who say some of the wildest things about Ukraine it is possible to say and some of the most pro-Putin things it is possible to say. And I'm sure Zelensky knows this. And so Zelensky takes offense, I think, at the fact that he's in the room with Vance. And that's Zelensky's fault. It is. But Vance then escalates. So you'll see.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
We're going to break this down. This is the critical clip from the meeting. It's several minutes. We're going to stop and start it so we can analyze what exactly happens here. Here is Vice President Vance jumping in to defend President Trump over the accusation that somehow because he wants to negotiate an end to the war, that this makes him pro-Putin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Can I ask you? OK, stop it right there for a second. OK, so so what Van says there is totally inarguable. Okay, the vice president, he doesn't think he's about to get into a fight with Zelensky. Zelensky jumps in and starts fighting with Vance. Again, there's some people who think that Vance set up, I don't think that's right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If you hear what vice president Vance says right there, not only does he rip on Biden, but he literally says the words, Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. Now there's been controversy for two weeks over whether this administration is willing to admit that Putin started the war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Because if the United States has workers in Ukraine who are, for example, mining rare earths minerals, And then the Russians invade. The United States is immediately dragged in. And President Trump is not wrong about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
That is Vance himself saying that Putin invaded the country and destroyed a large chunk of it. So this is not Vance attempting to start a firefight. Zelensky jumps in and starts arguing with Vance. And I'm not sure what was going through Zelensky's head right here, honestly. It could be that he was planning some sort of conflagration to get European support.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Again, it could be that he's trying to signal to the folks back home. It could be he just doesn't like J.D. Vance. But this thing breaks into a wild nuclear meltdown here. Here is Zelensky going after Vance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Pause it right here. Okay, so you'll hear Vance's response. So Vance's first sentence in response to Zelensky is the correct response. And that should be the end of the meeting. He should have said, you know, President Zelensky, I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that will actually end this war properly. We're going to have these discussions behind closed door.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
In fact, for centuries, this has been a Western way of making war, is that if there is in fact the British East India Company that gets involved in trade in a far-flung place, and then they are attacked by the local government, That does actually dredge up the problem of perhaps the British Empire getting directly militarily involved.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Instead, Vice President Vance takes the opportunity to throw two grenades. One is directed at President Trump and one is directed at Zelensky. The one that is clearly directed at President Trump is that he mentions Zelensky as you will see, Zelensky going to Pennsylvania in the final days of the campaign and walking around Pennsylvania with Josh Shapiro. That is clearly directed at Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, the reason he is mentioning that is to piss Trump off because that is like a red flag in front of a bull. If you mention that Zelensky, which again, it was an idiot move, a foolish move, I commented on the time, that Zelensky went to Pennsylvania and campaigned with Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, who was campaigning for Kamala Harris in the last stages of the campaign.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If you mention that in front of Trump, Trump is going to get enraged. He's also going to get enraged because Vance says out loud what Trump has probably been thinking. Trump's like, I've been contained this whole time. And Vance says, you're being really, really disrespectful. If you say to Trump, this man is being disrespectful and loved Joe Biden, that is like a red flag in front of a bull.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Meanwhile, he then says to Zelensky, a thing that no leader can sit there and hear, which is you're losing the war. You're having to forcibly conscript people, which is an accusation about the inhumanity of the Ukrainian regime that
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Frankly, Vance didn't use with regard to, say, Vladimir Putin, who has kidnapped apparently tens of thousands of Ukrainian children and then taken them back to Russia for russification and all of this. So you can hear this is this is the part. So Zelensky started it. And then J.D. just pours the fuel on the fire, like really pours the fuel on the fire. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And so you don't want to screw with the British East India Company. That is almost how President Trump is seeing the rare earth minerals deal. That is what he's doing right there. Meanwhile, Zelensky is saying, I can't go back to my people and say that I signed a minerals deal or anything else without security guarantees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If the final settlement does not involve actual explicit security guarantees, I can't actually go back to my people with that. Which, by the way, is one of the reasons I've also been suggesting for years that the United States might have to go over Zelensky's head in order to negotiate the end of this war and then cram it down on him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so Zelensky is so obviously spoiling for a fight. He's so obviously spoiling for a fight. And J.D. pushes back on him in a way that is designed to blow up the entire thing. The people who wanted the fight in this meeting are Zelensky on the one side, who clearly was spoiling for a fight from pretty much the first moment,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And then J.D., when he gets his chance, the vice president of the United States, when he gets his chance, he immediately throws two grenades again, one designed to piss off Trump and one designed to piss off Zelensky. And Zelensky, who's been spoiling for a fight the whole time, jumps on that grenade with his chest. I mean, jumps on that grenade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And then he gets into a fight with Trump in the Oval Office. And then Trump, predictably, the fallout is that President Trump says, well, we don't get out. Trump throws him out of the Oval Office. And then he releases a statement on Truth Social, quote, We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It's amazing what comes out through emotion. I've determined that President Zelensky is not ready for peace if America is involved because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiation. I don't want advantage. I want peace.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
He disrespected the United States of America and its cherished global office. He can come back when he is ready for peace. OK, so what is the actual impact of all of that? Now, again, the reality is that the end of the war, as I say, from the very beginning, the end of the war is Russia ends up with control of Donbass and Crimea. Security guarantees are issued by Europe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
There's some tacit American support of those security guarantees in all likelihood. Whatever accelerates the process toward that is good. Whatever decelerates the progress toward that is bad. Did this whole tete-a-tete accelerate the progress toward that? So many things can be true at once. One, I think Trump was the adult in the room pretty much his entire time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Two, Zelensky came in spoiling for a fight. And as we'll examine in just a moment, that's probably because he was talking with many of the wrong people in the United States and also possibly because he's strategizing for European support. Three, Vice President Vance definitely escalated this. You can hear it in the exchange.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It is Zelensky who is pushing Trump and Vance, but it is Vance who decides to get incredibly personal. And I think that that may have something to do with Vance's own views on foreign policy, which again, I don't know how well those match up with President Trump's generalized worldview on foreign policy, even if they cross over with regard to their perspectives on Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Zelensky then made the swores. Again, this is either brutal incompetence by Zelensky or an attempt to essentially drive support for Ukraine from the Europeans via hatred of Trump. It may be that could easily be that. So Zelensky goes on Brett Baier that same evening. And here is Zelensky over and over and over refusing to apologize to the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
They might have to, the United States, might have to go to Russia and say, listen, we know the outline of the deal. You may not like it. We may not like it. Zelensky may not like it. But again, outline of the deal, Donbass and Crimea remain in Russian hands. There are, in fact, security guarantees to the Ukrainians, and that's the best it's going to get.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So did any of this like change the underlying dynamics of the deal? Maybe not. But the perceptions from other players, say Russia and China, are going to matter. So Russia put out a statement saying that the United States' sudden shift in foreign policy, quote, largely aligns with its own position.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quote, the new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision. There's a long way to go because a lot of damage has been done to the whole complex of bilateral relations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
But if the political will of the two leaders, President Putin and President Trump is maintained, this path could be quick and successful. And of course, they then insulted Vladimir Zelensky throughout all of this. So.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
One of the big questions that we're going to have to answer here is whether this meeting is symptomatic of a broader American foreign policy shift or whether it is reflective of bad political calculations by Vladimir Zelensky, whether it is reflective of specific designs in Ukraine that doesn't have implications for, say, NATO or the Far East.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
That is the big question that comes out of all of this. And we'll get to that in just one moment. First, tomorrow night, folks, 9 p.m. Eastern, President Donald Trump addresses Congress. A moment this big demands coverage like never before. That's exactly what we are bringing you. For the first time ever, Matt Walsh and I will be live from D.C. at the president's speech as history unfolds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It all starts with our exclusive pre-show at 8.30 p.m. Eastern on Daily Wire, plus setting the stage for President Trump's address. Then watch Trump's speech with us live as we bring you the kind of real-time analysis you won't get anywhere else. And don't go anywhere after. It's backstage live, breaking down every major moment in real time. This is the coverage you won't find on Legacy Media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Watch it all exclusively at Daily Wire Plus. Okay, so the Republican reaction to this was to condemn Zelensky quite properly. So Lindsey Graham, there's no bigger backer in Congress of the Ukraine involvement by the Americans than Senator Lindsey Graham. He said that Zelensky probably should resign over all of this because he's now blown out his level of support with Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
OK, so entering this meeting, all President Trump wanted was a grip and grin. All he wanted was for Zelensky to show up and Trump would shake his hand and there would be a sort of implicit understanding that almost became explicit during this meeting. that the rare earth minerals deal was a sort of trigger force for the United States providing security guarantees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So Speaker of the House Mike Johnson repeated that general sentiment, suggesting that this is on CNN as well as NBC, that we know Vladimir Putin is going to be trusted. We're not abandoning Ukraine. But Zelensky is a disaster area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
OK, so again, this has been the sort of general Republican response to all of this. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said something similar. He said, listen, we're not trying to undermine Ukraine. We're trying to get to a negotiated end here. And, you know, you can preen and you can posture, but the negotiated end kind of looks the same no matter how you slice it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Howard Lutnick, who's the Commerce Secretary, repeated this. He says, listen, Zelensky came in here and wanted to make a make-believe bargain that wasn't on the table. What was he doing?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And then Scott Besant, who's the Treasury Secretary, said something similar. He says, listen, the whole point of getting to an economic deal is to get to a peace deal. I mean, this is like the, this is what Trump was saying in the room. Again, Trump was the adult.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And Trump comes very close to saying that several times in the actual meetings. Zelensky comes in with another agenda. And as we'll see, it's probably because he was prepped by Democrats, apparently. He comes in and he wants President Trump in the room to say that he is going to give a security guarantee, a thing that President Trump does not want to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And this is right, by the way. Again, this is not just from the United States. The British ambassador to the United States, again, Impedal Mandelson, he said that that was the whole point. The whole point of the rare earth mineral deal was to set up the possibility of a peace deal that would then include some security guarantees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
OK, by the way, you know who agrees with all this? Donald Trump. Donald Trump agrees with all this. So yesterday, President Trump went to Truth Social. He posted a quote from some dude named Michael McKeown, who I've never heard of. And here is the quote he posted, quote, Now Zelensky will have no choice but to back down and accept Trump's terms. But here's the genius part.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Trump is actually protecting Ukraine without dragging the U.S. into war by negotiating a mineral drill. Trump ensures that Americans will be involved in Ukraine's mining industry. This prevents Russia from launching an invasion because attacking Ukraine would mean endangering American lives, something that would force the US to respond. Trump played both sides like a master chess player.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
In the end, Zelensky will have no choice but to concede because without US support, Ukraine cannot win a prolonged war against Russia. And once US companies have mining operations in Ukraine, Putin will be unable to attack without triggering massive international consequences. Don't underestimate Donald Trump. In this game of chess, he's 10 moves ahead of everyone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so that's what Trump was trying to do. Trump was trying to give Zelensky the W and Zelensky wouldn't take the W. So why did this go so wrong? Well, one reason apparently is because according to Michael Goodwin writing at the New York Post, Zelensky decided that he was going to take his hints and his advisory opinions from Democrats
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Quote, before meeting President Trump, Zelensky met with anti-Trump Democrats who advised him to reject the terms of the mineral deal the president was offering, according to Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. Quote, just finished a meeting with President Zelensky here in Washington.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Because again, from President Trump's perspective, the United States should not have to provide that security guarantee. Basically, Europe should have to provide that security guarantee. So that is the setup right here. Now, beyond that, there's personal dislike between these two leaders. So Vladimir Zelensky does not like President Trump. He's angry at President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
He confirmed the Ukrainian people will not support a thick peace agreement where Putin gets everything he wants and there are no security arrangements for Ukraine. The meeting, as the world now knows, went quickly off the rails and ended with Trump angrily ejecting the, quote, arrogant ingrate from the White House. But apparently, again, the goal here for Democrats was to basically sink the deal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So Chris Murphy, who had advised Zelensky before the meeting, again, he is a hardcore Democrat who'd love to run for president, senator from Connecticut. Here he was now suggesting that Trump was a Putin acolyte for the failure of the meeting. So in other words, Murphy sent Zelensky to get absolutely creamed in that meeting. And then he turns around and says that Trump is working for Putin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So Murphy set this whole thing up to fail, presumably, or at least he was involved in it. Okay, so what is the actual outcome of all of this? Well, first of all, you have the idiot protesters. So a bunch of protesters showed up. The Vance family was supposed to go skiing. And people showed up for miles around to yell at J.D. Vance. They had to go to secure locations. This kind of stuff is gross.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Really, really gross. Here's what that looked like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Yeah, you can hear people screaming at various cars. They're just trying to go skiing for the weekend. So that's just absolutely delightful. What are the actual impacts from all of this? Well, on the one hand, it could be that Europe finally steps up and Trump actually gets what he wants out of this. That Europe decides that they are going to actually fill the gap.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
According to the Wall Street Journal, the UK and France said they would lead a European effort to forge a Ukraine peace plan to present to President Trump as they sought to patch up differences between Kiev and Washington following Friday's White House clash.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted nearly 20 allies in London on Sunday, said the progress had been made in building a coalition of the willing, which would commit military assets, including troops on the ground, to secure any eventual peace. He said more countries would need to come on board if Europe is to build a force that would actually deter Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Well, I mean, that's what Trump has been calling for all the way. And it's very weird to hear the Europeans suddenly doing the stuff that Trump actually wants them to do. Like, for example, spend on defense and commit to defending their own continent. Here is Ursula von der Leyen, she's the head of the EU, suggesting, weirdly enough, peace through strength.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
He believes that President Trump and Vice President Vance do not like him, that they've said nasty things about him, which is true, that they have said things that are untrue about the Ukraine-Russia war in terms of casting moral aspersions at Ukraine that are unearned while going easy on Vladimir Putin. There's a case to be made that that's true as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Now, again, maybe this was Zelensky's play. Maybe Zelensky's play was alienate Trump, knowing that Trump doesn't like him very much, and then play up to the Europeans and get what you want from the Europeans. There's some problems with that, namely that the United States' materiel is way better than the Europeans' materiel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And the other problem, of course, is can you trust the Europeans, given the fact that the Europeans have a long history of being absolute suckers when it comes to being taken in by foreign dictators? I mean, it is worth noting at this point that during this war, during this actual honest-to-God war, EU imports of Russian oil surpassed the financial aid they sent to Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So in other words, they paid the Russians more than they sent to the Ukrainians, which just shows you their levels of commitment. But perhaps reality is starting to set in for the Europeans. The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, he said, of course, Europe should step up. It's bizarre for Europe to ask the United States to be the one that actually fills the gap.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Ladies and gentlemen, there's a paradox and someone has already overlooked it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Start relying on yourself. Not in isolation, but with full awareness of your own potential. Europe, if there's something we lack today, it's not economic or demographic power, but the belief that we're truly a global force. Now, again, there's a reason why President Trump likes the Polish, because again, they're saying the correct thing right here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Even the UK's Keir Starmer, of course, is a left-wing socialist type. He says, we'll put boots on the ground and in the air to preserve any peace deal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The Trump-Vance case is Zelensky is being intransigent because he wants my moral condemnation, but moral condemnation don't get the job done. The thing that gets the job done is whatever gets us to that off-ramp. So if that means that we have to sort of massage Putin in public relations in order to get him to the table, then we'll do that. That is another one of these conflicts that's happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so again, Trump seems to be getting what he wants here. Europe steps up. They do the heavy lifting. Probably Zelensky has to come back and sign some sort of deal with the United States. And the deal gets cut, in which case, good job. Everybody goes home happy. The reason there's a lot of heartburn that is happening around this meeting is not really to do with Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It really isn't to do with Ukraine. The question is whether there is a resetting of the world order that is happening right now. Now, a reset from the sort of bizarre vision of the Obama-Biden era. would certainly be in order because the leading from behind, America should not actually engage in peace through strength.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The United States should essentially allow America's enemies to walk all over America's friends and then every so often throw some half-hearted support to America's friends that we would bloviate on a sort of Wilsonian moral level without actually filling that gap. That is ending. And the era of sort of hard power is returning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so before I get to the actual nuclear meltdown of a press conference, and we're going to go through the whole press conference because I think that it is a disservice to all involved for us to simply focus on the moment where everything went south. This is a long press conference. It was a nearly 50-minute press conference.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
But the question really is whether the Trump administration, what the Trump doctrine is. Now, I've said before on this show, because President Trump told me on the show that the Trump doctrine is peace through strength, that America stronger in the world is better, that America with strong allies is, in fact, better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
But there's an open question because it turns out that there are members of the Trump administration who don't necessarily believe all of that. So The Wall Street Journal has an editorial this morning. saying. With his first weeks back in office, especially after Friday's Oval Office brawling with Ukraine's president, it's clear President Trump has designs for a new world order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Perhaps he could share this vision with the country when he addresses Congress on Tuesday. The conventional view of Mr. Trump is that he's above all transactional. He wants deals at home and abroad that he can sell as great successes. But the way his second term is unfolding, this may undersell his ambition. Mr. Trump's strategy seems to be moving toward that of Tucker Carlson and J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Vance, who view America as in decline and no longer able to lead or defend the West. Now, that is the question, right? That's the question. The question is whether he is interested in hammering traditional U.S. friends like Canada and Mexico in violation of his own USMCA trade deal or whether he is interested in sort of ceding control of Taiwan to China. He says Trump hasn't articulated this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
This is the Wall Street Journal editorial board. Trump hasn't articulated this. Some of the intellectuals surrounding him have. Elbridge Colby, nominated for the chief strategy post of the Pentagon, has argued the U.S. must leave Europe and the Middle East to their own devices to focus on the Asia-Pacific. But Colby has also said South Korea might have to fend for itself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And he said in a letter to us last year, quote, Taiwan isn't itself of existential importance to America. Mr. Vance is the most vigorous promoter of the abandon Ukraine strategy, arguing the war with Russia is little more than an ethnic dispute. Ross Douthat of The New York Times. who is sort of the clarifier for J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Vance, says the vice president and president are merely, quote, stripping away foreign policy illusions. So this is the question. The question is whether what we are looking at is America withdrawing from the world, ceding the Far East to China, allowing America's allies to basically run on their own in those areas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And, by the way, Vladimir Zelensky, people forget this because, of course, he's been a very famous world leader since the outbreak of the 2022 war. Zelensky was an actor. He's an egomaniac. Zelensky likes being on camera. He made his money on camera. There's all sorts of footage of him wandering around the internet when he was a comedian doing bizarre things, body humor kind of stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And if they get invaded or taken over, Taiwan, South Korea, well, that's their business. Whether Eastern Europe will be left open to the predations of the Russians, whether the Middle East will basically be left up for grabs between Turkey, Iran, Saudi, the Israelis, and what that will look like. What does it look like in America withdrawing from the world?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So that's sort of the open question after the Trump-Ukraine meeting. Is this symptomatic of a broader foreign policy shift away from America being the world's hegemonic leader and toward the idea that we're going to retreat from the world behind our oceans and then assume that everything will be okay? Now, I don't know that that's the case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
In fact, I think that's probably not the case because the truth is there are a lot of conflicting signals. It seems to me that if you look at the Russia-Ukraine situation in isolation, what you are seeing is President Trump trying to get to a deal through any means that he can. I may not agree with the means, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I may think that the best approach to Vladimir Putin is to say, listen, you can see we're making every possible signal. We're saying it openly. We want a deal. We want to get to a deal. That deal will keep you, Donbass, and Crimea. That deal will not allow you to invade the rest of Ukraine. That's the deal. And if we don't get that deal, then we're going to pour resources into Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
We're going to hit you so hard. Because again, that is how Trump typically negotiates. So it's kind of weird he's not doing that here. Typically, the way that Trump negotiates is Colombia does something we don't like. We threaten to increase our tariffs on Colombia to 50% and the next day they cave. President Trump has no problem throwing his weight around.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And the sort of strange notion that we have to throw our weight around with Ukraine predominantly and that Russia is actually the conciliatory party here. What are the signs of Russian conciliation? If we saw those, I might be on board with that. I'm waiting to see those still. It seems to me that what actually happened in terms of real politique is that Russia now feels emboldened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If you're Vladimir Putin, don't you pour troops across that border as soon as possible? You now know that Zelensky and Trump don't get along, that the United States is not fond of Zelensky. They don't like how he's handling it, that the Europeans, for all of their big talk, aren't going to do much In the moment, wouldn't you try to push as hard as you can?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Because that is the Russian strategy, is to push where there's mush. I mean, the war may have been lengthened by this meeting, not shortened by this meeting. I don't know. We'll see how it works out. But the real question is overall American approach toward foreign policy. So I want to talk for a second about why, in general, America's involvement in the world matters for America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Here's some stuff that you're not going to hear me say. I'm not going to talk about democracy. I'm not going to talk about Wilsonian values. I'm not going to talk about the spreading of free speech and the blessings of liberty. All that stuff is super nice. It's great. If we can get it, terrific. But that is not at the center of America's interest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
You know what's at the center of America's interest? A thriving America. That's what the center of America's interest is. This is the difference between... quote-unquote neocons, people who in the 2000s were suggesting we needed to spread democracy all over the world, and people who are real politic aficionados. Let's be real. After the Iraq War, everybody is now in the real politic category.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
There are very few Wilsonian thinkers who think that it's the job of the United States to spread democracy everywhere in the world. That rhetoric has been blown up. It's why it was so irritating when Joe Biden used to use it, because it was stupid. But let's be clear. America's national interest does, in fact, rely on a strong America abroad. Because here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
With us being the world's hegemon comes enormous economic benefits to the American people. So, for example, if you think that we can continue to fund our unbelievably onerous welfare state via debt, if we are not the leading power on Earth, you got another thing coming. That is not the way this works. We sell our debt, trillions of dollars of debt every single year abroad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
That's who Zelensky is. He's quite performative, like very performative. And guess what? So is President Trump. And so, as it turns out, is Vice President Vance. So that's the setup. Okay, the powder keg is right there. Now, it didn't have to go sideways. It didn't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The question is, why does the rest of the world buy American debt? And there are several reasons. One, they think that we'll repay them. And this has several elements. One, we are economically strong. Well, part of America's economic strength is not in fact autarky, overpriced products. One of America's economic strengths is that we are not a highly regulated society, unlike much of Europe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Our tax structure is better than that of Europe in many ways, particularly for business. We are more globally competitive. Our economic strength relies, yes, on globalization. I know that that word has taken on weird connotations. All that means is that when we trade with other countries, that's actually typically very good for the United States. It makes better products and services at a
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Our economic strength is the reason that people buy our debt, because they figure we're the best bet on the block. Two, foreign policy strength, which undergirds that economic strength. This is something people don't like to talk about, but the reality is that free trade, for example, isn't something that just randomly happens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It happens because the United States Navy is guarding all the shipping lanes on planet Earth. It is the United States that ensures the Straits of Malacca, where a huge percentage of world trade goes, is open. The reason that there are so many countries that are willing to buy our debt is because the United States is involved with those countries in ways that include security.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
In fact, as we'll talk about in a moment, one of the reasons that the United States dollar is the world's global reserve currency is because of our foreign policy strength. And then finally, lack of viable alternatives. Because we occupy so much space on planet Earth, that means there is no alternative to investing in the United States. What are you going to invest in China?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
China's a debt-driven society. You're going to go invest in the EU? The EU is the most non-innovative society in the developed world by far. Hey, second. Why does the rest of the world buy American debt? Because they want fungible assets that translate into dollars. So, for example, foreign banks will buy American bonds. Why do they buy American bonds? That's debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Zelensky could have come in, could have done the grip and grin, could have gotten the win, could have walked out, and that would have been enough. But Zelensky really blows it. I mean, he really, really blows it here. I will say, of the three people in the room, the adult in the room is Trump. By far, it's not close. Zelensky comes in. He's very aggressive. He is, in fact, rude to President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Because they can then easily exchange those bonds for dollars. And people need dollars because dollars are the world's reserve currency. What does that mean that dollars are the world's reserve currency? You hear that all the time. It's a huge thing that the dollar is the world's reserve currency. That means...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
An enormous percentage of trade all around the world, not involving the United States, happens via the dollar. So, for example, if, for example, the Indians want to trade with the Chinese, they both translate to dollars. They don't just go rupee to yuan. Instead, they both translate to dollars. It's true all over the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If you want to trade a euro for a ruble for decades until the current sanctions, both the EU... and Russia would translate that into dollars and then trade with each other using dollars. So banks around the world will exchange these foreign currency into dollars and then they'll trade those dollars for other forms of dollars, other currency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So according to the Brookings Institute, 54% of all global trade invoices are done purely in dollars. And then even the ones that are not done in dollars, The foreign exchange happens in dollars. 88% of all foreign exchange transactions happens in dollars. And there you are talking about tens of trillions of dollars every single year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And this has huge benefits for the United States because when people buy our debt, because they want access to the dollar, it funds our welfare state. Where do you think, who's paying for that? Ain't you, ain't taxpayers, it's debt. It injects capital into our markets. If there's lots of dollars wandering around abroad, those dollars have to go somewhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And it turns out a lot of those dollars go into our capital markets, our stock market. It also, because we have such enormous leverage in global markets, allows us to use economic weaponry like sanctions against Iran or to increase tariffs against our enemies. It gives us leverage in foreign policy. So what keeps the United States dollar as the world's reserve currency?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Well, there are a few factors. One, stability of the currency, and that requires stability in the country. That means economic growth in the United States. Two, availability of the dollars, right? If the United States is really stable, but we trade with a currency you can't get elsewhere, no one's going to use that as a reserve currency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So that means that trade, that means that global involvement matters an awful lot. Now, here's an example. The reason the U.S. originally became the world's reserve currency is because in 1971, the U.S. ended something called the Bretton Woods Agreement.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The Bretton Woods Agreement was an agreement that was signed in 1944, very end of World War II, in which the United States basically – we pegged our currency to gold, to the price of gold, and then all other currency pegged themselves to the United States dollars. In 1950s and 1960s, the United States wildly overspent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
We spent way too much money on our welfare programs and we started to bankrupt ourselves. So what happened is massive gold outflows. What people were doing is they were showing up at the central banks in the United States and they were saying, we want to trade our U.S. dollars for gold. And so Nixon said, we're not going to be dependent on gold anymore. We stopped pegging the U.S. dollar to gold.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So that should have completely debased the dollar, right? Because now what is it pegged to? Well, instead, Nixon pegged it to the full faith and credit of the United States, right? Look at your dollar bill. That's essentially what it says. So how did we ensure that people would trust the dollar? Well, one of the ways is we created something called the petrodollar system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So we went to Saudi Arabia, which is at the time with OPEC, the dominant oil trading firm on planet Earth. And we said that they should only use dollars for transactions involving oil. So if you wanted to buy oil from Saudi, you couldn't use a ruble. You couldn't use a yuan. You had to use a dollar. What did Saudi get in exchange?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
We would provide military protection, economic aid, and security guarantees to Saudi. So again, foreign policy matters an awful lot for domestic economic policy, for how we spend, for the value of the dollar. What factors undermine the dollar as the world's reserve currency? Well, number one, foreign policy weakness. If we retreat... then it turns out people don't want dollars as much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
He's a little rude to J.D. Vance. J.D. Vance... I do not think acquits himself well in this particular exchange. I know there are people on the right who think that J.D. Vance handled himself beautifully here. I think that J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
They do not see us as a good bet. They also are going to move away from the dollar and start embracing more local forms of currency. Every time we use economic weaponry, for example, its effects diminish. So this is why peace through strength matters. Peace through strength is a deterrent. You don't want to have to use economic or military weaponry.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
You spend on your military, so no one wants to screw with you. And then you don't have to, for example, levy enormous sanctions on the Russians, right? If we had had a peace through strength policy before Russia invaded Ukraine, then Russia wouldn't invade in Ukraine. And then we wouldn't have had to put giant sanctions on them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And then the Russians wouldn't have moved into a full-on satrapy relationship with the Chinese. And then they wouldn't have moved away from the dollar, which has led to a broader de-dollarization. Other factors, domestic overspending. If we spend too much money on our welfare programs, this makes us way more dependent on foreign purchases of our debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If we withdraw from world markets in trade, that makes dollars way less available. And if there is chaos in the markets in general, If, for example, the free trade lanes start to break up, if the US Navy retreats, there is now pressure for regional trading blocks to stop using the dollar as the reserve currency. So what would actually happen if we lose that status?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Why is all this important to you? One, massive increase in borrowing costs. So the national debt, we can no longer pay that off. We can no longer sell more of it. That means radically increased taxes at home or radically increased inflation or both. Two, currency depreciation and inflation. Because if less people are buying the dollar globally, the price of the dollar goes down.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If there's less demand and the supply remains the same, the price of the dollar goes down. So that means all your prices go up. It means less foreign investment in U.S. financial markets. So your stock prices drop as well. The availability of capital to start businesses drops pretty dramatically as well. And of course, we lose our ability to use economics as leverage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Vance actually threw a couple of hand grenades into the middle of the conversation because there may in fact be some foreign policy differences between Vance's view of the United States in the world and Trump's view of the United States in the world. That may be emerging. It's kind of an interesting conversation. We'll save for a little later in the show. What are the ramifications of all of this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I can no longer do sanctions because obviously if you're trying to cut somebody off from the use of the dollar and they're not using the dollar anymore, no matter. So all this is materializing in real time. As the United States retreats from the world, as the United States loses its relative power, it's not absolute power, it's relative power. As that happens, things start to get worse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Here is a chart of the United States dollar as the world's reserve currency. And as you can see, it's from the IMF. As you can see, the US dollar share of foreign reserves has dropped from somewhere around 72% in 2000, all the way down to, if you're adjusting for interest rates and exchange rates, all the way down to about 56%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
That is a massive decrease in the US dollar as a share of foreign reserves. That is a problem. It's something that we should be looking to fix. The only way to fix that is with productivity at home, a strong and healthy market here at home. cuts to our national debt, cuts to our welfare state. And yes, a continued presence abroad that ensures a stable world and global situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Again, that is not for the good of other countries. That is for the good of you. That is the good for me. That is good for American citizens. At no point during this little disquisition have I mentioned the following words, democracy, liberalism, free speech, sexual orientation. I've not mentioned any of those things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And when you're talking about clear, real policy interests, that is why it matters how the United States orients itself to the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And if China goes after Taiwan or goes after the Taiwan Straits, that's going to have massive knock-on effects for American citizens, not just in terms of the semiconductors at TSMC, but in terms of the breakup of the global trade system, of the free market, of American power and its perception abroad. And yeah, that's going to cost you. It's going to cost all of us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It doesn't require an invasion of the United States. We have big oceans, thank God. In order for the United States to suffer, because the United States, it turns out that when you dismantle a global hegemon like the United States, that doesn't tend to be amazing for the global hegemon. Meanwhile, as it turns out, other things were happening on planet Earth that were not important at all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
That would be the Oscars last night. So this may be the first you heard of the Oscars because no one watched any of the movies. We reviewed all of them on Friday, and it turns out the only two that did any box office at all were Wicked and Dune Part 2, and neither one really did particularly well last night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The Oscars itself was semi-apolitical except for one bizarre statement in support of Hamas that happened when a documentary that was all about the evils of the Israelis, you know, like a year and not even a year and a half after the mass murder of Jews on October 7th and the continued holding of hostages in the Gaza Strip.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Which direction does the world go after this blow up of a meeting? And now I want to get into the actual meeting. So as you can see, the interpersonal dynamics are already set from the very beginning for things to be pretty contentious. When Vladimir Zelensky shows up at the White House, he is wearing a sort of military jumpsuit.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
These schmucks got up, a person named Basil Adra, Rachel Jor, Hamdan Balal, and Yuval Abraham. It's not too hard, by the way, to find a left-wing Jew to join along with people who wish to slaughter Jews in order to rip on Israel. Actually, not all that difficult a task.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So there's a movie, a documentary called No Other Land, which earned approximately 128th of Am I Racist, I believe, at the box office. And these guys got up to talk about how Israel was the problem in the Middle East, you know, the week after Palestinians held a giant ceremony celebrating the strangulation murder of two toddlers before returning their dead bodies to the Israelis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
But, you know, Hollywood's going to be Hollywood.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
These people are high on their own supply. I don't need to listen to this schmuck anymore. Honest to God. Just disgusting. Truly disgusting. Get up there and stand for Hamas. Let's be real about this. The Palestinian Authority pays terrorists. That's what they literally do. Hamas is a dominant force inside the West Bank. Hamas continues to occupy the Gaza Strip.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The Palestinians are by and large supportive of terrorism against Israelis and wish to exterminate the state of Israel. The reason that there is a quote-unquote military occupation of these areas and not domestic home rule by the PA is because every time Israel attempts to withdraw from these areas, terrorists take them over and use them as bases for terrorist attacks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
The reason for checkpoints is because of terrorist attacks. The reason that Israel has to maintain a military presence in these areas and put its own people in harm's way is because of Palestinian terrorism and exterminationist hatred for Jews.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So yeah, for sure, you definitely should give a best documentary award to this sort of propaganda on behalf of terrorism in the year and a half after the worst terrorist attack on Jews since World War II. It's just vile stuff, but you know, leave it to the Academy. Okay, meanwhile, there were some good things that happened during the show. I think the best moment came when Kieran Culkin,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And now this has been a sort of bugaboo for many people on the right for a long time. Zelensky wears what Trump has called a costume. Why doesn't he wear a suit? Now, would it have behooved Zelensky to wear a suit for Trump? Absolutely. What's the downside?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
was given an award for a movie called A Real Pain. He won Best Supporting Actor. And his speech was really, really charming. He basically suggested that he get his wife pregnant for the fourth time. It was very funny.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
That's great. That's charming and wonderful and hilarious and good for Kieran Culkin. Seriously, like the best thing I've seen at the Oscars in years is that particular moment. And then there are some low moments. Like for example, every prostitute in America has to be thanked. So the movie that won Best Picture is Anora.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Anora is the story of a sex worker, which means a prostitute, who cynically marries a half-moron, 18-year-old Russian oligarch son. And then it turns out that the romance doesn't exactly work and she's sad. That's the whole movie. Hope you enjoyed it. Well, the guy who won best director and best picture for it was a guy named Sean Baker, and he felt the necessity to thank the prostitutes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Deep respect. Deep respect for people who sell their body for money. The whole movie, by the way, is a repudiation of that. The reason she's sad at the end is because she has to go back to being a sex worker, and that sucks. It is amazing to me how people in Hollywood will make movies with very clear conservative messages at the end, and they don't even realize the movie they just made.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I understand that Zelensky is trying to keep his country's spirits up, but it seems to me that if he had shown up in a suit, had a great meeting with Trump and walked out, that would have been a pretty good boost for the Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines. Is it really more important that he shows up in the jumpsuit as some sort of slap in the face at Trump?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Mikey Madison won Best Actress over, apparently, Demi Moore. So I guess that the plot of the Oscars was just the plot of The Substance. where the young, better-looking young woman apparently wins the Oscar over the older woman. Whoops. Anyway, here is Mikey Madison also thanking the prostitutes of America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It's true. There is no more incredible experience than hanging out with the prostitutes. Okay, also, Daryl Hannah showed up to show support for Ukraine. Now, I do find it hilarious that Hollywood has decided that this is the same Hollywood that will stand for Hamas, will also show support for Ukraine, which is interesting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I have a feeling it has less to do with their support of Ukraine than the fact that Trump does not sufficiently support Ukraine in their view. It's all oppositional. Here is Daryl Hannah doing her routine. Okay, well, you saved Ukraine. Great job. Also, Adrian Brody won Best Actor for, again, playing a veteran of the Holocaust.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So he played a very similar part when he won for The Pianist, and now he won again for The Brutalist. And I have to say, it is pretty incredible. that he tried to call out antisemitism, but Hollywood is so perverse that he can't just call out antisemitism in a movie about antisemitism. He also has to call out racism and all the rest of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
In Hollywood, the way that it works is you can't say antisemitism without saying also racism, sexism, and homophobia. It's like a formula. And if you don't say the magical incantation, then they smite you. Here is Adrian Brody.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Again, this setup leads one to believe that one of the things that Zelensky is doing here is he is recognizing tacitly that the United States is out of the Ukraine business. And what he's actually trying to do, perhaps strategically, is blow up the meeting in order to get the EU to step in and try and provide some sort of aid that the United States is unwilling to provide.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
It's always the same crap from Hollywood. It can never be a specific malady. It always has to be racism, sexism, narcissism, bigotry, homophobia. And if you don't say them all at the same time, then obviously it's because you don't like black people enough or something like that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Speaking of black people, apparently we have to have a standing ovation anytime a black person wins any award for the first time. So we're getting low on the list. We've had a black president. We've had a black secretary of state. We've had a black vice president. We've had... Best actors who are black, best actresses who are black, best directors who are black.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And so now we've reached the point where we need standing ovations for the first black man to win best costume design. When we get down to best key grip, and I guess we'll still be doing standing ovations for this, as though black Americans could never win costume design until this very moment. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Huge. Broke that glass ceiling. That was the remaining glass ceiling, guys. We beat racism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Until this very moment, until this very moment, when a black man finally became the first black man to win best costume design, I thought that racism really was going to triumph in America. But now that Paul Tazewell has become the first black man to win best costume design, I got to say. Man, I think we're there, guys. I think finally we're there. Okay, that was the whole Oscars, basically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Conan O'Brien was fine. He didn't do anything particularly shocking or wonderful. He wasn't as annoying as some of the other hosts. He wasn't Jimmy Kimmel or something. Maybe one of the best moments for Conan was joking with Adam Sandler, who showed up in shorts and a T-shirt, basically.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
If that's the case, then Zelensky actually got something that he wanted out of this whole situation. But you can see right from the get-go, there's some antagonism right at the outset.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And I want to go through everything that led up to the press conference because it sort of explains where everybody is, President Trump, Vice President Vance, Vladimir Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, and how we got to the nuclear meltdown.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Okay, so some people like this. I've been reliably informed. I've never been a fan of Adam Sandler so far. I just, that is what it is. Well, that was your Oscars review. It was lackluster as were virtually all the movies this year. Hopefully we'll do better next year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Alrighty guys, coming up, Andrew Klavan joins the show to analyze Inora, the film that won best picture at the Oscars last night, as well as some of the other pictures that were nominated first. However, you have to be a Daily Wire subscriber. If you're not a member, become a member, use code Shapiro, check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
OK, he's all dressed up today. Right. And Zelensky, you can see, is a little bit ticked off by this. Obviously, a huge size differential. Zelensky is not a big man. And Trump is a very large human being. And then they finally sit down. And they are and they have this conversation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So again, we're going to go through this in detail because this is, I think, one of the most fascinating and probably historic conversations we have ever seen publicly between a president of the United States and a foreign leader. And we should recognize that conversations like this have wide-ranging ramifications in terms of future policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
For example, the Iraq War was largely begun, the original Iraq War, the Gulf War, might have started because of a stray comment from a low-level State Department staffer who sort of implied that if Saddam Hussein had walked into Kuwait, the United States might not actually do anything about it. So her name was April Glaspie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And the State Department had told Saddam Hussein that Washington had no special defense or security commitments to Kuwait. And at that point, Saddam took that seriously and he walked into Kuwait. So stray comment. certainly big blowups like this can have some pretty radical ramifications for how foreign policy is conducted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
In the same way that the Russian invasion of Ukraine probably has to do with the United States pulling out of Afghanistan ignominiously, in disgrace. In the same way, comments that are made on the public stage can have extraordinarily powerful ramifications for the future of foreign policy. That's why we're going to go through this in such detail.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
All of us could have pretty radical ramifications for Ukraine, for the United States as well. We'll get into that. First, this country was founded on freedom. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea into the ocean. How'd that work out for you, Great Britain?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service on America's most dependable 5G network.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 with a qualifying plan by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. You can make the switch in as little as 10 minutes. No hassle, no gimmicks, just honest-to-goodness wireless priced right. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I want to remind you what a wise man wrote in October of 2022, quote, Henry Kissinger has been publicly excoriated for suggesting that the off-ramp to this conflict will be territorial concessions by Ukraine to Russia, a repeat of the Moscow Peace Treaty that was signed after the Soviet invasion of Finland in 1941. But he may be correct.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Visit puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. I've been using Pure Talk myself for years at this point. All my business phone calls are via Pure Talk. They are great. You can do the same. Excellent coverage. Better price. PureTalk.com. That new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase. Also, the IRS is ramping up its enforcement efforts in 2025.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
With April 15th approaching, time is now running out. If you're facing back taxes or unfiled returns, delaying action only compounds the problem. Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by. While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS alone could be a costly mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And this is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart? Well, unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels. This means they know exactly which agents can help resolve your case effectively.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Whether you owe 10 grand or 10 million bucks, their team of attorneys and negotiators bring proven strategies to settle your tax issues favorably. With over $1 billion in tax debt already resolved, they have the experience and expertise to handle your situation. Talk with one of their strategists today. It's free. Stop the threatening letters. Stop looking over your shoulder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
Protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Shapiro. April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first. So when this starts, President Trump is actually quite warm to Vladimir Zelensky. Here he was right at the outset.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
So you can see from Zelensky's body language, he's immediately on his guard. He's already very nervous. He's clearly not liking what he's hearing from Trump. What Trump is saying here is extremely good for Zelensky. Zelensky came in oriented against Trump from the beginning. And you can see what Trump is saying here is he's looking for some sort of win. That's all he says right from the beginning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
We had a negotiation spat, but that worked out great. And we're looking forward to getting in and digging, digging, digging, working, getting some of the rare earth. But it means we're going to be inside. And it's a big commitment from the United States. What is he saying there? What President Trump is saying there is we look forward to getting boots on the ground, digging things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
particularly if the West is unwilling to bear the full economic and military cost of a larger war with Russia. In the end, it may be that the least bad scenario is about simply preventing the worst case scenario. That wise man, of course, was yours truly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And once we're there, it's sort of a tacit security guarantee. Now, Zelensky comes out firing. Zelensky comes out and he's like, I want a security guarantee in the room. Hey, what you got? Yeah. You understand why he wants it. He is the president of Ukraine. He does not want another negotiation that ends with, in two years, the Russians coming back in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
However, these are negotiations that you save for the back room. This is not stuff that you do in the front room. Why is he negotiating in the room with President Trump? Trump isn't rejecting a security guarantee outright here. Trump has said nothing about a security guarantee. It's Zelensky who starts pushing him right out the gate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
OK, now here's the thing. Trump could blow up him at this point. But you're two minutes deep in the meeting. So what does Trump do? Like an adult, President Trump sits there. He listens to Zelensky and he doesn't blow it up. He understands what Zelensky is saying. Zelensky is saying, I don't make any compromises. Putin's a killer. I want security guarantees. I want to work the Europeans into this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
I've been arguing since mid-2022 that the off-ramp in Ukraine involved territorial concessions to Russia, Donbass, and Crimea in return for security guarantees that would ensure no renewal of Russian war in Ukraine. That has been the clear off-ramp for legitimately almost three years at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
He's having a negotiation in the room in front of the press. So Zelensky is the one who starts this whole thing. And for 40 minutes, Trump allows him to do it. Why? Because that's what an adult does. What an adult does is he says, listen, I understand that you've got to rant for the cameras. You've got to do your thing for the cameras. I get it. I totally get it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2149 - Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting GOES TOTALLY NUCLEAR
And in the back room, we're going to negotiate what this actually looks like. And listen to how sober President Trump is here. I mean, it is an amazing thing. For the guy who's supposed to be the one flying off the handle, in this meeting, it is not Trump who flies off the handle. It is Zelensky and then Vance who flies off the handle. So here is President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Well, folks, it was a very hot weekend in the news. President Trump has made some significant gains with regard to the Panama Canal. So President Trump has been issuing a lot of threats over the Panama Canal, which, of course, was built by the United States back in the early 20th century, late 19th century. And President Trump has wanted to maintain control over the Panama Canal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
President Trump on Saturday announced that he had ordered military airstrikes in Somalia, taking out a senior ISIS attack planner and other terrorists the planner had recruited, according to Fox News. The strikes come just weeks after an ISIS-inspired terrorist killed 14 people and injured dozens more after plowing a truck into New Year's Eve revelers in New Orleans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
At least they have a site there that is controlled by the Chinese. They were attempting originally to actually put their embassy on that part of the Panama Canal. a subsidiary of CK Hutchinson Holdings, which is a Chinese-run company out of Hong Kong, controls that port. They also control the Cristobal Port, which is on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. Why is that a concern?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Trump said, quote, these killers we found hiding in caves threatened the United States and our allies. Trump said the strikes destroyed the caves the terrorists were living in and, quote, did not in any way harm civilians. He said our military has targeted this ISIS attack planner for years. Biden and his cronies wouldn't act quickly enough to get the job done. I did.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is we will find you and we will kill you. This is very, very good, obviously. Secretary of State Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who, of course, is excellent, put out a statement saying, I authorized U.S. Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS Somalia operatives in the Golis Mountains.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Our initial assessment is that the multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes. No civilians were harmed. This action further degrades ISIS ability to plot and conduct terror attacks, threatening U.S. citizens, our partners and innocent civilians. He said that strikes should send a clear signal. The U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the country and its allies, even as it carries out robust border protections at home. So, again, this sort of isolationist notion that that is what Trump is all about. I have yet to see the evidence of that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Well, meanwhile, the big story of the weekend is that President Trump was going to launch these massive tariffs on Canada and China and Mexico. And the tariffs were basically 25 percent tariffs blanket tariffs. on Canadian product, 25% blanket tariffs on Mexican product, 10% blanket tariffs on Chinese product. There were some exceptions for oil that was coming in from Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
And the big question when it comes to tariffs is whether President Trump is using them as leverage or whether he's doing this ideologically. This is always the big question with President Trump. Because using them as leverage, he's been quite successful. There is no one in the business world who is better at leverage than President Trump when it comes to making deals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
President Trump loves the leverage, and he gets what he wants. He did this just a couple of weeks ago with regard to Colombia, the country, not the university. He threatened them with 25% tariffs and said they would escalate unless they took back illegal immigrants, and they immediately caved. Well, it seems as though that may be what is happening as of Monday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Now, President Trump was sending some vague signals. Here he was announcing, and he sent a few different signals here. He said, listen, I like tariffs. Now, maybe, again, the reason that he is talking up tariffs as a policy is because this is a great strategy when you're playing chicken. You put a brick on the accelerator and say, listen, I'm perfectly happy to go off this cliff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
You want to go off the cliff? Let's do this thing, man. Let's make it happen. And so he talks up tariffs as a way of saying, listen, I don't mind. We'll do it. You think we won't do it? We will 100% do it. This is not a bluff. I'm happy. I'd rather do it. And then when he gets what he wants, he can back off the tariffs. That seems to be the strategy he's employing here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Here's President Trump announcing the tariffs. This would have been on Saturday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Well, the concern was that in case of some sort of serious conflict between the United States and China, the Chinese could use those cutout companies to basically obstruct traffic in the Panama Canal, preventing American warships from being able to transit that port at a stretch of one day or two days, as opposed to 27 days.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Okay, so a bunch of different things happening here. So President Trump is saying, listen, I love the tariffs. Nothing can make me remove the tariffs. Nothing, nothing. And then we found out on Monday morning after markets immediately dipped at open because they thought maybe these tariffs were permanent, that they were anything but permanent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
In fact, President Trump was able to leverage major concessions out of the Mexican government. We'll get more into tariff policy in a moment for a start each day off, right? Black Rifle Coffee helps you wake up each morning feeling dialed in and ready to make the most of your day so you can make the best of your year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
But what's great about Lumen is I can breathe into it before and after workouts and meals, so I know exactly what's going on in my body in real time, which is a fantastic feature. Lumen will give you tips based on those readings to keep you on top of your health game. Your metabolism is your body's engine powering everything you do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
And so President Trump said, listen, we're not going to allow the Chinese to effectively control ingress and egress from the Panama Canal. Here's President Trump talking about this yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Thanks to Lumen for sponsoring this episode. That's L-U-M-E-N dot M-E slash Shapiro for 20% off your purchase today to start getting healthier. According to President Trump's Truth Social feed, Quote, I just spoke with President Claudia Scheinbaum of Mexico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
It was a very friendly conversation wherein she agreed to immediately supply 10,000 Mexican soldiers on the border separating Mexico and the United States. These soldiers will be specifically designated to stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrants into our country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
We further agreed to immediately pause the anticipated tariffs for a one-month period during which we'll have negotiations headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Besant, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and high-level representatives of Mexico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
I look forward to participating in those negotiations with President Scheinbaum as we attempt to achieve a deal between our two countries. So remember, President Trump had used his emergency authority to stop fentanyl illegal immigration in order to make the tariffs happen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
And he's now saying that because Mexico is alleviating the emergency, presumably, this is going to be delayed by a month so a new trade deal can be negotiated. So it was all leverage. So it was not, in fact, a sort of overall love for tariffs as President Trump saying he likes tariffs overall in order to gain leverage. Meanwhile, he is now starting to make clear exactly what he wants from Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
He said, quote, Canada doesn't even allow U.S. banks to open or do business there. What's that all about? Many such thing, but it's also a drug war. Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the United States from drugs pouring through the borders of Mexico and Canada. Just spoke to Justin Trudeau. We'll be speaking to him again at 3 p.m. Now, presumably.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
There are other concessions that the Canadians could make. That would mean that the tariffs end up being relieved with regard to Canada. Okay, which again, all of that is good and fine. Using tariffs as a form of leverage is something President Trump is very good about. He's very good at it. As overall policy, it should be noted, by the way, tariff policy, trade wars are bad and not easy to win.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Trade wars tend to impoverish people. Trade wars tend to impoverish the American consumer in particular. Here, for example, is a map of what happens with just the auto parts in your car if a trade war were actually to take place. Okay, this is a map of a capacitor's journey through North America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
A Michigan circuit board manufacturer buys a capacitor for a company in Colorado, which imported it from Asia. Let's say it came from China. That's a 10% tariff. It goes down to Chiodad Juarez in Mexico, where it's inserted in a circuit board. When it comes back up through the board, it's another 25% tariff. Then when it goes to Canada, it'd be inserted into a seat, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
That is another 25% tariff when it comes back down. So you're talking at that point about an aggregated 60% tariff on the product, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
These sorts of things have a major impact on American markets, which is why you saw the stock market take a dump at the very beginning of the day when it looked as though Trump was in principled fashion pushing tariff policy as sort of a net good to the United States. But again, President Trump, it looks like, is doing this as a leverage play.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
It looks as though President Trump is pushing these tariffs specifically in order to get something out of Canada. That, by the way, was the take of Conrad Black, who was a journalist up in Canada. He said, like, what are you guys worried about? This is about shutting down the border, spending 3% on NATO defense. Get some concessions for Trump. It's a big win for him. He gets the victory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
He chalks that up and the tariffs go away. The Canadians, for their part, are getting very militant. Justin Trudeau, who is still titularly the prime minister of Canada, he announced retaliatory tariffs right away.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Now, of course, the reality is that that would hurt Canada more than it would hurt us. If they tariff American products, then they're taxing their own consumers. But this is what happens in a trade war. You increase your tariffs. The other countries that are being targeted increase their tariffs to retaliate because they say, OK, well, we're not going to let
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
your goods in our market if you're not letting our goods in your market. And then if this sort of thing were to be carried out over a long period of time, it would be a real problem because China particularly is more than happy, just as with USAID going away, more than happy to fill that gap with cheap free trade with say Canada or Mexico or the Europeans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The Europeans, by the way, are already setting up for this. The Europeans are already anticipating that President Trump is going to try tariffing the Europeans. And so they've been creating more free trade agreements with themselves and presumably also with China. But when it comes to playing chicken, President Trump is very, very good at playing chicken.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Mexico is sending 10,000 troops to the border. Mexico pledging to stop the flow of fentanyl. These are big wins for President Trump. There's no other way to put it. Again, I've said this all along. When it comes to many of the things that Trump does, if you did them in a vacuum without trying to use them as leverage, there would be a major problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
And many of the things that Trump says in order to get those things done are things I disagree with. So, for example, you heard him railing against trade deficits. Trade deficits are not a thing. A trade deficit is when you buy a thing from someone else and you gave them money and they gave you the good. You have a trade deficit with your grocery.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
If we buy a bunch of stuff from Vietnam, that doesn't mean that Vietnam has ripped us off in some way. The United States can still be the world's leading economy while having a giant trade deficit. And meanwhile, there are a bunch of poor countries that have trade surpluses. That's not the point. For President Trump, it's the effect of what he's attempting to do that matters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
It is not what he says about the thing, apparently, that matters. So he gets a win out of Mexicans. Presumably, he will get a win out of the Canadians as well. The United States throwing its weight around, particularly in the Western Hemisphere. I'd like to see what it looks like when the U.S. throws its weight around with regard to, say, China as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
We're doing a little bit with that 10% tariff on China. I'm hoping that one is more permanent. Meanwhile, Democrats are poorly positioned to take advantage of any of this. We'll get to that in a moment. First, no matter where you're watching or listening right now, take a second, hit that follow button. It costs you nothing.
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It makes a massive difference in fighting back against the algorithm that really, really would like for you not to hear this. If you want the full show, uncensored, uninterrupted, unshackled from big tech overlords, there's only one way to do that. Become a Daily Wire Plus member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Okay, so the question is, what is that threat designed to do? So Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, he said in his confirmation hearing that Beijing has the ability to turn the canal into a choke point in a moment of conflict. That's what I'm talking about. They could theoretically, for example, sink barges at both ends of the canal and prevent shipping traffic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
As a member, you get unlimited access to our entire library of premium entertainment, including the culture-shaping documentary, What Is a Woman? and the hilariously offensive box office hit, Am I Racist? Go to dailywire.com slash subscribe now and join the fight. All right, meanwhile, the DNC remains absolutely out in the wilderness. So the Democratic National Committee had to pick a next chair.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Who did they pick? They picked a guy named Ken Martin. Ken Martin says that the Democratic Party is doing just fine. He, in fact, was the leader of the Democratic Party organization in Minnesota. He was a deputy to Tim Walz. And he basically said we did amazing. Kamala Harris was amazing. Tim Walz was amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
He said the fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country. He has they have nothing. They have literally nothing. He said, quote, Donald Trump, the Republican Party, this is a new DNC. We're not going to sit back and not take you on when you fail the American people. But he had also said that there was nothing wrong with the party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Quote, we don't call it a postmortem or autopsy. Our party's not dead. It's still kicking, right? What we really need to do is get a handle around what happened last election cycle. We know we lost ground with Latino voters. We know we lost ground with women and younger voters and working class voters. We don't know the how and the why yet. Now, we kind of know, but you guys keep doing it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Here is some evidence for why that is, in fact, the case. So Jamie Harrison, who's the outgoing DNC chair, at one point they had to select the top committee at the DNC and it has to be gender balanced according to the DNC. And so he announced that they didn't know what to do because they didn't have enough non-gender binary, non-binary gender queer people on their executive board.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
It was handed over to the Panamanian government by Jimmy Carter. And that Final facilitation of transfer happened in the 1990s over the course of time. And in the meantime, the Chinese have been using extraordinary power bribery, graft in order to take control of two ends of the Panama Canal. We have here a map of the Panama Canal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
uh one male one female and one person of any gender man why are they losing amazing who wow wow meanwhile who are the other candidates for dnc chair well there's one dnc chair candidate named gina repass who uh gave her pitch as to why she should be the chair of the dnc
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
You remember just a few years ago when the Suez Canal was blocked by one ship that went sideways? That could easily be done at certain choke points in the Panama Canal, which actually does get incredibly, incredibly narrow near the ends, both ends of the Panama Canal. Over the past two decades, China has developed many economic ties with Panama, including through its Belt and Road Initiative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. So Ken Martin is the new chair. Congrats, guys. But even better is the new DNC vice chair. You're not going to believe it, but it's it's wonderful. It is the inestimably stupid David Hogg. Yes, you remember David Hogg, the failed pillow company guy? Remember the guy, the kid who was a student at Parkland over here in South Florida during the Parkland shooting?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
But he became world famous for stumping against guns and shouting about gun control and being a theater kid about all this sort of stuff. Remember this? And then he was admitted to Harvard despite... what apparently was a 1270 SAT score. He'd been rejected, I believe. And then he got admitted based on his activism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Meanwhile, Kyle Kashuv, another student at Parkland, who'd scored, I believe, a 1600 on his SATs, was rejected because they uncovered some bad old texts. Well, now this schmuck has somehow parlayed his apparent victimization at Parkland into the vice chairmanship of the DNC after a career of stupid tweets at Harvard University.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Man, oh man, you guys, he's supposed to be, by the way, driving young men back into the arms of the DNC. This one, this one, this stick figure of a human. Like, oh my God, this is really just amazing, amazing stuff. I just want to point out before we hear his victory speech. And again, he is literally only famous because he was a student at a school where a school shooting took place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
That is the only reason. There's no other reason. Hey, here are some of his better tweets over the course of the last few years. this deeply stupid human. Quote, those who say defunding of the police doesn't poll well, so we shouldn't talk about it, are wrong. It's our job as organizers to talk about what matters and how to stop the police from murdering people and terrorizing communities.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
We don't follow the polls. We change them. So you've got to defund the police activist as your vice chair of the DNZ. Here he is on his future hopes for life. Quote, I'm never planning on having kids. I would much rather own a Porsche and have a Portuguese water dog and golden doodle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Long-term, it's cheaper, better for the environment, and will never tell you it hates you or ask you to pay for college. Wow, DNC. You're really representing those blue-collar working people who go to church, aren't you, right there with this David Hogg? My goodness. He's like if Timothee Chalamet somehow got even more fragile and annoying. Truly an amazing, amazing example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
David Hogg tweeted February 2020, Lincoln was a really good president. People got mad at him. So then he tweeted, actually, I was not aware of the scope of how detrimental he was so many Native American populations. He was really not a good president. Lincoln was not a good president from the vice chair of the DNC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
I thank my indigenous peers that brought my attention to Lincoln's atrocities committed against Native Americans. I'm deeply sorry for not acknowledging these crimes that I was unaware of until now. I will do better in the future. David Hogg, 2020, your new vice chair. How about this one? Quote, I'm one of the most politically toxic people in the country. I'm too radical for American politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative is a giant influence operation in which China, quote unquote, gives you things. There are always strings attached. Those strings attached may be surveillance of your country. It may be control. over significant national resources. That's what the Belt and Road Initiative is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
No, I'm not running for office. We have enough straight white men in power. He ran for vice chair of the DNC and then was made vice chair of the DNC. David Hogg. Man, oh man, these geniuses. Here he was with Bill Maher attacking Israel. This is just a few months ago. These are the people. I can't imagine why the Democratic Party has an approval rating beneath that of prostate cancer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
So the victory that President Trump just won is that Panama has just announced that they will not renew the Belt and Road Agreement with China. This makes it the first Latin American nation to leave the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Panamanian President José Raúl Molino said his country would not renew its agreement with the Belt and Road Initiative following a visit from Secretary of State Rubio over the weekend. Here is Molino.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
in one or two years, the renewal, because it is every three. So this initiative that was signed, when it was signed, at the time it was signed, will not be renewed by my government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
So there are other countries in Latin and South America who are looking at the possibility of joining the Belt and Road Initiative, and they are no longer presumably going to do that, or at least they're going to take very seriously the possibility of not doing that. Secretary of State Rubio tweeted, when I met with Panamanian President José Rubio Molino and Foreign Minister Javier Champa,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
to make clear that the United States cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue with its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area. We also discussed efforts to end the hemisphere's mass migration crisis and ensure fair competition for U.S. firms.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
This is an unmitigated good, and President Trump throwing the United States' weight around with regards to Panama and achieving some quick results that is also apparently happening with regard to Venezuela. According to Mediaite, six Americans were freed from captivity in Venezuela on Friday as President Trump concluded his second week back in office.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The government of President Nicolás Maduro freed them after receiving pressure from the Trump administration. There's been a lot of talk about President Trump, what his foreign policy looks like. When it comes to the Monroe Doctrine, he takes that very seriously. The idea that the Western Hemisphere is a United States pond.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
That, of course, has been the stated goal of the United States since the early 19th century. But that is something that is being reinvigorated by the Trump administration
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Secretary of State Rubio put out an entire piece in the Wall Street Journal explaining that the United States was going to be shifting a lot of resources and attention to the Western Hemisphere, which, of course, makes perfect sense since we have mass migration crises, huge illegal immigration crises that are springing from the lack of American influence in places like Latin and South America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Now, meanwhile. Elon Musk is moving to blow up the U.S. Aid and Development Agency. According to the Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk's allies are moving swiftly to exert control over vast swaths of the U.S. government. Musk oversaw a successful effort by his representatives to get direct access to a payment system that distributes trillions of dollars to Americans every year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Individuals working for Doge accessed the U.S. Agency for International Development following a clash with security officials. The moves marked the start of a far-reaching campaign by Musk to upend the federal government agency by agency, according to his allies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The effort prompted outrage from Democrats and some Republicans who said that Musk doesn't have the authority to overturn programs and spending priorities decided by Congress. They also raised concerns about the nature of Musk's operation because, of course, he has not been Senate-confirmed in any way, shape, or form.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The Panama Canal is really important because it cuts down shipping time across the bottom of South America by 27 days. It allows instead all sorts of shipping traffic to be pushed through Panama. It's an amazing thing. I've been down to Panama. I've seen the Panama Canal in person. It has its locks on both ends. The water level is increased and lowered in order to facilitate shipping.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Doge had initially been conceived as a sort of advisory outside panel, but Doge instead is actually operating inside the U.S. government in many ways, which, of course, violates the Senate's advice and consent procedures. So if we're going to do this, then it should go through Senate advice and consent. Now, what is Musk doing? Well, some of what Musk is doing is obviously great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
He's going through and he's cutting an enormous amount of waste and fraud in the program. He's shutting down programs that are wildly inefficient. Musk said he was on track to cut federal spending by $4 billion a day. He said career Treasury officials were routinely making illegal payments. The Treasury press office didn't respond on Sunday to a request for comment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Now, meanwhile, this is broken out into the open because of controversy over USAID. On Saturday, roughly eight Doge representatives sought access to classified systems and floors at the USAID building in downtown Washington. Security officials initially resisted Doge representatives' requests.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The security officials, John Voorhees and his deputy, were then put on administrative leave for not complying. Now, let's be real about this. The president of the United States is in control of the Treasury Department and USAID. So if the president of the United States decides to, quote-unquote, declassify material, he can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
He has the summary power to declassify material, as we learned to our great chagrin over the course of the last four years when we had many, many conversations about what the president could and could not do in declassifying material.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The Doge representatives were given access to at least the executive secretariat and nerve center for coordination and communication for the agency's highest levels in the office of the general counsel, the current USAID official, and Senate Democratic aide said. Now, USAID... is filled with extraordinary graft. It is a 10,000-person, $40 billion agency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Musk posted on X over the weekend that USAID was a corrupt organization filled with Marxist staffers providing no evidence for his broadsides, according to the Wall Street Journal. But it is true that the USAID has given enormous amounts of aid, billions of dollars in aid, to foreign organizations, non-governmental organizations, many of whom are dedicated to doing left-wing agitprop work abroad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Now, there is one problem. The problem is that if you actually destroy USAID as a functioning agency, rather than going in with a scalpel, then what you actually could be doing, unfortunately, is sort of an unintended consequence of breaking things and moving fast, is opening the door to things like China's Belt and Road Initiative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Because if USAID is giving aid, and a lot of that aid is crap and should go away, but if it's giving some aid that is good to countries, for example, that are wavering between United States influence and Chinese influence, and then you withdraw... Chinese influence grows.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
If you don't like the Belt and Road Initiative in Panama, you shouldn't like the Belt and Road Initiative in Africa or in Southeast Asia or in any other place that China is attempting to spread its tentacles. Again, in the world of tech, moving fast, breaking things, blowing things up, having to rebuild them, that's just the way that business is done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
In the world of government, if you are, for example, a foreign country that is reliant on USAID to sort of prop you up, And that goes away. Do you think you're just going to sit there and wait for the United States to figure out its bleep? Or are you just going to turn to China? China is quite happy about this particular move.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
One particular account on Twitter, which is, shall we say, very, very Chinese friendly, is celebratory about the death of USAID, quote, because USAID isn't really a humanitarian aid agency. It's a covert intelligence arm funding coups, protests and regime changes. What exactly are some of the things that this person objects to?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
You have to pay a fee in order to go through if you are a shipper or if you are the U.S. military. Apparently, one of the victories that President Trump has now won is that some of the fees will be gone for U.S. military shipping across the Panama Canal. What you can see in this map. There are two sites on this map that are really important for folks who can't see it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The USAID opposed the Cuban regime, the Venezuelan regime, opposed the Bolivian regime, opposed, for example, the Taliban in Afghanistan. that it was a front for counterinsurgency operations. Okay, those are all good things that are in the United States' interest. Well, folks, we waste an awful lot of money in this country, but there is no reason why you should waste your own money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
This is why you should use Pure Talk. This country was founded on freedom, freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea into the ocean. How'd that work out? Great Britain. Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
You don't need to pay hundreds of dollars a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan of just 45 bucks a month, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for zero dollars. And yes, this is for premium service. Unlimited talk, text, 25 gigs of data, and mobile hotspot at a fraction of the price of the big guys.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
all on America's most dependable 5G network. Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 by visiting puretalk.com slash Shapiro today. Switching is simple. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company. I've been using Pure Talk myself for years. All of my trusted phone calls happen using Pure Talk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
They have great coverage, great price. Go check them out right now, puretalk.com. slash Shapiro. Claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase. Again, that's Pure Talk, America's wireless company. Also, you know, every time I go shooting, I think to myself, this is fun. It could definitely be a little better. And guess what? It can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Let me tell you how to make shooting more safe, more fun, and overall cooler. If you've never used a suppressor before, you are missing out. Trust me. Once you shoot suppressed, you're never going to want to shoot unsuppressed again. This is where my friends at Silencer Shop come in. They don't just sell silencers. They specialize in making sure your shooting experience is awesome.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
The experts at Silencer Shop will help you find the perfect silencer so you can enjoy your guns even more. And now is the perfect time to get one. Why not let your tax return work for you this year? Invest in a suppressor, completely upgrade your shooting experience. The best part? Silencer Shop makes the entire process ridiculously simple.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
They're the number one source for suppressors in America with the largest selection of top brands. Silencer Shop helps handle all the paperwork so you don't have to. With their nationwide dealer network and easy-to-use kiosk system, you can get started in minutes and have your suppressor faster than ever. So don't wait. Visit silencershop.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Turn your tax return into the ultimate shooting upgrade. That's silencershop.com slash Shapiro. Silencer Shop is the best way to get a suppressor. That's silencershop.com slash Shapiro. So China could be like two things can be true at once, as always, as always. And this is, I think, really important when it comes to the policy of an administration that I support. Many things can be true at once.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Policy is complex and shaded. It's not all good and it's not all bad. When it comes to things like USAID, again, going through in targeted, precise fashion and nuking programs within USAID that need to die would be a wonderful good. And Doge can do an amazing amount of good there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Panama, of course, is a very narrow bridge of land, a spit of land that exists between North America and South America. And the Panama Canal carves across some parts of that spit of land to create a free-flowing waterway that goes between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Balboa, which is on the Pacific coast of the Panama Canal, is controlled by the Chinese.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
At the same time, nuking the entire agency, for example, could be opening the door to Chinese influence operations in a wide variety of areas all over the globe that the United States is then going to have to backfill. And that could be a problem because China is fully stalwart about all this stuff. China will always offer you a check. China is perfectly willing to bribe anyone. China is corrupt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
China is tyrannical. The Chinese regime, the CCP regime, is evil full stop. It is an evil regime. It is not our friend. It is not our friendly competitor. The Chinese regime is an oppressive communist tyranny that steals IP, undercuts American markets, and targets all of America's interest for destruction. That is what China does.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Okay, so just recognize that we live in a world filled with harsh enemies who are perfectly willing to fill gaps left by the United States. Now, you may be willing to say, okay, fine, whatever. We leave a gap. China fills it. Do we really care enough? And that's an open question. Depends on the interest. Some interests just aren't worth it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
However, we should be at least smart enough to acknowledge that there are effects of a vacuum created by the United States. That is a rather important thing. Okay, back on the good side of the ledger, President Trump is apparently killing aid to South Africa.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
This, of course, is a good thing because when it comes to South Africa, South Africa has become an increasingly racist state focused on expropriating the property of whites. Now, you can talk about the evils of South African apartheid, which, of course, were tremendously evil. And you can also point out that the way to come together after apartheid
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
the demise of an apartheid regime would not be confiscatory policy designed to harm the white people in Africa in racist fashion. That's exactly what the South African government has done. That's what the Zimbabwean government did also, by the way, completely destroying the country in the process.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
South Africa has pushed forward an expropriation measure signed by the president Cyril Ramphosa designed to bring land reform in the public interest, meaning just seize property, presumably from white farmers disproportionately. South Africa, by the way, because it has impoverished itself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
in ways that it need not, because South Africa has pursued a racialist policy, because South Africa's identity is largely tied up in a sort of anti-colonialist mindset. It has also become a plaything of places like Iran and China, who very often are funneling money into South Africa. President Trump was like, no, we're done with this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
We're not going to give aid to a country that is in racist fashion, seeking to expropriate property from white farmers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
He's absolutely right about this. And the fact that it was ignored, nay, forwarded by the Secretary of State under the Biden administration is a tragedy. South Africa is a deeply corrupt, criminality-filled state. It is a failing state. And the fact that we've been pouring money into it is a disgrace. So good move by the Trump administration on that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2130 - TRADE WAR and Naked Grammys!
Speaking of other good foreign policy moves, I think all of the talk about President Trump being in isolation as president, it's kind of weird because what we're seeing so far is definitely not isolationism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Folks, huge news happening over the weekend. Everything from AOC for president to Snow White totally bombing at the box office. First, if you want more from The Ben Shapiro Show and The Daily Wire, it is time to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Get member-exclusive shows, ad-free streaming, early access to our new releases.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
What he means by oligarchy is actually just very rich people, like people who have made money in private industry. He hates private industry. He hates private markets, Bernie. Bernie is the kind of person who literally has said that private charity is bad because it crowds out government spending. I mean, you have to go pretty far afield to find people who literally hate people giving charity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Bernie has said himself that charity is bad. Private charity is wrong because it might make people feel as though they're actually doing something good when actually the government should be doing that thing. Bernie Sanders is the kind of person who praised bread lines at one point because there's bread at the lines.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Bernie Sanders is the type of person who has said there are too many types of toothpaste in the aisles at CVS. Why do you need that many types of toothpaste? He is like a full-scale tankie, meaning a communist sympathizer. There's a reason that this dude honeymooned in the USSR. Here he was going after the quote-unquote oligarchy with John Carl on ABC News.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So, again, this is his shtick, and it is going to be the successful shtick. So then he was asked by Jonathan Karl about AOC because it's clear that Bernie himself, he's 83 years old. By the time of the next presidential election, Bernie is going to be 86, 87 years old. So he ain't going to be the guy. So who is it that he's going to tap on the shoulder? There is a reason he's campaigning with AOC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So Jonathan Karl asked him about the possibility of AOC supplanting Chuck Schumer in the New York Senate. She might want to run for the Senate. But the reality is that AOC has a better shot of being president than being senator from New York. There's a lot of internal politics in New York. Schumer has his hands on a lot of different levers in the state of New York.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And Bernie threatens to walk out of the interview.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Maher, of course, is totally correct about this. And if you follow people's revealed preferences, meaning not what they say they like, but what they actually like, the feet are moving south. The feet are moving from blue to red. That'd be my family, be my company. And people are literally moving from blue areas to red areas because red areas are better to live.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Unbelievable. So he's getting up, and the reason he's getting up is because he knows that he's being asked to create a war inside the party. What he actually wants is for AOC to run for president. And so, by the way, does the Associated Press.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Quote, Bernie Sanders stepped onto a stage in downtown Denver, surrounded by tens of thousands of cheering supporters in what he described as the biggest rally he had ever addressed. The Vermont senator put his hand on the shoulder of the woman who had introduced him, a signal for her to stay on stage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Quote, she's become an inspiration to millions of young people, recounting her biography from a girl who helped her mother clean houses and later became a bartender before emerging as political insurgent who ousted a powerful New York Democrat in a U.S. House primary. Now, again, that is a very rosy picture of AOC's history. The truth is that she grew up pretty middle class in New York.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Again, there's nothing wrong. Growing up middle class is great. But this kind of idea that she's a total rags to riches story, she went to Boston University. I mean, this is not somebody who grew up totally impoverished. And then she ousted a powerful New York Democrat in a House primary that, yeah, I think she received 15,000 votes in that House primary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The crowd began a chant of her well-known moniker, AOC. In a leaderless Democratic Party out of power in Washington, Ocasio-Cortez has a message and a connection, with a segment of liberals feeling disenchanted with both parties. Now in her fourth term, the 35-year-old congresswoman is working to broaden her appeal beyond her progressive, anti-establishment roots.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Hitting the road last week with Sanders for his fighting oligarchy rallies, she's addressing people who disagree with her and reframing the divide in the Democratic Party not as progressive versus moderate, but as those going after Republican President Donald Trump and those being more cautious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
She said, quote, no matter who you voted for in the past, no matter if you know all the right words to say, no matter your race, religion, gender identity, or status, no matter, even if you disagree with me on a few things, if you're willing to fight for someone you don't know, you are welcome here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So she is posing herself as against the establishment Democratic Party that is unwilling to face up to the challenges of President Trump, which is smart. It is. And the class warfare aspect of what Democrats are going to steer into, that is the next step. They're going to steer full scale into class warfare. That is the reason why they are attacking Elon Musk as opposed to Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
You've noticed a shift in fire from the Democrats from Trump to Musk. Part of that is because Trump is totally tough on. This has been true for a decade. President Trump, because he is made of mud, he is a mud monster. If you throw more mud on him, he just looks like a mud monster. You can't do anything to him. That's not true with regard to, for example, Elon Musk, Democrats think.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Scammers only need to forge your signature on one document, add a fake notary stamp, pay a small filing fee, and then submit it to your local recorder's office. Just like that, your home title gets transferred out of your name. Once they have control, they can take out loans against your equity or even sell your property behind your back. The worst part?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Charlemagne, the God, the radio host, he says that the Democratic Party at this point is trashed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
You might not discover anything is wrong until collection notices or foreclosure warnings start showing up in your mailbox. So when was the last time you checked your home title? If you're like most people, the answer is probably never. That's exactly what scammers count on. That's why so many people, including our own senior video editor, Adam, trust Home Title Lock.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
That's hometitlelock.com, promo code Shapiro, 250, you get protection and peace of mind. Also, dudes, have you heard of Rose Sparks? It's a dual action prescription that merges the powerhouse ingredients found in generic Viagra and Cialis, Sildenafil and Tadalafil in one formidable treatment. Rose Sparks leverages the benefits of sublingual administration, meaning that tablet dissolves
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Find out if Prescription Rose Sparks is right for you. To get 15 bucks off your first order, connect with a provider at roe.co slash ben. That's R-O dot C-O slash ben for 15 bucks off your first order. Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law, but are not FDA approved. Do not undergo FDA safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing review.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Only available if prescribed after an online consultation with a provider. RhoSparks could be a better option for you. Go check them out right now. Rho.co slash Ben. That's R-O dot C-O slash Ben for 15 bucks off your first order. Now, Elon is invulnerable in other ways. He's obviously too wealthy for them to threaten his livelihood. He doesn't seem to care very much what people think of him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So that is unlikely to stick to Musk personally. However, that's not the goal. The goal right now for Democrats is very simple. There's a reason they're using the word oligarchy. I don't think they're being stupid. I think it's actually quite smart.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
What they're attempting to do is craft a narrative of a group of people at the top of government in private industry and in the public sector who are working together to corrupt the system. Now, the comeback to that typically from the conservative side of the aisle is, well, if the economy is booming, what are you complaining about?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Not that there's coordination and collusion, but of course business is going to support Republican administrations because Republican administrations remove all of the horrible regulations that have led to the downfall of cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Detroit. Republicans get the obstacles out of the way of business, so business tends to support Republicans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
This has been sort of a longstanding theme in American politics for decades.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
But the way that Democrats are playing it is that there's a sort of corporatist slimy deal going on at the top of politics, the oligarchy, air quotes, in which the Musks of the world are cooperating with the Trumps of the world so that Trump will put money in Musk's pocket and Musk will put money in Trump's pocket and they both go home happy and everybody else gets poor. That is the line.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
It's not true, but that is the line Democrats are going to use. The reason that's clever is because the way that people tend to filter politics You and I, we sit here, we talk politics every day. And so if you listen to this show, you're a member of a tiny cadre in the American public who watches politics at a fairly granular level. You know the players, you know the general arguments.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The vast majority of people in the United States have a picture of politics that is significantly less granular. All of us are right up close to the Seurat painting. George Seurat is a famous impressionist who paints with dots. Sunday in the Park with George is a musical based on the life of Seurat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
If you ever go and you see his paintings at, for example, the museum in Chicago, if you go and you look at his paintings, it's pointless. He's got a bunch of dots and it's like millions of dots. And then when you draw back, you see that it's a picture of something. People who watch politics closely are like people who are really, really close to a Seurat painting. You can see every single dot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
You can see every pixel. Then you pull back and you see the whole picture. Most people are people who wander into the room with the Seurat painting. They see a bunch of people who are by a river and walking on a Sunday and they walk out of the room. It is not a granular view of politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So if you see a picture of President Trump at the inauguration flanked by Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk and Tim Cook and Neil Mohan, and the rest of the, and Sundar Pichai, and all the rest of these sort of tech CEOs, and they're all in a room together. And President Trump is next to them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
These sort of bird's eye view, take half a moment and look at the TV and then move on with your day, view of that is, oh, these guys are friends and they must work together. And so what Democrats are banking on, what they are banking on is a close coordination between private industry and the president, and then an economic fall. That is what they're banking on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And if there's an economic fall, AOC is poised right there and so is Bernie. And let's be clear about what the threat level is. This is why the economy must succeed. You know, people... on the sort of Trump supportive side of the aisle. Maybe they're frustrated with the fact that I've been critical of President Trump's moves toward tariffs, what he's been doing with regard to Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The reason I've been saying that is because the greatest danger to the Trump administration success isn't economic downturn. Anything else can be overcome. An economic downturn gets attributed to the president who is the president when it happens, whether or not he deserves it. That's just the way it works. And so that is the great danger.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
He, by the way, is right that the party is totally toxic. I mean, he's wrong to cite Wes Moore and Gretchen Whitmer as examples of people who are doing an amazing job. But the reality is that Democrats have misgoverned at nearly every level of government. The Wall Street Journal has a piece over the weekend talking about the failures of Los Angeles, my old home city.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And it is great that this White House is very friendly toward business. That's a wonderful thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
But every image showing how friendly this White House is toward business becomes a weapon in the arsenal of people like AOC, who doesn't understand business, doesn't understand economics, hates the rich, like truly does not like them, thinks that there's like a moral quality that adheres to you as you gain wealth that makes you immoral and bad. It's a bizarre sort of Marxist presentiment
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
That makes no sense, just on a moral level. I have been very not rich and I've been very rich and I'm basically the same person all the way through. And that's true of pretty much everybody I know who was at one point not rich and then became rich. It turns out I know many people who are wonderful who are not rich. I know many people who are wonderful who are rich.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
I know many people who are awful who are rich. I know many people who are awful who are not rich. Wealth does not define character. But for people like AOC and Bernie, there's a very flattering view that they can present to the vast majority of Americans, which is that if you are rich, it's because you suckered someone and did something wrong and did something corrupt and you're bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
That essentially participating in the capitalist system makes you morally inferior in some way. The richer you get, the worse you get. This is why Bernie will say billionaires should not exist. He doesn't just mean we should redistribute the wealth. He means there's something literally immoral in being a billionaire. Well, that's precisely the opposite of what President Trump is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
But people tend to judge politics, again, based on that walking through the room, looking once at the painting, walking out. And if they see closeness between the White House and various industrial capitalists who have done really well, tech bros who have done really well, and then the economy sinks, all of that is going to be tied to the ship.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
All of that is going to get tied into the sinking ship if the ship should sink, which is why the ship really needs not to sink.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
As part of this, for example, over the weekend, it was reported that the White House, through an outside event production company called Harbinger, is soliciting corporate sponsors for this year's Easter Egg Roll, which is prompting major concerns from ethics experts in shock from former White House officials from both parties.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The sponsorship offers range from $75,000 to $200,000, with the promise of logo and branding opportunities according to a nine-page document sent to potential sponsors and obtained by CNN. The egg roll has long been privately funded without taxpayer dollars, largely through the American Egg Board, which also provides tens of thousands of eggs for the occasion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
All the money raised by Harbinger will go to the White House Historical Association. But the solicitation of sponsorships marks an unprecedented offering of corporate branding opportunities on White House grounds running counter to long-established regulations prohibiting the use of public office for private gain. A former official said this is an enterprise.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
This is not your grandmother's Easter egg roll where people lined up outside the gate and go and roll an egg and get a little gift bag and walk out. The pitch document includes logos for both the White House and Harbinger, which previously produced the event during President Trump's first term and is offering initial planning and event day execution for sponsors that sign on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Quote, the Democratic mismanagement of America's big city is becoming a liability for the party. A shining example is Los Angeles, where city leaders this week announced a $1 billion budget hole owing to a slowing economy and soaring payouts to public unions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
It features imagery of Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, members of the Trump family, the Easter Bunny and the White House press corps, including CNN correspondent Caitlin Collins. The document says sponsors of the White House Easter egg rule provide financial support activities and giveaways to enhance the event while gaining valuable brand visibility and national recognition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So what does this mean? It means that you can have naming rights for a key area or an element, a sponsor logo featured on event signage, custom branded baskets, snacks, beverages, or souvenirs. Now, is any of this like truly awful? No, I mean, who cares? This idea, this is some sort of open bribery or something like that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
It seems to me that if you're raising money for charity and people want a sponsorship opportunity attached, that's true for pretty much every private charitable enterprise I've ever associated with or seen. Go to, seriously, a charity dinner and you will see a bunch of corporate sponsors of the charity dinner. And that's where the money comes from. Is this a big deal? It isn't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Except that if the economy sinks, then Democrats are going to try to tie this to President Trump. The same thing is true with regard to, for example, Tesla. So President Trump did a big presser, you'll recall a few weeks ago, on the lawn over at the White House where he talked about buying a Tesla.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And this was ripped on by the members of the media, suggesting this is a form of corruption, this is Trump trying to prop up the Tesla stock or whatever. Well, the truth is that Joe Biden had done exactly the same thing with Stellantis. There's nothing really new here. But that's not the point. The point is the close cooperation, which I think is quite good, between Trump
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
and people who are successful in business is going to be wrapped around the Republican Party's neck and capitalism's neck if the economy should shift south. That right there is the biggest problem that Trump, it's why we cannot afford either as a country or as a body politic for this administration to economically downturn.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
City Administrative Officer Matthew Jabo told the council on Wednesday this year's extraordinary shortfall could necessitate thousands of layoffs. Mayor Karen Bass blamed the recent wildfires, extreme uncertainty in terms of federal funding, and downward national economic trends. In other words, blaming Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Because the next thing that comes is a horseshoe theory populism that takes capitalism and stomps its boot on it. What you're going to get the rise of is on the right, these sort of anti-capitalist populists. These people definitely exist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
These people are actually an increasingly loud contingent of the Republican Party who believe that capitalism is evil, that business is bad, that capitalism takes away from home and hearth. This very live debate inside the right And meanwhile, on the left, you are going to see the rise of the Bernie Sanders types.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Bernie is well-placed inside the party right now, and whomever he taps on the shoulder is quite likely at this point to be the nominee, particularly if that person can knit together some of the other aspects of the Democratic agenda. AOC is perfectly on brand when it comes to the wokeness. She obviously is very involved in standing up for DEI and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So she checks the boxes of the radical left on the woke side, but she's also reaching over not into that, That's not how she's campaigning. She's campaigning as a full scale Democratic socialist in the in the mold of Bernie Sanders. So I know people laughed. I wrote a column back in 2008 when Barack Obama was first running for president before he received the nomination.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And I said, beware, because the actual danger here is not Hillary Clinton. The actual danger here is Barack Obama. And I think it was in 2007, actually. Well, it turns out that right now, the real danger is AOC. I'm just telling you right now, right here, that we can laugh at her. I've been laughing at her for years. I think she's a ridiculous figure. I also think that she's talented on camera.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
I think that she speaks the slogans with passion. And I think that in the Democratic primary, she's a dangerous, dangerous candidate. Who's going to run against her and be able to overcome her?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Because if you actually try to poo-poo AOC, if you try to say, well, she's dumb, which is true, if you try to say that she's dumb in a Democratic primary, she's just going to say, well, did you oppose Trump sufficiently? Because the smarter people in the Democratic Party are biding their time, like Slotkin in Michigan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And if you say, well, you know, she's never done anything, she's going to say, well, I never got anything done because I was just too dedicated to the cause. And she'll have Bernie's support base. And Bernie will transfer that support base over to her. She's a dangerous candidate inside the party. For sure, for sure. So do not take your eye off the ball there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The reality is that the city's fiscal problems have been building up like dry tinder, and Ms. Bass has made them worse. And this, of course, is exactly right. Apparently, L.A. 's unemployment rate in December was 6% that is higher than any state and even Puerto Rico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And for the Trump administration, do not take your eye off the economic ball. That is the single most important thing that you can do is to calm the economic waters. It is deeply important. Right now, according to the Wall Street Journal, people are selling their stocks. They're starting to look elsewhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Just two months after JPMorgan Chase declared American exceptionalism the broad and dominant investing theme of 2025, ordinary investors across the world are looking elsewhere. Instead of riding the wave of US outperformance, they are parsing the potential implications of tariff wars and major shifts in US foreign policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And for much of this volatile stretch, markets in China and Europe are outpacing expectations. These are things we do not need. And much of this is being self-created. So unless somebody can spell out the long-term plan for how this helps the American economy. And by long-term, I really mean short to midterm. Because again, the election is coming up fast. I know, we just finished one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
But it is 2025. 2028 is the election. It's not a lot of time. If the idea is we got to undergo some economic pain in order to get economic gain, that better be some fairly short-term pains for some pretty long-term gain if you hope that the successor to President Trump is going to win the White House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Well, meanwhile, speaking of controversies that could be a problem for the Trump administration, so President Trump right now is going up against an incredibly left-wing judiciary, particularly at the district court level. Apparently, today, there's supposed to be a hearing. The Trump administration has a hearing. with a three-member appeals panel to overturn a judgment from Judge James Boasberg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
That was the temporary restraining order that blocked the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport plane loads of migrants without due process. That's what the lawsuit suggested. Justice Department lawyers will demand that Boasberg be thrown off the case. This is according to Politico.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So Josh Gerstein of Politico says this is a big test for Trump's team's in-your-face approach to all the litigation it now faces, coupling confrontational court filings with an all-out fusillade on both cable news and social media against judges who have blocked administration policies. Boasberg, of course, is not going to go along with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
I think it's very doubtful, by the way, that the appeals court goes along with Trump's attempt to get Boasberg thrown off the case. According to Politico, There are two Republican appointees on this three-judge panel. One is a Trump appointee named Justin Walker. The second is a George W. Bush appointee named Karen Henderson.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
High taxes, burdensome regulations, the city's $17.28 an hour minimum wage, litigation abuse, shoplifting, another crime, raised business costs and insurance premiums, litigation abuses, busting the city's budget. Payouts totaled $240 million in the last fiscal year alone. The city of Los Angeles is collapsing from within. So what are Democrats to do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Josh Gerstein says, will they embrace Trump's expansive view of executive power, or will they show concern about what Boesberg has called the very frightening possibility of almost any migrant being rapidly expelled to a third country based solely on the say-so of the executive branch? Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disput disputun
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Because their governance is really, really poor and President Trump is moving incredibly fast and it's very difficult for them to figure out what is the point of differentiation? Where do they want to put their chips? Where is going to be the line of attack that they can use against President Trump and Republicans? And so Democrats are going to have to define exactly what they are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. saying that you should not eat too many trans fats because the aliens might get you or something. Like, it's a good policy, but it's not exactly based on the best available science.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Now, there is a rule that has been put forward by the political commentator, another one of my friends, Matt Continetti, which I think is exactly right. If you're trying to scope out
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The future candidates of any party, the going rule for the last several decades has been that the successful candidate, the successful presidential candidate first runs against his or her own party and then runs for the presidency. So President Trump is an excellent example of this. He came in 2016. He ran against every aspect of the Republican Party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
He broke the Republican Party and then he took the presidency. Barack Obama did this in 2008. He overcame Hillary Clinton, who is considered the establishment pick, took over the party and then won. And so if you're looking at the Democratic Party right now, what exactly is the Democratic Party? Now, there are a few angles they could take.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
All right, you guys, coming up, fascinating piece in the Wall Street Journal about American women abandoning marriage. We'll get into that in detail. First, you have to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Why? Because there's so much good stuff that we're going to be adding. I mean, first of all, this show continues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Okay, so if you like this show and you want more of the show every single day, you need to be a Daily Wire Plus member. There's that. Okay, but beyond that, we also have Backstage Live, Morning Wire, Matt Walsh's movies, Am I Racist? What is a Woman? Run, Hide, Fight. We have All Access Live. All sorts of great stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The only way you get the thing you want, which is more of my show, of course, is to join Daily Wire Plus. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
There are a few angles that could be taken to take over the Democratic Party. Angle number one would be the better administrative angle. This would be the Bill Maher angle. Or say the Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson angle in their new book, Abundance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
which is a book basically about how Democrats ought to suggest that government actually is good at certain things and then should get a lot of regulations out of the way so government can build the Hoover Dam again or government can build affordable housing without any of the environmental regulations or build a bullet train or whatever it is. Now they can make that case.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Well, Democrats have a serious problem. President Trump's approval ratings maintain their status. He's somewhere close to 50%, which is higher than he has been nearly in his entire political career. His main policies are quite popular, ranging from crackdowns on illegal immigration, which is a very popular position, to even his positions with regard to Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
I think that case is relatively unsuccessful, but they could say, listen, we're good at administration. The problem is Democrats have a very bad record of administration as demonstrated by places like New York, places like Chicago, places like Los Angeles or Detroit. So that's problem number one. Problem number two is that most of the Democrat hardcore does not care about that stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Most of the Democrat hardcore cares more deeply about the quote-unquote moral issues in the country rather than just being good at administration. They don't understand that being a good administrator on the local or state level actually does have a moral component.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Because if you wish to, for example, alleviate poverty, one of the best ways to do that is to provide a stable and useful local government. But Democrats have stopped believing that, at least the primary voting Democrats. And so now they are left with a couple of other angles. One is... the sort of DEI angle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
That would be the idea that the Democratic Party stands for diversity, that really what the Democratic Party is about is recentering the marginalized. This would be the elevation of Kamala Harris, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
This would be the attempt to elevate candidates of color at the expense of other candidates who might be better qualified, or by the way, elevating people like Pete Buttigieg on the basis of his sexual orientation to a presidential candidacy, not because he was good at fixing potholes in South Bend, he was not, but because he's gay, right? That would be the DEI Democrats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And that's certainly an angle. And there's a lot of support for that inside the Democratic Party. The problem is that's the angle they've been taking and it has been failing. Democrats may double down on stupid. If they do, they're unlikely to win back the presidency. According to a brand new poll from Morning Consult, Kamala right now has the support of 36% of Democrat primary voters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Next in line is Buttigieg, who's at 10% support. No other candidate on the list received double-digit support in early primary polling. Tim Walz, AOC, and Gavin Newsom each have 5% support. Billionaire Mark Cuban and Governor Josh Shapiro each have 4% backing. So part of that is going to be name recognition. Obviously, Kamala Harris has very high name recognition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
She was the last Democratic presidential candidate, even if she lost to President Trump. So maybe it's that or maybe it's the Democrats who are trying to double down on DEI. That seems like that is likely to be an unsuccessful angle. However, they also cannot go back to sort of establishmentarian Democratic politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The establishment has failed the Democratic Party, and they know it, which is why Chuck Schumer is under serious fire right now. Chuck Schumer was making his pitch for why he should continue to be sort of the leader of the Democratic congressional contingent on Meet the Press over the weekend, and it is just lackluster stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Again, most Americans are into cutting waste, fraud, and abuse, and Democrats really don't know how to deal with it. And Democrats who spend at least a moment in the real world know this. So Bill Maher, with whom I am friendly, but Bill is definitely a Democrat. He is not a Republican. Maher was on his show on Friday night, real time on HBO.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Okay, so does that inspire? The answer there is no. Chuck Schumer is getting run over by the Congress, run by Republicans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
While the possibility of a resurgent Bernie Sanders should scare everybody who has money in the stock market, or, you know, money in general, in these uncertain economic times with tariff tensions, recession worries, stubborn inflation, it's no surprise that gold prices keep breaking records.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Rather than watching from the sidelines during market volatility, consider taking some proactive steps to protect your savings. That's why many Americans are connecting with Birch Gold Group. They've helped thousands of people convert existing retirement accounts into physical gold IRAs. One ring of gold might be a smart hedge against inflation or economic uncertainty for you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
To learn about owning physical gold in a tax-advantaged account, text BEN to 989898. Birch Gold will send you a free information kit with no obligation. Their A-plus Better Business Bureau rating and numerous five-star reviews reflect why I recommend Birch Gold to help you protect your savings through gold investments. The economic challenges we're facing, they took decades to develop.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
The real question is, how long will recovery take? What's it going to cost along the way? It is not going to be an easy economic road going forward in my own personal opinion. But then again, it rarely is. Text Ben to 989898. Connect with Birch Gold Group today. Diversification is just a smart business strategy. Text Ben to 989898 and get in touch with Birch Gold Group today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Also, let me tell you something. I never realized just how bad my old mattress was until I got my Helix mattress. You know that feeling where you wake up and your back is already griping? Well, that was me more often than not. Don't even get me started on how that old mattress turned into a heat trap at night. In fact, that mattress was so bad, like it started to sag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Anyway, since switching on over to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on even my busiest days and the craziest headlines. Here's what makes Helix different. They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions. Instead, they use their sleep quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has a perfect mattress for you. And the reality is that my mattress, which is firm but breathable, is giving me better sleep quality. It can do the same for you because you'll get a mattress made just for you. Helix is offering right now an incredible March Madness sale.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Visit helixsleep.com slash Ben, get 20% off site-wide. That's helixsleep.com slash Ben for 20% off site-wide. Again, just visit helixsleep.com slash Ben for this exclusive offer and start sleeping better today. That's helixsleep.com slash Ben, helixsleep.com slash Ben for 20% off site-wide and a better sleep tonight. So what are Democrats left with?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Democrats are basically left with the Bernie Sanders wing. Bernie Sanders led an insurgency originally against Hillary Clinton in 2016, which wounded her for the general election.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Then, of course, he ran again in 2020 and really threatened to take over the party until Joe Biden and the Democratic establishment mobilized Jim Clyburn and the heavily black Democrat electoral base against Bernie Sanders. And then, of course, he didn't run in 2024 because there was an incumbent, but he was very critical of Joe Biden for at least part of that race.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And there he was mocking the Democrats over their absolute incompetence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And now he's out touring the country. The Bernie Sanders energy, Bernie's too old. He's not going to be the guy. But the Bernie Sanders energy is the insurgent energy inside the Democratic Party. Because the insurgent energy inside the Democratic Party is not a sort of administrative liberalism that is effective in its approach. It is full-scale class warfare. DEI is played out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And so they're going back from race Marxism or sex Marxism back to like the original Marxism. This is the direction of the Democratic Party. This is where the energy is. And this is exactly what the Trump administration should be concerned about. Not in that Bernie Sanders and the AOC wing of the party are going to defeat Donald Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
But if the Trump administration fails, why the Trump administration has to be very, very good at what it does. If they fail, the next thing up on the Democratic side of the aisle is Bernie. And whoever Bernie taps on the shoulder, because it's not going to be Bernie personally. So apparently over in Tempe, Arizona, tens of thousands of people showed up at a rally for Bernie Sanders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Now, again, big rallies are not a proxy for success. Mitt Romney held big rallies in 2012 and then lost to Barack Obama. But Right now, Democrats can't draw flies. Democrats are toxic. Bernie Sanders is going around and holding rallies, and literally tens of thousands of people are showing up. He's an 83-year-old, lifelong, useless leech on the ass of society.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And tens of thousands of people are showing up to hear him and to hear AOC, with whom he is campaigning. So here's Bernie in Tempe, Arizona.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
OK, so again, this sort of fight oligarchy. There is a class of people who are running the country and they're evil and they're rich and we need to tear them down to the ground. It runs in direct opposition to exactly the sort of abundance Democrat mentality pushed by Ezra Klein or pushed by Derek Thompson. But it is the thing that Democrats are animated by.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Originally, according to The Wall Street Journal, when visiting Omaha, Nebraska. AOC and Bernie reserved a place that held 800 people. Then they had to move to a bigger venue of 3,400. And then when they went to Tempe, 15,000 people showed up. And Bernie said, this is insane. I'm not running for anything. People are outraged and they're frightened and they wanna fight back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
And this is one form of beginning the struggle to fight back. And it is not a coincidence that Bernie is tapping AOC on the shoulder. AOC, of course, has a very young, very woke, very socialistic contingency who follows her. Sanders is taking a really interesting approach.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Again, he's wrong, and his perspective on capitalism is not just wrong, it happens to be evil, but it is an interesting approach. He's abandoning certain issues that are sort of tentpole Democrat issues right now, and he's focusing instead on pure class warfare, pure unbridled Eugene V. Debs class warfare. He's an old school wobbly, Bernie Sanders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
So for example, when it came to the border over the weekend, Bernie was interviewed and he said that Trump was actually right about the border. Now this is a switch in time for Bernie. So if you remember all the way back to 2016, when he was running against Hillary Clinton, he actually talked about solidifying the border. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Because he understands, this is correct, that you cannot have both socialism and an open border. It doesn't work that way. So now he's reverting back to type. He's going back to a sort of protectionist socialism, which does involve actually closing the border. This is where the horseshoe theory comes all the way around for people like Bernie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Okay, so again, that is Bernie saying that Trump is basically right on the border, why he's abandoning the worst issues for the Democrats. Immigration is a bad issue for Democrats. Bernie, he'll talk about trans, but only if forced to do so at point of gun. This is not a major issue for him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Instead, he rails against his own party, which again is the prereq to actually successfully running in the United States. He rails against his own party and he does pure unbridled, kill the rich and eat them class warfare. So here he was railing against his own party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
OK, so again, of course, he has an interest in saying this. He is an independent from Vermont who has basically become a quote unquote thought leader inside the Democratic Party because they have no thoughts. And so he is just pouring old school Marxism into the vessel of the Democratic Party. Here he was talking about the quote unquote oligarchy. Now, again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2164 - The Democrats’ 2028 Frontrunner Is…AOC?!
Any actual definition of oligarchy would have to include Bernie Sanders in it. He's the most powerful people in the country. He's very wealthy. He obviously has that lake house. He has a big following. If you're talking about oligarchs in control of the levers of power and capable of controlling people's lives, Bernie should be near the top of that list.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Well, folks, nature is healing, and nowhere is it healing more, apparently, than at MSNBC. Now, I have to say, I have mixed feelings about this news. Joy Reid is apparently losing her show at MSNBC, and that is a loss for, I think, all of us, considering that approximately 11% of the content of the show was simply provided by Joy Reid and her asinine commentary on politics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Some of these departments probably have to do it, but other departments not. So, for example, in HHS, RFK Jr. has instructed his people that they probably should, in fact, respond to Elon's email. They put out an email suggesting, quote, this is a legitimate email. Please read and respond per the instructions by Monday. And HHS is the largest single department inside the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
But there are other parts of the federal government, particularly in the intelligence community or the defense community, where it's not clear they're going to answer those emails. Why? Because it turns out that if you have a bunch of sort of long term projects in the intelligence community, you can't just write that in an email and send it to Elon's team.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
This is why Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has instructed personnel in U.S. spy agencies not to respond. According to the text of an email she sent to the workforce on Sunday, citing the agency's sensitive and classified work. Defense Department employees were given similar instructions not to respond.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And again, what Elon is focusing on is breaking the pipeline of money that moves between the federal government and a bunch of sort of blue areas of the economy. But it is very important at this point to recognize that when it comes to Doge, Doge alone is not going to solve the fiscal problems. Doge is not changing the regulations. That's not what Doge is doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Doge is going in and finding ways to fraud and abuse. But as I've been saying for literally months, ways fraud and abuse amount to a negligible, a very small percentage of actual federal spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Unless you're talking about the giant wasteful programs that are, for example, means-tested welfare programs, and you're talking about absolutely restructuring those programs in a more beneficial way, you are just cutting around the edges. And even the sorts of things that we like to see Even those sorts of things are not, in fact, going to materialize into gigantic cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
The Wall Street Journal did an investigation into what Doge has actually cut at this point. And again, there's been a lot of talk about what Doge has cut, how much they've cut. Doge has suggested that they've cut $55 billion in federal spending, citing canceled DEI and climate contracts. And again, all of that is good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
First of all, $55 billion as a percentage of the American national budget every year? is a very, very small percentage of America's budget every year. Like in the last year of the Biden administration, we spent approximately $7 trillion. $55 billion would represent one 127th of that. It's a very, very small percentage of the federal budget. But beyond that, it hasn't actually cut all of that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
So the Wall Street Journal, looked at what the contracts actually are cutting. And what they found is that the savings from contracts amounted to about $7 billion. And the journal projects the actual savings could be closer to $2.6 billion over the next year if the spending levels remain consistent. Only about 2% of those funds would have gone to contracts related to DEI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
So you're talking, again, about very small amounts in the end. Now, it's very good to talk about waste, fraud, and abuse. It's good to change in sort of public perception the meaning of what government spending is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
But the really big things that need to happen if you actually want to unshackle the economy, if you actually want to see productivity gains, if you want to see business growth, if you want to see the economy... Boom. What you actually need to do is target precisely the kinds of programs that no one is politically willing to target.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Now listen, in this informational environment, there is a lot of information floating around. Some of it's true, some of it's not so true. How many times have you heard somebody spout off opinions as if those were cold, hard facts? The media tend to spin, politicians distort, social media amplifies, and somehow the truth just gets lost somewhere. It's pretty frustrating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
We live in a world where narratives often matter more than reality, but here's the thing, the data don't lie. And if you want the data, you need usafact.org. USA Fact isn't about narratives, it's about data. Real, nonpartisan, verifiable data straight from government sources. Whether it's taxes, healthcare, or the economy,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And this reflects a serious problem for the Democratic Party. They do not know which way to move. They are stuck because of identity politics and largely because of immigration. They are now stuck in a rut of their own making, and it is very difficult to break out of that rut. And so you're seeing Democrats struggle against the box, thrash against the box of reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
USA Facts gives you the numbers you need to cut through the nonsense and make informed decisions. And make it easy. Go to usafacts.org, sign up for their free weekly email that you can rely on to get the data behind the news. It's like a personal briefing on the state of the nation, delivered directly to your inbox. No spin, no bias, just the facts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Look, you care about how our government money is being spent, where taxes are going? This is for you. Go to usafacts.org right now and get clear, contextualized facts on the issues that matter. It's time to know the facts because data don't lie. That's usafacts.org. Check it out today. USA Facts. Also, let me tell you something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
I didn't realize when I had that bad old mattress how bad it was until I got my Helix mattress. You know that feeling where you wake up and your back is already griping at you? Well, that was me more often than not. Don't even get me started on how my old mattress turned into a heat trap at night. I tend to get pretty heated up at night and you just wake up and you're all sweaty. It's gross.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Since switching to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on even my busiest days and the craziest headlines. Here's what makes Helix different. They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions. Instead, they use their sleep quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or you share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has a perfect match just for you. Again, I needed that firm but breathable mattress, and that's what they gave me. Right now, Helix is still offering an incredible President's Day sale. This sale is exclusive for my listeners. It's even better than you will find on their main website.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Visit helixsleep.com slash men and get 27% off site-wide. That's helixsleep.com slash ben for 27% off site-wide. Again, just visit helixsleep.com slash ben for this exclusive offer. That's helixsleep.com slash ben. The single most important op-ed of the last five years. was penned by House Budget Committee Chairman Jody Arrington and former U.S. Senator Phil Graham back in September of last year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And it talked about what is actually driving America's systemic national debt? What is driving our national deficit? And the answer, believe it or not, is not even Social Security and Medicare alone because the vast majority of Social Security and Medicare are actually paid for by payroll taxes. Doesn't mean that they're not a huge drain on our economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
They are because taxes are a giant drain on our economy and Social Security and Medicare in and of themselves. are wildly inefficient. If we took the money that people are putting into payroll taxes and instead put it into the Dow Jones back in 2006, when George W. Bush was suggesting, the stock market has risen times four since then.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
But the actual systemic drivers of the debt, as Arrington and Phil Graham pointed out back in September, are actually the means-tested social welfare spending programs. And precisely the things that neither party actually wants to touch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Things like Medicaid, food stamps, refundable tax credits, supplemental security income, temporary assistance for needy families, federal housing subsidies, and almost 100 other programs whose eligibility is limited to those below an income threshold. And one of the points that Graham and Arrington make in this op-ed
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
is that since 1967, defense spending has fallen from 68% of unobligated general revenue to 37.2% in 2023. So we're just spending way more on these means-tested welfare programs. As defense spending plummeted, they write, swords were not beaten into plowshares, which would increase economic growth and wages, but instead were used to fund welfare payments.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Today, the United States redistributes a larger share of its GDP, 29.4%, through transfers and taxes than any other developed country on planet Earth except France at 30.1%. And in fact, this is an unbelievable statistic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Former Bill Clinton pollster Mark Penn points out the Democratic Party is more unpopular than they've been any time in his lifetime. Here he is running down the polling data.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
After counting all transfer payments as income to the recipients and taxes as income lost by taxpayers and adjusting for household size, the average households in the bottom, second, and middle quintiles all have the same income. And so we are such a redistributionist country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
That if you're in the bottom 60% of income earners, you're all basically making the same income because so much money has been redistributed from the top 40% to the bottom 60%. And if you're in the bottom 20%, you're actually making the same amount of money as a guy who's in like the middle quintile of income because of all the transfer payments. It's driving people out of work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
It's ensuring that the massive national debt gets larger. We are now paying more interest on our national debt than we are paying for our actual defense budget every single year. Something that Neil Ferguson has pointed out is a mark of a declining empire. These things cost things, but these are the hard things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
What's actually going to bring long-lasting success is not going to be cutting around the edges. It's not going to be posturing. What's actually going to bring long-lasting success is the politically difficult thing. And if nobody's willing to do it, then basically we're just going to end up in this sort of progressive, this progressive populist horseshoe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Where despite all the talk about innovation, government just continues to grow and eat up an increasing portion of Americans' earnings and savings. Where a smaller and smaller percentage of the population is actually working while the government continues to spiral out of control in terms of growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And where productivity does not actually outpace all of the spending of government and the taxation of government. That is the problem that is faced by President Trump. Now, the easy thing for Democrats is that when things fall down because of all these giant programs that they themselves have enshrined, they just claim capitalism failed. This is the magic of being a Democrat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
The magic of being on the side of the blue is that when government screws up the economy to the point where there's a collapse, they immediately turn around and blame capitalism. This is exactly what happened in 2007, 2008 during the real estate crisis. Bill Clinton.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And the Democrats rammed through particular government mortgage programs that were designed to allow people with bad credit or no credit to get into homes at subprime rates in order to make home ownership more equitable. And in the end, all of that went bust and then capitalism got blamed. Well, the same thing could easily happen right here and it could take free markets right along with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
That is the big danger. And so at some point, Congress particularly is going to have to pick up the bag here. And President Trump is going to have to start pushing for some real systemic change on the regulatory side. He's going to have to push for some real systemic change when it comes to these means-tested welfare programs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Again, the kind of stuff that populists like, but that actually is eating up a giant chunk of the American budget every single year. If the premise of the current American political moment is that we are in a moment of scarcity, which is true, that we have scarce resources, that we are in danger of being outproduced by countries like China,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
that the American budget is too large, that our tax burden is too high, that we're spending too much money. You have to look at the right places, because if you look at the wrong places, you're not going to solve the problem, and then things will go bad, and then James Carville's predictions will start to come true. Now, meanwhile, over in Germany.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Fascinating election, and this seems to be the pattern all across Europe, is that the center-right party wins and then refuses to make common cause with the actual right-wing party in its respective country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
You see this over and over and over, that fear of the quote-unquote far-right is leading center-right parties to join with center-left parties and then undermine their own credibility, which leads concomitantly to the rise of that supposed far-right. So right now in Germany, the results are pretty fascinating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Friedrich Merz is the clear winner of the German election, according to the Wall Street Journal. The question for the conservative leader is how fast and with whom he can cobble together a government and whether the United States will seek to influence the process.
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Despite a historically strong showing by anti-establishment nationalists in a ballot that extended Europe's recent lurch to the right, Merz's Christian Democratic Union scored a comfortable victory once all ballots had been counted.
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This means that Merz this week will start talks on forming a government, at the end of which he's likely to become Germany's next chancellor, but the way there could be really, really rocky because basically the breakdown was this. The CDU and its CSU sister party in Bavaria obtained 28.5% of the vote. Coming in second, was the alternative for Germany.
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This is the party that Elon Musk has been pushing, among others. AFD came in at 20.8%. And actually, if you look at an electoral map of Germany, it's absolutely fascinating. Basically, every province that was a part of East Germany voted for AFD because they hate the communists so much. And every province that was in West Germany voted for the CDU because they're sort of moderate right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party absolutely collapsed. It scored 16.4%. That's the worst score since the late 19th century. The question for Merz is how he's going to put together a coalition because Merz originally said he didn't want to side with the AFD. The AFD has been slandered, in my opinion, as a quote-unquote neo-Nazi party.
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I see no evidence that the party itself is a neo-Nazi party. Its platform looks very much like the platform of the Republican Party in the United States, although more populist on economics and probably less free market oriented. which is weird because when it was founded, it was founded as a libertarian party.
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The AFD, of course, has people who are hangers-on and associates and people who are involved with the party who have expressed neo-Nazi tendencies, but those people are both rare and not in positions of high leadership inside the AFD. The AFD's success is being driven in large part by opposition to immigration. which originally was led by the CDU.
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Originally, that was Angela Merkel's proposal to let in millions of Syrian refugees into the country, and it completely wrecked the entire body politic in Europe. Well, the CDU has now turned on immigration, not in the same way as the AFD. The AFD has turned on immigration in a much more public way.
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So the question is going to be whether the CDU will sit with the AFD or whether they're going to turn back to Olaf Scholz and try to get together with Olaf Scholz. So if the CDU decides to try and side with the center-left, this will be very much reminiscent of what has been happening in France, where Emmanuel Macron's party
The Ben Shapiro Show
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refused to form a coalition with the Marine Le Pen National Rally, the supposed far-right party in France, which, again, has a program very similar to AFD. And instead, they decided they were going to try inside with Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who's a nutcase socialist crazy person. And Macron has destroyed his own popularity in the process, and the right is rising again. Here is the reality.
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If in a coalitional system in Europe, your party, your center right party sides with the left, it will not be perceived by the public as a move toward right wing moderation. It will be pursued. It will be perceived as a move toward the left and away from the actual principles for which people voted.
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The truth is that the mandate in Germany is for there to be a right wing government in which the AFD is a partner. AFD co-leader Alice Feidel said, quote, our hand is extended to implement the will of the people. Again, very hard to imagine a neo-Nazi party led by a lesbian who's in a relationship with a Sri Lankan woman. That's who Alice Feidel is. She said the CDU just needs to take it.
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Otherwise, a change in policy in Germany won't be possible. Merz has already said he would under no circumstances form a ruling union with the AFD. Suda David Wilp, the vice president of external affairs at the German Marshall Fund in the United States, said, quote, Friedrich Merz would be loathe to work with the AFD. Pressure from the United States is unlikely to sway him.
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The problem, of course, is that the Olaf Scholz party is now saying they don't want to side with CDU. So maybe that if Olaf Scholz rejects it, then that will give Merz the possibility of opening up again. Back to AFD. It'll be fascinating to see because here's the thing. If there is no immigration crackdown in Germany, AFD will continue to gain ground and they should.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Meanwhile, in other international news, obviously tragic things happening with regard to Pope Francis. Pope Francis has been in the hospital for several days at this point. As you know, I'm not a fan of the Pope, but everybody should pray for his health nonetheless. Pope Francis remained in critical condition on Sunday. Blood tests showed early kidney failure.
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He remains alert, responsive, and attended mass, according to the Vatican. The 88-year-old pontiff is battling pneumonia and a complex lung infection. Of course, he is... Quite ill and he's quite old. And everybody in the Catholic Church is aware that these are probably the last days of Pope Francis. Unclear exactly who is going to take over. Obviously, there will be a conclave.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I assume it will not be, spoiler alert, an intersex person like in the idiotic movie Conclave. But it'll be fascinating to see which direction the Catholic Church swerves toward. Pope Francis has led the Catholic Church in a very left-wing liberation theology direction. I think it has been not beneficial for the Catholic Church. I think it has undermined its raison d'etre.
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So Democrats are trying to figure out exactly to whom they turn in the wake of Donald Trump's victory and the fact that he's now steamrolling through his agenda. So do they turn back to the supposedly moderate types, the Joe Biden types? Biden advisor Tom Donilon says they should never have gotten rid of Joe Biden. They shouldn't have moved over to the identity politics brand of Kamala Harris.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I think that he has sidelined many of the key causes of the Catholic Church in a modernizing left-wing world in favor of conciliatory positions on some of the most controversial issues in the international community. And that has been an idiotic move, I think. The Catholic Church, if it's going to represent anything, ought to represent the eternal values upon which it was based.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And those are largely social values. And they have a lot less to do with, say, redistributionism and environmentalism and putting cathias on baby Jesus, all things that apparently Pope Francis was in favor of. So obviously prayers for his health, despite our disagreements. But we will see in very short order in which direction the Catholic Church
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On Sunday, Variety and The New York Times reported that Reid's 7 p.m. weeknight show, The Readout, is being canceled and will air its final episode this week. Apparently, she is leaving the network completely as a result, which, of course, is not a shock. She's not going to want to stick around and play second fiddle. Perhaps she will join Jim Acosta at a brand new network. Ooh, maybe Jen Rubin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So let's start with, you know, what actually happens if Pope Francis should pass. And despite all of my disagreements with Pope Francis, obviously all our prayers are with him in a time of travail. If he should pass, then the conclave begins. I assume, according to the movies, we select an intersex pope, is my understanding. But what is the actual sort of process?
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Who's making up the College of Cardinals at this point? Who are sort of the likely frontrunners for the possible papacy?
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So how does the process actually take place? Because obviously we all know about sort of the black smoke that's rising from the conclave and then the white smoke when they finally figure out who exactly is going to be the next pope. But how does it actually take place on sort of a day-to-day level?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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OK, so should they turn back to a sort of more moderate type in Joe Biden who turned out not to be moderate? Or should they double down on Kamala? Kamala is still wandering the landscape. And remember, she has a couple of assets. One, she's black and two, she's a woman. And the Democratic Party, these are the things that apparently still matter most.
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Well, Michael, I really appreciate the insight into all of this. I now know more than I did at the beginning of this conversation, a rarity in our conversations. Really appreciate it. Good to talk to you. Good to see you, Ben. See you next time. Coming up on the show, continued controversy over the Trump administration's approach in Ukraine.
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Plus, President Trump fires a bunch of top military brass. First, Daily Wire Plus members are getting the news today. There will be headlines everywhere else tomorrow. Right now, members are inside live chats debating the news in real time, sharing their opinions, talking with other fans just like you.
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Thousands more are streaming exclusive series, culture-shaping documentaries, and hit movies you're not going to find anywhere else. And they're doing it all knowing every dollar they spend is building a platform where their values, their voice, and truth cannot be silenced. Now is the time to join us as we build the future. Go to dailywire.com slash subscribe to join right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Meanwhile, controversy continues over President Trump's approach in Ukraine. It is unclear exactly what the vast gap is actually between what Trump wants and what is likely to be achieved at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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President Trump has made very clear that what he would like is presumably for Russia to retain control of the Donbass and Crimea and for the Ukrainians to be given security guarantees, but not NATO membership. He's been ripping on Vladimir Zelensky. It is very unclear at this point why he has been ripping on Vladimir Zelensky.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I understand there are a lot of people who believe false things about Zelensky, such as that he is a dictator. He is not, in fact, a dictator. He is the legally elected president of Ukraine during times of martial law, when like half your country is occupied by another country.
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Many of your people have actually run to other countries as refugees, and many of your people are actually, you know, on the front lines fighting. It turns out very difficult to hold an election. Zelensky has been called that. President Trump suggested there needs to be a new election before some sort of peace deal is held. That doesn't seem to make a whole hell of a lot of sense.
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Here was Kamala Harris back in the headlines over the weekend. I know you forgot about her, right? You didn't even remember she ran for president at one point, but she did and she lost. And here she is receiving an award from the NAACP.
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For his part, Zelensky came out over the weekend and said, listen, if me resigning would create peace, I'd be happy to do it or give me security guarantees and do something and then I'll resign. Happy to leave as soon as the war has basically come to some sort of conclusion that actually guarantees Ukraine safety and security for the foreseeable future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, the truth is, if Zelensky himself stepped down today, presumably the person who picked up the baton, because there wouldn't be an election, would be somebody who very largely agrees with Vladimir Zelensky's approach. The Ukrainians have lost hundreds of thousands of people dead or wounded.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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They're not simply going to allow a situation in which Russia can walk through the front door and into Kiev in the very, very near future. And here's the thing. I don't think the Trump administration wants that either. I think a lot of this is a distraction. I think a lot of the talk about the controversy between Trump and Zelensky
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has nothing to do with sort of the on-the-ground reality, and you keep seeing that from various members of the Trump administration.
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So, for example, Pete Hegseth, who is the defense secretary, he says, listen, President Trump, you know, he's made comments about this sort of stuff, but we know who invaded whom, and we're not interested in watching Ukraine just turn into effectively a Russian territory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, and he's right about all of that. This is a line that was repeated by Mike Walz, the national security advisor. He said, listen, President Trump has said that Russia invaded Ukraine under Obama. Russia invaded Ukraine under Biden. Russia did not invade Ukraine under Trump. So, I mean, it's a tacit acknowledgement that Russia invaded Ukraine under Joe Biden, obviously.
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Now, again, does this sound like surrender to you? It doesn't sound like surrender to me. There's a lot of controversy, again, over sort of the verbiage surrounding the Ukraine war. But is this like a total shift in American policy? It doesn't really feel like that. Democrats are trying to make it that way. And this is where, again, I start to get a little bit annoyed. You guys had your shot.
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This conflict should have come to its terminus back in 2022, and then you had three subsequent years to do something about it, and you did nothing. Instead, you slow-walked aid to Ukraine so that they couldn't actually go into Donbass and Crimea, and at the same time declared that the war should continue. You wanted it both ways, and now you're stuck.
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So when I hear you guys talk about how Donald Trump is surrendering to the Russians, you guys, what was your plan? Do you have an alternative? This is the thing about Democrats. What's the alternative? They do the same thing with Gaza.
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Trump provides an alternative plan for Gaza, the only realistic plan I've ever heard about Gaza that actually accords with, you know, actual factual on the ground reality. And they start screaming about it. Same thing with regard to Ukraine. Here is Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
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So Jack Reed right there, he mentions these mineral contracts the United States has actually suggested to the Ukrainians. And Zelensky's pushing back. He's saying, you guys want too much from me. Let's make a different deal. All of that is perfectly rational and within the realm of reality.
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If Zelensky can negotiate a better deal with the Europeans or with the United States for those rare earth minerals, great for him, good for him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And that would be good for both the United States and Ukraine because, as the Trump administration has openly suggested, an economic relationship with Ukraine enshrines American security interests in Ukraine, much the way the United States has security interests In Taiwan, for example. None of that is out of the box. None of that is crazy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, listening to Democrats who blew up the world suddenly complain about Donald Trump coming in and trying to fix things is really bizarre. It's hard for me to think of anyone who is a worse advocate in favor of the United States than the former Obama U.N. ambassador and then... policy advisor to Joe Biden, Susan Rice. She says that Trump on Ukraine is going to embolden China to invade Taiwan.
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What was it exactly when Joe Biden withdrew from Afghanistan utterly and left it to the tender predations of the Taliban? But what was that exactly?
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Well, I mean, again, you guys set up the predicate for all this. Now, I don't want China to invade Taiwan. And one of the things that I hope the Trump administration is pursuing, and they've talked openly about this, I assume they are, is a pivot from places like Europe, where Europe should be able to take care of its own business. Again, Europe, the EU is much larger than Russia as a collective.
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We can pivot from there to China and help protect Taiwan. Because if Taiwan were to fall, that would have some grave consequences for Japan, for Australia, for the supply chain, for the future of pretty much all sophisticated manufactured goods. Now, all of that matters an awful lot. So the pivot, I think, is something that the Trump administration has openly talked about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But it is amazing to watch Democrats and the left-wing media freak out about Trump's foreign policy. And they're so delusional about what foreign policy even is. So Michael Birnbaum at the Washington Post has a piece called, quote, in first month, Trump upends century-old approach to the world. So what is the century-old approach to global affairs?
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Quote, Trump has gone further than he did in his first term to redefine whom the United States embraces and whom it combats, surprising fellow world leaders who thought they knew Trump's playbook and had been working to please him.
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Instead, the president is spurning a post-World War II international system built to block global aggressors, embracing far older ideas of allowing military powers to build regional spheres of influence and exert dominion over their neighbors. Okay, let's just be clear about this. That was also the system after World War II. The Soviet Union had a very, very, very large sphere after World War II
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And President Trump is not interested in not allowing any blocking of global aggressors. If that were the case, he would, in fact, just withdraw from Ukraine and not try to broker a peace deal at all. This is my favorite sentence in the piece from The Washington Post.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Quote, Trump appears to be turning back the clock to a time in world history when countries with the biggest militaries constructed empires, demanded tribute from weaker nations, and expanded their territories through coercion. Do you mean like all of human history? Is that what we're talking about?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Wow. Remember that sort of beat poetry that she used to do on the campaign trail? Well, if you want more of that, Democrats might do it. She might run for governor of California. Democrats themselves are sort of torn between how to approach the Trump administration. On the one hand, they want to go back to resistance-style anger. They really want to just scream at the wind a lot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That the bizarre interregnum in which liberals thought that they could magic China into being nice to us, for example, or they could wheedle Russia into being kind, that that was always a facade and always a nonsense? As Rosa Balfour, director of the Brussels office of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace says, quote, this is classical geopolitics, actually.
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Influence on the areas that are closest to you geographically. Now, again, that doesn't mean the United States wants to abandon the Far East. That would be a huge mistake. Or the United States wants to abandon Eastern Europe. That would also be a huge mistake.
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But a reshifting and realignment of interests such that the people who are closest are spending the most on the thing makes an awful lot of sense. And Democrats whining about it should have thought about that before they decided to sink billions of dollars into a quagmire in Ukraine of their own making. Meanwhile, President Trump is taking serious action inside the Pentagon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He abruptly fired Air Force General C.Q. Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday. This is all part of his campaign to... feature merit instead of diversity. The ouster of Brown, only the second black general to serve as chairman, is sure to send shockwaves through the Pentagon.
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His 16 months in the job have been consumed with the war in Ukraine and the expanded conflict in the Middle East. By the way, terrible job on both, sir. So thanks for that. If you wonder why exactly he's gone, the answer might be, you know, the quagmire in Ukraine and the fact that the Houthis now run the Red Sea. That might be the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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According to the AP, Brown's public support of Black Lives Matter after the police killing of George Floyd had made him fodder for the administration's war against wokeism in the military. Trump said he's nominating retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Raisin-Kane to be the next chairman. Kane is a career F-16 pilot who served on active duty and in the National Guard.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He was most recently the associate director for military affairs at the CIA. So that seems like pretty well qualified, actually. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also announced the firings of two additional senior officers, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Jim Slife.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Franchetti is the second top female officer to be fired by the Trump administration. He also fired Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan just a day after he was sworn in. Now, again, this is not just a quote-unquote purge of the diverse. This is an attempt to reorient the Defense Department toward the priorities of the President of the United States. This is the point that Hegseth is making.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Let's put in place people who actually listen to the President. Here's the Defense Secretary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The problem for them is that they can't find a point of consolidation because many of the things that Donald Trump is doing right now are actually quite popular. And so they're stuck in a weird in-between. On the one hand, they want to preach that Donald Trump is non-empathetic, that what you really need is more empathy. But people don't see the Democrats as particularly empathetic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so again, this seems like a perfectly plausible explanation for what's happening at the Pentagon. One of the things that is hilarious about this is Democrats freaking out about this. So historically, presidents have always fired generals, like top generals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Barack Obama famously fired Stanley McChrystal for the great sin of making comments in a magazine profile about Barack Obama and his handling of Afghanistan. By the way, McChrystal was totally right about all of that. Most famously, Harry Truman fired General MacArthur. when MacArthur wanted to move more harshly during the Korean War.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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None of this is the end of the world, but Democrats keep claiming that everything is the end of the world. So you have Susan Rice again saying that Donald Trump is putting politics in our military. He did it? I feel like you did it, madam.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I'm so sick of hearing Democrats about the integrity of democracy after they centralize all power in the executive branch and then complain about it. Again, all of this is within the realm of the perfectly normal and everybody pretending that this is a threat to democracy is, you know, over their skis at the very least. Alrighty, guys, coming up, we'll get to the trans story of the day.
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A famous actress, meaning, you know, an actor, like a dude who thinks he's a lady, complaining about passports. If you want to be a member and actually access that content, along with all of our other great content, including Matt Walsh's great movies, What is a Woman? and Am I Racist? and All Access With Me? and whatever you want from Michael Knowles and Jordan Peterson.
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If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro at checkout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
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Jane Fonda tried to make this case over the weekend. It is amazing that they are now having to trot out 70-odd-year-old people who once rallied for the Viet Cong as their sort of ideological thought leaders. This is a lady who literally went to North Vietnam and declared that the Viet Cong were the victims of the Vietnamese War and was posing next to an anti-aircraft battery with the Viet Cong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And now they're trotting her out as some sort of moral voice talking about empathy. Here was Jane Fonda over the weekend.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There's a lot of options out there for Joy Reid, who is the kind of psychotic leftist who helped run the Democratic Party directly into a ditch. MSNBC, by the way, insists that they are going to continue with their progressive move. They are not, in fact, going to move toward the center, which, again, genius-level stuff from the leadership over at MSNBC, apparently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Jane Fonda is not a particularly smart person, but you are a smart person and smart investors prepare ahead of time, just like keeping a life jacket handy before you set sail. That's why so many people are adding gold to their portfolios, leading to record gold prices in early 2025. There's still a great opportunity for you to diversify and strengthen your financial future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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When it comes to diversifying into physical gold, I personally trust my friends at Birchgold. They're the people I turn to for my own gold investments. Their specialty, helping you convert your existing IRA or 401k into a tax-sheltered IRA backed by physical gold without any out-of-pocket costs. One five-star review, says it perfectly. Knowledgeable, helpful, non-pressure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That's exactly why I've stood behind Birch Gold for years. They deliver exactly what they promise. Also, with almost two entire months of the new year already behind us, wow, I need to make sure that I'm maintaining my health, hitting the gym, spending time with my family. There's a lot going on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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When I was younger, I used to think I could just power through on pure conservative willpower and caffeine. I learned pretty quickly, peak performance requires peak nutrition, and that means eating enough veggies. That's why I'm so thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every single day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That sounds miserable, time-consuming. With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies. They freeze, dry them, they turn them into a powder, and they put them into a capsule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You take your fruit and veggie capsules every day, and then your body knows precisely what to do with them. It's kosher, which means I can pop it right into that protein shake I take every day, and it's great. Go to balanceofnature.com, use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer, and get a free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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promo code Shapiro. Again, balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro. That's balanceofnature.com, promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer and that free bottle of fiber and spice. And meanwhile, Democrats are touting an anti-Trump rant. They got a standing ovation in a rather blue area of a red state. This happened over the course of the last weekend or so.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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This is in Roswell, Georgia. But the people who are attending this particular town hall event in Roswell, Georgia are largely Democrats. Here is a town hall rant that was getting a lot of attention from the left over the weekend.
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They're going to move Jen Psaki, who is the former White House press secretary under Joe Biden. They're going to move her to anchor one of the primetime hours during the week. She could be named anchor of MSNBC's 9 p.m. hour, where Rachel Maddow currently is. Maddow might be moved as well. Alex Wagner will remain with the network as a correspondent. So.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, here's the thing. All this rings rather hollow. It does. It is a sound and fury signifying almost nothing at this point because the Democratic Party does not know for what it stands. On the one hand, they want to say that they are for everyone. On the other hand, they want to push woke identity politics. On the one hand, they want to talk about no dictatorship.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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On the other hand, they want government to control every part of your life. On the one hand, they want to talk about Donald Trump is breaking down foreign policy. On the other hand, they want to surrender pretty much everywhere. So which is it? The answer in the end for Democrats is going to rest on Donald Trump's failure. If Donald Trump fails, they win. It's that simple.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
They don't have anything else. The only point of consolidation is if Donald Trump and his administration fail at making America succeed. That is the only way that they have a pathway back to power. James Carville basically acknowledged as much. He just thinks it's going to happen quickly. Here was James Carville over the weekend.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
OK, so again, Democrats are betting that it's all going to fall apart for President Trump. And Carville's suggestion is rooted in the fact that President Trump's approval ratings have slid from the mid 50s in some of the polls down to the mid 40s in some of the polls. That was always likely to happen because, again, the country is indeed quite polarized.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
But massive collapse doesn't appear to be on the horizon unless unless there is some sort of serious economic problem. And that is why the central focus of the Trump administration right now must be on bringing down inflation. It must be on economic growth. That's what the central focus has to be on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Yes, we want to see President Trump keep all of his promises, and he will with regard to immigration. Sure, we would like to see President Trump bring an end to the war in Ukraine in a reasonable fashion. But the thing that Americans care most about, this is true of the election, it's true of nearly every election, is their economic well-being.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And there are some blinking red lights that are on the horizon here. One of those blinking red lights comes courtesy of Warren Buffett. So Warren Buffett is now holding an extraordinary amount of cash. Warren Buffett, his Berkshire Hathaway, is holding $320 billion in cash and treasury bills. And the reason for that is he's looking at all the various areas of possible...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
The people who are apparently going to replace Joy Reid in that 7 p.m. slot are Simone Sanders Townsend, who, of course, was a press secretary originally for Bernie Sanders before becoming a press secretary for Kamala Harris. Michael Steele, the former RNC chairman who has moved far to the left, and Alicia Menendez. They are currently the co-host of MSNBC's weekend program called The Weekend.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
investment and he's saying they're already overvalued essentially what he's saying is that we are in a bubble right now and it is hard to look at for example the stock market where the price earnings ratio is way out of whack the price earnings ratio just means the price of the stock as opposed to the earnings of companies right now the average in the dow jones industrial average is 26 times the price of stocks are 26 times the annual earnings of those companies
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
A normal distribution would be like 16, 18. 26 is way out of whack. And at the very top end of the spectrum, those top seven companies that everybody talks about, Those companies are at a P.E. ratio of something like 46. So those are overvalued. So Berkshire Hathaway is saying we're not going to sink more money into that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
At the same time, the real estate market is also inflated because the interest rates have been high for a while. And there are a bunch of people who are holding on to their houses because they don't want to sell them and then get into a higher interest rate mortgage. And so what that means is a sort of artificially limited supply while demand remains at sort of even keel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And when that happens, you end up with a real estate bubble because fewer people are selling their homes and the demand has remained the same. So you have a bit of a real estate bubble, which is likely to break at some point. You have a stock market bubble, which is likely to break at some point. These are the worries the Trump administration has on its mind.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And beyond all that, inflation is driving both of those things because the currency was inflated so much over the course of Joe Biden's tenure because of the velocity of the money that was injected into the economy under Joe Biden and in the latter days of the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Because of that, there's so much money chasing goods and inflation remains at 3% right now, which is 50% higher than the Federal Reserve generally seeks. And that means that the interest rates are unlikely to come down which means that it's tougher to get a loan. At the same time, even if you got a loan, you wouldn't actually want to spend your money on inflated assets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
And so you have a bit of a sticky patch here for the American economy. And the only way to truly unstick it is with productivity gains. That is the only way to truly unstick this, is more competition, less regulation, more investment in newer things. The productivity gains of AI have not actually made themselves manifest in the generalized market as of yet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
There are tens of billions of dollars chasing AI. The problem, of course, is that aside from using AI for kind of everyday searches on the internet, most people aren't using AI yet to make their businesses more efficient and more effective. There's a sort of gap between the quality of the technology and the adaptivity of that technology to your normal everyday business working.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
Most people aren't using it in their businesses as of yet in a major way. So productivity gains have not matched the investment. It's one of the reasons, for example, why companies like NVIDIA have a massive valuation right now because people are pouring tons of money into the semiconductors produced by NVIDIA in order to build up AI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
But again, the productivity gains from AI in the general workplace are not apparent as of yet. If they make themselves apparent, then we can outgrow all of this, or at least a large part of this. But in the meantime, what can the Trump administration do? They need to take a hammer to the regulations. And this is where we need to talk a little bit about Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
So what Doge is doing right now is wonderful in a large number of ways. You all know I'm a big fan of the Department of Governmental Efficiency, as well as what Elon Musk is attempting to do. And one of the things Elon Musk is attempting to do is he's really targeting personnel in a very serious way inside the executive branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
So they are moving into the 7 p.m. hour. According to MSN.com, Sanders Townsend, formerly a spokesperson for Harris, was hired by MSNBC in 2022. Meanwhile, the leadership over at MSNBC suggests that they are going to add Politico's Eugene Daniels and NYU law professor Melissa Murray to the network's lineup as well. So they are continuing to move over to the left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2144 - More Trump WINS: Joy Reid GONE!
So over the weekend, Elon Musk's Doge sent out an email to 2.3 million government workers asking that they justify their work. He basically said, give us five things you did over the course of the last week, and if you can't, then we may fire you. A bunch of the various agencies, again, run by Trump appointees, are saying, you know, you really don't have to do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Folks, tons going on in the news. President Trump has some excellent poll numbers. He is also unleashing the American military on the Yemeni Houthis and Iranian front group that's been attacking shipping in the Red Sea. So the American military going to town over the weekend first. America is in the middle of a comeback, but... The culture war is not yet over.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Secretary of State Rubio pointed out that this is also a warning to Iran. Like, we will hit your proxies, and if you continue with this, we will hit you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
I have a feeling that they absolutely will. Meanwhile, the big news of the weekend was that President Trump announced attacks by the United States military on the Houthis. So the Houthis are a group of America-hating, Jew-hating, anti-Israel, anti-American, near-satanic terrorists. in Yemen. And they've been at war with the Saudi government for a very long time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
It turns out a little prevention goes a long way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
If the Houthis had never been delisted as a terrorist group, which was a thing that the Biden administration did, if the Biden administration had never put pressure on the Saudis to leave the Houthis alone, if the Biden administration not created daylight between Israel and the United States with regard to Iranian terror proxies, none of this would have happened in the first place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And President Trump's team is working hard to shore all of that up so that Iran is not, in fact, a threat to global shipping lanes or global oil supplies. or a terror threat to the region and beyond. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth put out a statement, Godspeed to our warriors who the attacks on American ships and aircraft and our troops will not be tolerated.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Iran, their benefactor is on notice. Freedom of navigation will be restored. America under President Donald Trump will never back down. This is good. It is unabashedly good. It is excellent. This is strong Trump. And it's great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Speaking of strong Trump, President Trump and the White House took some moves over the weekend with regard to deportations that are sending Democrats into an absolute tizzy. So obviously they are still freaking out over the fact that Mahmoud Khalil, a terrorist supporter who somehow got a student visa and then apparently a green card, is now going to be deported.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So Marco Rubio was appearing on the Sunday shows. He's on CBS News' Face the Nation. And he was asked about visa revocation. He says, listen, we revoke visas every single day and we'll continue to do that. If you support terrorist groups, you don't belong in the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
That seems pretty simple, right? And that's right. Democrats keep taking the 20% side of every single 80-20 issue. It's unbelievable to watch. Truly, they are awful at this. Rubio was asked also about Mahmoud Khalil specifically. Khalil, of course, basically came to the United States in order to pursue pro-terror rabble-rousing. He worked for the UNRWA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
He was brought in a student visa and apparently did nothing except for lead student protests that took over buildings illegally. I hear a secretary of state, Rubio, being asked about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
They vandalize colleges.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Okay, so she watches the news intensely, intensely. Okay, so the reality is that Mahmoud Khalil is being deported because Mahmoud Khalil expressed via the group that he led support for actual honest-to-God anti-Western violent terrorism. That is the link. You do not require him to be a funder of Hamas. That is not a thing you require.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The question is not the same as if you were an American citizen. The question is, if you have a green card, do we owe you a duty as a country to allow you to stay in the country when you express support for terrorist groups like full on terrorism? And the answer is no, we do not. Under the law, under the INA, we do not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Well, speaking of Democrats taking the wrong side of every single issue, over the weekend, the Trump administration got into hot water with a local district judge. Why? Well, because the Trump administration deported alleged Venezuelan gang members under a centuries-old wartime law. U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And one of the things that the Biden administration did was basically push the Saudis to give up that war with the Yemeni Houthis on quote unquote humanitarian grounds. And the result was that the Houthis after October 7th decided that they were going to not only target Israel with some missile strikes, but they were also going to target shipping in the Red Sea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
District Court Judge James Boasberg early on Saturday evening blocked President Trump from using a law known as the Alien Enemies Act to deport non-citizens held in U.S. custody. Government lawyers said Trump was using the law to target members of Tren Daragua, which is a deeply violent and evil Venezuelan gang whose members have reached the United States in recent years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So these are people who are drug dealers. These are violent criminals. We're not even talking about mass deportations here. We're not talking about President Trump is rounding up illegal immigrants in broken down suburbs and he's taking them to the border and letting them go or forcing them. That's not what he's talking about. Trenveragua is a deeply evil, violent gang.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And President Trump is taking people who are alleged to be members of these gangs, violent criminals, and he is deporting them to El Salvador. And a U.S. district judge is saying he can't do that. During Saturday's hearing, the ACLU told Boasberg that two aircraft believed to be carrying Venezuelan deportees took off from U.S. territory on Saturday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The ACLU had sued the administration earlier that day on behalf of migrants at risk of deportation. Boasberg said Justice Department lawyers hadn't disputed the claim. They told them that, quote, any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in air needs to be returned to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The judge subsequently issued a written order that didn't explicitly mention planes that were already in the air. So the White House said, OK, well, you didn't say already in the air, except verbally. You wrote down just planes that had yet to take off. It was in the air. It was in international airspace. No.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Levitt said, quote, the administration did not refuse to comply with a court order, adding it was issued after terrorist Trenderagua aliens had already been removed from United States territory. The written order and the administration's actions do not conflict. Now, one of the reasons this is important is because the left is now claiming that President Trump is defying the judges, defying.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
First of all, what you have here is a judicial activist who does not have the authority to issue injunctions on behalf of the entire United States against activities taken by the administration to deport illegal immigrants who are members of violent gangs to El Salvador. That's ridiculous. If you can just find a U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
District Court judge somewhere in San Francisco to strike down everything Trump is doing, well, then that guy becomes the president, effectively speaking, and that is not how our system of government was meant to work. This stuff will get elevated to the Supreme Court. It will be ruled upon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Senior White House officials huddled on Saturday evening to make a decision about what to do with the judge's order. They decided to go ahead with the plans. During the emergency court hearing, Boasberg said he had not reached any final conclusions on even whether the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act was lawful. Okay, so he didn't even come to the claim that Trump had invoked the act illegally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
He said, I'm not sure, so you have to turn around the plane that has the gang members on it. And the White House is like, well, it's in international waters, and you're just saying so. We didn't write it down, so no. He said his temporary restraining order will preserve the status quo until he can hear arguments more fully.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Exxon Sunday the administration had sent two leaders of the MS-13 gang and 21 of its most wanted as well as over 250 members of Tren Daragua to El Salvador. He also reposted a comment from El Salvador's president, Ayib Bukele, that said, oopsie, too late.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Bukele then shared a video with three planes on a dark tarmac that showed gang members being escorted off the planes by security services and sent to jail in El Salvador where the United States is paying for their room and board. Here's some of that video. And as you can see, they're taking these gang members who are in handcuffs off the plane and to jail in El Salvador.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The Houthis are almost entirely funded. and staffed by the Iranian military. The Iranian military has propped up the Houthis for literally years. What's been going on in Yemen has been a proxy war. The only reason that that had to involve the United States at all is because the Houthis began to attack shipping in the Red Sea, which is a major artery for international shipping and trade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And supposedly a district court judge was going to hold all of this up on the basis that he wasn't sure about whether the Alien Enemies Act could be invoked at this point. So the Trump administration paid attention. They've not actually deported people who are sitting in American jails right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The plane was already in the air on the way to El Salvador, and they said, we're not turning it around.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Trump's proclamation that he was invoking the Alien Enemies Act, released by the White House on Saturday, stated that Trenaragua is, quote, undertaking hostile actions and conducting irregular warfare against the territory of the United States, both directly and at the direction, clandestine or otherwise, of the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And so this, of course, has driven enormous, enormous heartburn among Democrats. Oh, he's violating the law. Oh, it's like tyranny now. OK, if tyranny amounts to the president of the United States invoke the law to deport enemy illegal aliens who are members of violent criminal gangs, got to tell you, that is not a winning issue for Democrats. It is not a winner. It is not a winner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And again, the Trump administration, if they receive a binding order from a Supreme Court, is not going to ignore it. The whole idea that local courts have the ability, like single district court judges, have the ability to issue nationwide temporary restraining orders on anything the president of the United States is doing at any time is insane, ridiculous, insufferable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
It wasn't even tried until the 1960s in American law. Well, if the idea of local courts issuing nationwide injunctions makes you lose sleep, well, here's the thing. At least you don't have to lose sleep because you have a crappy mattress. You need to get rid of that old mattress and instead get a Helix mattress. I used to have a different kind of mattress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And you know that feeling where you wake up and your back is already complaining? Well, usually that was me. It's gonna get me started on how my old mattress turned into a heat trap at night. Since switching on over to Helix, I wake up feeling ready to take on even my busiest days. Here's what makes Helix different. They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Instead, they use their Sleep Quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences. Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or you share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has a perfect match for you. I got the mattress that's firm but breathable, which is what I need.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Right now, Helix is offering an incredible March Madness sale that'll help you get the mattress you need. Visit helixsleep.com slash Ben. Get 20% off site-wide. That's helixsleep.com slash Ben for 20% off site-wide. Again, everything in your life at this point is personalized. Why not the thing you sleep on eight hours every night? It's gotta be personalized.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
That is why we are releasing episode one of our series, The Case for Derek Chauvin, tomorrow. If you want to be part of the movement fighting for truth, reason, and great storytelling, it's time to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Stream my show ad-free with exclusive content you're not going to see anywhere else. Get unlimited access to premium entertainment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Otherwise, it just ain't gonna be good enough. Head on over to helixsleep.com slash Ben to get the exclusive offer. helixsleep.com slash Ben. Also, there are a lot of fitness influencers who are offering minimal value at premium prices, but FitBod is different. It provides comprehensive workout planning and tracking tools designed to help you maintain consistency and achieve real progress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
You've heard me talk about FitBod before. Let me reiterate, it is truly a game changer when it comes to building muscle and creating workout routines that are ideal for you and your body. Just last week, I opened the app before heading to the gym, and within seconds, it was creating a personalized workout based on my goals and available equipment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The app also noticed which muscle groups I'd been hitting harder, so it automatically adjusted to focus on those other muscle groups, which means it holds you accountable. Because let's be real, I'm a dude, which means I like working out like biceps and chest and back and that kind of stuff. And so the app was like, it's time to do legs now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Expert certified personal trainers have fine-tuned their approach to deliver proven exercise science and industry best practices directly to you. Plus, you can transform your fitness journey with over a thousand demonstration videos to perfect your form and technique.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So I asked my friends and sponsors at Perplexity to actually explain how Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have affected pricing. So I said, how much have prices risen thanks to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea? How much has international shipping been affected by Houthi attacks on that shipping?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
You can keep that fitness routine fresh and engaging as the app continuously introduces variety through new exercises, rep patterns, innovative supersets, and challenging circuits, eliminating workout monotony for good. Level up that workout. Join FitBod today. Get your personalized workout plan. Get 25% off your subscription or try the app for free for seven days at FitBod.me slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
That's F-I-T-B-O-D.me slash Shapiro. Well, there's a reason that more Americans now believe that America's on the right track than at any time since 2004, according to a brand new poll. That's the NBC News poll released on Sunday. President Trump's approval ratings are not where he would wish them to be at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
54% say they disapprove of his handling of the economy, and that is largely because of the tariff war. But the survey found that voters generally feel Trump is bringing the right kind of change on the key issues. On a lot of other issues, the border particularly, Trump is incredibly strong. 56% say positive change on the border.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
In fact, the best way you can tell that Trump is doing an amazing job on the border is that on the list of issues that Americans take seriously, immigration has now dropped from number one to number four. Why? Because it's no longer a problem. President Trump has done such an amazing job on the border that no one is crossing, and so people don't even think about it anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
On government cuts, 47% say his changes are good compared to just 29% who oppose. On his handling of the Ukraine war and NATO, some of the most controversial stuff he's done, more respondents say his actions were good, 41% than opposed it. So pretty evenly split on all of that. As far as inflation, 40% say his policies are having a positive effect. 30% say negative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
28% say not changing things at all. As far as the sort of partisan gap, his approval rating among Republicans, unsurprisingly, 90%. His approval rating among Democrats, 4%. OK, but among independents, the answer is that his approval rating is much closer to sort of the Republican approval rating than it is to the Democrat approval rating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Democrats right now are tearing themselves apart over all of this. They legitimately don't know what precisely to do next. Here is CNN announcing the terrible Democrat. I mean, the Democratic polling numbers, they have favorability numbers worse than cancer at this point. Really bad numbers, according to CNN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And the answer is the Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have had significant impacts on both prices and international shipping. Global consumer goods inflation increased by approximately 0.6% to 0.7% in 2024 alone due to higher shipping rates caused by Houthi attacks. By the way, that's a lot. Okay, that is a lot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
just a full-scale disaster area for the Democrats, and they continue to drop. The NBC News polling has them at a similarly low level. Here's what's happening. Republicans already know the Democrats suck. Independents think the Democrats are completely off the rails, and Democrats are disappointed with their own party for not being crazier. That is an absolute box canyon for Democrats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
How do they escape that? Seriously, how do you escape from Republicans think that you're crazy, Independents kind of think you're crazy, and your own party thinks you're not crazy enough? That is the biggest problem for Democrats. How do we know they think that they're not crazy enough?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Because a recent CNN poll shows that the most popular Democrat as quote unquote, the leader of the Democratic Party right now, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, she is considered by 10% to be the leader of the Democratic Party. That's not so good. The Democratic leader, they feel, best reflects the core values of the party. 10% said AOC. 9% said Kamala Harris. 8% said Bernie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
6% said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Brutal. Brutal numbers right there. Why is that so brutal? Because guess what? She is totally out of touch with most Americans. If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were to run for president, she would lose 60-40 because she is insane. Her policies are crazy. But look at the top of that list.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Basically, if you are a Democrat, the people that you like are the nut jobs and the people you don't like are the ones who are more sane. So John Fetterman doesn't even clock in. John Fetterman is on the list. He didn't clock in. The top names again, AOC, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Hakeem Jeffries, Barack Obama, who ain't coming back. Jasmine Crockett is at 2%. Then Gavin Newsom at 2%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Nancy Pelosi at 2%. Tim Walz at one, by the way, that shows you how much Democrats hate Tim Walz, right? Tim Walz was the VP candidate half a second ago, and now he's at 1% in the polling. He has the same percentage as Al Green. By the way, Pete Buttigieg at 1%. What does this mean? It means the Democrats are addicted. They are absolutely addicted to the crazy and they can't let go of the crazy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And it's a major, major problem for them. So last week, Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, made the correct political decision not to engage in a government shutdown. Why? Well, as I said last week, it was a giant unforced error. I wish he had, you know, sort of a political matter. I wish that Chuck Schumer had engaged in a continuing resolution shutdown. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Understand that right now, the inflation rate in the United States is hovering somewhere around 2.8 to 3%. Imagine taking 0.6 or 0.7 off of that. Now you're closer to normality. And a huge chunk of that could theoretically be attributed to just the attacks that the Houthis are launching on international shipping.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Because then he would have had to own it. Whatever happened next would be on him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
First of all, President Trump would have had the ability to designate which employees in the federal government were mandatory employees because the spending in the federal government, there's some spending in the federal government that's considered essential spending that goes forward even during government shutdown and stuff that's considered non-essential.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The non-essential shutdown essential goes forward. That's true for employees as well. Trump would have had more power if the government shutdown had happened along those lines. But number two, anything negative that happened economically over the following few weeks was going to be in Chuck Schumer's lap.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So Chuck Schumer, flirting with the left, which wanted him to resist, resist, resist, thought very seriously about shutting down the government. And then at the last minute, he pulled back. And he pulled back because he didn't want to be a complete nut job who destroyed his party. And the Democrats are fighting mad at him, enraged at him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Here are MSNBC hosts over the weekend bashing Chuck Schumer over it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Okay, so there's a lot of talk in the Democratic Party about AOC primarying him. And all I can say is good luck and Godspeed. Seriously, please keep steering in the direction of AOC if you wish to keep losing. And this has been the way that the Democratic Party continues to approach the issue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
They're not taking the advice of James Carville, which is sit back and wait for your opponent to make a mistake. They're not doing it. Instead, they're jumping both feet on every rake in sight. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell from Michigan says, listen, we need to fight back. I can't believe we did the CR. We should have fought back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So then you have Senator Adam Schiff, who was the greatest promulgator of the Russia, Russia, Russia lie. And he's saying that passing the CR was a terrible policy. Please, guys, keep following Adam Schiff. It's doing you wonders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The average cost for shipping a 40-foot container has risen to around $3,000, up from less than $1,500 before the attacks. Why? Well, because instead of going through the Red Sea, shipping, which used to take that shortcut through the Red Sea and then through the Mediterranean, instead now they're going all the way around the Horn of Africa, which takes much, much longer, is much more costly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
He strongly opposes the CR. It was the wrong judgment. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse doing the same thing. He says, listen, we need to stop fighting internally. We need to unify against Trump. The problem is you can't. You can't because half of you are crazy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Well, let's let's see you get it back to it. Here's the thing. The other problem for the Democrats is that because the leadership is up to up for grabs, there's an there's a battle among the nuts for the leadership.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
If AOC is a 10 percent, Jasmine Crockett is looking at this and she's going, hey, hey, we've talked about Jasmine Crockett, the very valuable congresswoman from Texas who's trying to become the new AOC and trying to steal some of her thunder. Here she was trying to go after AOC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
You notice how she kind of slides in right there that there might not be elections in four years later. There are going to be elections in four years. The real reason that she's not endorsing AOC at this point is because she's afraid that she's going to get banged on by the moderate wing of her party. And she is currently riding in that same SSRS poll, which shows AOC at 10%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
at 4% out of nowhere, the same as Barack Obama. So why precisely would she hand over leadership of the party to a person while she herself might make that climb? The Democrats are in such trouble. They're in such trouble and they don't even understand they're in trouble. They're boxed in. Gavin Newsom, by the way,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
He's been attempting through his Gavin Newsom podcast to move to the center by interviewing people who are on the right. This, of course, is a play for the 2028 nomination among Democrats. He's going to run as a quasi-moderate. The problem for him is in that same SSRS poll, it's like 2% of Democrats think that he's the leader of the party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And his approval rating has absolutely plummeted throughout all of this. So they have no leadership. They're completely broken. They got a massive problem on their hands, and they're not doing the thing they should be doing, which is waiting for Republicans to make a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So as I say, all Democrats have to do at this point is wait for President Trump to make a mistake, not because President Trump is going to be terrible at being president, but just because every president is faced with crises. Bad things happen in every presidency, and they should wait until he makes a mistake to jump on him. But they just can't do it. They just can't do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Additional fuel costs for rerouting ships around Africa are roughly a million dollars more per voyage. About 90% of ships are now avoiding the Red Sea route due to those Houthi attacks. Container shipping through the Red Sea has declined by approximately 90%. The number of merchant ships passing through the Red Sea annually has dropped from 25,000 to 10,000.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Over the weekend, Scott Besant, the Secretary of the Treasury, who is excellent at his job, he was talking about President Trump's economy. He said, look, the economy is going to be fine. Again, Besant is doing heavy work on behalf of the administration to quiet the markets given all the sort of tariff chaos that has been taking place over the course of the last several weeks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
That's exactly right. So one of the things that's happening right now is something that happened during the first Trump administration. Trump would throw out an economic policy. Everybody would freak out. And then the economic policy would get sanded down by all the people around him into something that was more palatable to markets. That is one of the things that Scott Besant is doing here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
By the way, J.D. Vance was doing the same thing over the weekend with regard to Doge. There have been tons of questions about Doge. and about the fact that Doge is moving fast and breaking things. And that means that some people are getting fired who probably need to be rehired, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Over the weekend, Vance said in an interview with NBC News, the vice president, quote, Elon himself has said, sometimes you do something and you make a mistake and then you undo the mistake. I'm accepting of mistakes. I also think you have to act quickly to correct those mistakes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
But I'm also very aware of the fact there are a lot of good people who work in the government, a lot of people who are doing a very good job. We want to try to preserve as much of what works in government as possible while eliminating what doesn't work. And again, that is a smart way to approach all this. If you explain to the American people
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
That when you are performing a surgery on a catastrophic cancer inside the federal government, you might have to cut out some stuff that you don't want to cut out. But then you have to allow it to grow back. That's what Vance is essentially saying right now. He said many people are clearly collecting a check and not doing a job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
He said, I don't know how many people that is in a three million strong federal workforce. Maybe it's a few thousand. Maybe it's much larger than that. But he said, we have a lot of great civil servants who are doing great work. So again, the administration is moving into a more comfortable arena where it's not just moving fast and breaking things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
It is moving fast, breaking things, and then rebuilding the things that shouldn't have been broken or broken in the process of getting to the root of the issue. They're gonna get better at things as things go on. This is actually the roughest point in the Trump administration in terms of actually being able to make major change. Meanwhile, the situation in Ukraine is in some ways getting worse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Vladimir Putin is obviously using the sort of moment in order to consolidate land grabs as much as humanly possible over the weekend. Ukraine's audacious military gambit inside Russia drew toward a close this week as much as it started last summer quickly, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
A rapid Russian advance in recent days left remaining Ukrainian forces increasingly isolated under withering assault. They'd all but pulled out from a sliver of Kursk province by the weekend. How is this happening? Well, Putin went out and he got a bunch of North Korean soldiers who were basically conscripted into service and then forced into fighting in Kursk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And again, that adds an average of 10 to 14 days to voyage time. So if you're wondering why it takes you longer to get things than it did a couple of years ago, that would be one reason. 75% of all US and UK affiliated vessels, 60% of EU affiliated vessels are now rerouting around Africa instead of transiting the Red Sea. At least 30 ships have been damaged by the Houthi attacks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The Russians used familiar tactics, relentless assaults with overwhelming numbers of troops, including elite units and North Korean soldiers that ground Ukrainian forces down over months. Glide bombs smashed buildings and bunkers where Ukrainian troops sheltered.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Then in the past month, Russia deployed large numbers of drones controlled via fiber optic cables to strike armored vehicles on the main roads routes for supplying Ukrainian soldiers on a shrinking patch of land. The Ukrainian military's seven-month foray had surprised allies with its vigor and embarrassed Putin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
But now Putin has turned the tables and he has become the first Kremlin leader since Stalin. He was faced trying to oust a foreign army from his own territory, but it appears that now he has actually done that. Ukraine was hoping to cling on to that territory as sort of a bargaining chip. That bargaining chip is gone. So the question now is whether Putin is going to come to the table at all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
On Tuesday, President Trump is supposed to speak with Vladimir Putin, according to Axios. Ukraine, of course, has already agreed to Trump's ceasefire proposal. Putin has refused to accept it unconditionally. Trump said, I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end. Maybe we can, maybe we can't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
I think we have a very good chance. When asked what sort of concessions he'd be looking for, Trump replied, we'll be talking about land. We'll be talking about power plants. He said they were already discussing dividing up certain assets. Steve Witkoff, the president's negotiator in Russia, described his four-hour meeting with Putin as positive and said the discussions was solutions-based.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Witkoff said that Putin accepts Trump's philosophy of ending the war with Ukraine. He says the two sides are a lot closer today than they were a few weeks ago. We'll have to see whether that materializes or not because Putin has sort of a history of holding out the football and then removing the football at the very moment at which a consummation becomes possible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Holman Jenkins, writing for The Wall Street Journal, is doubtful. He says there won't be a deal anytime soon. Vladimir Putin has received no reason to stop pushing for more concessions to see where the limit, if any, exists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Neither has he received any message from the administration that now is the time to cut a deal because President Trump will open the floodgates and make the situation more painful and costly than Putin would find it useful to bear. So it's possible that there is another possibility, he says. He says, strike a deep state peace deal between the incoming Trump administration and the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
intelligence agencies, bring the best of the U.S. to bear on the problem of managing our Ukraine involvement to an acceptable outcome. Steve Witkoff is flying around on his personal plane, perhaps using his personal phone, while shuttling to Moscow to sample the latest peace musings of Mr. Putin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
How many intelligence agencies are listening in, including those who usually agree not to spy on us when we agree not to spy on them? These are all open questions, obviously. We'll see what ends up materializing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
I am doubtful that Vladimir Putin is going to come to the table with anything that looks like a real peace deal here, because again, he has to feel the pressure in order for him to have an impetus to actually sign onto something. Meanwhile, there was some talk that Keith Kellogg had sort of been sidelined in the negotiations. Keith Kellogg is sort of more hawkish member of the foreign policy team.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
President Trump put out a statement, quote, I am pleased to inform you that General Keith Kellogg has been appointed special envoy to Ukraine. General Kellogg, a highly respected military expert, will deal directly with President Zelensky and Ukrainian leadership. He knows them well. They have a very good working relationship together. Congratulations to General Kellogg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And this is the right move by President Trump. So I'm hoping that this is the precursor to the Trump administration understanding that if Putin says no, the pressure has to be reversed. And now, instead of being on Ukraine, the pressure really, really, really has to be on the Russians. Well, as you all know, I'm not big into the culture stories.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And again, normally the Suez Canal handles about 12% of all global trade. That's $1 trillion of goods per year. And that is being shrunk close to zero because of these Houthi attacks. So yeah, it's about time we obliterated them. Well, President Trump announced... Over the weekend that the United States military was now targeting the Houthis is on Saturday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And so I have to have experts on to help walk me through them today. It's Emily Austin stopping by. All right, folks, we're here with Emily Austin. She is a news personality. She's also on Instagram at Emily Austin. She has almost three million followers. So first of all, I want to ask you, Emily, how you went from sports personality to kind of news personality. How'd that happen?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Quote, today, I've ordered the United States military to launch decisive and powerful military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They've waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft and drones. Joe Biden's response was pathetically weak. So the unrestrained Houthis just kept going. It's been over a year since a U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So I want to go through some of the stories of the day with you. There is a sports story that is on the radar. Apparently, West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez has now put out a rule that his players are not allowed to dance on TikTok. I mean, I generally agree. I don't know why TikTok exists. I mean, I do. It's a Chinese op. But what's the story here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Okay. So meanwhile, in other news, Dylan Mulvaney apparently has a book coming out, which is really exciting, was honored on International Women's Day by the ladies of The View. which makes perfect sense since he is, in fact, a dude. And I just wanted to read you. We apparently have excerpts from his new book.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Quote, My healthy, long brunette locks constantly reminded me of the images I would see of myself in conservative media, the Audrey Hepburn persona I had leaned into for most of my transition. I was the good girl, Jackie O, but I wanted to be the other woman for once. I wanted to be Marilyn. Thoughts?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
flag commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden. The last American warship to go through the Red Sea four months ago was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft and targeted our troops and allies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Now, meanwhile, the Democrats seem to be unable to actually separate off from this issue. It's pretty amazing. Gavin Newsom tried to. Tried. And the rest of the Democratic Party came down on him like a ton of bricks. But it seems to me that Democrats are not really going to have a choice. This issue is a giant loser for them. They do have an opportunity to win back the presidency in 2028.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
You think so? Listen, the 2024 election is a lot closer than I think people want to admit that it was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And you shipped a couple of hundred thousand votes in particular jurisdictions. And suddenly this looks like a much more competitive election. If the economy tanks, obviously Democrats could come back. You never want to rule it out. I think Republicans have a lot of systemic advantages. I think that the population movement to the South is obviously helping Republicans an awful lot right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
But things change really rapidly in American politics. If Democrats actually jettison some of the insane culture war issues that they've been running on, and if the economy turns south, then yeah, they have a decent shot, but they can't jettison those issues. What do you make of the democratic field right now?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
These relentless assaults have cost the US and world economy many billions of dollars while at the same time putting innocent lives at risk. This is President Trump on Truth Social. The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Connect with a community of thinkers, not followers. Watch anywhere, anytime on desktop and the Daily Wire Plus app for mobile and TV. Join the fight right now at dailywire.com slash subscribe. All right, so... Over the weekend, 32 Americans were killed in a massive American storm after fatalities were reported apparently in both Kansas and Mississippi.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Well, Emily Austin, thank you so much for stopping by. Folks, check out her stuff over at her Instagram page at emily.austin. She's terrific. Thanks so much for your time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
All right, coming up, we'll jump into the latest episode of Bill Maher. Don Lemon stopped by and had some things to say about black Americans voting for President Trump. First, you need to become a subscriber in order to see this kind of magic. We have so much great stuff coming. I've seen some of the cuts of Pendragon. Amazing, truly incredible stuff. Backstage Live, Morning Wire, Am I Racist?
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Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
All Access Live. So much good stuff for you right now and so much coming. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important waterways of the world, grinding vast swaths of global commerce to a halt, attacking the core principle of freedom of navigation upon which international trade and commerce depends.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Our brave warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorist bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the waterways of the world. To all Houthi terrorists, your time is up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Your attacks must stop starting today. If they don't, hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before. To Iran, support for the Houthi terrorists must end immediately. Do not threaten the American people, their president, who has received one of the largest mandates in presidential history, or worldwide shipping lanes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
If you do, beware, because America will hold you fully accountable and we won't be nice about it. This is what I signed up for, ladies and gentlemen, this right here, because it turns out that freedom of the seas is unbelievably important, and the United States, as the global hegemon, is the guarantor of those freedom of the seas. The use of the U.S. military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Americans, by the way, have died in this battle with the Houthis. I mean, there's a thing that has happened where American Marines, I believe there's a couple of American Marines, have drowned in attempting to aid shipping through this area. The Houthis, for a year, they are a ragtag group of people who are radical Islamic fundamentalists. The actual slogan of the Houthis is, I kid you not,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
It's called The Scream. And it's God is the greatest, death to America, death to Israel, curse be upon the Jews, victory to Islam. Which, I mean, is a little long and doesn't rhyme, but you kind of get the idea of what these folks are about. And they've been holding up international shipping for a year at great cost, as we've discussed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The United States launching attacks on pirates is a tradition that goes all the way back to Thomas Jefferson fighting the Barbary pirates who were attacking American shipping. So this right here is what President Trump should be doing. This is an excellent use of the United States military. I see some caterwauling from people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The basis for which seems to be that if the United States fights the Houthis because they're shutting off global shipping supply, that it must be done on behalf of Israel or the Jews. I'm confused because it turns out that pretty much all the shipping that's going through the Red Sea has nothing to do with the Jews. And yet it is that shipping that is being attacked by the Houthis, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
This is the peace through strength model that President Trump has always applied. Him guaranteeing freedom of the seas, by the way, is also a very good international signal because one of the things that's been happening in, for example, the South China Sea, which is a massive shipping artery as well, is that the Chinese government
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
has been exploring further and further away from land masses that it controls into these waterways, holding up boating and shipping from places like the Philippines. And so as a signal to countries like China that the United States is not going to allow the shutdown of international waterways, That is a very powerful signal as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
As the Wall Street Journal points out, the Houthis had paid little price for more than a year of piracy that forced the U.S. Navy into a combat pace not seen since World War II. The White House tallies 174 Houthi attacks on U.S. warships and 145 on commercial vessels since 2023. One think tank analyst estimated recently the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Violent tornadoes, according to the Associated Press, ripped through parts of the United States, wiping out schools, toppling semi-tractor trailers in several states. It was a huge monster storm that has killed at least 32 more people. More severe weather was expected late on Saturday. Lots of vehicles involved, truly a terrible accident.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Navy fired more air defense missiles in those 15 months than it had in the previous 30 years. That means expensive missiles shooting down cheap drones. This is one of the things that terrorist groups have discovered, ranging from Hamas to Hezbollah to the Houthis, is that you can fire off cheap drones at very little cost, attach some explosives to them and do tremendous damage.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And the only way to defend against those things right now is very, very expensive response anti-missile systems, for example. So it'll cost you $50,000 to shoot down a $50 drone or whatever it is. Well, the other way to do that is you just kill everybody who's firing the drones. And that seems to be the United States military's policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
President Trump, by the way, including Iranian responsibility in here is really important because the Houthis could not do this without Iran. And once again, I hear people who are caterwauling that this is just President Trump wanting war with Iran. Let's be very clear. There will be no war with Iran.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Even if the United States were to facilitate an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran does not go to war with the United States because if they did, we would obliterate them in half a second flat. That is not a thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
All the people who are telling you that there's a false choice between complete passivity in the face of Iranian aggression and total war boots on the ground in Iran is lying to you. Full stop. Lying. All caps. L-Y-I-N-G. Lying to you. The United States is not putting boots on the ground in Iran. That is not a thing. No one wants it. No one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
The other plausible notion is that targeted strikes could do an enormous amount of damage to the Iranian regime, so they ought to stop while they are behind. They should stop funding the Houthis. They should stop their nuclear program. The Trump administration is taking precisely the correct angle on all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And again, the liars who are telling you that this is designed to lead to war with Iran, please name me the person who wants full-scale boots on the ground, hundreds of thousands of troops in the Middle East war with Iran. Please name the human. I would love to see you point out the human. Seriously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Well, the White House shared some pictures of President Trump overseeing the strikes on the Houthis. And I got to say, I love it. President Trump came in from golf. He's wearing his MAGA hat, and he's got the headphones on so he can hear, presumably, some of the commands that are happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And I love the casual, the sort of casual nature of President Trump coming off the golf course so that he can watch the Hooties getting obliterated on live TV. I do love that. I think that's wonderful. And I think it's with that level of casualness that we should treat America's enemies. If you screw with us, we should stomp you into the ground. We should smash you like a giant boot on a worm.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And we should do it while we're playing golf. I love that. I love that so much. It is wonderful. Mike Waltz, who is the National Security Advisor, over the weekend, he points out that we took out a lot of who the leaders here he was on ABC News.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
You've already seen the attempt by some in the media to try and paint the Trump administration as responsible for all of this. That, of course, is incredibly silly. Natural disasters strike on everybody's watch. The question is what the fallout looks like and what the federal government can do and should do in response that has yet to be seen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Well, the U.S. military is right on top of the Houthis. And guess what? When it comes to your online information, data brokers are on top of your information. In fact, they're watching all the moves you make online. What if I told you there's a way to stop that transaction? What if I told you there's a way to get your privacy and freedom back? You can do it with a product called ExpressVPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
ExpressVPN is an app that sends 100% of your online activity through secure encrypted servers. That means data brokers can't see anything you do online. Their customers, government agencies, big tech companies can't access those logs either. I use ExpressVPN almost all the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
I mean, whenever I am on the road, when I'm at a hotel, at airports, literally anywhere I'm using public Wi-Fi, I gotta use ExpressVPN, and I do. With ExpressVPN, none of your online activity is logged, just within the last 12 months. ExpressVPN received over 400,000 data requests from tech companies and government agencies. You know how many of their customers' information was shared?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Zero, because ExpressVPN has a strict zero-logs policy, which means you have your privacy back. Plus, ExpressVPN is super simple to use. All it takes is one click. It works on all your devices. You can have it on up to eight devices at once, protecting your whole family. Right now, get an extra four months for free when you use my special link. Go to expressvpn.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Get four extra months of ExpressVPN. That's E-X-P-R-E-S-S-V-P-N.com. Also, Securing your family's future is really, really, really important. As somebody who always advocates for smart financial planning, I can tell you, having the right life insurance coverage isn't just about peace of mind. It's about giving your family options if the unexpected should occur.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
That's why I want to tell you about PolicyGenius. They're not an insurance company themselves. They are the country's leading online insurance marketplace. They let you compare quotes from America's top insurers side-by-side completely free with absolutely no hidden fees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Their licensed support team handles everything, answering your questions, managing paperwork, advocating for you throughout the entire process. Don't just take my word for it. Thousands of satisfied customers have left five-star reviews on Google and Trustpilot. No matter what stage of life you're in, Policy Genius will help you find the perfect coverage for your specific situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Secure your families tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Head on over to policygenius.com slash Shapiro or click that link in the description. Get your free life insurance quote, see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
OK, he also pointed out that all options are on the table when it comes to Iran, meaning we're not going to let Iran simply set the pace in the Middle East. That is not a thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So all the sort of preliminary blame on the Trump administration for what happened with these tornadoes across the country, that's silly. And it is not Joe Biden's fault that a tornado hit North Carolina. It's his fault if the federal government doesn't do what it's supposed to do afterwards. We're going to find out in very short order whether the Trump administration rises to the occasion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
And again, that carries over to the idea that the Iranians should not be developing their nuclear weapons. This notion that the Iranians are trying to develop peaceful nuclear power in one of the most oil-rich nations on Earth is absolutely asinine. Everybody knows it's ridiculous on its face. The skies over Iran are completely open right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
So they either come to the table and they avoid getting hit or they will be hit. I mean, that is the reality of the situation. And again, that does not mean a war. How do I know that? Well, because I remember, I'm old enough to remember when President Trump leveled the order to kill Qasem Soleimani, who is the head of the Iranian terror regime. That was back January 3rd, 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Did a war with Iran ensue? I noticed not. So here was, again, Mike Waltz saying, listen, the Ayatollahs are not going to have their fingers on the button. That is not something this administration is going to allow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been tremendously strong throughout the Trump administration, he said the airstrikes will continue until morale improves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2159 - Trump SOARS in Polling, UNLEASHES On Houthis!
Now, notice what Rubio also says. He says, we're not talking about putting boots on the ground. This is not something we want. Again, this is what I'm saying. The Trump administration is not interested in hundreds of thousands. People who are telling you differently are lying to you and they're lying to you for a reason. Here is Secretary of State Rubio.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
All righty, folks, it's Presidents Day, and that means it's time for a quick round of Jeopardy! Presidents Edition. This video is sponsored by our friends at Home Title Law.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Really? Jimmy Carter did that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Wow, that's shocking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Jimmy Carter? I mean, he did say that he had sinned in his own mind many times, so, you know. Weird one, Jimmy. Okay, scandals for 800, yeah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Oh, wow. Um, hmm.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah, this is niche. Because there were a lot of potato-laden scandals during the H.W. Bush term. Remember Dan Quayle misspelled potato? Yeah, I'll say potatoes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Oh, okay. Wow, I did not know that. These are definitely minor scandals, too. When I'm thinking of scandals, I'm like Teapot Dome, and you're like, remember that time that Jimmy Carter kissed Queen Elizabeth on the lips? Okay, scandals for a thousand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah, no, Teapot Dome, this is Warren G. Harding.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Warranty Harding?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, next category. The one that I'm going to totally bomb, by the way, is First Ladies. I'm totally going to bomb next. I don't care about it. That is not a real category of human. First Ladies. We all pretend the First Lady matters and not so much. Let's do Presidential Deaths. We'll go dark here. Sponsored by Policy Genius.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, well, actually, two presidents died on July 4th, 1826. Boom, roasted. We're all roasted.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Both authors of the Declaration of Independence, by the way. I mean, obviously, this is meant to be Thomas Jefferson, but John Adams was also deeply involved in the authoring of the Declaration of Independence, and they died on the same day, which is pretty incredible. That's like the notebook. Yeah, well, Adams' last words were, Jefferson still lives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
No, no, no. I don't know if it was like a shootout or something. No, no, no. It wasn't like Burr shooting Hamilton or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, why don't we start with Scandals, since that's what people want to get to first, probably.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah. By the way, he was he was super old at the age of 68. And apparently he tried to keep warm by drinking a lot. He was very famous for winning that election based on basically having giant voter events where they handed out free beer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah. OK. Presidential death for 600.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
And which other president died on Independence Day?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Wow. Okay, that is an excellent question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, I'll take a hint.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
I mean, there are two presidents with those initials. Okay, so I'm going to say, who is James Monroe? Okay. I did not know James Monroe died on July 4th. Interesting. Okay, cool. That is a cool factoid. I like that. Okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Is this a person who died while president or is this a person who died after being president?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Zachary Taylor?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Guys, I wrote an entire book about presidents, like, on an imagistic level, and it's my worst-selling book, historically, called Project President. Yeah, Zachary Taylor, who's suspected that he died of poisoning because of that, because he died of indigestion. Lord have mercy. Presidential deaths for 1,000.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Let's see. I'm going in reverse where I'm missing the one president between John Tyler and. How does the song go? Yeah, exactly. Washington. You do the hokey. Oh, so he wasn't present when he died. Yeah, punk. He left office in 1848.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Well, I mean, you can say that there's actually two presidents who did this, but it's actually Bill Clinton here. Who is Bill Clinton? Who is Bill Clinton.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, fine. We'll get to more of this in a moment. First, did you know that American homeowners have over $32 trillion in equity? Criminals are targeting it with a growing scam the FBI calls house stealing. Scammers can transfer your title out of your name using a one-page document they file at the county, and then they take out loans against it or even sell it behind your back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
The most concerning part? You won't find out about it until collection or foreclosure notices start arriving in your mailbox, leaving you with a financial and legal nightmare. The best way to protect your equity is with Home Title Lock's exclusive million-dollar triple lock protection.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
This service offers 24-7 monitoring, urgent alerts, and if fraud should occur, their U.S.-based restoration team will spend up to a million dollars to fix the fraud and restore your title. Our own senior video editor, Adam, trusts them to protect his home You can too. So when was the last time you checked on your title? That's exactly what the scammers are counting on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
The good news is we've partnered with Home Title Lock to offer you 25% off their services. Go to hometitlelock.com, use my promo code SHAPIRO25 to save 25%, and you'll also get a free title history report to ensure you're not already a victim. And make sure you check out the million-dollar triple lock protection details when you get there. Link below. That's hometitlelock.com, promo code SHAPIRO25.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
All right, let's do...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
The question doesn't say Ben. This many principal founding fathers? Like signatories to the Declaration of Independence are we talking here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
The other person I was thinking of, it would be Grover Cleveland. Grover Cleveland famously had an affair, and that actually was during his second term, I believe, that he admitted it. Okay, scandals for $400.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
There are a lot of main guys. That's 100% subjective.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, founding fathers for 400.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah, this is true. Alexander Hamilton's son died in a duel in 1801. Bring back that. Okay, bring back dueling. It'd make politics way more interesting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah, jousting would be amazing. Okay, founding father for 600.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Um, who is George Washington? Yeah, he became a surveyor. Okay, founding fathers for 800.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Well, if you had not given me the date, then I would have been screwed on that one. But who is Warren G. Harding? Question it. Okay, again, for 1,000.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
What is lesbian dance theory? Yeah. What is grammar? What is grammar? Makes sense. He was extremely meticulous in his writing. Okay, we can do the White House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is George Washington?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
What is $0? $0.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Or if you're a foreign country, what is an unspecified amount of money to a specific person in the White House who will then do your bidding? White House for $600.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Martin Sheen? Who's Andrew Jackson?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Oh, wow. Yeah, much later. Okay. White House for $800.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
They're all tiny. I've been there. It's like a tiny person's house.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Over $100. We're doing prices right here now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
The White House for $1,000.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah, I wouldn't have gotten that one. My architecture knowledge is limited. Okay, the only categories left are, what, First Ladies and Fast Facts?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay, let's do it. That's fine. Okay, 200 First Ladies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Um, who was Abigail Adams? Yeah, she hated it, by the way. She said that it was cold and terrible. Remember when Trump said that in his first term? Yes, and by the way, he's totally right. It is a massive downgrade for Mar-a-Lago. First ladies for 400.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who's Melania Trump?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
One First Lady who was not born in the United States. Was Jackie Kennedy not born in the United States?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is it? Louisa Adams. Oh, like John Quincy's wife.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah. She was born in London. Yes, that's right. First Ladies for $600.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Okay. Well, Abigail?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Let's see. Barbara? Barbara?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
And, of course, Melania, because Baron will be our first emperor. First ladies for 800.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
So, like, long before. So that would be Joe Biden's first wife. Yep. And Martha Jefferson, who famously passed away very young.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who's Eleanor Roosevelt?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Edith Wilson?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Phil said Doug Emhoff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Sure, why don't you do that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
No, I don't even know what you're talking about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Now more than one of you are saying it. It's not helping. Laffy Taffy. Laffy Taffy. Oh, Taft's wife? Yeah. Yeah, but I wouldn't have known even her first name. And it wasn't Laffy, I don't think.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Where is your head cake?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who was Grover Cleveland? No, who was on the $500 bill?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
This president and his wife exchanged more than... Poor John and Abigail Adams. You pressed the buzzer too early. Yeah, exactly. Their letters are beautiful, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Where is Afghanistan?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Yeah, exactly. I was going to say, who is Teddy Roosevelt? Because that seems like a thing he would do, but probably earlier.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Really? That was a Washington thing?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
That's so weird. George, that's so weird. That's so weird, George Washington.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
That is a weird one. Okay, fast facts for 1,000.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
I'm figuring. Yeah, these ones are easy. Okay, scandals for 600.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Gerald Ford? Wow. What's amazing about that is that Saturday Night Live made him famous for being like a bumbling, fumbling idiot. Every time Chevy Chase would appear, he'd fall over. Probably literally the most physically adept president in the history of all the presidents is Gerald Ford. He was an actual football star. So good job, SNL, as always.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
I played against nobody, so yeah, that was great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Oh, my dad might crush me at this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Really? My dad is quite good at Jeopardy. All righty, folks. So that was me playing Presidential Jeopardy. I didn't do as well as I thought I would, but I'm going to blame that on my staff. So there you have it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Do you know more presidential trivia than Ben Shapiro?! | Vol 2
Who is Donald Trump?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Folks, we have a ton to get to today on the show. Stephen A. Smith attacking yours truly over claiming that Derek Chauvin should be pardoned by President Trump on federal charges. We'll get into the possibility of a recession. President Trump is not ruling one out and we'll get into the chaos. in Syria.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
That is like the perfect example. And as we're gonna lay out over the course of coming weeks, I'm gonna lay out in full detail why I believe that Derek Chauvin is not guilty in the killing of George Floyd. That is the real reason, because it is immoral to allow people who you believe are innocent to languish in prison. This should not be a particularly arguable issue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So, Chip, when it comes to impoundment, obviously, as you say, it's going to get hashed out by the courts. If the courts come down the other way on impoundment, then there's been talk that Congress might consider rescission.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
There might be a move to basically with 51 votes in the Senate, you don't actually have to overcome a filibuster, rescind much of the spending that's being impounded right now. Do you see that as a viable option?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Well, Chip, really appreciate the insight. I know that everything is high pitch these days and really appreciate your rational perspective on these things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Now, in order for the economy not to tank, you need predictability and you need reliability. I'm not just hearing this from people who are on the left or in the center. I'm hearing this from business people who are on the right. And as a business person who is on the right, you know what I want in my economy? I want a sense of predictability.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So certain things that President Trump is doing do give that sense of predictability. So for example, we know there's going to be a move to maintain taxes at current rates. That's great. That means I know exactly what to expect in terms of my taxes. We know that regulations are likely to become less onerous. That's wonderful. I know precisely what to expect.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
When it comes to the tariffs, the tariffs are incredibly chaotic. And the way they've been rolled out so far, which is sort of like a hokey pokey, we'll put a tariff in, we'll take a tariff out, we'll put a tariff in and we'll move it all about. Like that particular approach disquiets markets. It means that you don't know whether to invest in a particular contract.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And just because that person was made into the face of American racism based on literally zero evidence that has been provided that Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd based on race, Derek Chauvin was made the face of American racism before his trial. Every media outlet in the country decided he was guilty. The governor of Minnesota decided he was guilty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
If you have inputs from foreign countries, you don't know whether to re-sign that contract. And you also don't know whether you're going to want to sign a domestic contract because maybe the tariff doesn't go into place and now you're paying twice what you otherwise would have paid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
This sort of uncertainty is not good for the broader business community, which is why you've seen the Dow Jones Industrial Average giving up all of the gains since President Trump's election. So President Trump was asked about this over the weekend, and he said that he doesn't need to be clearer on tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Well, that's not a soundbite. That's a reality. And again, I'm supporting President Trump here. I want Trump's economy to boom. And I can say as a business person with hundreds of employees, I want to know what comes next because that's how I game for how I spend and how I save and how I invest. And that's true for every major or minor business person in the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Now, President Trump, to his credit, is being cautious about his predictions. Howard Letnick, his commerce secretary, was on the Sunday shows and he said, don't worry, no recession is coming. And you know, his mouth to God's ears.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Okay, now again, I hope that's true. And I generally believe that that is true. However, uncertainty is, in fact, uncertainty. President Trump was asked the same exact question about an hour later. He said, listen, I'm not making predictions about the economy, which, by the way, is the smart response on this. President Trump has a good feel for this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
A smart response is I don't know what's going to happen because the problem is if you say there's going to be no recession and then there is one recessionary quarter, it's all over the TV for the next three years. This is the lesson that should have been learned during the Biden administration when the Biden administration, the Federal Reserve called inflation transitory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And it's now four years later and inflation is not transitory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Okay, now again, if the idea here is that we are ratcheting up pressure to then ratchet back down the tariffs, okay, if the idea is that we're trying to pry winds out of other countries, okay, I'm there. If the idea is that tariffs themselves are going to be good for the country, I have yet to see a situation in which that is true that is not from the 19th century.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The mayor of Minneapolis decided he was guilty. The presidential candidates on the left side of the aisle at that time as Joe Biden decided he was guilty. And it was very necessary for the jury to convict him in order for an entire narrative structure to be created. And that was wrong. Okay, well, there are many people who object to all this. One of those people is Stephen A. Smith.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And when trade internationally was significantly more limited and spending, by the way, was significantly more limited domestically speaking, as we spoke about last week, the reality is that while we are subsidizing a lot of businesses elsewhere through global trade in our markets. Everybody else is subsidizing our welfare state by buying our bonds. That is a reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And meanwhile, the question is whether these tariffs are being put on in order to drive, again, an ancillary outcome, right? It's not about the economy. It's about, for example, fentanyl. That was the case that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was making over the weekend, that this is all about fentanyl.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Okay, so again, if the idea is let's make Canada arm up the border and militarize the border, all right, fine, okay. The problem is that the metrics that are being used, like I want the deliverable because that way you get a win, right? If President Trump says, I want Canada to do X, and if Canada does X, the tariffs go back down, I'm fine with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
But it's very difficult to make that argument about, for example, fentanyl when you are not saying the thing you want from the Canadians. This is a point that was made by Ambassador Kirsten Hillman. She says, listen, less than 1% of all fentanyl that's being seized coming into the United States is coming from Canada. Last year, 43 pounds of fentanyl were seized coming from Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Now you can make the argument that's because we have a wide open border with Canada, but we had a wide open border with Mexico and 22,000 pounds of fentanyl were seized at the wide open border with Mexico last year under Joe Biden. Here's Kirsten Hillman, the Canadian ambassador to the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
First, the media would love you to believe that President Trump is a criminal and that Elon is unhinged and all of the rest. Here is the truth. There's a lot of winning that is happening right now. The left's flies are unraveling and their narrative is crumbling and the tears are falling. And that's why The Daily Wire is here to cut through the noise and bring you the facts that others won't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Again, if there's a deliverable, great. And force Canada out of the wall to get the deliverable. However, all of this is having an impact on domestic politics in Canada. So if you don't like Justin Trudeau and his party, then why exactly are you doing the things that are going to ensure that they remain in power? So before all this trade war stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The runaway winner in the Canadian polling was Pierre Poliev, who's terrific. Pierre Poliev is the leader of the Conservative Party. He's one of the most articulate Conservative leaders of our generation. He's terrific.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And he has now fallen behind in the polling to Mark Carney, who is the leader of the Liberal Party in Canada, who will maintain all of the policies of Justin Trudeau, except without the dumb face. So Mark Carney just won the race to succeed Justin Trudeau as Canada's prime minister, and he vows to win the trade war with the United States and President Donald Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
He's the former governor of the Canadian Central Bank and Bank of England, according to the BBC. He is a green revolution guy. He's never served in elected office. His replacement of the minority government means that he is the new leader of the party that is competitive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Bizarrely enough, Stephen A. Smith, who is a loudmouth jackass on ESPN. That's what he does. And when I say loudmouth, I mean the man does not have a volume that goes below eight on the Spinal Tap scale. I'm not sure that there is such a thing as a normal Stephen A. Smith voice. And I say this is a longtime watcher of ESPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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According to the BBC, the governing liberals have seen a remarkable political turnaround since Trudeau's exit, as Canadians have been galvanized by President Trump's trade threats and support for annexing their country. At the beginning of the year, Pierre Poliev was ahead 20 points in the election polls. Today, he is tied with the liberals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So are you going to get more from Canada with Pierre Poliev as the prime minister than you're going to get from Mark? The answer is yes. And it turns out that politics has a lot of downstream effect. In the end, listen, I trust President Trump on this stuff because I think in the end, as I've said a thousand times, he's a results-driven guy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He said over the weekend he wants a dynamic economy and a dynamic country. The way to do that is to provide a steady, understandable economy for investors that reduces regulations and taxes and makes it easier to do business in the country for Americans. That's the way. And here's President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, I agree with him, and I think that that is the way that he's going to move, and if the results are bad, I think he's going to change tack. I'll get to more on this in a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
First, you know, one of the things I love about working in the news industry is that every day I get to connect with millions of listeners and share breaking stories and work with incredible talent who are just as passionate about the political sphere as I am.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There's nothing quite like the energy and thrill of creating content that not only informs, but also resonates with people around the country. If you're doing what you love to do, there's nothing better than being surrounded by people who love it the way that you do. And if you own your own business...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
You want to hire employees who love what they do to boost the overall success of your business, plus make it a pretty great place to work. But how do you find passionate employees who are a good fit for all your roles? ZipRecruiter. Right now, you can try it for free at ziprecruiter.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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ZipRecruiter is the hiring site employers prefer most based on G2, and their powerful matching technology works fast to find top talent so you don't waste time or money. Hire experienced people who are excited about what they do with ZipRecruiter. four to five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the very first day. See for yourself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Go to this exclusive web address to try ZipRecruiter for free. ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. Again, that's ZipRecruiter.com slash DailyWire. ZipRecruiter is indeed the smartest way to hire. Also, There's a lot going on in my life, which means I need to make sure I'm maintaining my health, hitting the gym, spending time with family, even with the busy work schedule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
When I was younger, I used to think I could just power through on willpower and caffeine. I learned pretty quickly, peak performance requires peak nutrition, and that means eating enough veggies. I don't like veggies, and so I'm very thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
That sounds miserable and time-consuming. With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze-dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
You take your fruit and veggie capsules every day, and then your body knows precisely... What to do with them? It's kosher, which means I can pop it right into the protein smoothie and keep that gun show going strong. Go to balanceofnature.com. Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer. Plus, get a free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Every time Stephen A. Smith comes on the TV, you got to turn down your volume significantly. So Stephen A. Smith is very angry that I have suggested that Derek Chauvin ought to be pardoned. And here he was on his show trying to explain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Promo code Shapiro. Again, balanceofnature.com. Promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer and that free bottle of fiber and spice. Okay, meanwhile... There's been chaos breaking out in Syria since the takeover of HDS. This, of course, is perfectly predictable. HDS is, in fact, a terror group. They're a Sunni Islamist terror group, and they're backed by Turkey.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You'll recall that Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy group, had been attacking Israel for decades, and then they escalated their attacks after October 7th. And then Israel, in October of last year, went after Hezbollah and basically defenestrated their entire leadership with everything from the beeper attacks to the attacks killing Hassan Nasrallah and all the rest.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And they hit Hezbollah so hard that Hezbollah was no longer able to support and Iran was really no longer able to support the Assad regime in Syria, which was a terrorist, genocidal regime on its own. There are no good guys in the Syrian fight except for some of the Druze and the Kurds and the Christians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That is a complete list of all of the good parties in Syria right now in terms of the domestic parties in Syria. Turkey intervened on behalf of HTS. HTS basically just ran down the road unopposed and took over the country. And the media decided this was a wonderful, unalloyed wonderful thing. I said at the time. It was not a good thing for HTS to take over. HTS is in fact a terror group.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And I mentioned that there would be some really, really awful downstream effects, including presumably their targeting of Christians. Assad's regime had not been wonderful to Christians. Presumably HTS would be worse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, Israel, knowing that HTS was a terrorist regime, then moved into the south of Syria, the other side of the Mount Hermon region, and they have now formed a basic coalition with many of the Druze in the south who were also afraid of being targeted by HTS. And Israel also proceeded to blow up pretty much every weapons depot in Syria as all this was happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Israel did that to deny vast stockpiles of weaponry to HTS, a terror group backed again by Turkey. If you don't like HTS, blame Turkey, because that's Turkey. After all this happened to HTS, has been proclaiming to the rest of the world that it was moderate. It was never moderate. And there are salutary effects to Assad falling.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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One of them was that the Iranian crescent that stretched from Iran through Iraq, through Syria, into Lebanon, and then curved all the way down into Yemen, into the Gaza Strip and all the rest of that. That was broken. That was a salutary effect. A downside effect is that a bunch of terrorists took over, right? Not a lot of great solutions in the Middle East, as it turns out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, well, now a sort of Alawite reconstitution took place over the course of the last week. There were some battles that happened between the Alawites who were ethnically associated with the Assad regime and HTS. Battles broke out, and then HTS decided, what a great opportunity to slaughter a bunch of Alawites and some Christians along for the ride.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so there are an enormous number of people who were killed over the course of last week. Some thousand people were killed. The United States put out a statement from the State Department, from Secretary Rubio, quote, the United States condemns the radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis that murdered people in Western Syria in recent days.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The United States stands with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families. Syria's interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria's minority communities accountable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The reality is everybody ought to be gaming for the evil of HTS and for the Turks. The Turks are members of NATO. The Turks are the biggest single backers of HTS, bar none. That is what is happening right now. And again, it is horrifying. It is unsurprising and it is horrifying. So here is some of the video of what HDS was doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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They're literally making Alawites, and apparently some Christians crawl like dogs. They were shooting people. It turns out evil Islamist terrorists are evil in Islamist. So you can see these terrorists who are beating up civilians, presumably Alawites and or Christians. Okay, and they're just beating people up and slapping them and all the rest of this. Again, terrible people, HDS. No question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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No question. Okay, so this has now led to, again, not blaming Turkey and not blaming HDS, but somehow people blaming American quote-unquote neocons or blaming Israel or blaming Jews. Okay, there are no Jews in Syria. The only Jews in Syria right now are the Israelis in the south who are literally protecting the Druze from the slaughter of HDS.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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At the request of the Druze, by the way, the Christian community has been targeted in Syria for a decade or more. The truth is that Syria, which used to be a Christian country, if you go all the way back, Syria was a Christian country. That's why so many of the sites mentioned in the New Testament are, in fact, in Syria.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The Syrian population had already been devastated by Islamic takeover and Islamic rule. They didn't have it great under Bashar Assad. They did better than they had it in, say, Iran. But they didn't have it amazing under Bashar Assad. There were about 1.5 million Christians living in Syria before the Syrian civil war in 2011. That number is now as few as 300,000 Christians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And the major challenges existed under Assad. The replacement of Assad by HDS was going to be bad for Christians. The attempt to turn this, however, into a story about the evils of the West as opposed to Assad being an evil dictator who was replaced by people who are completely evil in a different direction.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If your sort of bizarre supposition is that this is because of America as opposed to because the Middle East happens to be a long chain of terrorist tyrannies following one another with different enemies, I don't think that you've been following Middle Eastern history very long. Tucker Carlson has been on tour in the Middle East. He was over hanging out with the leader of Qatar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And in the middle of that, he tweeted out, quote, as predictable as this is, it's still infuriating to see it. For decades, Bashar Assad protected minority religious communities in Syria, including the country's large Christian population. Okay. Those protections were limited at best. Pretty limited, as it turns out. And the downstream effect of Bashar Assad attacking, for example, Kurds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Bashar Assad. repressing his people to the extent that he did was going to be a blowback that was very bad for many of the people living in the area during the Syrian civil war. To pretend that Assad is somehow completely not responsible for what happened in Syria while he was dictator in Syria is kind of wild. No one in the United States was allowed to notice this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I'm pretty sure actually we were all allowed to notice this. And many people did notice this actually and commented upon it when Assad fell actually. And anyone who did was immediately denounced by neocons as a dangerous extremist. Barry Weiss declared Tulsi Gabbard monstrous and Assad toady for noticing, but it was true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, actually, that is, I disagree with Barry Weiss about Tulsi Gabbard, but actually what she was condemning was the idea that Bashar Assad was an ally of the West, which was something that Tulsi Gabbard was sort of promoting a little bit back in 2011, 2012, 2013. The weaker Assad was, the more Christians died.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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During the years that neocons in the West backed the war against Assad, the percentage of Christians in Syria went from 10% to 2%. Now that Assad has been driven from power, many of the remaining Syrian Christians are being slaughtered and their holy places desecrated. Barry Weiss and John Bolton haven't said a word about it. But no one who's paying attention can be surprised it's happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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OK, so first of all, let's start with this. I don't know why he believes that it would be important, even for his stupid example, for it to be a quote-unquote white Jewish person as opposed to just a Jewish person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Neocon projects in the Middle East invariably destroy ancient Christian communities from Iraq to Gaza and in many places in between. Can this be an accident? You wonder. Okay. Again, this is a... bizarre and twisted reading of history at best. I'm not going to attribute motives because that's not something that I like to do. I will say that this is so ahistorical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The idea that chaos in the Middle East has not targeted Christians is ignorant of literally all Christian history in the Middle East. Constantinople was Constantinople before it was Istanbul. The notion that Christians have generally been targeted by neocons in the West, in the Middle East, is a complete reversal of how history actually has worked in this area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I have suspicions as to what Tucker means by quote unquote neocons. But again, the idea that Christians who can live safely in the Middle East, by the way, in about one country, which is Israel, not a lot of Christians who are living safely in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Saudi. These are not places with large Christian populations. Many of these places are places that Tucker is busy defending this week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And what's going on in Syria, which is a horror show, is not the fault of the Turks who are literally backing the regime that is murdering people, including Christians. It's somehow the fault of the neocon warmongers. It's a wild supposition. But, again, this is part and parcel of some of the stuff that Tucker seems to be pushing lately, which, again, is the idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That all conflict in the Middle East is the fault of an evil cadre of Americans who are pushing conflict in the Middle East. No one in the Middle East apparently has any agency. Iran has no agency. Hezbollah has no agency. Qatar certainly has no agency. The Tucker spent this weekend over in Qatar. doing a bit of propaganda work on behalf of the Qatari regime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And again, this is not an attribution of motive to Tucker. I'm not going to claim, I see some people online claiming Tucker's in the pay of the, Tucker doesn't need their money. I don't think that's right. I think that Tucker's worldview suggests that apparently the only actors in the Middle East who have any agency at all are the United States, Israel, And pretty much no one else, apparently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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His claim is that I am a tribal identitarian, and thus I would be very fine with the prosecution of a cop wrongfully if a Jew died under the knee of that cop, even if the cop was not responsible. If the fact patterns were exactly the same, but George Floyd had been named Harold Bernstein or something, and the cop was named George Floyd, was a black guy. Okay, that is intensely stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so everything bad that happens in the Middle East is the fault of those people. And no one else has any agency at all. So Iran has been growing closer and closer to a nuclear weapon. Iran is the chief sponsor of terror, not only in the region, but all over the world. Iran has its tentacles all the way down in South America. Iran's proxies in Hezbollah, the Houthis, all these people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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have been engaged in terrorism that affects American interests ranging from the Red Sea to the murder of literally thousands of American soldiers in Iraq by Iranian terrorist supporting groups to the murder of 241 Marines at the U.S. Marine barracks bombing back in the 1980s.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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While Iran has been growing more and more loud, they are currently holding joint military drills with China and Russia right now. Iran also happens to be super vulnerable. Their nuclear regime could be ended basically today by a single sortie. Despite all of that, President Trump is trying to give them an off-ramp, which is the right path, right? He's trying to give them an off-ramp.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And then if they won't take the off-ramp, there has to be a fist inside the velvet glove. Here's President Trump talking about Iran.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so if you can get that deal, great. And if you can't, then there's a threat. So Tucker has decided again that the only two options, and this again is a false binary, the only two options here are either you concede to the Iranian nuclear program or full-scale war with Iran, which again is not a reality. Iran's skies are clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Right now, a single B-2 sortie would take out their nuclear facilities. But Tucker tweeted out, Fox News is wall-to-wall with dead-eyed politicians. Again, the sort of bizarre physical description of people that you disagree with is pretty ugly. I'm not a fan of this sort of stuff. Fox News is wall-to-wall with dead-eyed politicians. They're all dead-eyed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If they don't agree with Tucker, you're dead-eyed. Telling you that Iran is a dangerous sponsor of terror. He puts that in scare quotes. Iran is a dangerous sponsor of terror. I literally just named you. Hundreds and thousands of Americans who have been killed by Iranian terror groups. It says, softening up the base for a war. Again, there is no war with Iran. Nobody wants a war with Iran.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Was it a war with Iran when America launched a strike at Qasem Soleimani killing their military leader? There was not. But what exactly does that phrase mean and how does it apply to the United States? Here's one measure. Over the past 20 years, how many Americans have been killed by Iran on American soil? Notice that qualifier, on American soil.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, I mean, an American in Iraq is still an American, as it turns out. So is an American in Lebanon. Try to find that number and then compare it to the number of Americans killed by drug ODs or suicide or illegal aliens or carjackings, diabetes, and the COVID vax. Still think Iran is the greatest threat? How about we focus on our own country for a minute? And this is, again, a false binary.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It turns out that there are, in fact, foreign threats to American interests ranging from shipping in the Red Sea to oil supply coming from the Gulf. And also, all the things that he mentioned are really bad. I noticed that for a guy who is very concerned about illegal aliens, carjackings, diabetes, and the COVID vax, He's spending an awful lot of time in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Russia lately.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It's intensely stupid for a variety of reasons. Why don't we begin with the first? This would not have been a national news story if that were the case. The reason this entire story was national news is because of the race of the people involved. In fact, when black people were routinely beating up Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn, it was covered up by the New York Times and was not a national story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And this is not an argument in favor of quote-unquote endless war. This is an argument in favor of reality. And living in the realm of reality is a healthier perspective on foreign affairs than the sort of bizarre melange of claims that are made about dead-eyed people that you disagree with or people who want perennial war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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How about argue with the argument as opposed to arguing with the phantom that you are creating in your own mind without ever actually coming to grips with the nature of the argument? Well, speaking of spending time abroad, Tucker Carlson, of course, was in Qatar, where he was interviewing the prime minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, it should be mentioned at this point that Qatar is, in fact, effectively a front state for Iran. They sort of try to play a middle role between the United States and Iran. Whenever there's a negotiation with a terrorist group, it always happens in Qatar. This is where the United States negotiated with the Taliban, sort of America's emissary to the terrorist world. But there's no question that
The Ben Shapiro Show
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that Qatar is in fact a malign force in international politics. They supply literally billions of dollars in funding to Hamas. They've provided literal support to terrorist groups all over the region. They have provided significant financial relief to Iran itself. They have huge ties with Iran because they share a giant oil field.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Qatar, for example, over the last few years has transferred almost $2 billion to Hamas. They host Hamas operations. All of their leaders, Hamas' leaders, were in Qatar, obviously. They also have a history of terror financing allegations ranging from the Muslim Brotherhood to even ISIL. There is also an American Air Base in Qatar. So again, they try to play both sides.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It is also worthwhile noting here that Qatar is a major donor to America's universities. So if you don't like America's universities and you think they're trash, one major reason would be Qatar, which has spent, I kid you not, over the course of 2001 to 2021, $4.7 billion on American higher education. Those are donations from a country that has 400,000 citizens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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of almost $5 billion to American universities. So if you don't like the wokeism, you don't like the anti-Americanism at America's universities, it turns out that the money is flowing from Qatar and has been flowing from Qatar for decades at this point. So here is Tucker Carlson with the prime minister of Qatar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, kind of soft peddling Qatar, its ties to terrorism, its malign actions in the region, its partnership with Iran. And he asked, you know, why do people hate you? And of course, it turns out the only reason that people hate Qatar is because it turns out Qatar is so peaceful and wonderful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, the reality is that this was made a national story specifically because the media had a preexisting narrative of race in America and this fulfilled their narrative even if the facts didn't match. Two, if in fact the facts had matched, and let's say that this is a Jewish person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, we can stop there. Again, the notion that we have an air base in Qatar, therefore Qatar is an ally of the United States. First of all, Tucker said just a few weeks ago, he doesn't even know what an ally is to Piers Morgan. Because Piers Morgan asked if Israel was an American ally. He doesn't even know what an ally is. What is an ally?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So apparently Qatar is an ally, but not Israel because it doesn't know what an ally is. Other places, by the way, where American troops are stationed, and we just heard in that tweet from Tucker that apparently if an American dies abroad, an American troop dies abroad in, say, Jordan, an American ally, by the way, or in Iraq or anywhere else in the Middle East, that doesn't count.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That doesn't matter if Iran funds their murder. All these things are in conflict. All these ideas are in conflict with one another. We currently have troops everywhere from Estonia to Lithuania to Turkey. Is Turkey an American ally? None of this holds together.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The reason this matters with regard to Qatar is because Qatar, as we say, has been funding enormous, enormous chaos at America's universities. And so one of the things the Trump administration has quite properly been doing is pulling money from universities that are in fact not enforcing civil rights law with regard to Jews.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Because it turns out a lot of these major universities are perfectly fine with Jew hatred on their campus in a way that they wouldn't be anti-black hatred or anti-Hispanic hatred or anything else. Now, again, you can argue with the civil rights law on anti-discrimination. And I'll hear that argument.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But the notion that Jews are exempt from those civil rights laws while other groups are not is a bizarre one. The Trump administration doesn't take that seriously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so the Trump administration on Friday said it was pulling $400 million from Columbia University canceling grants and contracts because of what the government describes as the Ivy League school's failure to squelch anti-Semitism on campus. So again, When it comes to Middle Eastern politics and all the rest of it, a lot of bad things can be happening simultaneously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That does not mean that America is the bad actor or that actual American allies that, you know, are against terrorism are the bad actors.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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A Jewish person had been arrested for counterfeiting, for passing counterfeit bills, and then had been high on fentanyl and had a preexisting heart condition and then had died under the knee of a cop. Would I have said that the cop was innocent? Yes, because if the cop is innocent, the cop is innocent. That's the way this works.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And thinking in that way tends to facilitate the actions of the actual bad actors, including, yes, Iran, which is not a peace loving state in the Islamic Republic that has murdered thousands of American troops in places like Iraq, spread terrorism all over the region. And this is not a case for us to go to, quote, a full-scale war, hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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No one, literally no one is arguing this. No one, zero people. But the sort of propaganda efforts on behalf of Iran or by its allies in Qatar is worth noting at this point in time, at the very least. Now, meanwhile, in dumb news, apparently there's a show called Love is Blind. I've been informed of this show by producers Savvy and Jessica. Because as you know, this is not my bag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But Love is Blind, there's a major controversy that broke out on this show, Love is Blind. Why? Well, because apparently there's a person named Sarah and there's a person named Ben and they were supposed to get married on Love is Blind. And then it all broke apart at the altar. So we begin this tragic story with their first date on episode two. Ben was raised in a strong Christian household.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Uncensored ad-free daily shows, investigative journalism, live chats, breaking news first, no filter, no corporate leash, and no nonsense. The Daily Wire is where the real story lives. Head on over to dailywire.com slash subscribe and join the fight today. So a lot of people have been asking why we're focused in here at the Men's Bureau Show on the pardon of Derek Chauvin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Sarah was no longer religious. Ben apparently was upset about the church's stance on LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign issues. And Ben goes to church every week. And so here was one of their first dates or their first date.
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I grew up in a very strong Christian household. There's a lot of things that I believe about like the Bible and I believe about, you know, the Christian faith. But it's all hard to obviously know for certain.
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I hate the word religion. I like using the word faith.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Yeah. No discomfort around that community at all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so first of all, his fault. Like she's making her politics very clear and at this point he should be out. Okay, so first of all, her politics are psychotic. This bizarre notion that every church that says that homosexual activity is a sin is somehow evil and wrong and terrible. I know this is a left-wing trope. It's really stupid. It's really stupid. People sin all the time, every day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Every person who's a church or synagogue or even mosque-going person that I know who's very religious understands that people sin all the time. That does not mean that the church has to approve the sin, which is the shtick that she's doing. She can't go to a church that won't approve all of her moral values or her friends' lifestyles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Literally, the nature of religion is to try to set out an objective morality that is true whether you like it or not. But in any case... Apparently, this all culminated at the end of season eight because Sarah decided that she was not, in fact, going to marry Ben based on his incompatible values. And all I got to say is you both knew this. But honestly, he knew this more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The race or religion of the pseudo victim is irrelevant to the question of whether this person was in fact murdered or not. Stephen A. Smith is one of the deepest racial identitarians in our society. He does it all the time, all the time. He does it when he talks sports. It happens literally all the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And, you know, I'm going to go against the grain here. I'm going to say this is actually his fault. She made very clear what her values were very early on. He was sort of hiding the ball. And I have no—she says, yes, I will go to a gay pride parade. I have no discomfort around that community.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Well, I mean, she could theoretically take away from that that he's, you know, perfectly fine with all aspects of all of this. Anyway, she breaks up with him at the altar.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Hi, guys. Oh, my goodness. Okay. We love you guys, too. We love you. It was a lot, but we're rolling with it. I just want to talk to her. Yeah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
You know, everybody is all in ripping on her. I'm going to rip on him. I think that he acted like an idiot here. She made her politics very clear. I've said this a thousand times with regard to dating and marriage. Marry somebody who shares your value system because you need to build a life and a family with that person. He knew her value system. He was willing to go along with it anyway.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So people are going to say, well, she's being intolerant. No, she's actually being smarter than he is. He should have canceled this early on. He should have been like, nope, we don't share a compatible system of values. I'm out. Again, I think her values are wrong, but I think that her take, which is our values are incompatible, is not wrong, actually. So, it's definitely bizarre.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Ben suggested continuing their relationship. Sarah found that disrespectful given the context of the show. She felt that if she couldn't commit to marriage, continuing to date would not be meaningful. She's not wrong. She's not wrong. Ben later stated at the reunion he regretted not having deeper conversations. Okay, well, I mean, again, his fault. Totally his fault.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So I can totally disagree with her politics and also understand that actually the way that she approached this is more correct than the way that he approached all of this. Alrighty, that's enough of that dumb news. Coming up, we'll get into the latest in Ukraine. And very, very hot topic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The Trump administration is making some moves that, frankly, I'm skeptical that they're going to end with the kind of peace agreement that is going to be durable or lasting if this continues in this way. First, you need to become a Daily Wire subscriber. It's important because we are fighting the fight. There is such a thing as rationality and such a thing as decency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And there are increasingly few people who actually fight for those things. We try to do that here at Daily Wire. We have tons of material for you, ranging from Backstage Live to Morning Wire to Matt Walsh's wonderful movies to All Access Live. If you're not a member, become a member. Use Code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
If you're talking about Nikola Jokic, the greatest center of our generation, he'll talk about how Nikola Jokic should not be included in conversations for MVPs specifically because of his race. The reason Stephen A. Smith is saying this kind of stuff is because he is projecting. He is projecting a racial conversation where none exists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Here, for example, with Stephen A. Smith, just a couple of years ago, I'm a Celtics fan. So this one sprang to mind. A few years ago, Danny Ainge was the chief of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics. And Brad Stevens was elevated to fill his position. Now it turns out Brad Stevens is a really, really good president of basketball operations. How do we know this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Well, the Celtics won an NBA championship last year. And he's been one of the most successful NBA executives in all the NBA over the course of his tenure. But Stephen A. Smith was firmly convinced the only reason that Brad Stevens had been elevated is because of his race.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
By the way, worth noting that it's beautiful to be a white guy in America has not precluded Stephen A. Smith from a $100 million five-year contract for ESPN, a failing network where the ratings are going down. The reason that Stephen A. Smith is exercised over the George Floyd situation is specifically because of a racial narrative that is not predicated on facts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And then he's projecting that into me being some sort of racist for suggesting that the racial narrative should not predominate. This is the whole reason that Black Lives Matter was such a mistake and such a fail. Because it was racializing of a question that was not in fact racial.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And this is, again, it's just more evidence that what I'm saying about Chauvin is true, that the reason that Derek Chauvin is in prison right now is because he was the wrong race and George Floyd was the wrong race. And because of that, Derek Chauvin is in prison right now. Because here's the dirty little secret.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
It never would have been a national news story if the races had been reversed or if both people had been white or if both people had been black. It would not have been a national news story. And that means that the officer would have been assessed on the facts of the situation rather than on the racial narrative people like Stephen A. Smith were propagating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
After all, he's convicted on both federal charges as well as state charges. Well, there are a few reasons. The first and most obvious reason is that there is a likelihood he serves less time if you relieve the federal charges. The reason for that is because while federal inmates can earn good time credit that reduces sentences, that happens at a much lower rate than it happens at the state level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And meanwhile, again, this is part and parcel of a broader left wing failure when it comes to narrative. The left wing narrative has failed on so many fronts. Senator Alyssa Slotkin, who is from Michigan and she was supposed to be the Trump response. Well, she said, listen, we're on our heels. And she's right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The Democrats are on their heels because in pretty much every narrative area, they're on their heels.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So she will not admit the problem, however, she was asked about the fact that Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, is moving away from the men should play in women's sports routine and she won't even address it. So you can't say that you admit you have a problem, but then not admit what the problem is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Okay, well, then it would be very easy for you to avoid the sparks flying by simply saying the obvious thing, which is that boys should not play in girls' sports. Get some more on that in a moment. First, only two things in life are certain, death and taxes. Well, now there is a third certainty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The average family of four saves over $1,000 a year when they switch to Pure Talk. That's real money back in your pocket. Plus, it's back. When you switch to Pure Talk's super low $35 plan this month, you'll get one year of Daily Wire Plus for free. Access to a library of DW Plus movies, series, documentaries, including Lady Ballers, What is a Woman, Mr. Bertram, Run, Hide, Fight, and more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
We've got uncensored ad-free daily shows one year free of the DW Kids platform, Benkei, and of course, the magical Leftist Tears Tumblr. The only way you get all that is by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Switch on over to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with a qualifying plan. Pure Talk is wireless by Americans for Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Also, let me tell you something. When you have one of those mattresses from the box stores, you really don't think about how bad it is until you get something new and better. That's what happened with me and Helix mattress. You know that feeling where you wake up and your back is already complaining at you? That was me a lot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The mattress was sagging, it would absorb heat, it was really bad. But then I switched on over to Helix and I wake up feeling ready to take on even my busiest days and the craziest headlines. Here's what makes Helix different. They don't believe in one-size-fits-all sleep solutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Instead, they use their Sleep Quiz to match you with a custom mattress based on your body type and sleep preferences. Whether you sleep hot, need extra support for your back, or share your bed with a restless partner, Helix has a perfect match for you. Honestly, my mattress from Helix, it's so good when I'm on the road, it is very difficult for me to sleep nearly as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So when you're talking about Derek Chauvin's concurrent sentences, he has about a 22 and a half year sentence on state charges and 21 on federal charges. But under Minnesota state sentencing structure, inmates usually serve about two thirds of their sentence behind bars and one third under supervised release.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Right now, Helix is offering an incredible March Madness Sale. Visit helixsleep.com slash men, get 20% off site-wide. That's helixsleep.com slash Ben for 20% off site-wide. Again, just visit helixsleep.com slash Ben for this exclusive offer. It's helixsleep.com slash Ben and you get 20% off site-wide. Democrats have lost the thread here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And so many of them are just doubling down on the most extreme elements of their agenda. So for example, MSNBC host Melissa Murray asked Representative Al Green, you'll remember him from being ejected during the pseudo State of the Union address, if the Democrats were being too conciliatory with President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Mm, mm. Yes, they're not being loud enough. They need righteous incivility. Okay, good luck with that. Now, there are dangers to the Trump administration. I've been saying this for weeks now. The main danger to the Trump administration is the economy tanking. That is the number one danger to the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
One of the things that's for sure going to affect the economy is impending talk of a government shutdown. So the government must be funded in very near term or we're going to get a government shutdown. Democrats, of course, are not going to help out with that. Some Republicans are saying that they are willing to undergo a government shutdown in order to lower spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
Thomas Massey, again, is sort of the guy who's constantly Leroy Jenkins-ing. every sort of fiscal negotiations. Just assume he's a no, always and forever, because he thinks spending is bad. Agree, spending is bad. Also, you're not doing anything useful right now. In any case, this has become a very contentious issue on the right side of the aisle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So he would serve like 15 years of the 22 and a half year state sentence in actual confinement under the state charges. So you'd get less time in jail is the short answer. But the other answer is that when you believe a person who is not guilty is languishing in prison, That is the time when the president of the United States ought to either commute a sentence or pardon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
One of the reasonable members of Congress who is in fact a deep fiscal conservative is Representative Chip Roy, who joins us on the line. He, of course, represents Texas' 21st congressional district, one of the strongest fiscal conservatives in Congress. Chip, thanks so much for joining the show. Really appreciate it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
So let's talk about this continuing resolution. There, I think, are several different caucuses, obviously, on the Republican side of government. There are people who will kind of go along with any spending bill. And then there are people like you who are actual fiscal conservatives but wish to live in a world in which reality applies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And then there are a couple of people who I think are more interested in shouting at the wind than actually doing anything. So when it comes to this continuing resolution... As one of the most fiscally conservative members of Congress, why should conservatives go along with this continuing resolution?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
The argument from the sort of shouting against the wind type says, well, we always say we're going to fight to live and live to fight another day, but we never fight another day. Why on this one aren't we just, you know, fight, fight, fighting?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
And I think the reality is that, you know, people in my industry, the sort of conservative media industry, it's always in our interest to claim that it's just insufficient fight on the part of Republicans that leads to all of this stuff, which ignores, of course, all the incentive structures as to how Congress actually works. There are a bunch of Republicans who are in purple districts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
There are a bunch of Republicans who are even in blue districts. And the fact is that when you have a majority that is as slim as the majority Republicans are currently working with, the idea that under this Congress, you're going to restructure Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid so as to solve the national debt
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2154 - Stephen A. Smith ATTACKS Me!
I mean, I'm wondering how we're supposed to get from point A to point B. You kind of get the best that you can get.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Well, folks, that was an awful Super Bowl, but here is the thing. That Super Bowl was also replete with a new mood for the country, and you could feel it right from the outset of the Super Bowl. All the woke was basically gone. The commercials themselves... had been changed and transmuted. There were a couple of woke commercials, but they're kind of few and far between.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And again, the general feeling was just a feeling of this is kind of normie comfort land. And that's fine. Then there was the halftime show. And my review of the halftime show, you know, so Kendrick Lamar is a human. Kendrick Lamar is a human who hates another human named Drake. Apparently they have a feud. And Kendrick Lamar, because of this feud, put together a song called Not Like Us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
This person has won a Pulitzer Prize. A Pulitzer Prize for Kendrick Lamar. Which, I gotta say, worst Pulitzer Prize since what, Rent? That is a bad Pulitzer Prize. And in this song, which is essentially a diss track, about Drake liking underage people sexually. This is what was at the Super Bowl. And my basic Super Bowl halftime review is, actually, it's a beautiful voice and a beautiful accent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The only problem is I can't understand a word he's saying, but I just say this, good luck, live in peace. I have no idea what he was saying. I don't think anyone knew what he was saying unless he knew the song previously. There was no great dancing. There was no great music. It was about as meh as humanly possible. I suppose if you're a Kendrick Lamar fan, then this is your bag.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
But if you're not, if this is like your introduction to Kendrick Lamar, I'm just wondering why. Just why. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Now, listen, do I wish that America had more cultural moments aside from the Super Bowl? The reality is that we're so fragmented as a culture that it's very difficult for us to get together on anything. Super Bowl Sunday has basically become a sort of secular catechism in the United States. But that catechism, for many, many years, was just a woke catechism. It was end racism in the end zones.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Okay, so the entire stadium knew the lyrics because he's a very famous person because Americans apparently have no taste musically. I know I'm a musical snob. I like Bach, Beethoven, and I've said that rap is not a form of music before becoming a number one billboard charting rap artist because I said pretty much anybody could rap and then I went out and proved it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
But in any case, apparently that was a big deal because the lyric is that Drake was trying to strike a chord, a minor, right? Like, cause, cause like a minor, cause he has sex with, and then he calls him a pedo in the song. So, um, all right, I guess if that's your, if that's your thing, congrats to you. I guess I'm getting old or either that, or I like good music. One of those two things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
In any case, overall, A terrible Super Bowl game. But there's a feeling of peace and comfort that has come across the country. And the media are not knowing how to deal with it. They just don't. The normie revolution is here. How do we know? Because the polling shows it. So President Trump is currently riding in the approval ratings, according to CBS, at 53%. 53% for President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Why? Because he's doing the things he promised he would do. And by the way, the age breakdown here is astonishing. Now, President Trump has high approval ratings for one reason, because he has, like, high energy, and you need high energy as well. So do I. Start each day off right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Code DailyWire. BlackRifleCoffee.com. Code DailyWire. Go check them out right now. Use code DailyWire for 20% off America's coffee. Also... We all take supplements, or at least we probably know we should, but have you noticed how many supplement companies charge premium prices for ordinary products?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
I recently started using LiveGood products because I wanted to continue improving my overall health. Since I began using them, I've seen differences in my energy. I a better focus throughout the day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Their product line includes everything from organic, super greens and multivitamins to collagen, weight loss products, protein powder, creatine detox, even skincare, all premium quality at prices people can actually afford. It's no surprise they're the fastest growing supplement brand with over 1.5 million subscribers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
It was... performances of Lady Gaga shouting about trans people at halftime. And now you have a Super Bowl that is opening with the Declaration of Independence. America is just a little bit back under Donald J. Trump. Here was the opener to the
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
satisfied customers if you're ready to make the switch and start saving we'll make it even easier for you use our link you can save an additional 10 off your first order on top of the already lowest prices in the industry just go to livegood.com slash men save 10 on your first order that's livegood.com slash men don't miss out on this opportunity to invest in your health without overspending and here's the age breakdown in terms of approval rating for president trump
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
For those above the age of 65, he's at 50-50. For those aged 45 to 64, he is at a 56% approval rating, plus 12. For those aged 30 to 44, he's at 50 to 48, plus 4. Here's the crazy one. Aged 18 to 29, 55% approval rating for President Trump. For those aged 18 to 29... You hear that ringing alarm bell? You hear that giant klaxon that is sounding for democratic hopes and dreams?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
18 to 29, America's young people, 18 to 29, have a 55% approval rating for President Trump. Why? Because he's counterculture. The left was so dominant culturally that the counterculture became this kind of 1980s era, classic patriotism, American pie and motherhood version of America. And now if you're a rebel, if you want to be one of the cool kids, put on the red hat. It's rebellious now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Now this was coming for a while because the left was so censorious, so over the top, so just frankly annoying that everyone got annoyed with them. That's how you end up with a 10% plus 10 approval rating for President Trump among people 18 to 29. By the way, among white voters, he's at a 61% approval rating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Among black voters, he's at a 33% approval rating, which sounds terrible until you realize that pretty much every Republican rides at like a 10% approval rating. 33% approval rating among black voters. Among Hispanic voters, he's at a 49% approval rating in the CBS News poll. That's insane. These are wild numbers for President Trump. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Well, because people perceive President Trump to be moving with alacrity to keep his promises. Again, I think the contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has helped Trump so insanely much. Joe Biden was a dead person who apparently didn't like many of the things about the country and farmed out all of his policymaking to his wokest advisors and then was unable to stay awake most of the day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Meanwhile, President Trump is the opposite. According to that new CBS News poll, here's the percentage of 18 to 29-year-olds. I mean, these are young Americans, okay? 18 to 29. 71% of people 18 to 29 describe Trump as tough. 65% describe him as energetic. 63% describe him as effective. And 62% describe him as focused. These are young people. 58% describe him as competent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Only 35% describe him as compassionate. Because guess what? Compassionate went out with Joe Biden in the sense that fake compassion is the brand of the Democratic Party. And maybe Americans are tired of that stuff. Maybe what Americans want are some hard truths, some realities, and some normalcy. 70% of all Americans say that Trump is doing what he promised in the campaign.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
including 68% of Hispanics and 58% of black Americans. That's crazy. These are insane numbers. Insane. By the way, 59% of Americans approve of President Trump's program to find and deport immigrants who are in the United States illegally. That includes a majority of every single age group. That includes 66% of whites, 49% of blacks, and 49% of Hispanics.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
It includes, by the way, 23% of Democrats and 59% of independents. President Trump has never had better numbers than this ever. And some of that is due to President Trump. Obviously, he's a once in a generation unique talent. Clearly, he's a historic figure. And the stuff that he's doing right now is going to make him one of the most seminal figures in American history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Truly, what he's been doing over the course of the first 20 days. We are 20 days in. The first 20 days of his administration alone. is making him one of the most important presidents of our lifetime. And it's not particularly close, actually. If you were going to rank important presidents of my lifetime, so I was born during the Reagan administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So you probably still have to put Reagan on top because the Cold War ended because of Reagan. And the entire American economy was reshifted because of Ronald Reagan. But after that, it's basically Reagan, Obama, and Trump. And Trump is erasing so much of what Obama was able to do in destroying many important facets of the country. You have to put Trump above Obama at this point. which is amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So you're talking about the two most seminal presidents of the last 50 years in America are Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. I mean, that's what you'd have to say this early on. Now, again, we're super early. We have to see where all of this goes. But President Trump is moving. He's moving fast. And he really is not taking any prisoners. So President Trump did a pre-Super Bowl show
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
He, unlike Joe Biden, who avoided it because he couldn't actually carry on a conversation, his face hole no longer moved properly. President Trump is perfectly alive and willing to talk. Here he was during the pre-Super Bowl show saying you can feel the country taking on new life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Again, President Trump is a happy camper, and there's a new mood in President Trump. During his first administration, I think he was so frustrated, properly so, that his administration was being thwarted at every turn by legal idiocies, the Mueller investigation, various impeachments. You could feel the frustration rolling off him in ways. You don't get that from President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
There is a calm about President Trump that is unique, and that means that he's actually incredibly, incredibly focused. So President Trump spoke about the trade deficit during this pre-Super Bowl show. He said, one of the reasons that we're not rich is because other countries have been taking advantage of us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Now, I think he's wrong about trade deficits. Trade deficits are not a thing. Again, you have a trade deficit with your grocery store. You have a trade deficit with everyone with whom you actually do business. If you buy a product from Amazon, you have a trade deficit with Amazon. However, he is right that other countries, particularly China, have taken advantage of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
They've taken advantage of our free trade systems, of our free speech systems. Whether we are talking about them taking advantage of free speech by using propagandistic information gathering spyware like TikTok, or whether we're talking about China taking advantage of our free trade systems in order to essentially steal our intellectual property and subsidize slave labor in their own country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Those are things that have taken advantage of the American laborer and have destroyed some swaths of the American economy. That happens to be true. Well, President Trump was on the plane to the Super Bowl and he signed an EO, a proclamation for the Gulf of America, which again, I love this kind of stuff. Here's President Trump on Air Force One signing an executive order about the Gulf of America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
He's having too much fun. He's having too much fun. Huffington Post was bothering President Trump on Air Force One about a tweet by J.D. Vance, which we'll get to in a moment. And President Trump couldn't help but dunk on Huffington Post.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Just dunking hard on Huffington Post over there. Now, President Trump did have some substantive comments as well while he was on the plane. So over the weekend, there were three Israeli hostages who were released by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of murderous terrorists released by Israel. The hostages were essentially held in tunnels for over a year. emaciated and starved.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
It appears that the people who were most affected by the so-called starvation in Gaza were not the Palestinians. It, in fact, turns out to have been the hostages who were being purposefully starved by the Palestinians, by Hamas. President Trump said that he saw the pictures. I mean, the situation there is absolutely horrifying.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
One of the people who came out of the tunnels who was released, he was unaware, he'd been made unaware for over a year that his wife and children had been murdered by Hamas. And so during his actual statement, he said he was looking forward to seeing his wife and his kids who were already dead, been dead for a year. In any case, here's President Trump speaking about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The generalized mood of the country is just different. There's an optimism, there's a patriotism to the mood in the country, and you can feel it pretty much everywhere, from the ads to the national anthem to even the fairly terrible halftime show itself. I begin from the beginning. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
President Trump is not Joe Biden. By the way, speaking of aid to Hamas, it has been revealed that USAID, which is the agency that the Musk Doge is going through and cutting, USAID, is responsible for providing $230 million in funding in just November 2024 alone to Gaza. Since October 7th, the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
taxpayer has spent, get ready for this, $2.1 billion on Gaza, shipping supposed humanitarian and economic recovery aid into an area occupied by a terrorist group holding American hostages. No wonder Americans don't like USAID. Bill Hagerty, the senator from Tennessee, he says, listen, the appetite for killing USAID in Congress is quite real.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Okay, it's basically a Trump ad, right? It just is. I'm sorry, cowboys on horses with an American flag in an ad that starts with the founding father signing the Declaration of Independence. That's just a Trump ad. And a lot of these sort of bizarrely anti-American histrionics were just gone. John Batiste, who's a terrific artist, jazz artist, and he does some really excellent stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
No, they absolutely fund Hamas. If you're sending billions of dollars into the Gaza Strip, absolutely 100% they're funding Hamas. There's no question about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Meanwhile, Mike Waltz, who is the national security advisor, he said, listen, we understand that USAID, the aid officials have had their own agenda for a very long time and they're funneling money, American taxpayer money, to absolute trash.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
By the way, it is worth noting the cuts to USAID are highly popular with Americans. Americans do not like spending their money on this trash. All right, coming up, we're going to get to what else Doge is going to cut. Democrats having mental breakdowns over a tweet by J.D. Vance and Elon Musk on the racism in South Africa.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
First, at The Daily Wire, we break the news that the corporate media will not touch. We bring you the facts. First, fast, unfiltered. Our exclusive investigative journalism actually does what journalism is supposed to do, exposing corruption, uncovering the truth, holding those behind it accountable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
When you join Daily Wire+, you get ad-free, uncensored live daily shows where you can chat with fellow Daily Wire members and the show's team in real time. Plus, you get full access to our entire library of premium entertainment, including Am I Racist?, the number one documentary of the decade, and the films and series that continue to reshape the culture.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The fight for truth is happening right now. Become a member today. at dailywire.com slash subscribe. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to lose their minds over Doge, the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House's Department of Government Efficiency has drawn scrutiny for the rapid work of its technology team burrowing into multiple agencies. It says it has identified and cut more than $1 billion in spending in the first three weeks. Now, again, $1 billion is a lot of money in regular people money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
In government money, it really is not much at all, and they're going to have to dig a lot deeper, and they intend on doing so. More than half of the cost savings Doge says it has found is related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Doge is going to push for far larger cuts via the General Services Administration, which manages government buildings and commercial real estate, to identify which leases can be canceled or let lapse, looking for underused office space and ways to consolidate as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Other massive parts of the budget obviously include major embedded costs, things like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the defense budget. Musk's group so far is targeting a subset of programs in those buckets, but Musk has signaled he thinks there are much bigger savings elsewhere in the budget that his group is now shifting its attention to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So Medicare and Medicaid's contracting and payments system, they're now going through that looking for evidence of fraud. There's massive fraud in those systems. Now, again, is any of this going to heal America's underlying debt problem? No, it isn't. And the reason that it's not is because the biggest drivers of the debt are these giant entitlement programs that nobody is going to touch. However,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
If you want Americans to be in the mood to cut, you first have to identify the actual giant, obviously wasteful programs. And the way that the media are fighting back against this, pretty amazing. So, for example, the New York Times has a piece titled, For Stunned Federal Workers, Sleeplessness, Anger, and Tears.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
One thing lost in the Trump administration's war on the federal bureaucracy is the collective voice of the employees. But some have begun to speak out. In the words of Vice President J.D. Vance, I don't care, Margaret. I'm sorry. You work at the pleasure of the taxpayer. You do not have a cush job for life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
He performed the national anthem, did a terrific national anthem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And if you work for USAID, where they're blowing billions of dollars on some of the worst trash in humanity, then I think probably you should lose your job. But according to the New York Times, we're supposed to feel terrible for federal employees who lose their jobs doing jobs that wouldn't exist in the private sector. And the rest of us actually have to be answerable to a bottom line.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The beautiful thing about being a taxpayer employee is that you never have to be answerable to a profit and loss statement. You never have to generate actual revenue. No return is necessary. All you need to do is demonstrate that you are a member of a preferred coterie that the federal government wishes to pay. But the New York Times is trying to gin up the sympathy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Quote, one was fired by email at 1247 a.m. Another wept with colleagues as security escorted her from her office. A third frantically tried to fill a prescription after she got a 24-hour notice that her health care was ending. I mean, well, did they deserve to lose their job or not? If they don't, bring them back. If they do, get rid of them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
I don't understand why the feelings of the dismissed are supposed to be the chief factor. Like, is all of the government just a giant welfare program or what? Because I was told that these people were supposed to be good-hearted employees of the state, servants of the people and the public interest. And, well, again, Democrats are panicking about all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
For example, Senator Chris Murphy, who is just terrible, senator from Connecticut, he says that we are watching the worst constitutional crisis since Watergate. No, not even remotely closed, my dude.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
That's ridiculous. Make them afraid of his, that's what, does Chris Murphy fear for his life? Really? I've had 24-7 security on me for years. Why? Well, because there are a wide variety of people who have threatened my life. Does Chris Murphy get that on the regular from, you know, people who are watching Meet the Press? Is that a thing? Is he getting that from President Trump?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Here's what's actually happening. As I've said before, there's a giant pipeline of cash that flows from the federal government to all of Chris Murphy's friends, and Trump and Doge are walking in and they're ending that giant pipeline of cash, and he's mad about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Not only that, the federal government was using its pressure tactics in order to get private industry to do its dirty work, from social media to corporate heads who are embracing dumbassery like ESG and DEI. And now... The Trump administration is coming in and saying, you don't have to do any of that anymore. In fact, it's illegal if you discriminate on the basis of race.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And companies are reacting to that. They're reacting by getting rid of all of these bad policies. And somehow that's fascism. First fascist takeover in human history to reduce the size and scope of government. Never heard of anything like it. Meanwhile, Ilhan Omar, who can't even abide by immigration law when it comes to her brother, allegedly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
is now saying that Trump has decided he won't abide by the Constitution. Oh, my God. The fact that this joke of a human is somehow considered a leading light in the Democratic Party, that's one of the reasons the Democratic Party is currently riding at 31% approval rating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Like, this is good stuff. Right? No histrionics. No kneeling.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So this is going to be the plan. The plan is rely on the judiciary. Now, that's pretty hysterical, considering that the Democratic Party five seconds ago was talking about packing the Supreme Court. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and the rest of the Democratic Party were openly talking about packing the Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Joe Biden tried to tweet an amendment into the Constitution on his last day in office. He literally tried to say that there was a constitutional amendment that he had now magically declared the Equal Rights Amendment, which had not, in fact, been in any way ratified by the states. And he tried to tweet it into the Constitution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
This is a dude who openly acknowledged that he was attempting to defy the Supreme Court on relieving student loan debt. But now they're relying on the courts. Again, the rules just never apply in the same way to Democrats. It's amazing. But the New York Times has found that this is the strategy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Quote, more than 40 lawsuits filed in recent days by state attorneys general, unions and nonprofits seek to erect a bulwark in the federal courts against President Trump's blitzkrieg of executive actions that have upended much of the federal government and challenged the Constitution's system of checks and balances.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Unlike the opening of Mr. Trump's first term in 2017, little significant resistance to his second term has arisen in the streets, the halls of Congress, or within his own Republican Party. For now, at least lawyers say the judicial branch may be it. The courts really are the front line, said Sky Perryman, chief executive of Democracy Forward.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So again, judicial orders have been issued in nine federal court cases, include ending automatic citizenship for babies born to undocumented immigrants on U.S. soil.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Like giant American flags, I'm sorry. And then when Trump came on the big screen, giant cheer, giant cheer. By the way, where we were sitting and watching the Super Bowl in Florida with some friends, giant cheer in the room when President Trump came up with Ivanka there. First regiment in the U.S. Corps of Cadets. And it's like, great. This is great. Normie Americans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
There was a hold put on that, transferring transgender female inmates to male-only prisons, meaning men to male-only prisons, potentially exposing identities of FBI personnel who investigated January 6th, pushing federal workers to accept deferred resignation. There are a bunch of judges, local judges, who have essentially put nationwide stays on federal policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
I don't understand how that works, just judicially. I don't understand how a local judge can issue a nationwide injunction. It seems like a bizarre standard for federal law. So J.D. Vance, Vice President of the United States, put out a controversial tweet on this matter. He said, quote, if a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
If a judge tried to command the attorney general and how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that's also illegal. Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power. Now, there are two ways to read this, the way that J.D. Vance actually meant it and the way that the left is immediately taking this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
What he is saying is that if the judiciary declared something to be illegal that was actually legal, it would not have the force of law. So, for example... If the judiciary simply declared that the First Amendment did not cover political speech, you'd be obligated to ignore the judiciary because the judiciary would be wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
They don't actually have the power, for example, to say, the judiciary, that let's say Congress declares war and the president goes to war. The judiciary can't then say the war is illegal under the Constitution. That's not the way that it works. They don't have that power. In other words, he's saying the judiciary's power is bounded.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And now the left is interpreting that to mean that there are no boundaries that can be placed by the judiciary at all, which is of course not what J.D. Vance is saying. The left has gone nuts over all of this. They've suggested that J.D. Vance is attempting to overthrow the boundaries of the constitution itself. That is not true. Every branch has its own constitutional duty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The constitutional duty of the executive is not alleviated by the rulings of the Supreme Court if the Supreme Court rules wrongly. That is J.D. Vance's entire point. But again, Democrats have to try and claim intermittently that this is a threat to the Republic. Now, meanwhile, what do people actually see as a threat to the Republic? Mainly the crazy of the left.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
You may be asking yourself, if Donald Trump is so dangerous, if all of this is so dangerous, why does Donald Trump currently have the highest approval rating of his entire political life? Why? And the answer is partially because of Trump, but largely because the left continues to be insane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So, for example, Chris Hayes over the weekend, he spent the weekend doubling down on the idea that children should be guaranteed sex transition. Like, good luck with this, guys. These are your intellectuals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Okay, good luck with this. You get big clap seals from the Bill Maher audience, but it is not exactly going to go amazing for you. Bill Maher knows this, by the way. So one of his guests was very upset over the weekend at the end of the end racism signs at the Super Bowl, like in the end zone. She was like, why did they remove the end racism signs at the Super Bowl?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Normie America is having a moment, having a comeback. By the way, you heard Trump cheered right there. Trump was very wildly cheered in the stadium when he was shown, when he arrived at the stadium. Here's President Trump. And then they showed Taylor Swift. And like good Americans, America booed Taylor Swift, which was...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And Bill Maher's like, because they were stupid. That's why.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And this is the entire point. The left continues to be unbelievably stupid all the way through, consistently and always. Meanwhile, Jasmine Crockett, who again is apparently now in a running gun battle with Mazie Hirono for dumbest person in the United States Congress. She said over the weekend that under Donald Trump, people of color will be rounded up. But why are they losing?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
I can't I can't imagine. It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Well, I mean you don't need a face tattoo saying I'm undocumented for ICE to check your immigration status and find out whether in fact you are here in the country illegally. That is why, for example, we all have IDs and social security numbers here in the United – like that's – Why are they losing? No one knows.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
All right, coming up, we'll get into Elon Musk, who's now sounding off in really, really strong fashion about the deep and abiding racism in South Africa against whites. If you're not a member, become a member. Use Code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
They showed her on the Superdome screen and people were like, no, none of this. President Trump, by the way, couldn't resist it. He actually put up a post on Truth Social about it in which he said, quote, the only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got booed out of the stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving. It's pretty, pretty American.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Pretty, pretty awesome. Gotta love it. President Trump did meet with the victims and first responders in the terrorist attack in New Orleans, which disappeared from the headlines real quick.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Remember that ISIS terror attack that killed more than a dozen people in New Orleans and just disappeared from the headlines because we know who did it and we're not allowed to talk about who did it because if we talk about who did it, that might... raise some serious issues about things like immigration or our policies toward radical Muslim countries, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Well, President Trump did go down to the field and meet with the victims and first responders on the field before the game. President Trump just down on the field meeting everybody. Knowing President Trump, having met President Trump several times, President Trump, when it comes to these sorts of situations, is really good. He's really good in person with people. He knows how to work a room.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Not such congratulations to the city of Philadelphia, which insists on burning itself down every time something happens to Philadelphia that is either good or bad. That's Philadelphia for you, man, the city of brotherly love. But Jalen Hurts is truly a tremendous quarterback. And the Super Bowl winning quarterback had said before the game that he just wants to root himself in Jesus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
He's a real bro. You know, like that, there was that feel to it. It just all felt so normal, didn't it? You didn't feel like you were waiting to be sucker punched. Every time you'd watch the Super Bowl, basically since Barack Obama became president, you were just waiting to be sucker punched by some left-wing messaging that had to be drilled directly into your brain. And that just wasn't there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Just wasn't there. There was a feeling that, you know, you could just kind of comfortably watch the game and it would be fine. The Secret Service did a Super Bowl ad as well, very patriotic ad. Again, patriotism was the theme of the day because patriotism is now cool. Here's the Secret Service ad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And the Secret Service informing President Bush about 9-11.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
By the way, that's the actual way that you recruit people to do things like this. We played just last week, US Army ad that actually shows the army being the army. And here's a Secret Service ad showing the Secret Service doing important and cool stuff and linking it to American history in unashamed fashion. This is Trump's America. It just is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
A spirit of normalcy and freedom is descending on the country once more. And this country was founded on freedom, of course. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea in the ocean. Had that work out for you, England? Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service on America's most dependable 5G network. Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 with a qualifying plan by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
You can make the switch in as little as 10 minutes. No hassle, no gimmicks, just honest to goodness, wireless, priced right. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company. I've been using Pure Talk myself for years. All of my important business phone calls take place on Pure Talk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
You can do the same and save money in the process. Visit puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to get started. puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Also, you know what's funny? When I started The Daily Wire, I thought the hard part would be creating the awesome content.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Again, this is the kind of stuff, just kind of normie American stuff that is quite welcome at this time in history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Well, it turns out dealing with all the behind the scenes stuff, the hiring, the HR policies, employee issues, that's the stuff that really eats up your time. I know I'm not alone. When you're a business owner, every second of your time is incredibly valuable, so don't waste your energy and risk losing money dealing with time-sucking payroll issues, office politics, and HR infractions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Focus on what matters most, running your business with help from Bambi. Here's what makes Bambi different. They give you access to your very own dedicated HR manager at a fraction of what it costs to employ someone full-time. And get this. Bambi costs just 29 bucks a month, whether you have 10, 75, even 100 employees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
If I had Bambi when I was first building my team, it would have saved me countless hours and headaches. Instead of getting bogged down with paperwork and compliance issues, I could have focused on growing my show and connecting with my audience. With Bambi's HR autopilot, And then there were the ads. So I think the most indicative ad of where we are culturally is the Bud Light ad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
So Bud Light has been apologizing for nigh on two years for having Dylan Mulvaney on a can, for basically deciding to wipe out its entire brand equity by having a man pretending to be a woman as an influencer for Bud Light. And Bud Light got clocked so hard it destroyed the brand. Well, now the way that they have come up with to reinvigorate their brand is to go as bro as humanly possible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
They're just going to do like man stuff. So they're going to go get Shane Gillis to be in a commercial with Post Malone about a cul-de-sac party involving Peyton Manning. That is Bud Light's idea of how to buy it back. And again, there's no question they're trying to buy it back here. There's no doubt. So many of these brands steered directly into the woke and it didn't work for them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
It actually backlashed on them. And now they're all trying to buy it back. Bud Light is a great indicator of how this is going.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
And this is corporate America. Nature is healing. Nature is... Now, that didn't mean that all the ads understood the assignment. So, for example... Nike did an ad for women. And again, this sort of ridiculous, over-the-top feminist crap where it's like, oh, all of America thinks women can't succeed. America is pushing women down. Oh, it's so terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
They feature a bunch of female athletes who are defying stereotypes, doing things people, particularly men, tell them they can't do. Oh, it felt really bored and it felt really tired. But there's one thing that is unique about this women for Nike ad. Two years ago, there'd be a bunch of dudes in it. That a bunch of trans dudes, Lea Thomas, would have been in this ad two years ago.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Now it's a bunch of actual, you know, human women. So here was the ridiculous Nike ad. By the way, I was watching this game with a couple of my kids, with a couple of my nieces. So we had like three girls between the ages of 10 and 13 in the room. They laughed out loud at this ad. They thought it was so stupid. Seriously. Because the entire idea that they're telling you not to do, so do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The girls were like, what are they, what? Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
Yes, clearly women are victims and put upon. My daughter and my nieces, they were saying these slogans like, they say, they tell you you can't win, so win. They tell you you can't stick your head directly in the toilet bowl, so stick your head directly. Such stupid nonsense. That wasn't the only stupid nonsense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
The NFL also, in an attempt to reach out to, you want to talk about a bunch of marketing geniuses who do not understand women? Women are not watching football because women want to play football. Women are watching football because Taylor Swift is on the TV and it's a cultural event. That's why women are watching the Super Bowl, because it's a giant cultural event.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
They're not interested in women playing football. In fact, there would be little worse to watch than women playing football. But the NFL didn't add that it's supposed to be based on a bunch of high school movies where a black high school girl is apparently better at football than all the boys. Just ridiculous.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
By the way, both Jalen Hurts as well as Patrick Mahomes, the losing quarterback, are very grounded guys, it seems. And that is quite a wonderful thing. The Super Bowl kicked off with Brad Pitt doing what is effectively just a patriotic ad about how awesome America is. I mean, it literally starts. The ad literally starts with John Hancock signing the Declaration of Independence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
There she is. Now she's avoiding tackles by all the boys. Okay, now in the real version of this commercial. And then it says, leave the pass behind. And there she is playing female flag football. And apparently this is a sport that some people play, and there are fans in the stands. Let's make girls flag football a varsity sport in all 50 states. Yeah, man. Yeah, with packed stands.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2135 - PATRIOTISM IS BACK! The Big Game Review
By the way, why couldn't you just make that case without her playing against the guys? In real life, of course, the minute that a girl tries to play varsity football with any varsity high school boy, The pieces of her are in the fifth row of the stands. This is not the way human physiology works. It's okay. The vast majority of the ads were, you know, kind of benign or patriotic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
Well, folks, Democrats are on the run, and we're going to get to just why in a moment. First, The Daily Wire continues our fight. As you know, on this show, we've been calling for the pardon of Derek Chauvin. Derek Chauvin was railroaded.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
I mean, again, this is President Trump saying, let's use a scalpel, not a chainsaw. And then he put out a statement to that exact same effect. Quote, the golden age of America has just begun. Over the past six weeks, our administration has delivered on promises like no administration before it, always putting America first. Doge has been an incredible success.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
And now that we have my cabinet in place, I've instructed the secretaries and leadership to work with Doge on cost cutting measures and staffing. As the secretaries learn about and understand the people working for the various departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain and who will go. We say the scalpel rather than the hatchet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
The combination of them, Elon Doge, and other great people will be able to do things at a historic level. We just had a meeting with most of the secretaries, Elon and others, and it was a very positive one. It's very important that we cut levels down to where they should be, but it's also important to keep the best and most productive people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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We're going to have these meetings every two weeks until that aspect of this very necessary job is done. The relationships between everybody in the room are extraordinary. They all want to get to the exact same place, which is simply to make America great again. So again, that is President Trump reading the tea leaves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He understands that many people are going to start targeting these sort of broad level cuts without specificity and pointing to victim stories. And of course, there will be victim stories because when you move fast and break things the way that you would at a tech company, then there are a bunch of people who lose their jobs who are sympathetic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The medical evidence demonstrates that he did not, in fact, murder George Floyd, that George Floyd had significant pre-existing conditions, that he was high as a kite. The tape itself does not show everything that the media made it out to show. The case, when it was actually conducted in court, was a political sacrifice to appease the mob. That's what it was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There are gonna be some things that get broken that actually might not need to get broken.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so Trump's saying, listen, at the very beginning, we go super hard, but now it's time to actually make sure that we don't break anything that we need and that the departments actually go through and take the recommendations under consideration and then with a scalpel, not with a baseball bat, go through their departments. That is a smart move by President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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A lot of people are painting this as a sort of flip by President Trump. It is not. It is what President Trump always does. He course corrects to the most successful position. That is the thing that he is attempting to do right now. And meanwhile, the same, I believe, is holding true with regard to tariffs. So yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Amid all of the hubbub about President Trump's new tariff regime, President Trump reversed some of these tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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According to NBC News, President Trump issued exemptions on tariffs for a variety of goods coming into the United States from Mexico and Canada just two days after he put the sweeping tariffs in place, leaving investors and businesses grappling with the whiplash of his back-and-forth trade policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The other problem is they all want to be that leader. And so they have their own form of stupid protest. And then finally, they're afraid of being left behind in the great awokening. They're afraid of being seen as insufficiently far left and nutty. And so now it's just all signaling all the way down.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Those exemptions to the 25% tariffs enacted on Tuesday would apply to about half of goods coming into the United States from Mexico and about 38% of goods from Canada, that comply with the North American trade deal reached during Trump's first term, according to a senior administration official. So again, this is being portrayed as a flip-flop, and in a certain way, it is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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But it is also a recognition of reality, which is when the market takes a giant bump, at a certain point, you're going to look at that and go, hey, maybe we shouldn't do as much of this as we've been talking about. When the poll numbers start to go the wrong way, maybe that requires a course correction. A brand new poll from The Economist's YouGov on the tariffs
The Ben Shapiro Show
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explains that a majority of Americans believe that the cost of tariffs on foreign products imported into the United States would fall mostly on companies and people in the United States. Now, whether that is true or not, that perception is really bad for President Trump. If the prices rise and all of that is blamed on the tariffs, the American people are not going to be happy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And trying to whistle past the graveyard on that was a mistake that Joe Biden made, right? You remember the transitory inflation that was not transitory at all? Or the implication that your life was better than you thought it was? People don't like being told that when the prices are going up, actually everything is hunky-dory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So again, it is not about whether, in fact, China feels it more than we do. China will feel it more than we do, but what do we care? If you're an American citizen, What you care about is how America is feeling it unless you actually believe that Canada and Mexico are enemies. Why do we care if a tariff is affecting Canada and Mexico more than it is affecting us? It's not a comparative thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Most things affect foreign countries more than they affect the United States. We are uniquely strong. We are uniquely well-positioned in the world. We have a uniquely strong economy and constitution. But if things are worse for Americans on an absolute level, not a relative level with regard to other countries, on an absolute level, Americans feel it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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This is why, for example, President Trump yesterday announced the reversal of the Mexico tariffs. He put out a statement on Truth Social. He said, quote, after speaking with President Claudia Scheinbaum of Mexico, I've agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA agreement. This agreement is until April 2nd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I did this as an accommodation out of respect for President Scheinbaum. Our relationship has been a very good one. We are working hard together on the border, both in terms of stopping illegal aliens from entering the United States and likewise stopping fentanyl. Thank you to President Scheinbaum for your hard work and cooperation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So again, if the idea here, as I've said before, if tariffs are for leverage, if tariffs are a ratchet, then great. You got something you want from Mexico? You don't have to tariff the products. That's good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If, however, there is a principled attachment to tariffs, as though tariffs are going to make America economically stronger just on their own, that is not a saleable position for the vast majority of Americans. When it comes to the economy, there's just reality. There are just facts. That's also true when it comes to nutrition. A lot of people worry about their kids' nutrition. I certainly do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Yesterday, Al Green, you know, not the famous sort of R&B singer who created Baby Boom, not that guy. The other Al Green, the 77-year-old guy waving a cane with a bad haircut at President Trump. Well, he was censured by the House because, obviously, if you get kicked out of a State of the Union address by the sergeant at arms, you're going to receive a censure vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You know how most children's vitamins out there are basically candy with a vitamin label? They're loaded with two teaspoons of sugar, artificial ingredients that kids really do not need. Well, this is where Haya comes in. They've created an amazing chewable vitamin that kids actually love. The best part? Zero sugar, still totally delicious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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What impressed me was learning about their ingredient list. They've packed in 12 organic fruits and veggies plus 15 essential vitamins and minerals. And they've thought of everything. It's non-GMO, vegan, allergen-free, thoroughly tested for safety. That means you and I can both feel confident giving our kids vitamins made to this high-quality standard.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Are you tired of battling with your kids to eat their greens? Hiya now has Kids Daily Greens plus Superfoods, a chocolate-flavored greens powder designed specifically for kids, packed with more than 55 whole food ingredients to support brain power, development, and digestion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You just scoop, shake, and sip with milk or any non-dairy beverage for a delicious, nutritious boost your kids will actually like. They even send stickers with your first order so your kids can decorate the bottle and make it their own. We've worked out a special deal with Haya for their best-selling children's vitamin. Receive 50% off your first order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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To claim the deal, head on over to HayaHealth.com slash Shapiro. Again, that's H-I-Y-A-H-E-A-L-T-H dot com slash Shapiro. Get your kids the full body nourishment they deserve to grow into healthy adults. Also... Did you know that Andrea Bocelli, Steph Curry, Justin Bieber, Tim Tebow almost didn't exist? All their moms were encouraged to end their pregnancies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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When a woman faces an unplanned pregnancy, she's often pressured by somebody else to terminate. She wants to make the right choice, but society tells her, well, the baby isn't really alive. It's not a big deal. This is where Preborn steps in. Preborn and their network of clinics offer compassionate care to moms, providing the support they need to choose life, including a free ultrasound.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
It's amazing, but when a mom hears her child's heartbeat, she becomes twice as likely to continue the pregnancy. If you believe in protecting life, it is time to join with Preborn. Together, we can empower women to make life-affirming choices. When we support moms and motherhood, we transform families and futures. Just 28 bucks provides one ultrasound. 140 bucks helps rescue five babies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
Monthly donors receive stories and photos of the lives they've helped save. Dial pound 250, say baby. That's pound 250, baby. Or visit preborn.com slash ben to make a difference today again. That's pound 250, say keyword baby. So Scott Besson, who's an excellent treasury secretary, he really knows what he's doing, but he's being put out there to defend tariff policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He's at the Economic Club of New York, and he was talking about what he thinks the American dream is. And he dropped this line.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, now, again, if these trade deals are actually hurting the American people, and there are some that are, then we should reexamine them. However... Part of the American dream and part of upward mobility is being able to afford things, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Making the argument to Americans that access to cheap goods is not part of the American dream, tell that to people who have to pay more for their mortgage. That is a good. Tell that to people who have to pay more for services. Those are all goods and services that you have to pay for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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In fact, several Democrats voted in favor of the censure. This censure vote ended with Democrats singing, we shall overcome, as though something had happened to Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma when Al Green was removed for yelling nonsensical crap about Medicaid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Actually, access to affordable things is in fact part of the American dream because upward mobility relies on you being able to afford things. That is a reality. And so again, I think President Trump is going to look to markets. I think that... Once again, he looks at the results of his policies, and if they are not achieving what he wants them to achieve, he changes the policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Speaking of which, Vladimir Zelensky has changed his tune entirely in Ukraine. He is now not saying any longer that the war is going to last a very, very long time. He was saying that just a few days ago. Now he is saying that they are seeking a swift end to the war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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We are working on all possible scenarios to protect Ukraine. The baseline scenario is to hold positions and create conditions for proper diplomacy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Again, Zelensky is where the United States wants him. Now the United States needs to get Putin to the table. That's the next step. We have massaged the Russians enough. Now it's time for us to exert enough pressure to get Putin to actually come to the table, make some concessions and get to the end of the war. It takes two. It takes two to tango with regard to that war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, speaking, by the way, of corruption, I know a lot of people connect this war to corruption. You want to hear about actual corruption. This is my favorite corruption story of the day because it is quite wonderful. So apparently, apparently Hunter Biden is no longer able to do his art. I know you're shocked.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You thought that Hunter Biden was a great artist capable of selling his paintings for half a million dollars a pop. However, according to Politico playbook, a pardon from his dad spared Hunter Biden from prison, but the former president's son remained saddled with debt and was forced out of a home he was renting by the recent Pacific Palisades fire, according to Politico's Josh Gerstein.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Biden detailed his grim financial situation in a court filing yesterday, saying he has struggled to sell his paintings in recent months, moving only one in the past 14 months, compared with 27 in the prior two or three years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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He reported significant debts and lackluster sales of his memoir, just more than 4,200 copies during a one-year period that led up to the trial in Delaware last spring, in which he was found guilty of lying about his drug addiction on a federal gun purchase form. Well, I wonder what happened. Why did the market drop for his paintings? I mean, that's weird.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So for like two or three years, his paintings were selling like hotcakes because everyone wanted a Hunter Biden painting. And then no one would buy his paintings. What could have changed? Hmm, it's a mystery wrapped in enigma. Or maybe people realized that his father was not going to be president for much longer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And then if you bought a Hunter Biden painting, you were flushing your money down the toilet. Whereas before, if the idea was that he was actually the president of the United States and you bought a Hunter Biden painting, guess who got access to daddy? But don't worry, it was never corrupt. This family is as clean as the driven snow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I can't imagine why the Biden administration was widely derided and hated by the vast majority of the American public. It is a gigantic, unsolvable mystery. Meanwhile, it's time to initiate a brand new segment here on The Ben Shapiro Show. We call it The Takedown. Here is the deal. The left loves to put out monologues, speeches, grandstanding diatribes, completely unchallenged, but not here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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In Takedown, we're going head-to-head, breaking apart their arguments piece by piece, exposing the contradictions, the logical fallacies, and the actual lies. It's time for The Takedown. Today, we are going to go through the response of the venerable intellect, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to President Trump's State of the Union address the other night. And it was amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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She was knitting a sweater while she did it. And so, you know, her brain was apparently largely taken up by that absolutely difficult task. Here is some of what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had to say about the President of the United States address to a joint session of Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so I assume here she's talking about Representative Al Green. You will note at this point that President Trump was in fact invited to address Congress. That is how he got there. He was invited by the Speaker of the House to address Congress. And then everybody else was invited. And then you get kicked out if you break the rules. So immediately she's starting off without any logical foot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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According to Alexander Ocasio-Cortez, it was the people at the top of the income tax spectrum who benefited the most from the Trump tax cuts of 2017. It was geared toward millionaires and billionaires. Now, I can tell you that my tax rate actually increased under the Trump tax cuts. However,
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The question that really should be asked is not whether people at the top saw more of a decrease in their taxes than people at the bottom. Of course they did. People at the top pay way more taxes than people at the bottom on both an absolute and a relative level. The top tax bracket in the United States at the time of the Trump tax cuts was 39% and it dropped down to 37, 36%.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you're at the bottom of the tax bracket, you're paying basically no income tax. So it'd be very difficult to actually pass a tax cut that benefited you. Obviously, gains from income tax cuts are going to be disproportionately to the people who pay the taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The real question, and the only one that really matters, is after the Trump tax cuts, did the share of total taxes, of like all taxes, paid by the top increase or decrease? So in other words, if $100 in taxes got paid by the American people, what percentage of those taxes were paid by the top 1% in 2016 before the Trump tax cuts?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And what percentage were paid in, say, 2020 after the Trump tax cuts? So I asked our friends over at Perplexity that question, quote, what percentage of total income taxes did the top 1% pay in 2016? And what percentage of total income taxes did the top 1% pay in 2020? And here is the answer, quote, in 2016, the top 1% of taxpayers paid 37.3% of total income taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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In 2020, the top 1% of taxpayers paid nearly 42% of all income taxes. This data shows an increase in the share of income taxes paid by the top 1% between 2016 and 2020, rising from 37.3% to 42%. So all that talk about how the richest in our society were sort of disproportionately benefited by the Trump tax cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If that's so, then why did we pay a larger share of the taxes total than we did before the Trump tax cuts? Kevin, continue with AOC here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I love this non-argument by AOC here. This is a tremendous logical fallacy. So she is essentially arguing that absence of evidence is evidence of absence, meaning that there's a complete absence of evidence that President Trump wants to cut Medicaid. He said over and over and over he doesn't want to cut Medicaid. That's why he didn't mention it, because he doesn't want to cut Medicaid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Deeply inspiring. I mean, first of all, is anybody, you know, not tone deaf in the Democratic caucus? But beyond that, this is what you got? Really? Well, that's not all they got. The House Democrats have also released a brand new viral video. It is a take on Street Fighter in which a bunch of Democratic Congress people, as well as a social media influencer by the name of Solhi Jessica Wu.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And she is suggesting he didn't mention it because he does want to cut Medicaid. I'd need like some evidence to suggest that he wants to cut Medicaid. Like where is she getting all of that? And the answer is she's sort of inferring it from the fact that if you are going to do a budgetary bill, as Republicans are proposing in the House, then it needs to be deficit neutral.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And that means that there need to be cuts from somewhere. But again, President Trump has already said he doesn't want to cut from Medicaid, which means the cuts are going to have to come from somewhere else or the bill is going to have to change, obviously. Here's AOC continuing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The math ain't mathin'. Wow. She sounds like a great accountant. The math ain't mathin'. Well, I mean, what she's actually referring to is the fact that part of the bill refers to the committee that deals with Medicaid, among other things, to try to identify cuts. But it doesn't say that Medicaid has to be the source of the cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So Democrats just keep saying a thing over and over for which, again, there is no evidence. So then she decides that she is going to start talking about the work requirements of Medicaid. Now, one of the things that Democrats don't like to talk about a lot is the fact that there are a lot of people who are on Medicaid, who are on Medicaid because, in fact, they're claiming disability falsely.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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One of the great multipliers in terms of our welfare dollars is disability. But here was AOC talking about how work requirements were really not in any way being harmed by Medicaid disability.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay, so a few notes here. Once again, I asked my search partner here, Perplexity, what percentage of people on Medicaid are working? Because she says it's all hardworking people. Nobody's jobbing the system or anything like that. The answer, in 2023, approximately 64% of Medicaid adults under the age of 65 were working either full-time or part-time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I'm just going to point out that means 36%, more than one third of the people who are on Medicaid were working, not at all, not at all. Okay, so that is not a very, very minute percentage. That is a lot of people who are in fact not working. In fact, 44% of Medicaid enrollees under the age of 65 were employed full-time. 20% were working part-time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now remember, these are people who are lower than their retirement age. They're lower than their retirement age. It is also worth noting here that an enormous number of people on Medicaid do claim a permanent disability, including huge percentages of people claiming disability who are relatively young. Again, according to perplexity, approximately 21 to 22% of Medicaid enrollees have a disability.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I will admit I did not know who Miss Wu was until this video dropped. And all I can say is woohoo. In any case, they basically drop into frame and by drop, they pretend they're dropping into frame like a street fighter character and then bounce around. And there's a description of them as though they're a character and to choose your fighter. The House Democrats released this video.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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That is way higher than it used to be, by the way. The claims of disability in the United States have risen almost exponentially over the course of the last couple of decades. According to perplexity, adults aged 19 to 49, 22% claim a disability on Medicaid. If you're 50 to 64, 43% are claiming a disability.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So, I asked my magical friend in perplexity, what qualifies you for a disability under Medicaid? The answer is that you have to meet these criteria. One, the disability must prevent the individual from working and be expected to last for at least 12 months or result in death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Two, the condition must be a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that results in anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities, as shown by a medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic technique. Now, there's only one problem with this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You know how easy it is to find a doctor who will say that because you have high blood pressure, you have a disability, or you have back pain, and that is why you have a disability? And there is not a really fantastic way of checking whether these folks have disability. The instances of disability fraud in the United States are legion. They are radically high. Here is an insane statistic for you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I asked my search partner at Perplexity the following question, quote, how many Americans claimed disabilities in 1980? How many claim disabilities today? Here is the answer. In 1980, 933,597 disability benefits were awarded. In 2024, over 70 million Americans reported having a disability. Did we get all that disabled over the course of the last 45 years?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Like were people really that much healthier in 1980? Then we went from like 1 million to 70 million reporting a disability in 2022. Really? I understand we're a little older of a country, but not 70 times older of a country. And finally, finally, AOC had some ideas about the evils of tax, no tax on tips. This one is particularly rich because she used to be a waitress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Listen to her argument for why there should, in fact, be a tax on tips.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And let me tell you, President Trump must be just running scared at this point. So she's bouncing around this soul. He Jessica Wu. And then AOC, it says New York's 14th congressional district. And then represent Lauren Underwood and represent Catherine Clark, who looks as though she was performing, you know, some sort of bizarre act. And then it like I don't I don't even know what to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Okay. So let's talk about the myriad idiocies in this particular segment because there are a bunch. Number one, she's admitting full scale that a bunch of people are going to start taking tips in order to avoid taxes. Why, it's almost as though economics is dynamic. And when you increase the tax rates on certain things and decrease them on other things, people do the things with less taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Remember, the entire democratic idea about economics is that it is a fixed pie. So if you tax people more, they won't change their behavior. You'll just get more money from them. And here she is acknowledging that if no tax on tips goes through, a bunch of people are going to start taking more of their pay in the form of tips in order to avoid taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Almost as though tax rates impact economic activity. Mm-hmm. Strong. And then she adds another thing here. I love this. She says, you know, the employers need to pay... Do you really want to be paying tips? Do you want to be paying tips to everyone? The employers should just pay a living wage. Now, this mistakes who actually pays the bills of the employers. The answer is the customers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So here are your choices as a customer. Either the employer pays a lower wage, say $750 an hour if you're talking about the federal minimum wage. And then you take a bunch of tips on top so you don't have to pay taxes on it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And then the customer is the one paying for those things in order to achieve the same result as if you had to pay a higher price in order to pay the taxes that the employer is going to have to pay on the wage. You understand? The customer has to pay for all of it. The employer don't got a source of money other than the customer. So no matter how you slice it, is the customer paying?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The only question is, if for example, you get rid of the tax on tips, are the employees going to be taking more of their pay in the form of tips from the customer? Or are they going to be taking their pay more in the form of a check from the employer? But the bottom line is probably going to be about the same. And if you force the employer to pay more,
The Ben Shapiro Show
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to increase the quote-unquote living wage, that all gets passed on to the consumer anyway. So there you have it, the brilliance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Just stunning, stunning stuff. Well, folks, since we do have this new segment called Takedown, if you see any crazy monologues that you'd love to see me debunk, leave them in the comment section below.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, folks, it's a Friday and that means it's time to talk about stuff that I don't know about, namely cultural stories. Now, you know, I'll talk about tariff policy. I talked earlier this week about whether the dollar will long remain the world's reserve currency. But the thing I don't know about is the stuff that literally millions of people actually care about and talk about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And that is these big pop culture stories. I've brought on an expert on that. That's our daily wire host, Reagan and kind of Reagan. Thanks much for stopping by.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Choose your fighter. We need a cutaway there about Rob Schneider from a hot chick knocking one of these women through a wall with a pillow. Choose your fighter. Some of these women are like 60 years old and bouncing around like they're 17. This is what you got? Really? This is the thing that you have? This is not going to do it, gang. The Democrats are in disarray.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I mean, once you involve the kids in that, I kind of agree with it. Meaning that if you're kind of blogging about you cooking at night or it's you and how you put the kids to bed or something, that's one thing. Once you start actually involving your kids in the making of this sort of stuff, then you're just a Hollywood mom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And I mean, I've known a lot of Hollywood moms because I used to live in Hollywood and I knew a lot of people who had kids in the industry. And that stuff is always borderline exploitative. There's a reason why Hollywood kids generally end up screwed up adults.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so it's not a real shock that when you take those means of production that used to require an entire studio system in order to make it happen, and then you just give it to everybody, there'd be a lot of people who exploit their kids for the money. I mean, I think it's a pretty good take, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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My wife has said, I've mentioned this on the show before, that she at some point wants to write a book titled I'm a Terrible Mother and So Are You. because that's actually the reality of being a parent is that you realize that you fail literally all the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so the sort of perfect parent that mommy vloggers very often are portraying, the only way you can achieve that is actually through just lying or through exploiting your kid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I mean, it's Hollywood production very clearly, right? And I think that's the thing people miss about. This is true of reality TV. It's also obviously true of mommy blogging or whatever. There's a reason none of my kids, there are no pictures of them online. And we keep them completely away from the spotlight, specifically because of safety reasons.
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And we don't want their life to be dominated by it. But I mean, if you're making money off putting your kids on camera, then it is likely going to devolve into that. Unfortunately, that looks pretty much like every Hollywood mom. that I've ever met. It's pretty bad. So kind of like only fans for moms, right? They democratize the means of production.
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Speaking of which, apparently there are only fans updates that I have not yet heard.
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And I have so many questions about the logistics. I mean, just like the who provided the buffet. Like, I just I don't know.
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Thank you. I appreciate that. Actually, I wasn't that curious. Yeah.
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The best they have is the continuing sort of woke vibes. Tara Setmeyer. Democrat in the mainstream media was on the Dean Obadiah show. And if you've never heard of that show, you're not unique. The first you're ever hearing of it is here on this show. So congrats to Dean on finally having a listenership.
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Yeah, I mean, that was, I will be honest, one of the first things that occurred to me about that car. But it is, you're right, a horrifying thing. Unfortunately, mainstreaming pornography has been a thing for a very, very long time. I wrote a book back in 2005 that I was widely derided for called Porn Generation, all about the pornification of American society. Yeah.
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And I suggested that it would become absolutely endemic, that every young person in America would have seen pornography by the time they were 13, 14 years old. And again, everyone mocked me at the time for saying that, but it became very clear that that's exactly what's happened here.
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The jurors themselves acknowledged they'd been put under severe pressure. President Trump should pardon Derek Chauvin. That would, in fact, by the way, reduce his possible sentence because the federal statute requires a certain level of sentence. His state conviction would remain, but... It doesn't have the same sort of mandatory sentencing. We're leading the charge on this one.
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Of course, young women are only seeing sort of the quote unquote upside and never the downside, which would be, you know, the fact that she has no soul. That's going to drive a bunch of young women to do really, really stupid and terrible things to themselves. And if they think that the money is going to pay for all the damage they're doing to themselves, I have a hard time believing that.
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Yeah, well, I can see why Bonnie Blue turned out the way she did.
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That's pretty obvious. And by the way, not a rarity, we now know that Kim Kardashian's sex tape was pre-screened by her mother for particularly salacious cuts. So, good times.
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And Tara Setmeyer stopped by to explain that censoring Al Green for screaming nonsensically during the State of the Union gave her slave-ic vibes.
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That's amazing. I mean, White Lotus actually is pretty subversive in this particular way. They take a bunch of liberal values and then they really mock the hell out of them. It doesn't make the show conservative. I mean, the first season is certainly not conservative, but they will definitely mock the living hell out of kind of the pretensions of limousine liberals.
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And that's really what the show is about. It's about limousine liberals from New York and L.A. who go on these extraordinarily expensive vacations and act like horrific human beings, basically.
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The shocker there is that it took them 20 years, basically, to put another Christian in a kid's movie.
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Now, that show originally, I believe, was supposed to feature a transgender character, correct?
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I mean, they better because they have completely failed. I mean, Disney's stock has been just ravaged over the course of the last few years. Their growth trajectory is terrible because they alienated all the parents. Like they forgot that the people they actually need to cater to are the people like me with four kids. We used to be Disney annual pass members.
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In California, we used to go to Disneyland almost twice a month maybe. Yep. And we used to take the kids out of school and go. And I have not been back to Disney World now that we're in Florida for several years because of the move that they made into sort of wild social leftism.
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Yeah, I mean, if they change course, sure. You know, forgiveness is, I think, a virtue. And so if they actually change course and you start to see more of a consistent stream of non-woke nonsense coming from Disney, then absolutely. I mean, I would love nothing better than to take my kids to Disneyland. It's great. Disneyland is wonderful. I mean, it's some of the greatest IP in history.
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It's going to take a while to earn back trust.
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Yes, it was just like slavery, wherein he was at no point a slave, and in which he implied that he was going to lead an impeachment effort against the current sitting president of the United States, just as a slave would. Oh, my goodness, these folks. Well, some Democrats may be starting to wake up.
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And as they say, it's young white males who are going back to church. So I'll take a little credit for that one, guys.
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Well, hopefully that results in marriage and not just insult-ness. That would be the only complicating factor.
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Well, Reagan Conrad, thank you so much for stopping by and informing me on all the things the world actually talks about most of the time. I really appreciate it.
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Well, folks, it's time for you to go behind the paywall and explore the rest of the news with me. But in order to do that, you actually have to be a member here at Daily Y. We have so much great stuff behind the paywall. So, Reagan, what is your favorite thing that we have behind the paywall?
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I'm a little bit hurt and insulted. But if you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
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Anybody who has an IQ above room temperature, one of those people, believe it or not, is Gavin Newsom. So Gavin Newsom, he is slick. He has no principles. the governor of California. I have some personal experiences with Governor Gavin Newsom. In fact, the first time I spoke with Governor Gavin Newsom was all the way back in, I believe, 2013. And Governor Newsom was then not governor.
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He was running for governor. And he was on a Los Angeles morning show that I was doing at the time. And I asked Governor Newsom at the time about the idiotic idea of building a bullet train extending from Los Angeles to San Francisco that would stop in Fresno. And they were talking about how it would cost billions of dollars. And I said to him, well, don't we have cars and planes in this state?
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Don't we have an I-5 that goes directly up the state? I've driven it many times. Why precisely would we need to spend billions of dollars on a bullet train? And he said at that time that it was a terrible, stupid idea. He then proceeded to be elected governor and spent billions of dollars on a stupid, terrible idea that never materialized in any way, shape, or form. So...
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Let's just say that whenever he declares that he's had a change of heart, I treat that about the same way I would treat his prior relationship with Kimberly Guilfoyle, with a large grain of salt. In any case, Gavin Newsom has started a new podcast, and I will admit that I'm eager to listen to every episode if it's as good as this. So Charlie Kirk, our friend from TPUSA, was on with Gavin Newsom.
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And Charlie asked Gavin Newsom, like, why is your party so addicted to the idea that boys should play in girls' sports? And Gavin Newsom, the reason I'm bringing this up is not just to rip on Gavin Newsom, which is fun. I mean, let's be real. But the reason I'm bringing it up is because Gavin Newsom is doing the intelligent thing. He says, hey, maybe boys shouldn't play in girls' sports.
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And, you know, acceptance is the first step toward actually fixing the problem, Democrats. And here is Gavin Newsom leading the way.
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Wow. Wow, wow, wow. So that is Gavin Newsom giving up the ghost on this issue, which is, of course, the thing that Democrats must do. As I've been speaking about for years at this point, the thing that makes Democrats seem totally nuts the most is this particular issue. But Democrats are having a hard time on this one because just a few days ago,
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Go to PardonDerek.com right now. Sign the petition. This is the kind of stuff that we do over at Daily Wire. We need your help on this one. PardonDerek.com. Alrighty, so Democrats are having a really big problem. They are deeply unpopular.
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The entire House Democratic Caucus voted in favor of the idea that men need to play in women's sports if they identify as women. The entire Senate Democrat Caucus voted the same exact way and ended up defeating a bill that would have enshrined rights for women in sports. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, was asked about Gavin Newsom's comments. And here's what he had to say.
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The hell? What? So the way you oppose sexual predators being unleashed on girls is forcing grown-ass men with their dingleberries hanging out to shower with the ladies in the women's room before a swim meet. That's the way you prevent sexual predation, according to Hakeem Jeffries. Again, at some point, the reality is going to set in for Democrats. That's what's going to happen.
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The reality is going to set in for them. Either it will because they decide to wise up or because the voters keep clocking them over and over and over. And so much of this, again, is being driven by the media's bizarre fixation on the idea that this is some sort of civil rights issue. So for example, Politico has a piece titled Newsom's Move on Trans Athletes, Jolt's 2028 Campaign.
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Gavin Newsom's provocative new position on trans athletes on Thursday reopened a rift in the Democratic Party that could serve as one of the earliest flashpoints in the party's 2028 primary. Is it a provocative new position?
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Or is it the position of literally all of humanity for all of human history until the last seven minutes when the entire media and Democratic Party decided that boys who cut off their junk were girls? Within hours of the California governor condemning trans athletes playing in female sports, shocking his party in his home state, some Democrats unloaded on the likely presidential contender.
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And so while they roam the landscape suggesting that President Trump is falling apart, that the Trump administration is wildly unpopular, that is not what the polls are showing. The polls continue to show that Democrats and the Democratic Party writ large are in serious political straits.
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It's disgusting, said Lori Lightfoot, the former Chicago mayor, with an approval rating so low that she ended up being ousted as the mayor after one term. There are kids waking up in California with this news thinking their governor hates them, and rightly so, said Pramila Jayapal. She urged Democrats to, quote, not take the bait and give in to their anti-trans people rhetoric.
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But to moderates, Newsom was offering a lifeline for a party plagued by culture wars and the polarizing politics of trans women in sports. His comments were the latest from a field of potential contenders seeking to distance themselves from identity politics in 2024.
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Again, sort of fascinating to see some Democrats beginning to wake up to the political realities of the dumbass positions they've been holding on this one. And they're gonna need to come to terms with some other political realities. Like for example, the fact that Americans are very much in favor of closing the borders. It turns out that Americans don't like open borders very much.
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And some Democrats, say John Fetterman, have been coming to grips with this. The reality is that in order for Democrats to win the presidency, they have to run as left to moderate Republicans. They must. Joe Biden ran as a left to moderate Republican in the 2020 election.
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Barack Obama in 2008, before his reelect in 2008, Barack Obama ran as a person who wanted to bring common sense to government and unify the country after a divisive era. Bill Clinton, by today's standards, would have been judged a left to moderate Republican. That's just the reality.
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And so Democrats are going to have to start to recognize they've ceded the middle ground to Republicans over and over and over again. And if they want to keep doing that, listen, I'm perfectly fine for them doing it. But at a certain point, reality is going to have to set in. Listen, reality needs to set in. We live in a world where narratives often matter more than reality. But here's the thing.
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The data don't lie. If you want the data, you need USAFacts.org. USAFacts isn't about the narratives. It's about data. Real, nonpartisan, verifiable data straight from government sources. Whether it's taxes, healthcare, or the economy, USAFacts gives you the numbers you need to cut through the nonsense and make informed decisions. And they make it super easy.
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Go to usafacts.org, sign up for their free weekly email that you can rely on to get the data behind the news. It's like a personal briefing on the state of the nation delivered directly to your inbox. No spin, no bias, just facts. Like if you care about how our government is, for example, spending money and where your taxpayer dollars are actually going, this is for you.
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Harry Ensign yesterday on CNN explained that there is a real reason why Democrats are currently riding at 20% in the approval ratings.
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A lot of folks are interested in what Doge is doing. If you want the background, go to usafacts.org right now. Get clear, contextualized facts on the issues that matter. It's time to know those facts because the data don't lie. And you can always have your own narrative. But the data are the data. You want to know the data so that you understand what the hell's going on in the world.
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That's usafacts.org. Go check it out today. Again, usafacts.org. All the rest is spin, but the facts are the facts. usafacts.org to get just the data. Also, starting a business is really exciting, but the financial chaos that comes with all of that, Not quite as exciting.
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When I launched The Daily Wire, we became very familiar with compiling a sea of receipts, trying to track employee expenses, spending countless hours reconciling statements. It was a nightmare until we got it all figured out. But it doesn't have to be that way. You need Ramp. Ramp's a free corporate card.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It handles all your tedious financial operations, like manually logging receipts and chasing approvals. Ramp does all that automatically, so your team can focus on the stuff that truly moves the needle. Forecasting, planning, scaling your business. If you're in an industry the way I am, time to execute breaking news coverage right when it happens. And here's the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Most finance teams spend 80% of their time on mind-numbing busy work, chasing down expenses. Only 20% on what actually matters, strategic planning and growth. Ramp flips that equation completely. Over 25,000 businesses trust Ramp, including Shopify and the Boys and Girls Club of America. That's why they were just named number one in spend management by G2.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And right now, for a limited time, listeners of the show can get $250 when you join Ramp. Just go to ramp.com slash Shapiro. That's ramp.com slash Shapiro. Now, meanwhile, on the right side of the aisle, one of the big problems for the right side of the aisle is, yes, you want to move fast. You have power now. You got to move fast. You got to break things. You got to do them.
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At the same time, you have to balance that with the reality that Americans actually don't like radical change very much. You have to somehow achieve the signal ability to craft radical change without undermining your own agenda. And so far, the Trump administration has been doing a good job on this.
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So, for example, despite all of the media freaking out over Doge, the Department of Governmental Efficiency, and Elon Musk, it turns out the poll numbers remain pretty strong on this. Here's Harry Enten explaining this.
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Okay, so herein lies the rub. If you look at that poll, it says Musk should have, quote, at least some influence on government operations. In other words, people don't want him to go in there with a chainsaw the way many people on my side of the aisle would love for him to do. They want him to go in with a scalpel. And President Trump recognizes political reality.
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Again, I've said this about President Trump before. This is a man who lives in the world of political reality in a way that most politicians do not. Most politicians are so ideologically attached to their positions that even if those positions start to go wrong with the American people, they hold by them.
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And there's something to be recommended about that because at least you know the differentiation between the parties. I mean, I'm clearly an ideological person. I have a set of beliefs that fit into a broader worldview. And I think that that's helpful to my listeners because they know where I'm coming from.
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But for President Trump to be successful, he has to continue to be as pragmatic as he has been. So yesterday, he made clear that he would be. Yesterday, according to Politico, President Trump convened his cabinet in person to deliver a message. You are in charge of your departments, not Elon Musk.
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Agreed. I mean, even Democrats at this point in the mainstream media are recognizing this simple fact. Democrats continue to do performatively stupid things. I don't know who they think they're appealing to, but there is a serious collective action problem inside the Democratic Party. None of the Democrats wants to appoint sort of a Democrat leader to rally behind. That's one problem.
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According to two administration officials, President Trump told top members of his administration that Musk was empowered to make recommendations to the departments, but not to issue unilateral decisions on staffing and policy. Musk was in the room.
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The meeting followed a series of mass firings and threats to government workers from the billionaire Tesla founder who helms the Department of Governmental Efficiency. President Trump then stressed that he wants to actually keep good people in government and not to eject capable workers en masse. Here's President Trump saying just that yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, folks, there's one kind of young person that Democrats like, and there's one kind of young person that Democrats really don't. The kind of young person Democrats like, as it turns out, the theater kid. That is the type, the theater kid. And when I say the theater kid, I mean very specifically performative young people who cast aspersions at everyone who is older than they are, cast blame.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Listen, I hope Democrats fight this one all the way. I really hope they fight this one all the way because their fight against Doge is one of the dumbest political fights I've ever seen anyone pick. They will be able to ding Elon Musk as a human just in terms of his individual polling numbers. But what they are fighting right now is against government bureaucracies being cut.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
That is what they are fighting against. And Doge is doing a really good job, so is the Trump administration generally, of calling out the waste and fraud that have been happening inside the system. Now, look, the real reality when it comes to America's national debt and bending the cost curve is that trimming around the edges, getting rid –
The Ben Shapiro Show
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of even many of the billions of dollars that are put out by USAID. That is a worthy cause that is not going to truly bend the cost curve for the United States. The entire budget of the USAID is $40 billion. The United States is running trillion-dollar deficits every single year. We currently have a $36 trillion national debt.
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Unless you change the actual entitlement systems, which nobody is willing to do, you're not going to cure the problem. With that said, is it very good that it's happening? Sure. And is it hilarious the Democrats are trying to find a way to defend the massive bureaucracy they have created, this giant cash cow that they created and controlled for 100 years?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They're trying to defend it against the predations of big balls? Isn't that kind of hilarious? Absolutely it is. And their arguments, of course, make zero sense at all. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, she's very upset because there is a rumor that Doge had basically plugged into the FAA in order to help correct the aviation systems. And again, cut out the waste, fraud and abuse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Here's Maria Cantwell getting very upset about it.
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Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, you certainly cannot have a man controlling the airspace and working on aviation who, you know, owns the most successful space company of our time and creates machines capable of firing 20-story rockets into the air and bringing them back down and catching them. Can't have that guy involved with aviation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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They had a report that says that a young technologist known online as Big Balls, who works for Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency, has access to sensitive U.S. government systems. But his professional and online history call into question whether he would pass the background check typically required to obtain security clearances. Yeah, sure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The person we need at the head of the transportation department is a man who couldn't fill potholes in South Bend, Indiana, but is gay and loves choo-choo trains and takes two-month paternity leaves without telling anybody. That's who I trust with our federal aviation security. And this is a losing battle for Democrats. And if they continue to fight it, it is not going to end well for them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I think most hilariously is the argument that's now being put forward by the media that what Musk is doing is somehow wild, crazy, out of the unprecedented. So CNN's Pamela Brown, she was very upset yesterday. She said, would you be okay with George Soros doing what Elon Musk is doing?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
OK, first of all, I love the ire from Pamela Brown. What would happen if George Soros's people were just put in charge? They were in charge. Alex Soros posts pictures of himself with every single Democratic leader at his palatial apartment above Central Park. Every single one of them, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz. Soros has been in control of the bureaucracy in ways both large and small for years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And if not Soros, people like Soros. Who do you think is staffing these bureaucratic institutions? Who do you think is receiving checks in the non-governmental sphere from institutions like USAID? Organizations run by people like George Soros. So no, this isn't unprecedented. It's just the American people are ready for the cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, Democrats are shocked at what is happening with Doge, but here's something that I learned recently that actually shocked me. Over 85% of grass-fed beef in stores is actually imported from somewhere else. That is right. Most of what you buy is not American beef. That's because the country of origin labeling law was repealed in 2015.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So right now, meat can be packaged here in the United States and then earn a product of USA Label. even if it was born, raised, and harvested overseas. Luckily, at GoodRanchers.com, they're changing that. They're sourcing 100% of their meat from American farmers and ranchers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
That is the thing that I think people are deeply worried about, is whether they would pass a security clearance, the kind of security clearance that, for example, allowed Biden administration appointees to full-on leak Israeli war plans to the press. Those security clearances have been doing a hell of a lot of work. They've been doing an amazing job over there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
All products on Good Ranchers have trustworthy ingredients, and unlike those products of the USA stickers, you can rest assured every cut of meat from Good Ranchers actually is born, raised, and harvested right here in the United States. There are no hidden additives, no antibiotics ever, no seed oils, just pure, clean meat.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Plus, with their farm-to-table transparency, you're supporting American ranchers while getting meat you can feel good about serving to your family. Producer Savvy, she talks all the time about it. how her family enjoys their Good Ranchers wild-caught seafood box.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
She gets the peace of mind of also knowing she's supporting paralyzed veterans and her food is sourced from American farmers and ranchers. It's not too late to start the year, right? Invest in your own health and support American farms with every purchase. Right now, get free ground beef, chicken breast, or wild-caught salmon in every order for a year, plus 25 bucks off with code BEN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Start 2025 off right. Visit goodranchers.com and use code BEN for this incredible offer. Good Ranchers, American meat delivered. Also, Start every day off right with Black Rifle Coffee. Black Rifle Coffee helps you wake up every morning feeling dialed in, ready to make the most of your day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
My kids wake me up extraordinarily early every morning and I am just zonked until I get that Black Rifle Coffee in me and then I'm ready and raring to go to take on the day. Now is your chance to get 20% off your purchase with code dailywire at blackriflecoffee.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Black Rifle Coffee's coffees are roasted right here in the United States by a veteran-led team of expert roasters who take pride in serving coffee and culture to people who love the country. Every purchase you make helps them further their mission to support veteran and first responder causes. Everything from getting funding and equipment to first responders to helping veterans get medical care.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Black Rifle Coffee has a huge selection of dark roast, light roast, everything in between. Take the coffee quiz on the website. Get matched with a blend perfectly tailored to your specific taste. Again, a portion of every purchase you make with Black Rifle Coffee goes towards supporting veteran and first responder causes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Your money goes a long way toward giving back to those who serve the country. Head on over to BlackRifleCoffee.com right now. Use code DailyWire for 20% off America's coffee. That's BlackRifleCoffee.com. Code DailyWire. BlackRifleCoffee.com. Code DailyWire. Meanwhile, Scott Pesent, the new Treasury Secretary, was asked about what is the impact of Doge over at the Treasury Department.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
He says, we're not violating the law. What the hell are you talking about?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So, again, the kind of lies that are being told are absurd, but the panic is being driven by the fact in the end that the entire gravy train for the Democrats has been a permanent bureaucracy designed to funnel cash to their friends. Well, all of that is coming to a crashing halt. President Trump and his administration are laying off nearly all USAID staff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
According to the New York Times, the Trump administration plans to reduce the number of workers at USAID from more than 10,000 to 290. These are the kinds of cuts, by the way, that Musk does. When Elon comes into act, he just kills all the jobs. He just destroys all the jobs and he keeps a small group of people to run the thing and then fixes the problems.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The engineers that Elon Musk has working for him typically are young and incredibly smart, which is why they work for Elon Musk. So the six young men who are sort of leading the charge are apparently all between the ages of 19 and 24. And this has been determined to be a very, very bad thing, again, by so many of the people on the left. Just terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Because he says there is no reason why we need 1,000 employees, 2,000 employees to run a company that is not running at a solid profit. So those sorts of cuts, are they worthwhile? The answer is absolutely. Some of the programs that are supported by the Democrats here are utterly insane, crazy. Here, for example, is Representative Cynthia Loomis explaining some of the programs that were in USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And do those seem like good expenditures to you? By the way, BBC's Media Action, which is the BBC international charity, received millions of dollars in American government grants from USAID. Perhaps the worst expenditure from USAID. USAID in 2016 gave $310 million of your taxpayer money to a Palestinian cement factory project.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
It was a private venture by a company called Sanad to create cement mills and factories. What do you think they needed all that cement for? What do you think they used all that cement for? I'll give you three guesses. What did the Palestinians in Gaza use all that cement for, paid for by your taxpayer dollars? Hmm. Any any any ideas? Oh, yeah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
That would be the 300 miles of terror tunnels that Hamas built underneath the Gaza Strip, leading to the complete destruction of the Gaza Strip after October 7th. So just slow clap for the geniuses in the permanent bureaucratic state. That meme where it shows Iron Dome going up and it says funded by American taxpayer dollars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And then it shows the rockets coming from Gaza and says somehow also funded by American taxpayer dollars. And then it's the tunnels underneath. Is this somehow also my taxpayer dollars? Yep. That is what the government is filled with. That sort of crap that needs to be wiped out. And people don't like it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And if Democrats wish to go out on a limb and suggest that Americans are somehow going to object to cuts to this, good luck with that. Samantha Power, one of the worst foreign policy officials of my lifetime, She's supposedly the anti-genocide activist who fully stood aside while Joe Biden turned over Afghanistan to the Taliban. She's just awful, Samantha Power, in every possible way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
She was on CNN to decry the cuts to USAID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So she's ridiculous. The Biden administration was ridiculous. The Obama administration was ridiculous. You guys built it. I'm sorry that you wasted all of our money on actual terrorist projects in many ways. Now it's all going away. Joe Rogan, I think, speaks for Americans when he says, yeah, no, what we're really cutting here, what Trump and Musk are doing here is just cutting stupid nonsense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So CNN covered this in, I think, the most hysterical possible way yesterday. They were very, very upset. First of all, the chyron... It's just wonderful. Quote, Wired, Doge Dean, known online as Big Balls, now a government expert.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I think this is pretty commonsensical from Joe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
That is right. That, of course, is exactly right. Well, speaking of the Department of Government Efficiency, joining us on the line is Luke Rosiak. He's an investigative reporter for The Daily Wire and our brand new Doge reporter over at the White House. Luke, thanks so much for joining the program. Thanks for having me, Ben.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So, Luke, let's talk about your recent article about how sort of the groundwork was set for Doge. Democrats are trying to claim over and over that something unprecedented is being done with the Department of Government Efficiency, that you have a bunch of unelected people who are worming their way into government and making cuts. What's the actual origin of the powers that preexisted Doge?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So first of all, government expertise, according to the left, is you went to George Washington University after majoring in African-American history, and now we call you a State Department expert. That is the way that you get appointed an expert, according to CNN. But because this young technologist, who apparently is kind of a genius, jokingly called himself Big Balls online,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Those people are tools of the Democratic Party. They are tools of the left. The left does not wish to generate young people who are self-sufficient, who create things, who are innovative, who are trying to build for the future. Those young people are kind of bad. They're part of the system. What they want are young people that they can use as batons to wield against the system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Yeah, and this is one of the things that I find so hilarious about the entire Democratic take on Doge. What they're very upset about is the idea that a quote-unquote unelected bureaucrat who is unaccountable to, say, the legislative branch is now going through their giant unelected bureaucracy that they created as essentially a permanent –
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
taxpayer money funded scam to send cash out the door to a variety of their own friends in sort of blue non-governmental organizations across the world. They set up essentially a permanent funding pipeline from places like USAID to all of their friends, run by all of their friends. And now they're upset that somebody is coming in and cutting all of that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And they're claiming that somehow this is opposition to the American people. Well, actually, no, you guys, as you say, set up the rake and now you've stepped on it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
the Democrats are very upset, like very upset. Understand, Democrats only like big balls when they are on a purported woman. In any case, here are the CNN anchors just beside themselves over this revelation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, these are the this this is your local. H-O-A, telling you that you're not allowed to put an American flag on your lawn on July 4th because it might be offensive to others. The media just losing it over big balls. It's just so terrible. How could they? Just the worst. And Joy Reid, too, was deeply upset about big balls. Here was Joy Reid. And again, another very censorious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So meanwhile, President Trump is going to do the Super Bowl interview. Famously, Joe Biden did not last year, mainly because he was not alive at the time, unfortunately. And so he was not capable of doing the Super Bowl interview. Now, President Trump has been everywhere. He's extraordinarily high energy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I mean, the man's nearly 80 and he is just I mean, he's doing a presser and basically every single day. He put out a truth saying, quote, two great quarterbacks in this game, also an unbelievable running back and the absolute best tight end in football ever. Incredible coaching.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Remember, the things that are very offensive and upsetting to the left do not include, for example, men who get boob jobs and jiggle their bare breasts at the White House on the lawn. That is not offensive to the left. Or, you know, gay guys having sex in the actual Senate chambers. Not offensive to the left. That's freedom of expression.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new kickoff deal, which actually makes football more dangerous, they'd be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor. Anyway, it will be a great game. I'll be doing the interview before the game at 3 p.m. There hasn't been one in four years. Gee, I wonder why. So what are you expecting from the president of the United States?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
You know, the fact that the entire sort of pop culture world has decided that it's acceptable to now say that you like President Trump or you're at least lukewarm toward President Trump is an amazing, amazing shift. Well, you mentioned Kelsey, which means, of course, the over under on how many times Taylor Swift will be shown live is currently at six and a half. You're my betting advisor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Do we take the over or the under on six and a half for live shots of Taylor Swift reacting to the game?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
All righty. And final, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey related question. Are we going to see some sort of live proposal on the field after the game if the Chiefs win? That was the speculation last year. It didn't end up happening. They're still dating, which is a shock, frankly. But listen, it either ends in a marriage or it ends in an album.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So either way, I suppose the American people win since they seem to like Taylor Swift. So which side of that bet do you take? Does Kelsey propose to Taylor Swift on the field?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
But a young technologist who called himself big balls on LinkedIn, that is just so far beyond the pale. We cannot have any of that. This is a well-respected government. A well-respected government that funds the transing of the children in Guatemala via the U.S. Agency for International Development. Take us seriously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Wow, that is a sad end to our time together. That's Emily Austin. You can go check out all of her work over on X and also at YouTube. Emily, really appreciate the insight into the big game. Hope you have a great Sunday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, meanwhile, Kanye West is back at it, and he is over on Twitter doing things again. Now, a wise man once said about Kanye West, live by the Kanye, die by the Kanye. That wise man was me, and that was in 2018. There are some who decided that, in fact, Kanye was a deeply wise and trustworthy individual and, in fact, should be a hero to people on the right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Now, there are two things that are possible to say about Kanye West. One is that he's mentally ill, and he clearly is mentally ill. He clearly is bipolar. He's manic depressive. He now says that he's not manic depressive, that he's actually autistic. Okay, sure. Autism is now being used as a catch-all term for pretty much any strange behavior out there, like all of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I'd love to see a medical diagnosis, but... If there's a mental problem, then he is not totally responsible for his actions, which might explain why he does evil things, but it's not responsible for those. The other possibility is that actually he's not mentally ill and that he ought to be taken seriously, which is an argument made by many people on the right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Okay, if he's not mentally ill and we ought to take him seriously, then he's evil. And he's an evil person because I don't know what else to make of a person who trots his wife out stark naked in front of the cameras, has suggested starting a pornography company, shows pornographic pictures to people who work with him. and proclaims himself a Nazi. Those seem like not amazing behaviors.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, he took to X again today and was manically tweeting over and over and over. Everything from tweets about Bianca Sansori, his nude wife, to Adolf Hitler. Quote, Hitler was so fresh, according to Ye. He undoubtedly would have been murdered by Hitler. Quote, call me Adolf Hitler, and your still wants to F. It's this sort of genius that made him world famous, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I'm going to normalize talking about Hitler the way they talking about killing N-words has been normalized. When was kill? I'm just confused when it was normalized to talk about killing N-words. By whom and why? Quote. I'm cold when I feel an ounce of feelings. O-N-C-E. A once of feelings. I assume it means ounce.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I stand still and hold my eyes open like a psychopath till that feeling of feeling anything goes away. I have no heartstrings. People, pull out your heartstrings to control. People, use your feelings against you. I can say Jew as much as I want. I can say Hitler as much as I want. Matter of fact, I do say it when I want.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, I mean, I think we all have the capacity to say both Hitler and Jew as many times as we want. But, yeah, I think it's kind of what you say. By the way, he's now come out in favor of P. Diddy. So just in case if you're wondering if there are any evil people he's not siding with, the alleged rapist, he's apparently in on that one. Quote, Puff, get one call a morning. All right. Free Puff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Honestly, the entire Democratic approach to politics seems to be the meme from Arrested Development of Job Bluth with his magician friends holding up a sign that says, we demand to be taken seriously. But they need to be taken seriously, folks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Okay. Okay. Very strong stuff from Kanye West this morning. At least he's saying the obvious part. Quote, I channeled Andrew Tate on a few of these tweets. Yeah, we know, my bro. We know. We know. So, good times. And he did have some commentary about his naked wife defending her being naked. Quote, anyone who's called my wife's Grammy look a stunt is dumb and lame.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, I mean, what else would you call it? The best characterization of it is a stunt. If she did it sincerely, then she has a screw loose. People don't walk around naked in public if they don't have a screw loose. Anyone who called my wife's Grammy look a stunt is dumb and lame, says Kanye West. Yes, you. She's been dressing naked for two years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Okay, first of all, I want to logic out what it means to dress naked. I feel like that's oxymoronic. She's been dressing naked for two years. That's, that's strange. Those are the op. Anyway, now all of a sudden it's a stunt. Every single on the planet wish they had her bravery, body, platform, and access to money and a husband that supported they personal expression.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
There are a lot of things that had to converge for this moment to happen. Actually. It turns out that to be naked requires no things to converge. People do it all the time. It's crazy. From showering to babies having their diapers changed. It happens literally all the time without anything's converging.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
In fact, the fewest things in all of human history have to converge in order for people to be naked. The Bible opens with people being naked in a garden. Like it turns out you don't need any preconditions whatsoever to be naked. It takes a civilization in order to get dressed. Yeah. Okay, why is this important?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The reason this is important is because a bunch of people took this guy seriously for years, for years. And when you sign up for the ride, you take the whole ride with the whole ticket. So perhaps people ought to be a little bit more discriminating about whom they choose to emulate as heroes. Transgressivism, violation of the norms.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
These folks at MSNBC, Joy Reid is a serious person, and she will not brook the idea of a young man who called himself online, big balls, cutting governmental waste programs. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Sometimes that can be useful if the norm is bad, but that does not mean that all transgressive behavior is normal or decent because it really, really is not. So solid stuff there from Ye. And we look forward to his new collab with Diddy, I suppose. Or at least some people will. All righty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Meanwhile, I've been informed that we need to do an analysis of the biggest hit on Amazon, Mr. Beast's show over on Amazon. So this is kind of fascinating. It's called Beast Games. And full disclosure, I know some of the people associated with making the show. Beast Games is, I will say it's got like a 13% critics rating. It is highly watchable, like really watchable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
It's kind of real life Squid Games. And there are a bunch of various sort of cultural analyses that have been done of Beast Games. The most common one that I've seen is that it's a critique of capitalism. First of all, let me explain. It is absolutely not a critique of capitalism. In fact, the setup for the show is the opposite of capitalism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
For the setup is that 1,000 contestants compete in physical, mental, and social challenges for a chance to win a $5 million cash prize, a $1.8 million private island, and more. And so that's not capitalism because it's definitionally a zero-sum game. Capitalism is not a zero-sum game. Capitalism is the opposite of a zero-sum game.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
It's also not like capitalism in that it is not an iterative game, meaning you're in or you're out. The thing about capitalism is if you cheat somebody in a capitalist system, you can cheat one guy, but you really can't cheat like five. Because if you keep cheating people over and over, they stop doing business with you. It's one of the greatest incentives to cheat people under capitalism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
This is a point that's been made by Adam Smith, is that capitalism as practiced actually makes you more ethical in business because you need to give somebody a product that they want and it can't malfunction. Because if it malfunctions, they're not going to buy from you again. So there are a bunch of distinctions between what you're watching here and capitalism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The left likes to think that capitalism is a zero-sum game, that it's a bunch of people competing for a bag of cash. That's not what capitalism is. In fact, capitalism makes everybody richer. This is much more like communism, where you have a bag of cash, and then the question is just how that cash gets divided up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And predictably, when it comes to a bag of cash and how it gets divided up, it turns out that the people who are the most scurrilous and underhanded are the people who are going to be the most likely to have the Dasha on the water, and everybody else is going to get victimized by those people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
It turns out that human nature is to maximize the return to you at the cost of somebody else, unless all boats are rising. That is just human nature. You're going to defend yourself and your family before you defend other people. That is just the way of human nature. Greed is a universal human phenomenon. Pretending it away doesn't make it go away.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The great lie of communism is that if you have a grab bag of cash, magically greed will just disappear if you force everybody to take the same amount. And it's a lie and it never works because human nature is still human nature. The only thing that can get past human greed is mutual dependence, which is what capitalism creates. Free trade, mutual dependence, free exchange.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
That's the sort of stuff that creates better behavior and creates an incentive structure that leads you to channel your particular greed toward actually helping somebody else because you're not going to get what you want unless you give somebody else what they want. I've described capitalism as effectively forced altruism, and that's correct.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So I'm putting that out there because there have been a bunch of articles that are basically suggesting that the Beast Games are a sort of critique of capitalism. That's only if you really, really don't understand capitalism. If you understand that this isn't capitalism, it's a grab bag of cash, then basically all of beast games can be reduced to a repeated iteration of the prisoner's dilemma.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So let's talk about what this game looks like. It's the prisoner's dilemma. So for those of you who don't know some game theory, basic game theory, game theory is basically an attempt to quantify how decisions get made based on available possible outcomes. So The perfect example of a sort of game theory is prisoner's dilemma.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So prisoner's dilemma is a situation where you have two guys who commit a crime together. One of them is brought into one room by the cops. The other is brought into another room by the cops. And they are given a series of options, okay? They're each told, you can confess or you can stay quiet. Now, if you stay quiet, and your partner confesses, that is the worst case outcome for you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
You refuse to talk to the cops and your partner confesses, then you are going to get 10 years in prison and your partner gets zero because he gets the benefit. He flipped on you, but you didn't flip on anybody. So you get the maximum sentence. You get the 10 year sentence. If you both stay quiet, then you both go to jail for a year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
If you both confess, then you're both going to jail for six years. So the question is, where are you going to end up? And the answer is, it depends on how much you trust your partner. So here is that drawn out, right? You have player one over here. He has two options, to confess or to stay quiet. Player two also has two options, to confess or to stay quiet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
If they both confess, they both get six years. If they both stay quiet, they both get one year in prison. If you confess and the other guy stays quiet, then you get zero years and he gets 10 years. And the precise opposite is true if your partner does that to you. So the most obvious outcome typically is that everybody sort of loses because you don't want the 10-year sentence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
If you don't trust your partner a lot that he's going to shut up, if he ain't your brother or something, you are immediately going to confess, and so will he, and then you're going to end up in this box. That is the equilibrium. That's where everybody's going to end up, typically speaking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The reason that I bring this up is because when you look at sort of the outcome of these various games, they match that sort of human behavior. So much of this show is kind of fascinating just because it is a way of assessing, in real life, sort of Bayesian risk calculations. I want to go through some of them because, again, I think people are reading the show wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They're reading it as sort of critique of culture, and there is some of that in here. They have a bunch of Gen Z morons who somehow are of the opinion that they're best friends with everybody, and so they keep getting screwed, like over and over and over. They keep doing the thing where they stay quiet, and then the Gen Xer He's like, I don't even know you, bro. I don't even know you, bro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And so the player who ends up staying quiet, the Gen Z-er, ends up here in sort of the quiet box and ends up getting 10 years in prison. And meanwhile, the Gen X-er is like, I don't know you, bro. I'm going to confess. And he ends up getting the benefit of that particular bargain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The young people who are bad are the people who are actually good at things. Those young people who might be, you know, engineers, who might be building companies, who might be innovating. Those young people... They're too weird. We can't allow them anywhere near the levers of power.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So the answer there is Gen Z-ers are naive about the world and they've been misinformed as to how humanity actually works. Okay, but... There are some other sort of interesting Bayesian situations that arise here, risk calculation situations that arise here. So let's go through some of them. The first episode involves the sacrifice of a team member. Okay, so this is the first challenge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The contestants are teamed up by row. One player from each row has to eliminate or sacrifice themselves so the rest of their row can move on. The last three rows standing that have not eliminated someone are all eliminated. Okay, so if everyone refuses to sacrifice themselves, then the entire row is eliminated. One person has to throw themselves on the grenade, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Now, as you'll see, many of the rows end up being eliminated. Three of the rows end up being eliminated because nobody sacrifices themselves because why would you? Your expected outcome then is zero. And so here's what it looked like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Everybody's yelling at other people. But why would you sacrifice yourself for the team? The reason, again, that people aren't doing it is because of the prisoner's dilemma. You don't want to be the guy. This is a clear case where you take the hit and you go to jail and everybody else gets to stay. Why would you possibly do that?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
There's no upside for you other than maybe a couple of seconds on camera as the supposed hero. So again, is that an expose of capitalism? This has nothing to do with capitalism. This has to do with basic human motivation. Meanwhile, next episode, episode two. There is a challenge in which team leaders are given an opportunity. They get to receive a million dollars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And if they take the million dollars, their team goes home or do not take the million dollars and their team remains. Now, remember, the big prize is five million bucks. I'm just going to put it out here. If you were a team leader here and you didn't take the million dollars, you're a moron. This is a competitive game. There will be one person who wins and many people who lose.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
You're a stupid person if you don't take the million dollars. You don't know these people. It is a competitive game. It doesn't make you self-sacrificial. It doesn't make you a saint. It doesn't make you a martyr. It is the nature of the constructed game as it is. Your expected value, if you do not take the million dollars, is you divided by the entire corpus of people who are left in the game.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They're like 500 people left in the game. So your expected value of the $5 million for 500 people is 1 500th of $5 million. Okay, so that is 5 million divided by 500. In other words, 10 grand. Okay, so you are giving up a million dollars for a 10 grand expected value. So you're an adult if you don't take the million dollars. Here's the clip.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Okay, so people are not taking the million dollars to eliminate their team. Why won't they just take the money? Just take the money, dude.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They're just so self-sacrificial or they're being stupid about the nature of the game. If you go to this game in the first place, you should be taking the million dollars. You're the winner. People don't understand expected value calculations. Or they think the social sanction is so strong that they can't take the million dollars. Take the million dollars and run, my man. That is quite foolish.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Okay, as a person who's relatively famous for not reading full obscene lyrics on the air, I promise that Joy Reid has said words way worse than balls on her show before. This is amazing, amazing stuff. They're offended, guys. They're so offended. But here's the thing. What are they really offended by? Are they offended that some teenager who is apparently a brilliant technologist
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Quite foolish. OK, so another sort of social experiment that was that was played was episode eight. In this particular episode. There was a bag of cash and contestants were asked sequentially to take money from the bag of cash. How much money are you going to take? Is it a million dollars in the bag?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And there are 10 people on each team or there's 10 contestants left at this point in the whole game. And how much money do you take? Now, again, the amount of money that you take is going to determine whether you get eliminated or not. If you just go and grab all the cash, presumably everybody then votes to eliminate you because you took all of the cash. This is a basic expected risk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
This is a basic expected value calculation here. There are 10 players left, correct? Okay, so there are 10 players left. There's a million dollars in the bag. So you currently have a one in 10 shot at winning $5 million. Your expected value becomes $500,000. This is fun. I get to teach basic statistics to folks. Fun. Okay. So your expected value is now $500,000. Okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Or if you walk in and you take anything more than $500,000, it's guaranteed. This means you're a fool not to take more than $500,000 from the bag. Because your expected value is now higher than $500,000. Only one person was smart enough to do this, and then he was crying about it. Why are you crying about it, dude? It's a competitive game. That's the nature of the game. It'd make you a bad person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I would have taken the money. I would have taken the money. Because these people are not on your team. They will all be eliminated. Again, this is not like capitalism, and it's not like your church. It's not like your family. You don't know these people. The bizarre attempt by the producers to sort of create this, oh, you're part of a community now. You have a stake in these people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
You love them and they love you. So only one dude played this game correctly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
See, that's the schmucky part. Don't pretend that they're like your daughters. They're not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
It's a competition show. See, people are going to watch me and my take on this, and they're going to be like, how dare you be so cruel? It's a competition show. This is like saying that Patrick Mahomes should deliberately throw interceptions to achieve fairness in the Super Bowl. It is a competition show. There are winners and there are losers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
If you don't buy into the premise of the show, don't go on the show. If you went on the show to make friends, you need to have a better life. That's all. The latest episode of Beast Game, episode number nine, player 566 was sent home in this episode.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
used an obscene meme online. Are they really upset about? No, what they're really upset about is because the only kids that they want to succeed are the theater kids. The ones who actually build things, who are good at things, who have a skillset. Those ones are the bad ones. So David Hogg is like the perfect example of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So there are six players left and Mr. Beast gave the final six contestants a chance to flip a coin to double the money available, making it $10 million available to the pool as opposed to $5 million. If you flip wrong, you're eliminated. And the episode ends with somebody flipping the coin, but you don't see what happens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Okay, now, again, it is perfectly rational to both flip the coin and not flip the coin. Either decision is perfectly rational. Basic expected return calculation here. You have a one in six chance of winning $5 million, or you have a one in 12 chance of winning $10 million. Okay, that's the same expected value. So whether you flip the coin or whether you don't flip the coin,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Just in terms of risk assessment, it's irrelevant. Your expected value at the end is exactly the same. So there's no moral component to that. There's nothing that makes you better or worse for flipping the coin or not flipping the coin or even makes you smarter or not as smart for not flipping the coin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
A Hollywood reporter reports that professional TV reviewers have called this a sad reflection of our modern times. One of the most undignified spectacles ever shown on TV. A deafening, joyless cash dash. I don't know. If you see it as a sort of social experiment that just reveals preferences, then it's kind of interesting that way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The only thing that would make it joyless is if you expect that all these people are not in a competition show and really it's like you battling members of your family. But it ain't. It isn't. It'd be a joyless competition show if this was like you doing this to your own kids, not some random people who you're in a stated competition show with. All righty. That's the analysis of Beast Games.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
All righty, guys. Coming up, we're going to go through a couple of big trailers released this week. After all, it's a Friday. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
David Hogg, or Stickman Hogg, as I will call him from now on, since he is both a stick figure of a person when it comes to his physical stature, as well as his intellectual representation of left-wing ideas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
So David Hogg tweeted out, he's now the vice chair of the DNC, by the way, at the age of 24, based on his varied accomplishments, which include getting into Harvard with a low SAT score because he went to a school where a school shooting took place, not running a failed pillow company,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
and tweeting inane nonsense for years while claiming that he was sort of immune from any criticism because, again, a school shooting took place at a school that he went to when he was in high school. He tweeted out, quote, yeah, let's let a 19-year-old who goes by Big Balls handle the situation. Very confidence-inspiring.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
He's 24, and he's never done anything in his entire life, anything of value in his entire life, and he's somehow the vice chair of the DNC. I will point out at this point, by the way, that the relative youth of technologists is in fact a hallmark of successful technologists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Charlie Cook, who is one of the editors over at National Review, he points out that Page and Brin created Google at 24, Zuckerberg launched Facebook at 19, Steve Jobs started Apple at 21. It's kind of a hallmark of genius that it starts to be productive very, very early in life. It is a hallmark of democratic children, their child heroes, that they are not productive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
This has come to a head today because the left has decided that the worst young people in existence work for Elon Musk's doge. And this has specifically become a central feature of the democratic angst because there is one young person in particular, a young technologist. who is being targeted by Wired Magazine and now the entire unified left. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They don't do anything useful except yell at the adults. All they are are cuter versions of older Democrats at your HOA, which is why David Hogg became famous in the first place. Remember, he became famous for yelling at the adults to do something, to do something about gun violence. He didn't have any solutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
He didn't have anything of value to say, but he was a young person who was yelling all the things Democrats wanted to hear. Here was David Hogg back in the day, and this is the reason why he is currently the vice chair, Stickman Hogg. He's currently the vice chair of the DNC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
He did not, in fact, change the world. Isn't that a fascist salute right there? Why is he making a fascist salute at the March for Our Lives in 2019? A fascist is now apparently the vice chair of the DNC. Remember, he was celebrated. He was made into a national hero. He's put on the cover of Time magazine with his friends from Parkland, many of whom, by the way, do not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I know some of the former Parkland kids who are now adults, many of them not real fans of David Hogg. In any case, that guy is now the vice chair of the DNC. He was championed by the left specifically because he was young and he never did anything. He just yelled the things they wanted to hear. This is why Greta Thunberg was nominated for the Nobel Prize.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
That moronic Swedish now woman who I can make fun of because she's over the age of 18. The rule is that you can't make fun of anybody under 18. She's well over 18, even if she dresses like she's under 18. and still wears around the pigtails and the braid and pretends that she is, you know, a child still. She's the oldest child.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
She's going to be 80 years old walking around pretending she's a 16-year-old while shouting at the evil adults for ruining the world. Greta wasn't a big one for freedom, but this country was founded on freedom. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy overpriced tea, then tried blockading us when we dumped their stupid tea into the ocean. How'd that work out for you, England?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan of just $45 a month, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Unlimited talk, text, 25 gigs of data, and mobile hotspot at a fraction of the price of the big guys. And so if I trust Pure Talk for my calls... You should as well. The clarity is excellent. The price is great. Go check them out. PureTalk.com slash PureUnclaimed, your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from PureTalk, America's wireless company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Also, during tax season, your sensitive information travels through countless hands and systems, from payroll to tax preparers to data centers, before it reaches the IRS. Every stop is a potential vulnerability. Your W-2 contains exactly what identity thieves need to wreak havoc on your life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Because this young technologist is known online as Big Balls. Yes, that's a meme. It turns out that many of the people who are in sort of online meme world, which is Elon Musk's domain. Elon is the king of meme world. That if you are in that world, you tend to throw out silly memes, foolish names for yourself, silly nicknames.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
It's no surprise the IRS reported a 20% spike in tax-related identity theft last year, and this is where LifeLock comes in. Their advanced system monitors millions of data points every second, catching threats that you might miss on your own. And if the worst happens, LifeLock's US-based restoration specialists have your back, supported by their million-dollar protection package.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They'll fix your stolen identity, guaranteed, or you get your money back. One of my producers, Jess, currently uses LifeLock. She's emphasized the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the experts are always monitoring her sensitive information for suspicious activity. Don't let identity thieves turn your tax season into their payday. Instead, get the protection you need with LifeLock.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Join right now. Save up to 40% off your very first year of membership. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and mention promo code Ben or visit LifeLock.com slash Ben and save up to 40% today. Terms apply again. LifeLock.com slash Ben to save 40% today. Meanwhile, this person whose politics are absolutely disgusting, I mean, ranging from shut down capitalism, destroy it utterly to root for Hamas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They nominated her for a Nobel Prize and told us she was a moral clarion voice because she yelled at the adults. These are the kinds of young people the Democrats want. Young people who yell at the adults without ever attempting to actually do anything productive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The productive kids who are out in the back room, you know, actually coding and figuring out how things work and then using those powers in order to go through government waste and fraud if they call themselves big balls online. Whoa, whoa, stop it all. Shut it down.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
If you are a 16-year-old Swedish child who drops out of high school to travel around yelling at adults about why capitalism is bad, then we give you the Nobel Prize, according to the left. Here's a flashback to Greta, how dare you? Thunberg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I just want to point out, you worshipped this person. This bluster bag filled with nonsense and emotive stupidity. You worshipped this. You said this person is worthy of listening to with no skill set other than lecturing adults. So, yeah, I'm going to take it with a grain of salt. And when I say a grain, I mean like an ocean filled, like a dead sea filled with salt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
I'm going to take with your recommendation that because a dude called himself big balls in a meme online, that that somehow makes him unable to go through government waste and fraud. Now, in the end, the truth is what Democrats really want is not just young people who are theater kids. They want that lifestyle extended over the entire course of adult life. They want permanent Greta Thunberg.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
They want permanent David Hogg. That's what they want. They want people who never build anything, who never do anything useful. What they want is people who are perennially 16 and complaining about the world. And by the way, ruining their own lives in the process. A perfect example of this sort of person is a representative from Michigan. named Lori Pohutsky. Lori Pohutsky is not a young person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Lori Pohutsky is 36, which in the old days would have put you squarely in sort of the lower middle-aged category. Lori Pohutsky announced yesterday that she had undergone surgery to ensure that you'd never have to navigate a pregnancy in Donald Trump's America and thus had sterilized herself. Perennial childhood, perennial lack of responsibility, and then blaming the system for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
Now, you might say to yourself, wait, hold up. You know, there are many things that human beings can do, it turns out, to avoid getting pregnant. I mean, that is just a fact. You might say to yourself that Michigan abortion law is actually quite permissive, that actually the Michigan Constitution guarantees a right to an abortion. Yeah, but that's not the point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
And meanwhile, you're using AI technology to decode thousands of years old memes. encrypted Greek texts, basically. So you're doing genius things, but also you're doing super stupid things by calling yourself big balls on LinkedIn. Apparently, Wired is very angry about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2134 - Democrats Fear BIG BALLS!
The point is yelling at the system and then harming yourself in the process is heroism on the left. It is Greta Thunberg forever. It is 80-year-old Greta Thunberg filling the Democratic Party. So yeah, I'm not going to take you seriously that you're very, very upset over big balls going through the budget at the transportation department for waste and fraud. The answer is no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, folks, it's drinking from a fire hose. Tons of news on the economy. We'll get to all of it momentarily. Remember, Daily Wire Plus is the place you are going to get people telling you the unvarnished truth. Here, we are a facts-based company. We try to do things that are facts-based. If you are facts-based, if you just want. the unvarnished truth, then join us here at Daily Wire Plus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And trade deficits are not, again, a good substitute for an explanation of why that's bad for the United States. Trade deficits finance virtually our entire debt load. Because let's say that we are buying more from another country than they are buying from us. They take those dollars. Those dollars are used as the world's reserve currency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And those dollars are very often traded for the American bonds that finance our debt. And then the talking points, again, these are the talking points distributed by the White House to allies in Congress. Gone are the days of America being taken advantage of. There's a new sheriff in town and trade is a core issue in restoring American strength on the global stage. Again, that's nice rhetoric.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
I don't know what it means. President Trump is correcting longstanding trade imbalances caused by non-reciprocal trade relations by imposing tariffs to level the playing field. Again, if we're talking reciprocal, fine, but it's not clear what reciprocality means at this point other than other countries need to buy more of our goods even if they don't have tariffs on us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So it's kind of a mishmash of various rationales. Now, to steel man what's going on here, there is the sort of Scott Besson theory of the case, the Treasury Secretary, who, again, knows economics really well. Besson is an excellent Treasury Secretary. The case that he has been making is a more sophisticated case, and it's laid out well by a policy analyst named Tanvi Ratna.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Tanvi Ratna is quoted by the investor extraordinaire Bill Ackman. Here's what she writes today. Trump's new tariffs aren't a trade tweak. They're the first move in a full spectrum reset. $9.2 trillion in debt matures in 2025. Inflation lingers. Alliances are shifting. One announcement just set a dozen wheels in motion. Here's what really is happening. Start with the debt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
$9.2 trillion must be refinanced in 2025. If rolled into 10-year bonds, every one basis point drop in rates saves approximately $1 billion a year. So a 0.5% drop would save $500 billion over a decade. Lower yields for a fiscal room. Without them, core spending gets crowded out. So the basic idea here is that what we need to do is drop bond yields. So scare the crap out of people in the markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
They move their money into what they think are more secure bonds. And in doing so, they decrease the bond yields. meaning that the demand for bonds goes up. When the demand for bonds goes up, it means that you can basically refinance the American debt. People are going to buy American debt at lower interest rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And that means that when we pay off those interest rates, it will cost us less money. So as she says, how to push yields down with sticky inflation and a cautious Fed? Manufacture uncertainty. You sweep in with tariffs. You spook the markets. You trigger a risk-off. Money exits stocks, floods into long-term treasuries, a deliberate detox to cool the economy and cut refinancing costs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
market suffered its steepest decline since 2020 on fears that President Trump's new tariff plans would trigger a global trade war and drag the United States economy into a recession, according to the Wall Street Journal. Major stock indices dropped as much as 6% on Thursday. Stocks lost roughly $3.1 trillion in market value. That is their largest one-day decline since March 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And then you have to cut the deficit, and this is where Elon Musk and Doge are coming in. With these savings, says Tanviratna, the big economic pillar to successfully deliver on Secretary Besson's 3-3-3 plan is to get growth up. Tariffs come in as a trigger for domestic industrial revival. The thing is, by making imports expensive, you create room for U.S. producers to step in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But here is the problem. It takes a while for American factories to scale up overnight. In the meantime, they're offering near-term relief, like, for example, tax cuts or currency devaluation. And the idea is the tariffs might bring in additional revenue. But as Ratna points out, this approach is not without risks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
If domestic supply chains can't catch up or if global retaliation kicks in, inflation could start rising again. If that happens, then the Fed actually raises rates, which blows a hole in the low-yield plan. That's the tightrope. And not only that, tariffs could serve as leverage to renegotiate terms in terms of military deals with other countries, bilateral deals.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
This is sort of, again, the strong case for the tariffs is that this is the beginning of a much more sophisticated strategy designed to essentially lower yields on bonds that we don't have to pay back as much in interest on our national debt and set the stage for reciprocal trade deals that are going to lower tariffs on both sides. If that's the plan, somebody ought to spell it out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Again, one of the big problems here is that they're not spelling out exactly what they want to do, what President Trump's plan is. Ratna sums this up well. She says, if it works, it's a defining success. That is more under control. Manufacturing reborn. Global leverage restored. Trump is vindicated in 2026. If it fails, you get inflation, retaliation, lost midterms, and strategic drift.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So that seems like a pretty good analysis of the case. Which one do you think is more likely? And the problem, of course, is that with total uncertainty, the chances of things like inflation go up. With other countries retaliating, other countries have a say here in how this goes. If those other countries come on bended knee to President Trump and offer him a bunch of concessions, then okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But the administration isn't really being clear what it is looking for right now. So the administration is sending some mixed signals. On the one hand, President Trump is now suggesting that this is all prelude to negotiations, which, OK, fine. I mean, hopefully he has some amazing negotiations out of this. There's some early indicators that maybe you will.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Javier Mele is already attempting to make a deal with President Trump. Bibi Netanyahu in Israel is attempting to make a deal with President Trump, pretty obviously. Here's President Trump saying everybody's calling him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And of course, March 2020, was COVID. And this is not being inflicted by an external shock, like, for example, COVID. This is being inflicted by a deliberate choice by the Trump administration. In a little while, I'm going to try and steel man the Trump administration's position. What's sort of the best case scenario for the thing that they are shooting for with these tariffs?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So maybe this is dealmaking, prelude to dealmaking, which is kind of what I suggested yesterday. That's the probable path that this is on. So it's not going to be quite as bad as advertised unless they just keep sticking with it. But meanwhile, again, the market does not like mixed signals. Peter Navarro, the president's trade advisor, was saying no negotiations. It's not a negotiation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So it's not a negotiation, but maybe it is a negotiation. Well, how are countries to know? Because if they think that it's not a negotiation, they're immediately going to reshift their trade relationships toward, wait for it, China. And the mixed signals are part of the problem. The messaging is part of the problem. President Trump is usually pretty open about what exactly he is looking for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And so far, he has not been saying that he is looking for off-ramps with all of these countries. His negotiation is possible, but countries that have already offered an off-ramp Again, I use Israel as the key example here because they actually did it. They literally just said zero tariffs and then they got hit with a 17% tariff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, a lot remains unclear, but there is something that should be clear to you. You need better sleep quality. There's something deeply satisfying about a good spring refresh while decluttering and storing away winter items makes a difference. Refreshing your bed might be the most rewarding change of all.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
They really do have an incredible softness that puts you in instant relaxation mode. What really impressed me is how they get softer with every single wash. I didn't think that was possible, but after a few months, they felt even more luxurious than when I first got them. Believe me, I've tried other premium sheets before. These are just way better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
In fact, we got rid of all of our other sheets in the house. We only have a bowl and branch. The best part, they're woven with the finest 100% organic cotton on earth with designs and colors for every mattress size and bedroom style so you can find the perfect fit this spring. Upgrade your sleep during Bowl & Branch's annual spring event. For a limited time, get 20% off at bowlandbranch.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
That's bowlandbranch, B-O-L-L-A-N-D, branch.com. Take 20% off site-wide for a limited time. Exclusions apply. See site for details. Also, You know what's funny? Well, when I started Daily Wire, I thought the hard part would be creating the awesome content. It turns out the actual pain in the butt is the hiring, HR policies, employee issues, the behind-the-scenes stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
That's what eats up your time. I know I'm not alone. When you're a business owner, every second of your time is incredibly valuable. So don't waste your energy and risk losing money dealing with time-sucking payroll issues and HR infractions. Focus on what matters most. running your business with help from Bambi. Here's what makes Bambi different.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The market this morning, again, opened down very steeply. Investors obviously are not sanguine about the situation. There was a good jobs report that came out for March. The employment report came out at 228,000 jobs added in March, which was more than forecast. Of course, that is a backward looking report.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
They give you access to your very own dedicated HR manager at a fraction of what it costs to employ someone full-time. And get this, Bambi costs just 29 bucks a month, but you have 10, 75, and 100 employees. If I had Bambi when I was first building this team, it would have saved me a lot of time, a lot of headaches.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Instead of getting bogged down with paperwork and compliance issues, we could have focused on growing the show, connecting with the audience even more than we did. With Bambi's HR Autopilot, you'll never have to waste your valuable time getting into the weeds of HR policies, onboarding, or terminations again. Plus, Bambi is month-to-month, no hidden fees. You can cancel anytime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Right now, get one month of Bambi for just $1. Go to Bambi.com, type in Ben Shapiro under Podcast to schedule your first call with an HR manager right now. That's one month of Bambi for just $1 at B-A-M-B-E.com. Ben Shapiro Podcast. Well, the administration, again, is I think trying to, let's put it this way. They're drawing on heavy political capital here. They're basically saying, trust us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
It's trust us. Well, markets are not in the business of trust us. Markets are in the business of trying to take in the best available information and then spit out what people think is going to happen next. President Trump, he says that he is confident the markets are going to boom. The question is when, right? If it's not soon, that's going to be a problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, well, okay, that's the case. And then that is the case that Caroline Lovett was making yesterday at the White House. She said that there was not going to be pain incurred. Again, you're getting mixed signals here. Here's Caroline Lovett saying no pain, right? So there are two messages.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
You need pain in order to get long-term gain, and then there will be no pain message, and they're kind of in conflict. This won't be painful at all for American people and consumers, Caroline? No.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
OK, meanwhile, J.D. Vance is saying we're not going to be able to fix things overnight. Obviously, by the way, American workers are also American consumers. They're the same. You have a job and you also consume things. Here's the vice president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So it didn't have a massive impact on the markets today because people are saying, well, yeah, I mean, the economy was doing fine. And then Donald Trump decided to take a giant stick and stick it right in the bicycle spokes. That is what the market is saying right now. Now, again, that data came as a bit of a surprise because economists were expecting it to be a little bit slower.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, well, this is a pretty big gamble here. I mean, not immediate. American politics works in terms of immediacy. The stock market continued to tank today. People are looking at that and they are not sanguine about it. Is hiring going to be up this month based on these sort of expectations of what could come next or fear of what's going to come next?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And politicians, by the way, work on two year cycles. They work on 18 month cycles increasingly. A multiplicity of Republican senators have now come out and said, listen, we don't like this very much. It has not been spelled out to us why this is necessary. The strategy has not been explained to us. What's the deal?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So Senator Rand Paul, who, of course, is a free market libertarian on this sort of stuff, he said this is clearly a tax.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, but you say, well, you know, Rand Paul is always taking this sort of contra position whenever it comes to government action. He's sort of out there on his own, except he's not. So, for example, Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas has been a pretty solid Trump ally. Here he was saying this is a risky thing that is happening here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Senator Ted Cruz, who has been a really solid Trump ally ever since he lost the primaries in 2016 to President Trump. He's been on the Trump bandwagon since then, basically. Here's Ted Cruz saying, well, actually, this is a tax on consumers because it is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
This came amid a federal jobs decline. So normally this would be like a point of giant celebration for the Trump administration. Jobs increase, federal jobs go down. But the problem, of course, is that policy just radically changed. So looking at the jobs report based on a time when there were not these sorts of tariffs, that is not comparable to what is going to happen next.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, so again, I think that's everybody's hope in the Senate. What's actually going to happen in Congress? So the Senate's a different story. Senators, they can say what they want because they've already moved to basically put limitations. Chuck Grassley put forward a bill that says if there's no congressional renewal of this in 60 days, this stuff should just go away.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But the House of Representatives would have to sign on. There's a massive misalignment of incentives in the House of Representatives. Let's say that this tariff regime does not go particularly well. And let's say that President Trump is willing because he's not up for reelect. Let's say that he's willing to do the thing. House Republicans are going to be split.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Many House Republicans are going to say, listen, I'm going to lose my seat in the next election cycle because of this deliberately created tariff policy. So I don't like this very much. But if Speaker Johnson were to step in and try to stop the tariff policy, there would undoubtedly be a Trumpist insurrection inside the Republican caucus to overthrow him. And you'd get another speaker fight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So basically, Trump better be right is what I got to say here. Like either they better move off of this pretty quickly with bilateral trade deals or he better be right. The problem here, the real problem here is that other countries have a say. And many of those other countries not only don't like President Trump, they are not particularly fond of the United States these days.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And that does not just mean China. China, of course, was going to retaliate. China has now put forward sanctions. a 34% tariff on American products, a direct response to President Trump's 34% tariff on China. And listen, I have no problem with tariffing China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
I think that a trade war with China, so long as we are broadening and opening our trade relationships with everybody else, isolating China, economically speaking, is actually not a terrible thing. But the reason that China is doing that is because China is now stepping into the breach with our allies. This is why we should not be treating Canada the way we treat China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
We should not be treating the EU the way we treat China. Some of these places are allies of the United States and some of these places are enemies of the United States. But... In a lot of these countries that are led by people who don't like President Trump very much, they are perfectly willing to make time with the Chinese. I take, for example, Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
It is of great annoyance to me that Pierre Poliev, who's a terrific candidate for the Conservative Party, is now lagging in the polls thanks to this trade war that President Trump declared on Canada. And Mark Carney, who is the definition of a global elite, he's the definition of a globalist elite, this guy who was put in place by Justin Trudeau's party,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
He's out there excited as all hell about the trade war. Why? Because now he gets to reorient Canada away from the United States and toward China. So here is Mark Carney, who could not be more celebratory about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So investors are freaking out. The Wall Street Journal quotes a man named Rob Citrone, a 60-year-old hedge fund manager, watching from his Orlando, Florida home as President Trump announced his plans. He says, I should have sold more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So, is Canada going to change direction? Or does Mark Carney actually like the tariff war because the tariff war is keeping him in competition with Pierre Poliev? How about the UK? Do we think that Keir Starmer is going to come on bended knee to President Trump? If so, why would he?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Because again, the sort of internationalization of the populist movement means that people like Keir Starmer are going to oppose that no matter what, even if it means economic damage to his own country. Here's Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the UK.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Meanwhile, by the way, Emmanuel Macron in France, he is urging everybody not to cut bilateral deals with the Trump administration because the Trump administration has taken the side of Marine Le Pen, who's his chief opposition. And so he is hoping that actually the trade war will escalate. Other countries have a say in how the trade war goes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And so there is this idea that no one will stand up to the United States and our economic power. And that's a gamble because there are a lot of places that don't like the United States very much. Ursula von der Leyen, who's the leader of the EU, she was saying that the global economy is going to suffer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So let's say that this doesn't result in other countries lowering their tariffs immediately. It results in other countries increasing their tariffs. You're likely to actually get price inflation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The interest rates that President Trump would like to drop, those interest rates presumably actually stick or go higher, which undermines the thing that he's trying to do with the national debt, presumably. It's a, what's happening right now is a major gamble at best. The best way to characterize it is a major gamble by the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Across Wall Street, money managers, brokers, bankers were reeling from what many described as an unprecedented shock, fearing it marked an end to the market's post-COVID rally. They might have lived through a bigger market swing, but this one, induced by a U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Now, maybe the gamble pays off, but what that's gonna rely upon is President Trump making deals now. Now it's deal maker time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Because if it just continues to be confusion, or if this administration is just, has a vested interest in the idea that tariffs themselves enrich countries, and it's totally unclear what the case here is, or whether there is a good feedback loop that would allow President Trump to adjust, Again, I think President Trump lives in reality. I think if the headlines are bad, he adjusts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
We just don't know. And uncertainty is, again, its own form of economic risk. And investors know that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So again, to sort of explain the steel man theory of what President Trump is doing right here, I asked my friend, perplexity AI sponsor of the show, how much would the cost of America's debt service drop over the next year if the yields on the 10-year treasuries drop from 4.75%, which is what they were in January or so, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
president bent on establishing a new paradigm for global trade at the expense of both rivals and allies, felt incomparable because of the result of deliberate policy. And this is the part, again, that is freaking out markets. Markets can price in external shocks pretty quickly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But if the question is you don't know what's going to happen next from the White House, people pull out their money in fear at what's going to happen next. So one strategy is hold on for your life. And let's be clear, I'm not giving investment strategy because I'm not legally capable of doing so. However, a long-term investment strategy says leave your money where it is over the long haul.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Don't sell during a dip is a pretty good piece of advice. How long and prolonged that dip is, is another question. But if you have the ability to hold for long periods of time, then obviously that is a better investment strategy than selling as the prices decline.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
As far as the idea that this was going to have a salutary impact on job creation in the United States, the early indicators are at best mixed. Stellantis, for example, has now temporarily laid off 900 workers in the United States. This of course led to criticism from the UAW. The UAW is very happy about the tariffs until precisely the moment the economic effects of the tariffs are felt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
,,,,,,, in P P P P P P P P P實 ac la , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , sol a Everybody started talking about, hey, maybe we shouldn't actually do all these environmental reviews before we rebuild all the housing in Pacific Palisades and all this kind of thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But the problem is that just as a general matter, the conservative argument would be when you have a giant grab bag of cash that becomes the government and power that becomes the government, people are going to lobby for that cash and that regulatory power. And the people who are elected, are going to be answerable to a lot of those people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
If you're looking at labor regulations, for example, many of the labor regulations are being effectively indirectly written by unions that contribute to the members of Congress or to the governor or state senator to whom they're contributing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
I think that the conservative argument would be the reason to minimize government in the areas where you don't have to have it would be because it is almost an inevitability, unless you're going to declare an emergency into what you're talking about, which starts to verge on possible tyranny.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Now, remember, this sort of economic policy High tariffs, big trade wars. Unless there is some sort of ancillary rationale for them, they are on their face not good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Because, I mean, again, one of the things that happens here is the more public input there is, the more you get everything on the bagel, the less public input, the less you get everything on the bagel. And so you start to run into some pretty dicey questions about the power, the singular power of government. How do you divest the people from having a say?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And by the people, I mean various lobbying groups and various industry groups. And then is the best way to do that just to deprive the government of the cash and base yourself more on market-based solutions?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Thomas Sowell, who is the best economist of our time and a man who deserves plaudits for being sort of the heir to Frederick Hayek and the entire Vienna School of Economics, here he was yesterday, the wisest man in America, explaining what he thought about President Trump's tariff regime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So let's talk briefly about the two parties. Obviously, I agree with a lot of your characterization of what you just discussed. I think there is a much heavier tendency in the Republican Party and has historically been toward supply-side-ism, toward the idea that you need to increase supply.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And this is true everywhere in sort of the right-wing focus on how do doctors get paid to how do we get rid of regulation. It seems like the left – What wing is left of the Democratic Party at this point that you would say is rich in abundance liberalism? I can spot abundance conservatives everywhere. Some of them are in hiding. Some of them are being pretty quiet right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But I think that if you poll the vast majority of people who voted for Republicans, they would actually agree with – a sort of abundant supply side conservatism because that is kind of in the bones of the Reagan. The Reagan bones are still part of the skeleton of the Republican Party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The Democratic Party has moved so far to the left in a lot of different ways that it feels like it's going to be a while in the wilderness before Democrats realize they have to engage with the sort of arguments that you're making.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So he shouted. every book out ever written in his 25 hours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The fight for the country is happening right now. Be a part of it at dailywireplus.com slash subscribe. As I suggest, tons of economics news breaking. Yesterday, of course, was a horrifying day in the stock market. And people who are attempting to play this game where they say, well, you know, the stock market taking a massive dump. That's okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
That's the last point, and I know you – I know we have to run here, but I think that's the last point. The coalition of the Democratic Party is not conducive yet to the kind of change that you're talking about.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The Biden administration, even if you assume what you're assuming here, which is that they wanted to build things between the environmentalist side of their coalition and the DEI side of their coalition and the sort of generalized... you know, interest group nature of the Democratic coalition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
It made it nearly impossible for them to do any of these things without stacking up the kinds of regulation, even in the Build Back Better bill, for example, that they would need to ignore in order to actually get done the things they were saying they wanted to get done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, and of course, Sowell would know better than anyone else, and he happens to be correct. There's also the problem that while the Trump administration can maintain that America is not just about the cheap and plentiful products, it turns out that Americans actually do like affordable and plentiful products. And Jimmy Carter tried this routine as well during his malaise speech.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, the book is Abundance. Ezra Klein is the co-author, along with Derek Thompson. Ezra, really appreciate the time. Congrats on the book.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Meanwhile, in other weird news from the White House, apparently President Trump had Laura Loomer in. You remember Laura Loomer? She was actually kicked off Air Force One on 9-11 because she was flying with the president. There were a lot of his aides who were really kind of upset about it. It wasn't Air Force One, it was Trump Force One. He wasn't elected yet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And people were upset that Loomer was traveling with the president. They were saying that she was saying kind of wild things to the president. There's a lot of speculation about the kind of advice she was giving the president. And of course, she had some tweets about 9-11 that were bad tweets. And and so the president sort of said, well, she doesn't need to be on the plane anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, she was welcome back to the White House where she proceeded to apparently unfurl a list of people in the National Security Council that she, Laura Loomer, believed were not loyal to President Trump. And he promptly fired a bunch of them. That seems to be the best read on this story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
There's an all-purpose term that is used by people who try to oust people inside the Trump circle, and that is neocon. And so she basically just apparently labeled a bunch of people neocons who are not in fact neocons. Neocon is a specific designation for people who were Democrats in the 1960s and 70s. And then they became conservative, hence neocon. They were new conservatives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Liberals were mugged by reality, used to be the description of neocons. And then during the Bush administration, the neocons were associated with the sort of Wilsonian view of American foreign policy, where we needed to transform Iraq into a democracy where America was a nation-building country. And that wing of the Republican Party is just gone. It does not exist anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
No one in the Republican Party, no one believes in nation-building by the United States. that the United States needs 100-year occupations of places and full-scale nation-building. It's a much more pragmatic Republican party. The term neocon is just thrown around now to mean people that President Trump shouldn't like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And it's usually thrown around by people who very often don't even agree with President Trump's foreign policy because they would term it neocon because it's too peace through strength, quote unquote, interventionist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
In any case, Laura Loomer apparently labeled a bunch of people disloyal to President Trump inside the National Security Infrastructure and four National Security Council aides were then fired overnight. Two other National Security Council aides were let go on Sunday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Those staffers worked on a series of portfolios, including intelligence, India, congressional affairs, and the impact of technology security. Two people added this was the latest round of firings. There will be at least 10 people ousted from the NSC by the end of the second round. And during a Wednesday meeting in the Oval Office, Loomer told the president she had concerns about some of his staff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And President Trump then said she makes recommendations, and sometimes I listen to those recommendations. Let's just say, I hope the staffing protocols at the White House are stronger than single recommendations by Laura Loomer. I think that that is probably not the best way to staff an administration. Let's just leave it at that. And meanwhile, in lighter news, in cultural news,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
You know, I understand. The markets are putting me in a bad mood. Also, I want President Trump's plans to succeed. As I've said a thousand times here on the show, President Trump is doing too much important work for all of it to be waylaid by bad things happening. And so I'm in a bit of a bad mood. I'll be honest with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, Americans need to spiritually buck up, even if things are worse for them economically. It turns out this is not a popular selling point. Here is Harry Anton on CNN explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But I decided to do something that put me in even a worse mood, and that was I watched the new preview for Superman that was put out by James Gunn. Now, as you all know, not a huge James Gunn fan. Fine in Guardians of the Galaxy when it's all sort of like ridiculous humor, kind of gonzo humor. People unsurfaced his old tweets that were kind of jokey, ugly tweets in early days of Twitter.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
James Gunn, based on those old tweets, was actually fired by Marvel. And I will say that I publicly supported the idea that he should be rehired because you shouldn't cancel people based on jokes that they made back when Twitter was a jokier place. And now he's directing the new Superman movie. And we can watch this preview together. It sucks. It's bad. I hate to break it to you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
It's just, it's terrible. Here we go. So for those who can't see, Superman is wounded and he is lying on the snow. The original preview, it just showed at this point Crypto the dog arriving, but this preview is much longer. Here comes Crypto. He whistles for Crypto, the super dog. So Crypto arrives and then Crypto proceeds to, for well over a minute, beat the living hell out of Superman.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
He's screaming in pain as Crypto jumps on him. and continues to nudge him, bite him. Okay, I don't see the purpose of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So this is not dramatic, it's just silly and ridiculous. And then finally Crypto figures out that he needs to take Superman back to the Fortress of Solitude. Every James Gunn joke is a Monty Python joke, just lasts three times too long. So now Crypto is dragging Superman's prone body through the snow back toward the Fortress of Solitude, which arises from the Arctic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And it's a cool-looking Fortress of Solitude, I'll give you that. But don't worry, it gets worse. Once Superman is brought inside, a team of robots, presumably of Kryptonian origin, then starts to handle him, and they have one of the most nonsensical exchanges in any James Gunn movie, which is to say pretty nonsensical. Here come the robots. They pick him up and they're carrying him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, and then they're gonna hit Superman with magnifying glass. All right. And now he's painfully absorbing the sun, which apparently was not available before. So the sun, which, as we all know, illuminates the Earth, which is the planet we are currently spinning on. Apparently, only the magnifying glass could make Superman better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
We will notice the obvious incongruity of one robot explaining that the robots have no feelings, and then the female robot being giggly, like a little girl at Superman. The entire attitude here is wrong. The entire attitude is wrong. Okay, the gold standard for Superman movies remains the original Superman in the late 70s by Richard Donner. By far the best Superman movie, not close.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Better than Man of Steel, significantly better. Because it gets right the idea that there is a solemnity to Superman, that he is supposed to be the embodiment of America. And then the second half of the movie shifts into a more comic book humorous mode. And it's very, the color palette is very rich. and very bright. Man of Steel, they basically desaturate the entire film.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So the entire color palette is grayscale and kind of ugly and dark, and the entire character of Superman is much darker. The... Attitude here is totally wrong. It's just Guardians of the Galaxy and a Superman suit. And that ticks me off. It really does. Because as a lifelong fan of the Superman brand, let me just say that it's not that hard to get Superman right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
He's supposed to be the embodiment of everything cool and heroic about America. And of course, he's supposed to be charming as well. That's the whole shtick. So you don't need full-scale James Gunn. He's the same character as essentially Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy. And all the jokes are the same as a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. It's silly and stupid and bad. Do not like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Two thumbs down. Very disappointed. Ugh. Angry. Okay, so I was going to be put in a better mood by that, and then I was just put in a worse mood by that. In other news, Wicked for Good, which is the second part of Wicked, the footage has now been presented to attendees at CinemaCon in Las Vegas by Universal. So, as I said, I liked Wicked Part 1.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
I'm sure Wicked Part 2 will be good, although I assume they filmed these things at the same time. I would hope so, because unfortunately, both leading actresses seem to be starving themselves into submission. I mean, they really look rough out there. Meanwhile, Spider-Man 4 has been... The release of it has been announced July 31st, 2026.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
That is one week after Christopher Nolan's new film, The Odyssey, which again, I'm up for anything Christopher Nolan. John Wick 5 has been announced. And I'm hoping that the John Wick 5 is better than John Wick 4. As you know, I was a little disappointed in John Wick 4. You can go back and see my YouTube review of it. Obviously, he wasn't dead at the end of John Wick 4. That was obviously clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
There was a joke going around, however. He was supposed to be dead. They're at his grave. And so John Wick 5, John Wick in Hell, was, I thought, a pretty funny pitch. There's a Naked Gun reboot that is coming. Now, again, I think it's kind of sad that the Zucker brothers weren't involved in the Naked Gun reboot. They're the ones who are responsible for the first Naked Gun.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
There's one funny joke in the Naked Gun reboot, and it's about O.J. Simpson. It's a pretty good joke.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And that joke put me in a better mood. It did. And then I found out that Greta Gerwig's Netflix adaptation of The Magician's Nephew, which is the first book in C.S. Lewis's Narnia series, The person who they are thinking about casting as Aslan, who is supposed to be very obviously a metaphor for Jesus. There's no question. It's clear in the books.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And that is going to be only more true if the economy actually declines on the back of all of this, the stock market, and then more broadly, the economy, employment, investment opportunity, problems with mortgages. One of the big problems here is that, of course, there's a lot of corporate debt in America. Companies operate on marginal growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
I mean, down to the resurrection of Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The voice is now going to be Meryl Streep, which makes no sense at all on a character level. It makes no sense at all on a metaphorical level. It's one of the dumbest things you could possibly do. If you want to alienate the entire C.S. Lewis audience, this is the thing you should do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Meanwhile, Charlie XCX is apparently in talks for the role of the White Witch. But why? But why are you doing this? Just adapt it straight. It's not that difficult. It's a good book. Just adapt it straight. This is the same as that ridiculous suggestion a while back that Cynthia Erivo was going to be cast in Jesus Christ Superstar as Jesus. Stop with this stuff. Stop it. Just stop.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
It's stupid and it's insulting and it's gross. And you would never do this with any other religion. You wouldn't. It's ridiculous and annoying and just demonstrative of how Hollywood spits on people who don't believe the things they believe. And then takes classic intellectual property from those spaces and uses it against them. unpleasant, bad, do not like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, you know, the markets were down today. It's been a rough couple of days, but I did want to leave you with a bit of a picker-upper before the weekend. I sat down with Senator Dave McCormick and his wife, Dina Powell McCormick, the authors of a brand new book titled Who Believed in You? How Purposeful Mentorship Changes the World. It is out right now in bookstores.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Here's what our conversation sounded like. Joining us on the line are my friends, Dave McCormick and Dina Powell McCormick. Dave, of course, is Senator from Pennsylvania. And Dina is a senior business executive and former government official who worked in the Trump administration and serves in several leadership roles at Goldman Sachs. Guys, thanks so much for joining the show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
You have a brand new book out that's coming out on April 1st called Who Believed in You? How Purposeful Mentorship Changes the World. So, Senator, let's start with you. Why was this book necessary? What do you think makes this book good for this time?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And if that marginal growth goes away and that corporate debt get called in, you got a problem on your hands. And again, this is being created by the Trump administration As I mentioned yesterday, I mean, I know business people who import products. These are domestic American businesses with American employees, and they have to import their inputs to their products.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So, Dino, you've worked a lot in the private sector, obviously, and the public sector, and you've created a lot of jobs all around the world. How much does mentorship mean with regard to entrepreneurialism?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So, Senator, you went to West Point, you served in the Army during the first Gulf War, and the military is imbued with the sense that the mentorship has to be a part of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Maybe you want to talk about that a little bit, because you can actually see a shift in the way people are thinking about serving in the military, thanks to the sort of new recapitulation of the military's image under the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And they're getting smashed by these tariffs. So President Trump, one of the big problems here also is the level of uncertainty. There's a huge level of uncertainty as to what exactly. President Trump is trying to accomplish.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So Dina, obviously the story, the book, Who Believed in You is filled with tremendous stories. What's your favorite story from the book?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The uncertainty is its own form of risk, because if the markets don't know what President Trump is doing, if they don't have a perspective on how long this is going to last, what the end goal looks like, people start pulling their money.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
So Senator McCormick, and there are a lot of young people who don't know how to take the first step toward finding a mentor. For many of us, a mentor is sort of natural. For me, my father is a mentor. My mom's a mentor. I have lots of people around me. And those of us who are lucky, we have that sort of naturally. But mentorship, you can luck into it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
But for people who are actively seeking a mentor, what's the best way to take a first step?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
People say, listen, I know I'm not supposed to sell into a dip, but I'd rather sell into a dip and have at least some dry powder in the back room than ride this thing out. So President Trump, the White House, they have put out a set of talking points to their allies that was obtained by Politico. And here are their talking points.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Well, the book again is Who Believed in You? How Purposeful Mentorship Changes the World. Available April 1st. Senator McCormick, Dina, great to see both of you and congrats on the book. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
All right, guys, coming up, we'll jump into the mailbag. Remember that you can only actually hear my answers to these questions or ask me a question yourself if you are a member at Daily Wire Plus. Do it right now. Become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months for annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And again, the problem with some of the talking points is that they're mutually exclusive. President Trump is revolutionizing the global trade order to put the American economy, the American worker, and our national security first. Okay, so again, I don't know what revolutionizing the trade order looks like. What is the end goal of the trade order?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
I mean, that doesn't affect... 50% of Americans have stocks. Maybe because they have 401ks. This notion that Main Street is totally disconnected from Wall Street, that it's just a few people at the top of the food chain who are playing with the money, that is not actually true in any way, shape, or form. And, obviously, the stock market...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
If the end goal is everybody goes to zero on their tariffs and non-tariff barriers, sounds great. but totally unclear if that's the case at this point, because again, there are countries that have extraordinarily low tariffs with the United States who just got smashed by these tariff rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The White House continues, foreign trade and economic practice have created a national emergency and President Trump's order imposes responsive tariffs to strengthen the international economic position of the United States and protect American workers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Now, again, it is not true that foreign trade has created a quote-unquote national emergency by any technical terminology with regard to a national emergency. You can say you don't like the trade balance. You can say that you don't like that certain industries have been offshored and you want to reshore them for national security reasons or whatever. It is not a national emergency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The United States economy remains the most powerful economic engine on planet Earth by a long shot. It is not particularly close still. China has bulk, but the United States has actual power. Bulk and power, similar, but they're cousins. They're not exactly the same.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The idea that these are reciprocal tariffs or responsive tariffs, the problem there, again, is if I thought these were responsive tariffs, and I think if the market thought that, it'd be a lot more sanguine because the question is what comes next. Is President Trump going to try to cut bilateral deals with various countries to lower the tariffs back down to zero?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Or is he doing this because he just doesn't like trade deficits? This is the problem I was pointing out yesterday. That giant poster board that he was holding up that showed, quote unquote, tariff rates for various countries on our goods. It's not true. Those were not tariff rates. They had nothing to do with tariffs. Those were trade deficits divided by imports.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Meaning the only way to get those numbers down to zero would be for those other countries to just buy more American products, regardless of whether they are poor or whether they even have tariffs on American products in the first place. It is the equivalent of you saying that you are running a deficit with your grocery store.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
You're running a trade deficit with your grocery store because you gave them money and they gave you goods. And the only way that you're going to achieve parity is by getting the grocery store to buy fan belts from your factory. Well, listen, all of this creates uncertainty. There's a lot, a lot of uncertainty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And in these uncertain economic times, with tariff tensions, recession worries, stubborn inflation, it's no surprise gold prices keep breaking records. Rather than watching from the sidelines during market volatility, consider taking proactive steps to protect your savings. That's why many Americans are connecting with Birch Gold Group.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
They've helped thousands of people convert existing retirement accounts into physical gold IRAs. Wondering if gold might be a smart hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty for you? To learn about owning physical gold in a tax-advantaged account, text BEN to 989898. Birch Gold will send you a free information kit with no obligation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Their A-plus Better Business Bureau rating and numerous five-star reviews reflect why I recommend Birch Gold to help protect your savings through gold investments. The economic challenges we're facing, it took a
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
long time to develop the real questions are how long will recovery take what's going to cost along the way how much uncertainty will there be again gold has always been a hedge against uncertainty there's a lot of uncertainty right now text men to 98 98 98 98 98 98 and connect with birch gold group today the people i trust with my own gold investments text men to 98 98 98 today
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
as a sort of gauge of investor confidence, makes a large-scale difference in availability of liquidity for startups and being able to raise money to, for example, hire new people. If the stock market tanks by half, that's a pretty good indicator, for example, that bad things are happening.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Also, let's talk about that car that you own, but you don't use. You know, the one that's like rusting in front of your house, but you pay to keep it registered and insured. It's taking up space. It's doing no one any good. Well, let me tell you what you could do with that thing, what you should do. You should give cars for kids a call and have them take care of it for you. That's right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Just give them the info and they will come to you as soon as the next day and take that car off your hands at no cost to you. Even better. We'll be right back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
cars4kids.org slash ben remember that's cars with a k no reason for you to keep paying insurance on that old vehicle you ain't doing anything with instead why not give it away get the tax write-off help kids at the same time cars4kids.org slash ben that's cars with a k cars4kids.org slash ben the talking points go on for decades the trade status quo has allowed countries to use unfair trade practices to get ahead at the expense of hard-working americans
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And again, you want to label things that want to get rid of them. I'm using tariffs as leverage. Good tariffs without leverage simply as a way of quote unquote rejiggering the global order. I don't know what you're going for. Neither do the markets. And that's why they're freaking out. The distorted trading system has caused the offshoring of our manufacturing base.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The reality is our manufacturing productivity has gone up significantly since the beginning of NAFTA in 1997. It has risen from about $1.7 trillion to $2.4 trillion, something in that neighborhood. The manufacturing base in the United States in terms of jobs has actually been harmed, not predominantly by offshoring, but by automation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
If you're talking about jobs in factories, why those are going away, the answer is robots. The answer is machinery. That's why you don't see giant assembly lines of humans doing this stuff anymore. You see robots doing this stuff. And here's the thing. Howard Lutnick, who's a big proponent of the tariff strategy over at the Commerce Department, he is saying as much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
He was asked last night on Jesse Waters about reshoring manufacturing from places like Vietnam, which makes T-shirts. And here is Lutnick's answer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
And if the stock market continues to gain steadily, that's an indicator that maybe some good things are happening. And this isn't too tough. It's not too sophisticated. It doesn't mean that every time there's a little bit of a sell-off, it's the end of the world. And it doesn't mean that every time there's a run-up, that means that amazing things are in the brewing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, let's just be clear about this. The robotics are one of the chief reasons for the decline in employment in the manufacturing sector. So if the idea is we bring the factories back here and then robots replace the foreign workers, you might incrementally gain jobs. You're not going to massively gain jobs because most of the work is going to be done by the robots.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Again, there are a bunch of different sort of priorities that are in argument with each other. Because if you don't do that, then the prices on all of those goods and services rise dramatically. If you just do it with American union labor, it's going to be way more expensive for American consumers. OK, other elements of the White House press release, the undermining of critical supply chains.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
That one I agree with. Again, there's good and there's bad in some of the tariff policy, but it's unclear what the rationale is. If we are talking about reshoring critical supply chains, OK, fine. But then you get elimination of export market access. The people are eliminating our ability to export to them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Okay, well, they are likely to raise their tariffs on us right now, and we are starting to see that already, as we'll get to in a moment. They say that this has sold out the American middle class. I showed you yesterday the American middle class has not, in fact, been sold out. Most of the American middle class turned into the upper middle class.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
The decline of small towns across America, the truth, again, is that there are certain towns across America that have declined, and there are other towns across America that have risen. This is a constant throughout American history. Population movement is as old as de Tocqueville.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
De Tocqueville talked routinely about the idea that people would go to a place, build a town, the town would then go defunct, people would move to the next town. And that is not a wonderful thing. It's not an amazing thing. It is a reality of an economy that does not just subsidize you in the place where you are. The White House talking points continue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
What it does mean is that ignoring data is not, in fact, a good form of analysis. The stock market does provide data. And in fact, we have lots of it. investors have been shaken by President Trump's tariff regime. They're not sure what to expect. They're not sure what comes next. There are a lot of conflicting messages coming out of the White House. So yesterday, the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2173 - FALLOUT: Stock Market Drops, Trump Pushes On
Under the Biden administration's watch, our trade deficit soared to $1.2 trillion in 2024. This status quo cannot continue. Okay, well, I mean, if we were just gonna look at the US trade deficit by year, What you will see is that the United States trade deficit was actually quite high during the Trump administration as well. So it wasn't as though it got solved under the Trump administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Questions continue to abound in this horrifying tragedy outside Reagan National Airport where an American Airlines flight coming from Wichita, Kansas was struck by a Blackhawk helicopter. By the way, Blackhawk helicopters are not small helicopters. I'm not talking about like a news helicopter. This is a big helicopter. It is a transport helicopter. It typically carries... VIP guests and such.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So we'll have to see again what exactly is the cause of this particular plane crash. It is certainly the case that the procedures have to change, which is why yesterday President Trump took executive action on aviation DEI, signing a memorandum to end DEI practices in the aviation sector and to assess aviation safety, as well as an executive order to appoint a new head of the FAA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
That is according to The Hill. Trump's new executive actions come in the wake of that deadly midair collision near Ronald Reagan National Airport. The memorandum on DEI orders for newly minted Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and newly appointed Acting FAA Commissioner Christopher Rochelleau to ensure the undue practices that may have been in place during the Biden administration around hiring.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
He said, in other words, competence, what President Trump had to say. So. You know, those procedures do have to change regardless of exactly what led to this crash. And again, we'll bring you all the information as it emerges on what did lead to the crash, what all the procedures were, who did what wrong, because obviously something went very, very wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, meanwhile, speaking of President Trump's nominees, three of them were on the Hill yesterday in contentious hearings. All three of them had significantly contentious hearings. RFK Jr. 's hearings continued yesterday. And those hearings, again, went pretty well for RFK Jr. There's one particular exchange that he had with Bernie Sanders in which Sanders was going after RFK Jr. And RFK Jr.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
was like, listen, you've been taking a lot of pharma money, I've noticed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Air traffic control promptly warned the helicopter pilot to stay clear. Redfern said he used evasive maneuvers to avoid it and avert a potential disaster. That was in daytime when visibility was clearer. And it's almost unthinkable that this happened considering how sophisticated the machinery is, how sophisticated our ability to see planes in the air even at night is now. But
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Honestly, these hearings are so non-illuminating. They're basically just an opportunity for various senators to grandstand. We'll get to more on this in just a moment. First, this country was founded on freedom. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy overpriced tea, then tried blockading us. We dumped their stupid tea into the ocean. How'd that work out for you, Great Britain?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, it's time to throw your overpriced big wireless contract overboard as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan of just $45 a month, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company. I'm using Pure Talk myself. For years at this point, all of my very, very important business and family phone calls are thanks to PeerTalk. You should do the same. PeerTalk.com slash Shapiro and get that special deal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
PeerTalk is America's wireless company. Again, PeerTalk.com slash Shapiro to claim that new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase. Also, did you know that someone becomes a victim of identity theft every three seconds? As we recognize Identity Theft Awareness Week, which is a thing apparently, I want to talk about protecting your identity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Plus, their monitoring services work around the clock to help protect your credit cards, bank accounts, and personal information from being misused. One of my producers, Jess, currently uses LifeLock and has emphasized the peace of mind that comes with knowing their experts are always monitoring her sensitive information for any suspicious activity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So right now, save up to 40% off your first year at LifeLock.com slash Ben. That's LifeLock.com slash Ben. Save up to 40%. Terms apply. LifeLock. For the threats you can't control. RFK Jr. was pushed on his theories about vaccines, particularly his theory that vaccines and autism are linked. Again, the evidence suggests that autism and vaccination are not, in fact, linked. And many of the sort of
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
To attribute it to anything other than accident at this point would be to move beyond the available evidence for sure. A collision on Wednesday night between the Blackhawk military helicopter and American Airlines subsidiary CRJ700 regional jet has stirred haunting memories for Redfern and other pilots who have faced challenges at landing at Washington Airport.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Fact that RFK Jr. will attempt to marshal with regard to such a linkage has to do with a type of mercury that is no longer found in vaccines at all. It stopped being used decades ago. In any case, the studies that link autism with vaccines have been debunked. At least the major one that originally suggested it was completely withdrawn eventually. Bernie Sanders questioned RFK Jr. about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Now, the reason this could actually be a problem for RFK Jr., for Bobby Kennedy, is not because of Bernie Sanders. Bernie was going to vote against RFK Jr. anyway because he's a Trump nominee. This could be a problem for Senator Bill Cassidy, who's a physician and chairman of the committee.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And he points out that a 2014 meta-analysis of 1.2 million children concluded no link between autism and vaccines. And Kennedy then responded, you show me those scientific studies, you and I can meet about it. There are other studies as well. I'd love to show those to you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Cassidy was troubled by that because he suggested, well, I mean, the overwhelming evidence is what the overwhelming evidence is. Cassidy said, can a 71-year-old man who spent decades criticizing vaccines, who's financially vested in finding fault with vaccines, can he change his attitudes and approach now that he'll have the most important position influencing vaccine policy in the United States?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I've got to figure that out for my vote. And that is, in fact, a fair question from Senator Cassidy. That is not, in fact, a crazy question or an oppositional question. Cassidy is a strong supporter of President Trump. And, you know, herein lies one of the sort of issues with some of the Trump nominees. And again, I support Bobby Kennedy for HHS.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
One of the problems is there are vulnerabilities for some of these nominees and many of the things that they've said in the past that could cause the Senate to use its advice and consent procedures to find fault with the nominees.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
For example, Tim Kaine, Democrat senator from Virginia, long forgotten former vice presidential candidate for Hillary Clinton, he asked Bobby Kennedy about conspiracy theories about 9-11.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Apparently, planes approaching the airport must navigate a precise and narrow flight path to avoid restricted airspace around the nearby White House and Pentagon. That turn from the eastern side along the river to turn into runway 33 is very, very tight, said Redfern. It is unclear what caused the crash.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Okay, so again, I think Bobby Kennedy gets confirmed, but... There is a difference between, let's say, the less controversial nominees on the Republican side and the more controversial nominees. Now, that distinction is not always clear from the Democratic reaction to that nominee. So let me give you a couple of examples. There are two other Trump nominees who are up in the hearings yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
One is Tulsi Gabbard, who is up for the position of director of national intelligence. And the other was Kash Patel. Kash Patel is up for the head of the FBI. Kash Patel is wildly controversial on the left because Kash Patel has been a Trump supporter for a long time. And he has made comments around January 6th that people on left don't particularly like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
But Kash Patel is wildly qualified, like super well qualified. And in fact, in his hearing, just ran circles around Democrats over and over and over again. He is obviously extraordinarily intelligent. He's very combative. He was not willing to take any prisoners in this hearing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Apparently, the black boxes have indeed been recovered, so we'll have a better window into what was going on aboard the two aircraft before they collided. Seven pilots told Reuters the landing at Reagan Airport is unique due to the congested space, along with the inability to communicate directly with military aircraft, which actually operate on different radio frequencies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
In this hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, they tried to go after him about past comments, praising people who were there January 6th of 2021, or his promise to go after current and former DOJ and FBI officials that he put on a list of corrupt actors. But again, the reason he's being put in this position is to clear out the FBI of any of those corrupt actors.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So here was Kash Patel in his opening statement saying due process matters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Now, again, all of that should be wildly uncontroversial. And Patel points out that he's been a victim of weaponized government, which, of course, is true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So Patel was tapped in 2017 by then House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes to join the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to investigate the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. That was the Trump-Russia investigation. And in the process of that happening, he himself was dragged into Crossfire Hurricane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So he himself, his records were secretly subpoenaed, apparently, in this process. And so he was targeted. And that is what he refers to when he says he doesn't want that to happen to anybody else. Again, Grassley, Senator Chuck Grassley, who's amazing, he's 91 years old and he is still with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
The airport also has shorter runways, including Runway 33, that is generally reserved for smaller aircraft. That means traversing narrow airspace because planes can't cross the eastern shoreline of the Potomac because that airport is also regularly used by the military for training. So, again, this is a horrifying accident. That appears to be the story at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
He says, this has affected you personally, you along with even members of my staff were the victims of FBI overreach when they secretly subpoenaed your records during the investigation into Crossfire Hurricane, which of course is right.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Now, Kash Patel vowed that he would also find out who inside the intelligence community was targeting parents during, for example, the assault on parents' rights in Virginia in the run-up to the 2020 elections.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And apparently the helicopter was swirling at possibly above 200 feet, which is usually the limit where they are testing in terms of the height and struck basically in the side. This American Airlines flight killing everyone aboard 67 dead. A horrifying scenario, obviously. Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700, had 60 passengers and four crew members on board.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And there, of course, he's talking about the targeting of Loudoun County parents in 2021 and all the rest of it. Now, Democrats, of course, were very upset with Kash Patel. But here's the thing. Kash Patel is really good at this. He's really good at this. Listen, Kash Patel is really smart. But I need to tell you about something else that is smart.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Between work, family, everything else life throws at us, meal planning can feel like a full-time job, especially when you're trying to eat healthier. That's why I'm excited to tell you about CookUnity.com, where award-winning chefs craft restaurant-quality meals that are delivered fresh to your door. What makes CookUnity different is their incredible roster of chefs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
We're talking about Food Network alums, James Beard Award winners, creating small batch meals just for you. Producer Justin is a huge fan of CookUnity. Chef Cedric Nicholas cooked him an awesome meal, rustic style, French beef ragout. Justin couldn't stop raving about how delicious and fresh the meal was. They use local in-season ingredients. Everything is delivered fresh, not frozen.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Basically, Black Rifle Coffee is keeping me alive at this point. It's been a rough couple of weeks. Go check them out right now. BlackRifleCoffee.com. Use code DailyWire for 20% off America's coffee. Kash Patel, again, is incredibly smart.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And here he was when Amy Klobuchar was trying to get him on a comment that he made about closing FBI headquarters and instead building a monument to FBI overreach, which, of course, is a bit of rhetoric. And she's trying to get him on this. And Kash Patel is just not going to play. He's just not going to play.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Now, air traffic control was perfectly aware that these aircraft were in proximity with one another. We know this because there are recordings of an air traffic controller heard asking the Army helicopter to pass behind the regional jet. Commercial aircraft use very high-frequency radios to communicate.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Again, this is not a great look for Amy Klobuchar. It also is not a good look for Sheldon Whitehouse, who is, again, one of the dumber members of the United States Senate. He went after Kash Patel, and it didn't go well for him either.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Again, correct. Patel also did something smart. He was asked by Democratic senators about President Trump's pardons of some of the people who attacked cops on January 6th. And Patel, who is in fact like a Trump loyalist, a Trump loyalist, totally loyal to the MAGA agenda for sure. Cash Patel said, listen, if it were me, I wouldn't have done it.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I don't think that we should pardon people who attack cops.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Military aircraft operate on ultra-high-frequency channels, so they can't actually directly communicate. But Army Secretary nominee Daniel Driscoll said during a Senate hearing the crash may prompt the military to reconsider conducting training operations near the Washington, D.C. airspace. Well, yes, that would seem to be the obvious solution to all of this. Just a horrifying scenario.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So again, Kash Patel, I think really, really outshone yesterday. I thought he was terrific yesterday in his Senate Judiciary hearing. Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard, of course, is the other major controversial nominees. There were three controversial nominees. RFK, I thought, performed admirably, although there are still open questions about his positions on everything from vaccines to abortion.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
There's an entire family that was wiped out in this plane crash. Obviously, everybody who's involved is innocent. It's horrifying on every possible level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Brad Bowman, military analyst with the Foundation for Defensive Democracies and a former Black Hawk pilot, said, quote, initial indications suggest this may have been a checkride or periodic evaluation by an experienced instructor pilot of a less experienced pilot. pilot. A checkride, as opposed to a normal training flight, creates some unique dynamics in the cockpit.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
In a checkride, the less experienced pilot can be nervous and eager to not make mistakes, while the instructor pilot is watching to see how other pilot responds to different developments. Sometimes, an instructor pilot will test the less experienced aviator to see how they respond, but such a technique would have been unusual and inadvisable in that location, given the reduced margin for error.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Apparently, the instructor pilot had 1,000 hours of flight time. That's considered high. The co-pilot had 500 hours, according to NPR, which is considered average, although there have been some accusations that 500 hours in the air is actually considered sort of below average. Apparently, it was a male pilot and a female co-pilot
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Everyone on stage, raise your hand if you believe that Kamala Harris lost because of racism and misogyny. Now, a normie might be like, no, she lost because she was a bad candidate. And guess what? If Joe Biden had been the candidate, he also would have lost, which is why they substituted the black lady for the old white man. But nope, this is not a normal party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
The Pentagon has not yet released the names of those who are on board. They are still apparently notifying next of kin. Officials tell NPR the Black Hawk was supposed to be flying at a maximum of 200 feet. Sources say it was flying at least 100 feet higher. So at the very least, what you're looking at here is significant pilot error.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
You have to keep going in the intersectional direction. You have to keep claiming the American people are sexist and racist. So literally every person on the stage, the vast bulk of whom are white, raises their hand when asked if... Kamala Harris lost because of racism and sexism.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I mean, Capehart, wow, wow, wow. And that remark right there, that very last remark is the one that matters, right? Very good. You all pass. That's the litmus test. The litmus test for Democrats always and forever is if we lose, it's because the American public are racist and sexist. Keep doing this, guys. If that's your litmus test, seriously, keep doing it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Meanwhile, reality keeps clocking the DEI movement directly in the head. I have to say, the downfall of Ibram X. Kendi is one of the funniest things I've ever seen. So Ibram X. Kendi is one of the great grifters in all of human history. He wrote this bestseller called How to Be an Antiracist, which is legitimately one of the stupidest things ever written. The man cannot even define the word racism.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
He was asked this on stage at one point. And his answer was so nonsensical as to be self-defeating. He then was given $10 million to found an institution at Boston University called the Ibram X. Kendi Center on Anti-Racism, in which he was going to do research on anti-racism. $10 million later, there was zero, zero research that had emerged from the Center for Anti-Racist Research.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Boston University has now confirmed that Kendi will be departing and said the Center for Anti-Racist Research would close June 30th. The Center and Kendi came under scrutiny in 2023 for alleged financial mismanagement
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Gloria Waters, the university's provost and chief academic officer, said, quote, we thank Dr. Kendi and the center's staff and affiliated faculty for their contributions in advancing scholarship, teaching, and policymaking. The university wishes Dr. Kendi well on his next chapter.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, he then promptly fell into a feather bed over at Howard University, which, of course, is the same university, historically black college university, that accepted the excreble Nicole Hannah-Jones when she fell out of favor at the University of North Carolina.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So Kendi is going to start at Howard this summer as a history professor and director of the tentatively named Howard University Institute for Advanced Research, who also bring with him The Emancipator, a digital magazine focused on racial inequity that was founded with the Boston Globe, but has since gone independent. And nobody has ever seen, heard from, read anything remotely like that. So bye.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
All sorts of controversy broke out yesterday when President came forward to do a press conference on this particular issue. And he blamed the crash, at least in part, on the Biden administration and diversity, equity and inclusion procedures, particularly at the FAA.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I just, you know what? Good for him. Honestly, if you're a grifter and you can take all of these pathetic fools who believe that Affirmative action and racial consciousness and all this ought to be at the top of the list of American priorities as opposed to being counterproductive and truly racist in their essence. If you can take all those people for a ride, more power to you, Ibram.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And good luck over at Howard University. Speaking of the demise of DEI, joining us on the line is Christopher Ruffo. There is no activist who's had more impact on America in terms of crazy radical gender ideology or fighting DEI than Chris Ruffo.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Chris, I have to say, you know, as probably the most successful activist of our generation in terms of actually fostering political change in places like Florida on DEI or pushing government cuts, what do you make of the Trump administration really, I would say, taking your advice, moving fast and breaking things here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So, Chris, when we look at the stuff that they are doing right now, you know, executive orders can be done and undone. But some of the things that they are doing right now, ripping out, for example, affirmative action by the roots, ripping out DEI. By the way, this has been a longtime crusade of yours. Obviously, when it comes to trans politics and trans ideology, that's something the Daily Wire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I mean, we've been fighting this thing since the initiation of our company in 2015. You say it's the culmination. It really is. But. You know, it takes more than that. It takes systemic know-how. And this is something where you have been really an indispensable force. It's one thing to fight the ideology. It's another thing to know which buttons to push to actually end it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So, Chris, one of the things that you've talked about for a long time and that obviously the administration has taken to heart is the idea that the policy is the personnel and the personnel is the policy. And the Trump administration, one, had no idea about this. They came in. There are a huge number of people in the executive branch.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
They just figured those are, you know, apolitical people who are just going to do their jobs when they're told to do their jobs. Obviously, they learned the hard way that wasn't true during not only Trump won, but also during the Biden administration, when many of those people were activated against Trump, even when he was out of office.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And now they are coming in and they're recognizing that a huge number of the people that they've called deep staters need to go. And so some of the moves that they are making right now, for example, offering a buyout to anybody who basically doesn't want to participate in the changing of the country under the sort of MAGA emblem. These are bold and audacious moves. What do you make of it?
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So of course, one of the issues that seems to be rearing its ugly head is what people have called malicious compliance, which is people who are embedded in the executive branch who have decided that the way to quote unquote apply President Trump's executive orders is to do things that earn him bad headlines.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So the best example of this that I've seen over the course of the past couple of weeks is Pete Hegseth, the new Secretary of Defense, promulgates an order to the Department of Defense to get rid of DEI in the Department of Defense. And some schmuck lower down says, well, this means that now we can no longer teach about the Tuskegee Airmen. And Hegseth immediately says, well,
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Obviously, that's not true. And so we are going to make sure that people are still taught about the Tuskegee Airmen. But this is constantly a reminder that, again, the personnel are the policy. I think one thing that people have to keep in mind is that when you actually go in, you change policy in the way that Trump is doing right now. There are going to it's a trial and error process.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Things are going to break and then you have to fix them in the same way that when Elon came in, a bunch of things broke at Twitter and then they had to get fixed on the fly.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So, Chris, you obviously have been at the forefront of fighting things like critical race theory, which has become just poison to the public mind, or radical gender ideology, which, again, has now been sort of ripped out by the roots. What is the next big battlefront? Because it seems like Democrats are in retreat in a lot of areas, but they always come back.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
What is the next thing that you've got your eye on?
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Okay, now, was this crash related to DEI? It's unclear at this point. We simply don't have enough information to know who even the pilots were. What exactly were the procedures that led to this horrifying accident? What exactly happened? I mean, all those details are unclear.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, that's Christopher Rufo. No one in America has done more to push forward the conservative agenda in truly active ways than Chris. Chris, really appreciate the time. Thanks for all your hard work as always. Thank you so much. All right, folks.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, it's been a long time since I did things I like, but it's the end of January and I was doing a lot of travel, which meant I got to actually enjoy some culture on the airplanes. And so I want to recommend a couple of things that I like. I want to make this a regular feature of the show again.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So I'm going to save some of these for next week because there are actually a fair number of things that I like. I'm going to pick two. One is sort of against the grain and one of them is not. So My against the grain pick for things that I like. Gladiator 2. Now, I know a lot of people were very down on Gladiator 2. I know, I know. But it's fun.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Okay, it's not as good as Gladiator 1 by any stretch of the imagination. But I don't really understand the extraordinary anger directed at Gladiator 2.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
gladiators sure there weren't actual sharks in the coliseum but there were giant water battles in the coliseum that's an actual thing that actually happened and sure it's not historically accurate or anything but it's denzel at his most denzel it's basically training day denzel so you now have kind of a couple of modes of denzel washington who's really the star of the show here you have the mode of denzel washington where he's a much more serious actor he's doing things like macbeth which by the way i enjoyed the uh the cone brothers version
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And there's the over-the-top Denzel Washington, lay out all the stops, just go for it. And that's this Denzel. The battle scenes are pretty good. It obviously misses Russell Crowe in a very serious way. But Russell Crowe died in Gladiator 1. Spoiler alert. So he was not coming back. And of course, it was never going to be Gladiator 1. Because how could it be? With that said, it's enjoyable.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And I really don't understand the critical hate for this film. So here's some of the preview. I was owned.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Okay, so super historically inaccurate in terms of the actual emperors, the Roman emperors, right? There were emperors with the names of these people, and there was another emperor who did take over for them, but that's pretty much all that's historically accurate in this piece. The end of the movie is basically, the Roman Empire is restored under the great democratic power of Lucius.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
It is, however, true that the FAA in particular, the Federal Aviation Administration, has been direly affected by DEI protocols and procedures over the course of the last decade. I mean, truly in negative and horrifying ways.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Yeah, that never happened, but it's fun anyway. Denzel is extremely Denzel. Like, audacious and loud and all the rest. Pedro Pascal plays himself. Basically, he's the same in all things. And I enjoy Pedro Pascal, but he is exactly the same actor in every single piece. And so he is in this as well. Connie Nielsen makes her comeback. She obviously reappears from number one. I enjoyed it.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And it's like 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 82% with the audience, did about $461 million at the box office. So not a massive hit, but also not a giant miss from Ridley Scott. More enjoyable than much of Ridley Scott's work, to be fair. Okay, other things that I like. So here is one that is pretty widely accepted as good TV. That is the season two of Severance. So I really enjoy Severance.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I think Severance is a really clever TV show. It's on Apple TV for those who have not seen it. The severance, the basic premise of it is that there is a company that has somehow created a procedure whereby they sever your work life from the rest of your life.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So when you go into this office, it's almost this bizarre alternative world where you only live at the office and you have no connection with the outside world. You don't know anybody from the outside world. You have a different identity. And then in the outside world, you have your own life. So complete severance between your work life and your home life.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Now, that sounds like it would just be sort of a normal sitcom or something. It isn't. It's a very weird show with all sorts of Lost-type mysteries. It's one of those shows where you really have to trust the writers. And I have to admit, I've been burned by this before. I was a huge fan of the show Lost that was on ABC for six seasons, and I got burned beyond belief by Lost. I was super into it.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I watched all the mysteries. I went and interviewed Carlson Cuse. I was a Damon Lindelof guy. And they absolutely burned it to the ground in the last season. So that could happen with Severance. It could be they're setting up all these mysteries and they have no actual solves for the mysteries and the whole thing just falls apart.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I always hope when a writer takes me a place where I'm not expecting that they know where they're going. Because I want to be along for the ride. I've seen so much TV and so many movies at this point that it is very difficult for me not to predict the ending of pretty much every show or movie within the first 15 minutes of the movie. That is not the case with The Severance. It's very weird.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
According to the Washington Times, years before Wednesday's fatal collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, critics warned that the Obama and Biden administrations had jeopardized safety by prioritizing DEI at the Federal Aviation Administration. Now, the suggestion of such, of course, has made Democrats insane.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
It's clever. It's got some really good performances across the board. The kind of homages to 1970s paranoia film are pretty obvious. Things like the parallax view, the theme to this show, like the musical theme to the show is very obviously ripped off from a fantastic Francis Ford Coppola movie called The Conversation, which if you haven't seen it is great.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Gene Hackman celebrated his 95th birthday this week and The Conversation is one of his best movies. super creepy and kind of terrifying. The theme to this is pretty obviously ripped off from that, if not consciously and certainly unconsciously. In any case, it is well worth the watch. Super clever. Again, I'm hoping that it goes somewhere interesting. Here's a little bit of the preview.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
It's super weird. It's bizarre. It's not even possible for me to explain what's going on in this preview unless you've seen season one. And it's like deliberately weird, deliberately strange, right? They're walking through office rooms filled with goats and they, and there are watermelon carve outs of the person who's supposed to be like the godlike figure at the head of the corporation.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
It's very strange. It's done by Ben Stiller. Ben Stiller is the producer on it. And Adam Scott is the star. Well-produced, really good across the board. So totally worth the watch. Severance, season two. Okay, and I will give one book recommendation as well since we're at the end of the month. So I spent some time on the audiobook app. I do that when I'm exercising, for example.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I'm very excited, by the way, that the Apple audiobook app now turns all the way up to three times speed. So I go all the way up to the maximum, and that means I can churn out an 18-hour book in six hours, which is awesome. It's just great. Well, I recently got through Tom Holland's Dominion, How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. And the book is really quite fantastic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
The three troops on board the helicopter were apparently conducting a training flight and likely wore night vision goggles. That may be relevant because if you're wearing night vision goggles, this could mean that perhaps you're... Vision to the sides is not nearly as good. Was this an air traffic control problem? Was this a pilot error issue? All of that is still very much up in the air.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So I will say I do enjoy Tom Holland's history podcast. The rest is history. Tom Holland and I, we have some conflicting politics, I would assume. He's a really, really good writer, like a terrific writer, very evocative. He takes seriously religious claims, not that to the truth of like the actual seriousness with which religious people take religious claims.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
He doesn't mock them, which would be the easy way out for so many historians. So by writing about Judaism or Christianity, what Tom Holland does instead is he tries to view history through the lens of the people who are living it. such that they actually take seriously the claims of miracles in Tours, for example, or take seriously the claims of Jesus' miracles in Dominion.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So basically the entire premise of the book is that pretty much everything in our lives is shaped by the Christian world, which of course is absolutely true. I make much the same claim in my own book about the history of Western philosophy, The Right Side of History, which came out a few years ago. Dominion is specifically about Christian philosophy and it is a history of church, right?
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
It's a history of the church going all the way back to the time of Jesus and forward through The so-called Dark Ages, which were not actually Dark Ages, forward into the medieval era through the Reformation and all the rest. Fascinatingly well-written. It's, I think, a great reminder to people who are secular of exactly how little their own values spring from the ether.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, he said, it's one thing for internet pundits to spew up conspiracy theories. It's another for the president of the United States to throw out idle speculation, even as victims are still being recovered and families are still being notified. So is the criticism of Trump's timing or is the criticism of Trump's content? Those are two different things.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
There's this weird perception. I've said this a thousand times in debates, whether it's with atheists like Alex O'Connor or whether it is with people who are sort of just secular liberals. I've said a thousand times, the values that the left perceives, that the secular left perceives to be their values, are values that are rooted in Judeo-Christian tradition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I say Judeo-Christian because, of course, half of the Bible is the Old Testament, which is Jewish in origin. And again, even Christians have rejected the Marcion heresy, which suggests, of course, a complete divide between Jesus and Judaism. In any case...
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Christianity is the single greatest shaping factor in the history of the world in terms of how the world has been shaped politically, morally, theologically. That's just a fact. There's no way around it. Islam is a reaction to Christianity, right? The way that markets are done in China is a reaction to Christianity. Marxism is a reaction to Christianity, right?
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So many things that we take for granted as sort of just secular ideals or secular ideas. So many of those things are either reactions to or perversions of or quiet adoptions of Christian principles. And this is the point that Holland makes.
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Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So he goes through the history of the 20th century, and really the only anti-Christian movement that he notes is the Nazi movement, which was overtly directed against Christianity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
He says that the Soviet Union was, of course, anti-Christian as well, but the point that he makes is that many of the roots of Marxism actually lie in sort of early church writings, meaning that Marxism ends up being a rejection of religion while trying to embody a sort of utopian viewpoint on what the world should look like in the best of all possible world. I think he takes the argument too far.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Sometimes I, for example, think that communism is an outright rejection of Christianity as opposed to a perversion of it. But those are sort of arguable sentiments. What is really fascinating about Dominion is tracing these lines of argument all the way through Christian history.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And so that's why the book has become very popular in Christian circles, even though Tom Holland isn't by any stretch of the imagination, like a right-wing Christian or anything like that. So check out the book, Dominion, How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, came out in 2019. Well, meanwhile, time for some things I hate. Yes, it's come back. Things I hate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
All right, so the worst song in probably human history has now been released. It is titled, I kid you not, Fat, Juicy, and Wet. It is not, in fact, about a solid hamburger. It is, in fact, about what you would think that it would be about because it's a perverse rap slash pop song by Bruno Mars. There has to be some excuse for why he would deign to do a number with sexy red.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
You can make the case that President Trump shouldn't be talking about DEI and the FAA until we have more details in. But I think what Schumer's actually objecting to is the idea that DEI is bad inside the FAA at all. He thinks DEI is good, diversity, equity, and inclusion, affirmative action protocols. systems designed to put people who are unqualified in positions of high authority.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
She of the twice chlamydia. who has on offer the lyrical genius of the colors of her anus. I'm not kidding. That's how she got famous. And that right there is a near rhyme that must at some point appear in one of her songs, Anus and Famous. In any case, sexy red leads this number. Bruno Mars decides to go along with all of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So instead of the sort of soft romance that Bruno Mars is more typically known for, Instead, the collab features some of the worst lyrics in human history that I would not even deign to actually explain. There are also surprising celebrity cameos from K-pop star Rosé and also Lady Gaga. And it's not sexual innuendo. It's just graphic descriptions of pornographic sexual activity. That's all it is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
There's no subtlety to it. There's no innuendo. It's just an almost biological description of pornography. It also happens to be terrible musically. So there's nothing redeeming about this song at all. I'm going to play you like 10 seconds of it just so that you understand how bad it is. Because this is what our pop culture has come to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
From the Gershwin brothers to sexy Red and Bruno Mars in just a couple of generations. I don't, so I've been asked by a producer to explain how much worse they can get. I don't, like, can it? I mean, I suppose they could make it more violent. That would make it worse. But aside from that, I don't think it can get worse than this. I mean, the music is awful. Sexy Yee Yee Red has no flow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
She's truly an awful rapper. I speak as a chart-topping rapper myself. She has no flow at all. She has no talent whatsoever, none, zero talent, like negative talent, like active antipathy to talent in Sexy Yee Yee Red. But it just demonstrates that if you are a woman willing to sexualize yourself for money, then apparently the money's just waiting for you, and so is fame around the corner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
I can't imagine why our culture is in such serious trouble. I swear to God, I cannot even read you these lyrics. It's not possible to read you these lyrics. They make Penthouse Forum look like Pilgrim's Progress. That's how bad these lyrics are. Oh my God, this makes Cardi B's WAP sound like baby, it's cold outside. It's so bad. It's so horrifyingly terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Like not, by the way, not even like sexy and transgressive. Just kind of off-putting and insane. It's, what in the, what in the, I wish I could read you a single line from it, but there's literally not a single line you can read from it other than do it sexy, do it sexy, do it. Which is the outro. That's literally the only, that is the only thing that you can read from this. Wow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Democrats tend to think that sort of stuff is good. Of course, it pervaded every aspect of the Biden administration, according to Joe Biden. Critics warned, according to the Washington Times, that the FDA's focus on DEI diverted time and resources from air travel safety.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And believe you me, I know how viral it would be if I read these lyrics. But I cannot bring myself to read you these lyrics. Wow. You know what? The flood is coming. Get ready. God will not be mocked in this way. Oh, boy. That's some horrifying, horrifying stuff. And Bruno Mars, man.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Alrighty, coming up, it turns out that there's only one type of religious blasphemy that is actually not allowed anymore. We'll get to that in a moment. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
It hobbled the agency as it grappled with air traffic controller shortages, antiquated monitoring equipment, and an increase in near misses on crowded airport runways. An unidentified source told the Associated Press on Thursday, the air traffic controller in charge of monitoring the airspace at the time of the fatal collision was performing the work of two people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So in other words, because they couldn't get enough quote unquote diverse members of the FAA, they were simply under hiring for the FAA. And that meant that they were short-staffed during critical times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Air safety concerns, according to the Washington Times, prompted 11 Republican attorneys general to write the FAA administrator, Michael Whitaker last year to question the administration's hiring practices and priorities. They said, quote, unfortunately, the Biden FAA under your administration appears to prioritize virtue signaling diversity efforts over aviation experience.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And this calls into question the agency's commitment to safety. And again, that is not wrong. It is true that the Obama and Biden administrations prioritized DEI over safety. The Biden era FAA website said, quote, quote, the FAA's mission involves securing the skies of a diverse nation. It only makes sense the workforce responsible for that mission reflect the nation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
In 2022, the FAA pledged to diversify its workforce by rethinking its hiring practices. Administration officials assigned long-term goals to amplify diversity, accessibility, and LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign issues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
A 2022 performance target required the agency, quote, host a national symposium with internal and external stakeholders to socialize efforts on the use of gender-neutral language at the FAA. In 2013, under Barack Obama, the FAA started using a biographical assessment to increase the hiring of preferred minority racial groups at air traffic control centers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
The assessment asked applicants about their participation in school sports. In fact, some of the documents from the FAA, according to one reporter named Trace Woodgrains, one of the documents that was asked, one of the questionnaires that was put forward by the FAA, and this was revealed in a lawsuit, a class action lawsuit called Brigida versus Buttigieg,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Apparently, the questionnaire awarded points for factors like lowest grade in high school is science, which is psychotic. If a questionnaire awards points for you're bad at science, and therefore you've got some sort of affirmative action appointment at the FAA, it seems to me you want the people who are explicitly good at science at the FAA. Call me crazy, but that's insane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
There have been near misses in the past. And the first question I think that a lot of people are asking is, why the hell are Black Hawk helicopters operating at night in an area where passenger jets are coming in? That's totally insane, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, President Trump, for precisely that reason, slammed Pete Buttigieg on his handling of the Department of Transportation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, he is not wrong about any of that. That is for certain. Well, the president was asked, well, how do you know this had anything to do with DEI? And here was the president of the United States answering that question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And there are some strange oddities about this particular flight path because it turns out that normally, apparently, runway one is the one that is typically used to accept incoming flights into Reagan National. Air Traffic Control had called this flight, the CRJ, and told them that you should instead take runway 33, which brought them across the Potomac.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
As Steve Hilton points out, Pete Buttigieg's FAA got a scathing inspector general report just in June of 2023. Quote, 77% of critical facilities are staffed below threshold. Quote, lacks a plan to address staffing challenges, posing a risk to continuity of air traffic operations. Quote, FAA cannot ensure it will successfully train enough controllers in the short term.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
So again, the details are still emerging. We don't know exactly what led to this crash. There is a lot of heartburn on the left because Trump is suggesting the DEI had something to do with this. Unfortunately, this is the way that politics now operates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And I can't name the number of times that Joe Biden came forth after some sort of school shooting before any of the evidence was available to discuss how gun control was obviously the solution. He didn't have to wait for where the gun came from or who had sold it or who operated it or what the psychological status of the person who actually did the shooting was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Any of that, he'd just come forth and immediately declare that his sort of all-purpose solution was the one in question. Now, here is the thing. It is very clear that the FAA is run like sh**. That is for sure. The FAA has been run along DEI lines for a very long time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And regardless as to whether this crash was a result of DEI or whether it wasn't a result of DEI, there is a reason why the blowback is coming in that form. President Trump was pushed on this by Caitlin Collins of CNN, and he didn't have a lot of time for it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, then Trump was asked a smarter question by our own Mary Margaret Olihan, which was, it seems kind of important, given the fact that so many of these agencies are short-staffed, to actually get confirmed the nominees, like just confirm the nominees. Here's President Trump on that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
And then the helicopter struck them as they were coming across the Potomac. But apparently near misses of this sort tend to happen a lot more often than expected. According to Reuters, U.S. commercial pilot Rick Redfern was preparing to land at Reagan Washington National Airport about a decade ago when he spotted a bright red Coast Guard helicopter hovering about 50 feet above the Potomac River.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2129 - Did DEI Cause the DC Crash?!
Well, I mean, he's not wrong about that. Well, J.D. Vance, the vice president of the United States, he was also talking about air traffic control and DEI standards. Here's what the vice president of the United States had to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Folks, there is a ton going on in the news. A brand new initiation of a brand new trade war. Everything going on with Doge. Just tons going on. First, America is on the comeback. The fight for truth is far from over. While the left tries desperately to keep its grip on media education in the courts, Daily Wire continues to lead the charge for...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Sean Fain actually spoke at the DNC, but then was sort of like half warm toward president. So maybe it's a payoff to the unions. Caroline Lovett said this is a big deal for auto workers and the nation. Again, this is a subsidy for one segment of the economy at the expense of the rest of the American economy. I do not think that this is going to pay off well in the markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
The reason I'm critical of this is not just because I think it's bad policy. I do. But also because if the economy goes down, if President Trump experiences a significant market correction, it is going to impact the rest of his agenda. Here's the White House press secretary, Caroline Lovett, celebrating the 25 percent tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Population movement from north to south, from blue states to red states, electoral votes that will follow, Democratic failures to find any sort of leadership class in the aftermath of the Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders octogenarian triumvirate. However, Politics changes quickly. Things happen. And there are warning signs on the horizon.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
OK, that last part, more products made in the United States means more money in the pocket of the American people. Actually, autarky does not necessarily mean more pocket, more money in the pocket of the American people. You can manufacture literally everything on Earth in the United States if you are willing to radically increase the price on consumers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
So it's a thing that sounds good in theory and doesn't actually work particularly well in practice. And you're going to see the stock market react to this if President Trump continues to stick with it. One of the things that President Trump is doing with the tariffs is he's actually now doing a thing I remember from the Obama administration.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
He's calling business people on the carpet and he's telling them they can't do the thing that is the natural economic consequence of the thing that he is doing. So back during the Obama administration, when Obamacare first broke and he brought in all the health insurers and he said, you're not allowed to raise prices. And if you raise prices because you're bad and you're mean and you're terrible,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And all the health insurers went, well, hold up a second. You just increased our cost structure. Of course we have to raise prices. What are you even talking about? And Democrats were screaming to the heavens because businesses were raising their price based on their increased healthcare costs, for example. And then they say, well, that's unpatriotic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Joe Biden, who was the vice president at the time, actually said that. It's ridiculous on its face. When you force people to pay more money for things, they are going to raise their prices on the things that they produce. Well, President Trump is doing that now, apparently with regards to some of these car companies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
According to the Wall Street Journal, when President Trump convened CEOs of some of the country's top automakers for a call earlier this month, he issued a warning. They better not raise car prices because of tariffs. He said that the White House would look unfavorably on such a move, leaving some of them rattled and worried they would face punishment if they increased prices.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Well, I'm sorry, but that is how economics works. That is how economics works. This bizarre notion that you can radically increase the cost structure for a state's Stellantis and they're not going to increase their prices. What do you expect them to do, go bankrupt? I understand that President Trump did something amazing by getting rid of the electric vehicle mandate. I totally agree with that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I think it's great. But the laws of the economy do not randomly shape themselves around the whim of any president. Meanwhile, this tariff program is actually propping up in Canada, which is the country that we are largely targeting, the worst person in Canadian politics right now, who's the current prime minister, Mark Carney. So Justin Trudeau, handsome Bernie Sanders, he is gone.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
He was replaced by Mark Carney, who's a Green New Deal type, a net zero type, and a person who's totally fine with reorienting trade away from the United States and toward China, which is the predictable result of tariff wars between the United States and Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Canada will start reorienting its economy toward China, which is precisely the opposite of the result I think that the Trump administration would like to see. Mark Carney is perfectly happy with all of this. See, here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
When there was no trade war, when President Trump had just won, what we saw in the Canadian polling was that Pierre Poliev, who was the head of the Canadian Conservative Party, was destroying the Liberal Party, just destroying it. This is why Justin Trudeau had to step out. He stepped out because he had basically become dead man walking, politically speaking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
There was no shot that he was going to be the next prime minister of Canada. He replaced himself with Mark Carney. The Liberal Party put Mark Carney in place. And simultaneously... the talks about the tariff war and the trade war broke out and Pierre Poliev started to slide.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
The biggest one is that President Trump's popularity is not, in fact, transferable to every single other Republican candidate. You cannot just take President Trump, stamp him on a thing, and then hope that thing is going to be a winner. That is not how it works. Barack Obama tried the same thing. It doesn't work that way either. Every politician has to build their own coalition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And the reason he started to slide is because Mark Carney and the Liberal Party accused the Conservative Party of being in cahoots with President Trump on all of this. While President Trump was making jokes or perhaps half serious remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state in territorial contiguity and all the rest of it, While that was happening, Mark Carney was gaining in the polls.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Right now, Mark Carney has called a snap election that is set to take place in about one month. In that snap election, he is now running dead even with the conservative party and gaining momentum. So he is perfectly happy to increase the trade war. He wants the trade war. Number one, he's fine with a bigger relationship with China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Number two, he hates President Trump and is perfectly fine with using his opposition to Trump to jack his poll ratings up in Canada. None of this is salutary for the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
We'd be much better off with Pierre Poliev as the prime minister of Canada, a significantly friendlier government, a government that will be tougher on immigration, tougher on fentanyl, better on economics, better on social policy. Mark Carney is the happiest man in the world that this trade war is happening right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Okay, so he is super excited about this. So the worst people in Canadian politics are really excited about this. That should be a bad sign. And meanwhile, again, right now, Americans are giving President Trump the benefit of the doubt, as they should. He's doing a lot of great things, which we'll get to in a moment, particularly with regard to Doge. However...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
This is having an impact on President Trump's approval ratings, particularly on the economy. And as I've said before, the way that people's relationship with politicians works in terms of public approval rating is sort of like a marriage. If the marriage is good, it's people doing little things for each other. It's people with a shared sense of values that carries out over time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
If things go bad, typically there are a bunch of things that are small and that eat away at the back of your mind that are bad. And then suddenly the bottom goes out. And right now, if the bottom goes out on the economy, it will take the rest of President Trump's agenda with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
CNN's Harry Enten was analyzing the polls with regard to the economy, and they are not where they should be for President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Every politician has to have their own group of people who follow them for their own personal reasons. And so this bizarre idea that everyone in politics seems to have on right and left, that you can take a very popular politician and then you can kind of smear that over the bread of the normie politicians or any other politicians and it will taste exactly the same. That is not the truth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
over the last two months and change. Okay, so again, President Trump is still riding pretty high, but all of that is predicated on no serious economic downturn. And there's no reason for this because the rest of Trump's agenda is highly popular with the American people. So yesterday, there was a fantastic interview on Fox News between Brett Baier and the Doge team. It was really tremendous.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And it's particularly tremendous because the left is absolutely bewildered by the fact that they've created all these obstacles to efficacy, both in the governmental sphere and in the private sphere. On that note, yesterday, Ezra Klein, who has a brand new book out called Abundance with Derek Thompson of The Atlantic. He went on Jon Stewart's show. Here is Jon Stewart with Ezra Klein.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Ezra Klein explaining all the steps that you need to go through in order to achieve a grant or a contract under Build Back Better. This clip is cut down because this isn't remotely the actual full process.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
That is not how it works. The reason I'm warning about this is because this is why President Trump's administration must be successful. President Trump is doing very important work. He's doing important work on everything from getting rid of DEI to completely restructuring education in the country to changing how we do spending and waste, fraud, and abuse.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I'm speechless. Why are you shocked? Why are you speechless? You built it. This is the thing you wanted. You wanted a government that was so large and intrusive and also ridden with bureaucratic corruption. This is what you wanted. Please name all of the steps you wish were removed from that process and who would be damaged from them. Please. Well, here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
That's exactly what Elon's team is trying to do. They're trying to go through these regulatory structures, through these spending structures. You want to know why that's popular? The reason it's popular is because of all the things Ezra Klein just said. It's hilarious to watch some of these people discover conservatism in real time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Oh, you mean the giant bureaucratic snafu that you have created that spends $7 trillion a year is bad at things and takes too much money and time? That's unbelievable. By the way, this is the reason why Democrats are constantly attempting to declare wars on things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Because once they've declared a war on poverty or a war on housing shortages, then they can cut out all of the steps and simply ram down what they want to do, which is the thing they really wish they could do. But it turns out that in a democratic polity, there are a lot of people who have... They're, they're piece of the game and they want to know what's going on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
So when we are talking here about the wild growth in government that apparently Jon Stewart and Ezra Klein are lamenting, let's be real about this. The left was responsible for this. I asked our friends at Perplexity, which of course is a sponsor of the show, how much of both the number and complexity of federal regulations increased from say 1950 to 2025. And here's Perplexity's answer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
In 1950, the Code of Federal Regulations contained approximately 9,562 pages. By 2020, the Code of Federal Regulations had grown to 87,351 pages. That is almost a tenfold increase. The number of restrictive words, meaning words that restrict action, in the Code of Federal Regulations grew from about 400,000 in 1970 to over 1 million by the late 2010s.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
As far as complexity, in 1970, it would have taken just under a year for a person to read all the federal regulations, assuming that they read 250 words per minute, 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year. By 2016, it would have required three years, 177 days, and 10 hours to read through all the federal regulations.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
The total word count of the Code of Federal Regulations increased from 35.4 million words in 1970 to 104.6 million words in 2016. This means complexity, regulatory incomprehensibility, and all the sort of stuff that you're seeing Jon Stewart lament. But who do you think did it, guys? Obviously, Jon Stewart, Ezra Klein, it's taken them a while to get with it. But here is the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
On foreign policy, he's restoring a sense of American military power and deterrence. He's actually doing peace through strength. He's looking with fresh eyes at situations like the Middle East or the Far East. These are very important things that President Trump is doing. And that means no mistakes. No mistakes should be the byword inside the Trump administration. And the warning signs are there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Head on over to policygenius.com slash Shapiro or click the link in the description, get your free life insurance quotes, see how much you could save. That's policygenius.com slash Shapiro. In any case, this is why Doge is inherently popular. And I wish that the Doge team had done this interview with Brett Baer that they did last night a little bit earlier, but it was really good.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Last night, as I mentioned, Doge team sat with Brett Baier. Tyler Hassan, who's a member of the Doge team, he was talking about the Interior Department and the fact that there was basically zero oversight of spending initiatives at the Interior Department during Biden.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And here is Elon Musk explaining that the federal government has spent a billion dollars on a survey that would cost 10 grand on SurveyMonkey.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Pretending they're not is simply whistling past the graveyard. I know that Republicans, listen, we're all very happy. And we want to tell ourselves that President Trump won an extraordinarily broad ranging victory in his race against Kamala Harris. The truth is that that election result was actually far closer than people would like to acknowledge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Musk was joined by the Airbnb co-founder, Joe Gebbia, who's working with Doge to digitize the government's antiquated retirement process. You remember that crazy story a few weeks ago where it turns out that the government retirement process is run from like a salt mine. It's run from a cave with like actual physical files that have to go up and down an elevator.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Here was Joe Gebbia talking about modernizing that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Beautifully designed, great user experience, modern systems. Okay, now remember, these are the people you were told were going in with the chainsaw and it was a bunch of 18-year-old kids named Big Balls who are actually just willy-nilly chopping people out of the government. Is that what it sounds like to you? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And the reason I'm saying this is not as a rip on President Trump by any measure. It's because a narrow win means that a few votes shift and suddenly things are different. And that could happen. And pretending that it can't happen is a fool's errand.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I mean, in the end, President Trump won 77.3 million votes and Kamala Harris, a horrendous candidate running on the back of a dead candidate, won 75 million votes. President Trump won 49.8% of the vote and Kamala Harris won 48.3% of the vote. That is a solid electoral victory. It is not by any stretch of the imagination, a giant blowout, which is why I'm saying Republicans need to be careful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And you're starting to see some early indicators of the fact that a Democratic electorate could revive itself. One of those sort of warning signs came courtesy of this special election shocker in Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County, which went for President Trump last year by 16 points. Democrats flipped a state Senate seat, this is in Pennsylvania, that the GOP had occupied for literally decades.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Democrats, of course, are suggesting that this is a reaction to President Trump. Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania said tonight in Lancaster County, Pennsylvanians rejected a candidate who embraced the extremism and division coming out of D.C.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
The party's new national chair, Ken Martin, said Democrats will continue to overperform as voters join us in fighting back against the Trump-Musk agenda. Now, the reality is that in special election races, it's very hard to generalize from those races because they tend to have lower turnout.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
No, I mean, I think to start with that first point, it is not racist to suggest that a character who is described in the original as skin white as snow, that is literally how the character is described in the original. That's a character description in the same way that, as you mentioned in Moana, presumably the character is supposed to be Hawaiian in some way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And it would be bizarre to recast that in Mulan. If you cast a white lady like this is very weird that Mulan is white, considering that we are now in, you know, feudal China. This is this is sort of strange. And so this this bizarre fixation. with race shifting everything, but only in one direction by Disney, obviously is quite strange. That is the least of the concerns, though.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I want to get to the sexual politics of it, because obviously this is a big thing for Rachel Zegler, the star of the film. It was a big thing for all the left wingers who made the movie. We have this clip that I want to play for you of Rachel Zegler talking about the love story in Snow White and how it has changed. There was Rachel Zegler talking about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And so what you get is opposition turning out at a higher rate and the kind of home party turning out at a lower rate, believing that there's not going to be any sort of competitive election. But as The Wall Street Journal points out, Republicans might want to take the surprise loss in MAGA country as a warning. And that is not wrong. That is not wrong. That's also true because yesterday,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
So obviously these changes were made deliberately. Rachel Lindsay, the host of some podcast or another, she was talking about this movie when it was first being made. She said it should never have been remade at all. They should have just dumped the story. The story is just, it's too dated. Here's Rachel Lindsay talking about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Elise Stefanik, President Trump's excellent nominee for the UN ambassador post, her nomination was withdrawn by President Trump, not because he doesn't like Elise Stefanik, he thinks that she's terrific. The reason he is doing that is because the margin in the Congress of the United States is simply too narrow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I mean, that is such a, it's such an amazing point because the reality is that if you watch the original Snow White, it is a story between her and the dwarves about her actually civilizing the men. She comes in and she cleans the house, but there's a whole number about how they haven't taken a bath in like a year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And she's going to force them to go and bathe so that they can then come in the house and eat while she makes the dinner. And this, by the way, is a trope in Hollywood films that stretches for a few decades from the 30s to the 50s. where one of the ways that women affect men is by civilizing them, by requiring certain behavior of them. The movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers comes to mind here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
But that is no longer something that we're allowed to talk about, which, of course, is ridiculous because men require civilization and women have to sacrifice. And so do men in order for there to be a relationship between women and men and for both of them to become better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
But the idea in feminism is that there's nothing wrong with anyone the way that they are, except for men who are naturally pigs, obviously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
President Trump had made a bunch of moves to take representatives from particular districts and put them in his cabinet. That includes the National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, that was going to include Elise Stefanik, There were three or four different Congress people who'd been pulled into the administration, leaving their districts open for an election.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I mean, in the original, my grandmother saw the original in the theaters, obviously. And I remember she told us that when people watched it originally in 1937 in the theaters, it was an amazing experience because for most people, it was the first color movie. And so, first of all, there was the visual of it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
But second of all, people had so connected emotionally with the character of Snow White that when she eats from the apple and she dies, people were literally weeping in the theater because they liked the character of Snow White so much. It seems like it's difficult to imagine a situation in which anyone was weeping in the theater an apple.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Well, Michael Knowles, I appreciate you undertaking true sacrifice by going to the theater. It sounds like you were one of the only ones there, just like Rachel Zegler, as it turns out. And we part with this video of Rachel Zegler alone in a theater watching herself. One of the most unlikable humans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Michael Knowles, go enjoy your show. I'm sure I won't. I'll catch you in a little bit. See you later. Alrighty, coming up, there is a brand new book and it claims the Democrats actually had a plan to pull Joe Biden as early as 2023. We'll get to that plus the mailbag in a moment. Remember, you can only watch my responses to your questions and even ask those questions when you become a member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Join Daily Wire Plus right now. If you're not a member, now's the time. When you become a member and use code ShapiroCheka, you get two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And President Trump is basically signaling here that the House of Representatives is on a knife's edge and you can't pull good Congress people from their districts to serve in other aspects of the executive branch for fear that you might lose the district. Speaker Johnson put out a statement saying he would immediately invite Elise Stefanik to return to the leadership table immediately.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Quote, it's well-known Republicans have a razor-thin House majority. Elise's agreement to withdraw her nomination will allow us to keep one of the toughest, most resolute members of our conference in place to help drive forward President Trump's America First policies. And again, this is being openly acknowledged.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, he said that Stefanik's withdrawal was just a result of the political realities they're grappling with in the House right now. Every vote counts. For this, you can thank some Congress people like Thomas Massey of Kentucky, whose reliable no vote on every contentious vote in the House of Representatives, meaning that the majority shrinks by one every single time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
But you can also point out that there is concern in other districts that there really should not be concern about. So for example, Florida's sixth congressional district, which is Mike Waltz's old seat, that is now a special election seat. And it's really competitive. Democrats are pouring money into that particular race. That race is far too close.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Right now, Randy Fine, it's Randy Fine who's running for that seat. Fine has been a state senator in Florida for a while. President Trump has phoned in teletown halls in a district that he won by 30 points. This should not be a competitive district. Democrats are pouring money in. Josh Weil, who is Fine's Democratic opponent, has raised $10 million for his campaign.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
One of the things that I'm always warning folks against in politics is the belief that anything that happens is eternal, that the change is eternal, that there will never be another loss in the future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Meanwhile, a super PAC tied to Elon is getting involved by spending 20 grand to support both Fine and a guy named Jimmy Petronas, who is the Florida chief financial officer. The seat, again, is vacant because Mike Walz is now the National Security Advisor. One poll from St. Pete Poll suggests the race is within the margin of error, despite the fact that Trump won that race by 30 points.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Now, again, I expect that Republicans will hold the seat. I do not think that Republicans are going to lose that seat. The fact that it's even competitive signals that any sort of sort of overweening confidence that Republicans have is misguided. You got to act like every possession matters.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
You can't act like you're up 30 points when you're up two and there's a couple minutes left in the ballgame. You can't do that. This is the reason that I think that what President Trump is doing with tariffs right now could be a massive mistake. Now, again, I've said a thousand times, there are many good reasons to do tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
You can do tariffs because you want to protect a national security-laden industry. So there are certain parts that you need manufactured in the United States because in case of war, you don't want the supply chain broken, and then you can't manufacture the parts in the United States. So you need to have a subsidized domestic industry for those parts, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
That's a good reason to have a protective tariff around a particular industry. You can use a tariff as a punishment for another country. The country is doing something you don't like, so you use tariffs as a form of economic sanctions against that country. That's another good reason. You can use tariffs as a way of leveraging down other tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I'm old enough to remember in 2004, after George W. Bush won reelection and secured the Congress of the United States, that there were Republicans who thought that Republicans would never lose again. This was the initiation of a brand new era. And then, of course, by 2006, Democrats had taken the Congress, and by 2008, they had taken the presidency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
This is something that William McKinley famously attempted to do. So President Trump likes to see himself in the mold of President William McKinley, of course, was president in the late 19th century. McKinley's tariffs were designed in order to get other places to lower their tariffs. He openly said so. So if that's the agenda, other countries have higher tariffs on us than we have on them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And so the idea is that we are going to increase our tariffs as a lever to force them to lower their tariffs. That's just a piece of leveraging. I'm hopeful that President Trump is doing that. However, it seems more and more like President Trump is not doing that, like he has an actual ideological predilection for tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
The reason I say that is because yesterday, President Trump announced 25% tariffs on all cars, quote, not made in the United States. This is a massive tariff. This is a very, very large and powerful tariff that President Trump is placing on the importation of automobiles.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And that's going to affect American companies because an enormous number of American cars from American companies are actually finished in Mexico or Canada before they're shipped down into the United States. It's very difficult to tell what is even American made anymore. I remember when I was growing up, there's a big focus on buying Americans. My family always bought Ford, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And I remember over time, that taboo sort of went away. Why? Well, because it turns out that Honda was making like three quarters of its car in the United States. And meanwhile, companies like Ford were making a bunch of their car abroad. There are just too many parts in the car. So how do you determine whether it's an American car or a not American car?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
A bunch of a Toyota is made in Georgia, for example. Like this sort of stuff is quite real. But it's difficult to tell what parts of what car are actually made in America. And it's also difficult to do things like trust your internet service provider. There's good reason not to. Depending on where you live, internet service providers may be required to keep logs of your online activity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
In the United States, it's even worse. ISPs can legally sell your browsing history. So what can you do about it? The solution is to get a VPN. The one I use is ExpressVPN. It's an app that reroutes my online traffic through encrypted servers, so my ISP can't access it. Neither can data brokers or other third parties. You also have to trust your VPN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Any reliable VPN receives data requests from law enforcement and government entities. ExpressVPN received over 300 of these requests in the past year alone. None of them resulted in any customer data being exposed. You simply can't hand over what you don't have. ExpressVPN does not keep any customer activity logs, thanks to specially engineered servers that run on volatile memory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Nothing is ever saved to disk. It's private by design. I use ExpressVPN all the time on the road, whenever I'm in an airport, whenever I'm at a hotel. Public Wi-Fi means that my data could be exposed. I don't want it to do that, so ExpressVPN is my choice. It works on all your devices, phones, laptops, tablets. It's really easy to use. Tap one button and you're now connected.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
So if you want the VPN I trust to protect my online privacy, get ExpressVPN. In fact, you can get four extra months of ExpressVPN for free with my special link. Go to expressvpn.com slash Ben. That's E-X-P-R-E-S-S-V-P-N.com slash Ben. Get four extra months for free. News breaks all the time. Having the flexibility to manage my time effectively is not a luxury.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
I'm also old enough to remember when the Democrats proclaimed in the aftermath of Barack Obama's 2012 victory that they would never lose again. They had a brand new coalition, an undefeatable coalition that would just continue to grow, and Republicans would be in the minority for literally ever. And within four years, Republicans had taken the presidency with Donald Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
It's essential for delivering the news people need to hear, which is why I appreciate tools that let me handle business tasks on my own schedule, not somebody else's. Take Stamps.com. It's revolutionized how you and your business can handle all mailing and shipping needs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Whether you're sending out important documents, promotional materials, or packages, you can do it all right from your computer or phone any time of day or night. No lines, no traffic, absolutely no waiting. Plus, if you sell products online, Stamps.com seamlessly connects with every major marketplace and shopping cart. Here's what makes it even better.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Stamps.com's rate advisor takes all the guesswork out of the shipping costs. It automatically calculates the best shipping rates and shows you options you're not going to find anywhere else, including up to 88% off USPS and UPS services. All you need is a computer and printer. They'll even send you a free scale to get started. Have more flexibility in your life with Stamps.com. Sign up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
At Stamps.com, use code Shapiro for a special offer that includes a four-week trial plus free postage and free digital scale. No long-term commitments, no contracts. Just go to Stamps.com, code Shapiro. That's Stamps.com, code Shapiro. So what are these tariffs designed to do? Well, President Trump announced this tariff yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
He said he would impose 25% tariffs on all cars not made in the United States. He said there would be absolutely no tariff for cars that are built in the United States. These tariffs are going to go into effect on April 2nd. He said we start collecting April 3rd. Trump White House aide Will Scharf said the new tariffs apply to foreign-made cars and light trucks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
These come in addition to duties that are already in place. Scharf said that the tariffs will result in over $100 billion of new annual revenue to the United States. Now, let's be clear.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
When they say that these tariffs are going to result in new annual revenue to the United States government, they mean you are going to pay a higher price for your Hyundai and the government is going to take a piece of that. That's what they mean. Because it's not just the companies pay tariffs. They then increase their prices.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
President Trump said there will be very strong policing on which parts of a car are hit with tariffs. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quickly criticized the new U.S. tariffs and vowed the EU will continue to seek negotiated solutions while safeguarding its own economic interests. Auto stocks fell in after-hours trading.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
By the way, this includes major American motor vehicle companies. On March 5th, President Trump gave three automakers, General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford Motor, a one-month exemption from his 25% tariffs, but those could absolutely go away, and those will presumably go away. The only company that really is unaffected by this is apparently Tesla.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
which is manufactured almost wholly in the United States at this point. The two companies, in fact, that are assembled most in the United States are Rivian, which is an electric car company that makes vehicles that are, in my opinion, too expensive, and Tesla, which, again, is a great car company. But Tesla and Rivian represent a very small segment of the American car market.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Most people who are buying a car in the United States are not buying a Rivian or buying a Tesla. For Ford, only 78% of Fords are assembled in the United States. So that means that 22% of all Ford vehicles are going to hit with a 25% tax. Honda, 64% are assembled in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
As I said, foreign-owned car companies are still very often assembled in the United States or parts are manufactured in the United States, which is why this is also confusing. Honda is 64% assembled in the United States. Stellantis is an American company, 57%. Subaru, 56%. Nissan, 53%. GM, an American car company, like a classic, 52%. Toyota, 48%. BMW, 48%. Mercedes, 43%. Mazda 19 Volvo.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
And so now, when I hear Republicans who seem triumphalist about the idea that Democrats can never win again, that Democrats will never take power again, that all the trends are against them. It's true, the trends are against Democrats right now, and that's a wonderful thing. That's a good thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
Volvo hardest hit. The problems with this are that when it comes to your price when you're buying a new vehicle, it is going to go up. Period. End of story. It will. That is what tariffs are designed to do. They are designed to make foreign imports more expensive. And that allows more room for domestic manufacturers to increase their own prices. About 45% of all U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
sold vehicles are imported, with the largest percentage coming from Mexico and Canada. So what exactly is the purpose of this? Well, some of it is surely a payoff to some of the auto workers unions who supported President Trump. UAW President Sean Fain said he's ecstatic, I'm sure he is, because this is an artificial subsidy to his union.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2168 - TRADE WAR: Trump Declares Massive Car Tariffs
So this idea, by the way, that American car companies have suffered because of foreign competition, the real reason that American car companies have suffered, historically speaking, is because of extraordinarily overpaid union contracts. That is the actual reason. The UAW is the reason why American cars for decades were uncompetitive with foreign competitors. So there's a payoff to the UAW.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Folks, we have a jam-packed show for you here today. Vivek Ramaswamy will be joining us later to talk about his Ohio gubernatorial run. We're going to do like a full breakdown of the Oscars. I made a full breakdown. I actually slogged through virtually all of the Best Picture nominees on your behalf. So we'll go through all of those and we'll get to everything related to Ukraine and Doge.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So let's talk for a second about the sort of action that happened after that. So the binders are given to you guys. Some people walk out, they're sort of holding them up triumphantly, which again, I'm not sure it's an amazing optic, but that happens. And then the revelation comes out that the binders themselves don't contain much new information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And right after that, Pam Bondi then releases a letter publicly calling on Kash Patel to investigate SDNY for not releasing the documents. I mean, I guess my question is, why didn't you just release that letter in the first place? Why the whole sort of, rigmarole with the binders as opposed to just say publicly, we found out from an informant inside SDNY that things are being destroyed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Cash, go investigate it and go do this. I'm not sure what the point of the binders was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Well, Emily, really appreciate you coming on and clarifying what happened. Thanks so much for your time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Well, speaking of distractions that people don't need, Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan arrived in the United States yesterday. They, of course, are American citizens. They're dual citizens, or in the case of Andrew Tate, I believe he has seven citizenships. And he showed up in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The reporting was the Trump administration had put significant pressure on the Romanian government to allow them out of their house arrest in Romania so they could come to the United States. As I said yesterday on the show, I don't know the legalities here. I don't know whether it is in the interest of Romania to do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And so these sorts of shiny object distractions that don't materialize into anything, I think that they are a problem. And I think that, again, they lend credence to the opponents of the Trump administration, which I don't want to happen. Well, yesterday was kind of a bleep show, frankly, when it came to the Epstein file. Basically, it is now Friday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I don't know that it was American pressure that actually secured their release. All I can say is anyone who is celebrating their arrival in America has a screw loose because these are some of the worst people in the world. They are not good people by their own admission, just by their own stated comments. These are not people you would want to have anywhere near your wives, daughters, or families.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
unless you're an insane person. Well, President Trump was in fact asked about the arrival of the Tates and all of the talk about how the Trump administration had pressured for their release. And here was President Trump yesterday saying, no, I don't know anything about this and don't want any part of it. So good for President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So, again, I think President Trump saying I have no interest in this particular topic is the right approach. And anybody in his administration who decided to make this top priority, I'm confused why that was a top priority at all. Unless you have evidence that they were being mistreated in some deep and abiding way by the Romanian justice system, as well as the British justice system.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, was asked about this. He said, well, no, I don't really want them here in Florida. We don't like alleged sex traffickers in the state of Florida.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Again, this is a pretty large split that's now emerging inside the right wing of the party between people who really don't want anything to do with, you know, self-professed pornographers, self-described misogynists. People who are Muslim converts who proclaim that Islam should actually dominate the UK, who stand for Yahya Sinwar and Hamas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
For some reason, there is a part of the party that seems warm toward this stuff simply because it's oppositional in some way to left-wing agenda items. Although, again, the solutions seem to foment, actually, a lot of left-wing agenda items, such as, for example, sexual promiscuity. And then there's part of the party which is like, nope, not interested in any part of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And it seems as though President Trump actually is on the same page here as Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida. And obviously, you can hear Governor DeSantis saying, listen, we're going to look at the legal authorities. If there's prosecutions that need to be brought in the state of Florida, we will look at them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
On Wednesday, Pam Bondi, the attorney general of the United States, had announced that she would be releasing some new Epstein files, that there would be new files showing names that we hadn't seen before, materials that we hadn't seen before. Here she was explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
But as far as whether the state of Florida is excited to have them here, the answer is absolutely not. That is the proper response to this. Well, it's good to know that there are some good people in our government because there are also bad people in our government at the IRS. And they are after you. The IRS is going to ramp up its enforcement efforts in 2025 with April 15th approaching.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Time is now running out. If you're facing back taxes or unfiled returns, delaying action only compounds the problem. Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by. While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS alone could be a costly mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And this is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart? Well, unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels. This means they know exactly which agents can resolve your case effectively.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Protect yourselves from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com slash Shapiro. April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first. Also, victory is in the air. So is the scent of renewal. Behold, this is George Washington on a candle. Look, it smells great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Trump's first joint session of Congress since his historic reelection is almost here. America is again winning. Celebrate the triumphs of a new era from Doge's major cuts to protecting America's borders to major cabinet confirmations and more with a candle. the Smells Like Victory candle from the Candle Club. Again, it's the Washington. It's George Washington on a candle representing victory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
If you love America, you need it. It's that simple. Capture the essence of America with a fresh invigorating scent, a burning reminder with strong leadership, our best days still lie ahead. I'm going to blow out this candle now. But do not let them blow out the candle on liberty. Don't wait. Right now, you can get 20% off when you order by Friday. Bask in the smell of victory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Order right now at thecandleclub.com slash ben. Once again, that's thecandleclub.com slash ben. That is the proper human response to this on the part of the right. Good for Trump. Good for DeSantis. Again, these are not distractions that are necessary in a time where actual heavy work has to get done. Speaking of which...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Today, Vladimir Zelensky is heading to the White House to sign an agreement handing over rare mineral rights to the United States. President Trump is very excited to secure that deal. Yesterday, he hosted Keira Starmer, the left wing prime minister of the UK. And President Trump, again, he's great with people and he's very friendly with humans.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And so here he was with Keira Starmer praising his accent, which is a pretty classic Trump right here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Keir Starmer's job was to sort of warm President Trump up to the idea that the United States would help to provide security guarantees in Ukraine. It turns out that the best way to warm President Trump up to security guarantees in Ukraine actually is to sign economic deals with President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That seems to be one of President Trump's key levers, is that if you are willing to allow the United States to make money, then obviously we have more interest in helping to defend you, which seems perfectly rational. Keir Starmer? pushed the idea at this joint press conference that any peace in Ukraine has to be directed at being a lasting peace.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
You don't want something temporary, which would seem to be obvious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And again, by the way, Trump is sitting here nodding and President Trump then reiterates that idea. He's like, yeah, the whole point of a deal is that the deal holds. You don't want a deal where we sign an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, including the EU, and two weeks from now, Russia's invading again. That's not something anybody wants.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Now, one of the things that was hilarious is that in this press conference, Trump was asked in front of Starmer about his comments last week that Zelensky was a dictator. I just want to point out here that all the people on the right who felt the necessity to go out of their way to defend those comments were making a rather large tactical error.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Again, President Trump says many things off the cuff. I've said this for literally a decade about President Trump is that on his tombstone after 120 years, President Trump's tombstone is going to read 45th and 47th presidents of the United States. He said a lot of bleep. A lot of the stuff that President Trump says is meant for effect. Some of it is meant as bargaining position.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Some of it you just blurts. So the entire Republican Party infrastructure shaped itself around him calling Vladimir Zelensky a dictator when Vladimir Zelensky is actually not a dictator. He's the elected leader of Ukraine. He can't hold another election in the middle of a massive war in which millions of your citizens are now living abroad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Hundreds of thousands of your young men are on the front lines and hundreds, thousands of more Ukrainians are living in Russian occupied areas in Donbass and Crimea. The Constitution does not actually allow it. That is a unified governmental position and non-governmental position in Ukraine, by the way. The opposition parties, who don't even like Zelensky, say he's not a dictator.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And it was totally fine to say that even last week, even after Trump had said that he was a dictator. It was totally fine to say that's not actually true. It didn't undermine Trump, didn't undermine any peace efforts. And yet you saw an enormous number of people on the right who started kind of shaping their opinions to meet what was an off-the-cuff comment by President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
How do I know it was off-the-cuff? Because yesterday he said so. So in this press conference, he's asked, what about the told Zelensky's a dictator thing? And Trump's like, me? Was it really? Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
He's kind of like giving a little smirk there. He knows he said it, but he's like, you know, what are you going to do about it? So herein lies the point. For people who are in my position, you don't always just have to mirror the thing that President Trump is saying to understand what he is attempting to do. You don't have to buy into the idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
that Ukraine, quote unquote, started the war in order to suggest that the proper solution to the war is an off-ramp that everybody agrees has to happen, in which Russia basically maintains control of Donbass and Crimea, security guarantees are given to Ukraine, and economic redevelopment happens in Ukraine that the United States makes money off of.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
All of that is fine and dandy, and you don't have to repeat sillinesses that are untrue in order to achieve any of that. Well, yesterday during this Keir Starmer meeting, there was also a rather amusing moment where President Trump called on J.D. Vance to basically just shellac Keir Starmer over speech restrictions in the UK. And this is like, when you call J.D. on this stuff, it's like J.D.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Again, you can see how much J.D. is enjoying that sort of stuff and has been using the vice president in this way. He'll be in press conferences and be like, J.D., say something mean. And J.D. will be like, OK, man, it's go time. And then he'll just go for it. And I will say it is a pretty effective use of the vice president of the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Speaking of which, I'd be remiss if I did not comment on the vice president that we narrowly avoided. So Tim Walz is still out there being a giant inflatable at a used Carlotte weirdo with his strange hands and odd motions and all the rest of it. It is still amazing to me that Kamala Harris decided this of all the humans on earth had to be her VP pick. Just incredible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
OK, so in that clip, she says there will be new Epstein information released by her office tomorrow. And she says it's on my desk. That's what the attorney general of the United States says. So everybody all day long is waiting for the release of this information, like literally all day long.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So he was on a show yesterday and he suggested that the country has now been stolen by fascists and Nazis. Now this is someone who loves America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Okay, keep going with this. Seriously, that guy almost was vice president of the United States. He was like this close. America really dodged a bullet, not just literally as in President Trump dodged a bullet, but really dodged a bullet here in not having these clowns at the top of the American political hierarchy. Seriously. Amazing. Really, truly, good job, America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Good job, because we almost had that thing. We almost had it. All right, folks, coming up is a very stacked show today. Vivek Ramaswamy is going to be stopping by. He, of course, has announced his run for Ohio governor. Also, we are going to do our full review of the Oscars, which are happening on Sunday. I know you didn't watch the movies, but sadly for me, I did. But first, it all goes down.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Tuesday night, 9 p.m. Eastern, President Trump addresses Congress, laying out his America First agenda on immigration, the economy, and national security. You already know we're going all in. Kick things off with Backstage Live, 8.30 p.m. Eastern time, where the entire crew breaks down what's at stake and sets the stage for President Trump's speech.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
But we begin today with... Basically what appeared to be some sort of Geraldo Rivera reveal of the Epstein files. Y'all remember that episode of Geraldo Rivera in which he tried to open Al Capone's vault and then he did and there was nothing inside? Well, it was basically that. And this has led to a bunch of speculation that secretly somewhere the Epstein files are still there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Then we watch the full speech together, live on Daily Wire Plus. No spin, no nonsense. And when Trump is done, we're just getting started. The gang is back for real on filtered analysis you're not going to get anywhere else. This is history in the making. Do not sit on the sidelines. Watch it all live Tuesday night, on Daily Wire Plus. Subscribe now at dailywire.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Well, earlier today, I had the opportunity to sit down with Vivek Ramaswamy. Vivek, of course, friend of the show, ran for president last time around, was part of Doge briefly, and now he's declared his running for the Ohio governorship. We had a chance to sit down together. Here's what it sounded like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Joining me on the line is Vivek Ramaswamy, who has now declared his run for the governorship of Ohio. Vivek, welcome to the show. It's good to see you, Ben. So let's talk about why you decided to run for governor of Ohio. There's a lot of things you could have done. You decided that you want to remain in the sort of public service area and you want to run for governor of Ohio.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Right now, you are prohibitively ahead of the rest of the field in the polling of the endorsement of President Trump, Elon Musk as well. What made you want to do this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And then sometime yesterday morning, pictures start being released of a bunch of social media influencers who are holding up binders that supposedly contain new Epstein information. And these social media influencers, many of these people are people with whom I'm friendly. People like Liz Wheeler, who's just great. I think Liz is terrific.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So Vivek, the state of Ohio has been moving significantly to the right over the course of the last several election cycles. I'm old enough to remember when it was a bellwether state. Now it is a fairly solidly red state. What are some of the biggest problems that are facing the state of Ohio that you'd want to cure and focus in on as governor of the state?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
It was handed to Libs of TikTok and Jack Posobiec and a bunch of other people, right? It was a big binder. It said the Epstein files, phase one. And people were holding them up kind of like trophies, which, you know, frankly, I think is sort of a bad look.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Vic, one thing that's distinguished you from a lot of other Republicans is your focus on economic dynamism, on innovation. That's a really important thing for the Republican Party. It's also a really important thing for the Midwest. There's sort of been this model that's been applied by really a lot of sort of blue governors in the Midwest that's regulate and subsidize, regulate and subsidize.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
When you are talking about the release of criminally oriented documents about the abuse of minors, I don't think it's an amazing look to walk out holding this up as though you just won an Olympic medal. But in any case, We then were like, okay, fine. It's an odd way to release it, but can we see what's in it?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
You heavily regulate and then you subsidize all of your political friends with taxpayer dollars. And somehow this is supposed to bring jobs back or spur particular friendly industries. And what you're talking about is something different, which is take the shackles off of American industry in places like Ohio, and you will get naturally an incredible level of growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And then it turns out over the course of the day that the answer was there was basically nothing in it. The binder was filled with stuff that we already knew. And there's effectively nothing new in the binders. And this became clear pretty quickly, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That's Vivek Ramaswamy running for governor of Ohio. I'm sure that he is well positioned in this primary. Vivek, if people want to give to your campaign or help out, where should they go?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That's Vivek Ramaswamy. Vivek, good luck in the race. I'm sure we'll check back in. Thank you, man. All righty, folks. So, of course, the Oscars are this weekend and we're going to go through the various categories. I'm going to handicap the Oscars for you. I have actually seen virtually all of the Best Picture films at this point. I know I suffer so that you don't have to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I'm be joined in this journey by producer Phil, who's sort of our in-house film expert. And actually, Phil is quite good at this. How many of these films have you actually seen that are nominated for Best Picture, Phil?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Okay. So this is good because our crossover here is not super high. The only ones that I've actually not seen are A Complete Unknown. I haven't seen Conclave. I've read the book. So I figured I didn't need to see the movie. And I haven't seen I'm Still Here. All the others I've seen. So this should be a good crossover.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I think the only one that neither of us have seen here is probably I'm Still Here. Yeah. So, okay. Between the two of us, I think we can do this. So...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
What's bizarre about this Oscars is how many nominations... First of all, Emilia Perez racked up. Emilia Perez racked up an enormous number of nominations, 13 nominations. The Brutalist racked up 10, and Wicked racked up 10.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And Emilia Perez started off, this happens now almost every year at the Oscars, where Emilia Perez was the frontrunner, and then there was woke blowback, and then Emilia Perez was not the frontrunner. We've seen this so many times. We saw this with Green Room. We saw this with La La Land. This sort of stuff tends to happen a lot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
What's bizarre about the anti-woke blowback on Emilia Perez is that it is the wokest, most horrible film ever, perhaps. And yet somehow there's an anti-woke blowback because the person who was nominated for Best Actress, a dude, had a bunch of bad old tweets that apparently mean the entire film now has to be thrown out entirely.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Now, the film should have been thrown out entirely in the first place because it sucks, but that blowback has now led to a sort of race for who is going to replace him. Emilia Perez is the frontrunner. Right now, my understanding, Phil, is that the frontrunner is Enora. Is that right? Yes, it is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So Anna Paulina Luna, who's leading up a task force in Congress to review the Epstein documents, put out a tweet at 210 yesterday, quote, I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today. A New York Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein's phone book. This is not what we or the American people asked for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So I want to go through each of these, and we'll do some capsule reviews of these particular films. So Enora, as we say, is now the frontrunner. It's directed by Sean Baker. Sean Baker did The Florida Project, which actually I kind of liked. And also did Red Rocket, which I did not like, and Tangerine, which I did not like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And Sean Baker is kind of this auteur director who apparently has no capacity to write because Nora is truly an awful film, like truly a very, very bad film. The plot of the film is sex worker, meaning a prostitute, meets Russian oligarch's son. Russian oligarch's son really likes this girl that he is paying to have sex with him routinely while he plays video games.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
and marries her almost on a whim. And then Russian family is like, this isn't happening. Nothing happens for about an hour, and then they kind of chase him around town. He disappears. They chase him around town. Finally, they uncover him. She realizes, as she should have from the beginning, that he's a douchebag, and they give her a little bit of money to go away.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
She takes the money to go away, and she flirts with one of the henchmen who's been sent to separate them. I think that's a fair summation of the plot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That's Hysterical. First of all, again, it is amazing. These movies are terrible. I mean, this is a truly awful film. It offers no character development. I think my favorite part of the film is there's a scene where Anora, who's the prostitute, is being confronted by the henchmen of the Russian oligarch's parents, the Russian oligarch parents.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And the henchmen call her a prostitute in front of her, and she can speak Russian. And she starts screaming at them. And all I could think of is, well, you are. I don't understand your objection. Literally, the whole movie is supposed to be an almost unapologetic look at sex work, meaning like girls love it. It's super fun. There's nothing wrong with it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
It doesn't damage your soul or you in any serious way, even though, again, sort of the underlying thematic is that what she's actually looking for is to be a married woman. in a normal relationship. And then she can't have that because she is, you know, a prostitute. And so the film is in conflict with itself. On the one hand, it wants to glorify sex work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
On the other hand, the thing that she actually is looking for is to not be a sex worker, but to actually be, you know, like a traditional housewife who is taken care of, which is kind of hilarious. And I think perhaps the most fascinating part about this film is that it's been characterized as a Cinderella story. The problem is
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
You can't have a Cinderella story where Cinderella is utterly unsympathetic. Right. I mean, Cinderella in this particular film is, again, a sex worker who basically takes advantage of what appears to be a 70 IQ, 18 year old kid. in order to get to his money. And somehow this makes her a heroine of the story and a victim of the evils of a society that won't accept the sex workers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So that was my take. It's 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and then 90% from the audience. I don't know what the audience is thinking other than their OnlyFans login was lost or something. So The Brutalist has also been nominated for 10 Academy Awards. I have many, many thoughts on The Brutalist, actually. I will say it's at least interesting. There's some things that are going on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Get us the information we asked for instead of leaking old info to the press. Okay, so nothing new here. And so then the question became, well, what a bleep show. I mean, you said there was going to be sort of a big reveal. We're going to get some new information. By the way, this is the second time this has happened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I don't like the political take of the film. I think there is one move that is made near the end of the film. And again, spoiler alerts all over, guys. If we're going through the films, you're going to have to actually deal with it. The Brutalist is beautifully shot. It's really well-directed. The acting is across the board excellent. Guy Pearce particularly is terrific in this film.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
It makes no political sense at all. So the entire basis of The Brutalist, for those who haven't seen it, is a Holocaust refugee arrives in the United States. It turns out that he is a sort of master architect from the Bauhaus school, and he ends up doing the library for a very rich family. played by Guy Pearce. Guy Pearce originally doesn't appreciate it and yells at him and doesn't pay him.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And then Adrian Brody's character, who is this Hungarian artist, eventually he finds the Hungarian artist, tracks him down and says, I realized what you did here is a masterpiece and I want to commission you to make a giant community center in honor of my mother. And so the whole movie is about the conflict between these two characters where Guy Pearce is trying to get this thing built.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
He's not, he respects the talent of the Hungarian, but he doesn't like the Hungarian, but he kind of loves the Hungarian. It's like this bizarre love-hate relationship that he has with the Adrian Brody character. And the whole kind of thematic of the film is America is xenophobic. There's sort of a weird, badly done Zionist plot in The Brutalist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The big problem is that, number one, the case for Zionism is not only that the Jews need a place to go because everybody is constantly persecuting the Jews, which is true. But the case for Zionism is also, I mean, just as a Zionist, the case for Zionism is that there is a biblical basis to it. The Judaism actually believes that there is a holy land promised by God to the Jewish people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That's never dealt with in the film. And so what you end up with is Israel as sort of repository of almost anti-American hatred, that basically what Israel is a place for people to run away from America. Now, if you're going to set it up that way, then what you have to do is basically show that Adrian Brody and his entire family are deeply mistreated by America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And so from the very outset, this is the director, Brady Corbett's job, is to show that America is not all that it's cracked up to be.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
We were told that the JFK files were going to be released and that was going to explode everything. And that never happened because guess what, guys? We kind of know all there is to know about the JFK assassination. It's been more than half a century. There have been many, many, many reports on it and lots of documents revealed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
From literally the first shot in the film, which is this big shot where you see the Statue of Liberty coming upside down, and you see Adrian Brody scramble up to the surface of the ship that's taking him from Europe to the United States, and then the camera swivels upside down, and so you get the upside-down Statue of Liberty.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
You know right from the outset, this is going to be an America sucks movie. And by the end, you also have a cross upside down. So it turns out that America is rooted in Christianity and Christianity sucks, which is why Jews apparently are victims or something. The problem is,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Adrian Brody is not a victim in this movie until about three quarters of the way through the movie, meaning that Guy Pearce treats him badly at first.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And then there's a read on this movie where Guy Pearce is actually, for most of the movie, the hero of the film, meaning he is a very rich person who finds an impoverished European immigrant, recognizes his talent, pays him an enormous sum of money to make him a monument on a hill that serves no purpose other than the charitable and in honor of his mother.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
brings, like hires a Jewish lawyer to bring his family from Europe and get them out of a DP camp in Austria, have them live on his property, right? These are not the actions of like a typical movie villain. And so the entire movie is based around the idea that Guy Pearce is a villain, but then the first three quarters of the movie don't set that up. So what do they do?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
They add in a rape scene in which Guy Pearce literally rapes Adrian Brody's character. Now, by this point in the film, Guy Pearce is supposed to be probably 60 and Adrian Brody is supposed to be probably 50 in the film. At this point, and it's just it's absolutely bizarre, except that they had to do it because otherwise Guy Pearce can't be portrayed as the villain.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And so they're making flesh the implication of the movie, which is that basically America rapes its immigrant population for its talents and then treats them badly so much so that they want to leave. The politics are really perverse and disgusting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
It's a very well-directed film, but because the politics are so perverse and because, again, the vast majority of the plot does not support the conclusion, all of this feels very shoehorned in the last quarter of the movie is kind of my take on it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
This kind of conspiratorial angle that the right seems to have fallen in love with, that unanswered questions must be answered in the most perverse possible way. And if the evidence isn't there, then we just keep saying that there is a lack of evidence and lack of evidence is actually proof of evidence. Again, I'm willing to follow this evidence wherever it leads.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And again, I think that Brady Corbett had to do that. The question becomes, why did they even do that? And I think the reason he had to do that is because otherwise the setup is Adrian Brody's being really, really oversensitive here, right? He's like, okay, fine. So the guy doesn't like you. How many people like their boss? How many people like the people who pay?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I mean, aside from obviously all of our employees, like Phil loves me, but aside from that, I mean, clearly, I mean, it's not that we pay him to say that. He actually does. But, you know, most people don't feel like that they have to love the person who is paying them to do a thing. And so the problem is that unless you set up that Adrian Brody is literally a physical victim.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Then you cannot actually set up the rest of the sort of moral of the film, which is, again, made perfectly obvious in the last part of the film because they fast forward to 1980, and now there's a big tribute scene to Adrian Brody's character, and they explicate that when he created this bizarre monument on the top of a hill in Pennsylvania…
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
that actually it was supposed to be taking elements from Dachau and Birkenau. So the idea was there's some sort of continuity between Nazism and American industrial capitalism, which is just, I'm sorry, sick and perverse in every way that is possible to be sick and perverse. And anybody who takes away from...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
from, you know, world history, that there is a similarity between people shoving you into a gas chamber and murdering you and your entire family, and people commissioning you to build a tower on a hill in Pennsylvania. I don't know how far you have to have your head up your ass to come to that conclusion, but apparently that's about as far as Brady Corbett has his head up his ass. Okay, Conclave.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I read the book, and so I could not put myself through the movie. The book was interminable enough, and I say that as a fan of Robert Harris, the guy who who wrote the book. I've read a bunch of his books. So for those who missed it, I did like a little capsule review of Conclave, the book as well, before the movie even came out, telling you what it was going to be.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And indeed it is that thing because the movie is the book. Basically, Pope dies, time to appoint a new Pope, College of Cardinals all get together, winner, spoiler alert, intersex person.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Because it turns out that all the cardinals who find this out after the person is made pope, it turns out they all decide that it's important to violate all the vows they've ever taken in order to maintain the fiction that this person is actually just a genetic male as opposed to an intersex person who's actually female. So you have a lady pope. It's sort of the idea of this film.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Right. Exactly. Exactly. And so I think like the reason and so this is the the Catholic Church is mean and too conservative and needs to liberalize movie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Yeah, well, I mean, that's true in the book. Also, there's like a brief kind of internal monologue that the main character is played by Ralph Fiennes in the movie does where the main character is like, well, you know, I could say something, but I really shouldn't say something. OK, I guess I won't say something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I want the answers the same as you. And unlike the JFK assassination, where, by the way, it was Lee Harvey Oswald, unlike the JFK assassination, where there's a plethora of video, forensic, and documentary evidence available, in the Epstein case, we really don't know what the hell happened. We still don't know any of the key questions. Who was running him if he was an op?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And it's it which is really stupid because really the entire debate theoretically should be about that thing. Right. You should have a whole movie about them debating. We just appointed a poet. What do we do now? you know, there's like the legality. Can you, like, I don't know any of those procedures. Is that, is that revocable? How does it, how exactly does that work in this way?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The, the sort of surprise ending conclave is very much like nickel boys. So nickel boys is a movie about a school. It's based on a, an actual real school in Florida, uh, that was a reform school in which apparently students were abused for decades, uh, Some of them were killed and apparently buried in a field and like bodies have actually been found.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
There have been reparations that have been paid to some of the families in the state of Florida over all of this. There's some controversy over whether this was just a generalized evil reform school that basically victimized all the people who went there or whether it was particularly racist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
As one of the controversies over the Florida school, Nickel Boy's novelization by Colson Whitehead that turned into a movie. And the movie is fine, but it's not particularly revelatory. The kind of
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The reason I'm comparing it to Conclave is because the twist ending is that the character you think you've been watching the whole time who's kind of in the future in the late 1980s who's deciding whether or not to go and reveal what happened at the school, that character you think is one character the whole time, and it turns out it's another character.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The character you think it is was actually killed earlier in the film, and this person took that person's name and lived out his life basically. That doesn't change anything fundamentally in the film. This is one of my problems with some twist endings in films. At least in Conclave, you can make the case that that actually has some impact.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
In Nickel Boys, it really wouldn't have mattered at all whether the switch ever took place. If one of the boys had been killed and the other boy had lived, that would have made no difference to the actual plot of the film. I think it's more of an explanation for why the kid didn't come forward because he was actually, you know, inhabiting somebody else's life. Maybe that's the explanation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
But there's nothing particularly that changes what happened during the story that one character lived and the other died. You could easily have just left it alone. And I think the shock value of the Switch is supposed to be like the big revelation and just didn't do anything for me. As far as it being directed well, yeah, I mean, I think it's directed fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I think it's interestingly directed, Nickel Boys, because it kind of takes various perspectives. It's done from first person. So you see the camera in the place of the person for one character, and then you see it switch, and you see the same scene from the character of the other person. And so, you know, it's kind of a cool directorial trick.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
But we've also seen that with things like, for example, 1917. So I don't think there was anything particularly new about that per se. It's fine. I don't think it's an amazing film by any stretch of the imagination. The substance. Okay, so I did not hate the substance as much as I thought I would hate the substance. I don't think it's... anything special. I think it's a body horror film.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I think that it's being given all sorts of plot. It's just because Demi Moore gets naked. And the entire plot of The Substance is Demi Moore is an aging actress and she's fired from her job by close-ups of Dennis Quaid eating shrimp. And then at a certain point, She is she's given notice, but she gets in a car crash at the hospital.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
What exactly he was doing? Who are the people on the island? What kind of tapes he had? All those are unanswered. So I understand why there is so much dyspepsia over the Epstein case. But if you're going to do a reveal, that means you better have some goods, right? Something better come out. And it didn't come out yesterday. And I think people are right to be angry about it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Somebody gives her notice of a thing called the substance that allows her basically to separate into two beings. One of them is a young version of Demi Moore, like a young, hot Margaret Qualley version of Demi Moore. And one is older Demi Moore. And they have to switch off week to week. So the basic idea is that her soul or brain, whatever she is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
inhabits one body and then inhabits the other body week to week. And then, of course, there starts to be tension because she wants to stay in the younger body. But then every time she goes back to the older body, her older body is more depleted because the younger body has essentially been drawing life force from that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The end of it is, of course, as with most horror films, you know, some sort of sick horror explosion involving lots of blood. The movie kind of peters out around an hour 15 and then for 45 minutes just kind of hovers there. Nothing really happens between an hour 15 and kind of two hours. This movie at an hour and a half would have been a nice little horror flick at two hours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Yeah, Vanity Fair is high on their own supply. And that was, of course, by a person I believe named Emily St. John or something who is a trans person. St. James, yeah. St. James. Emily St. John is the novelist. Emily St. James is a trans person who believes that every movie is about him. And The Substance is absolutely not a trans allegory.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
It is about women aging in Hollywood and how they feel a lack of self because they are aging and because everybody is mean to them because they're older. which is clearly not true of Demi Moore, who's getting more work now than she's had in 20 years, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The thing that works in Late Night with the Devil doesn't work for me here in the substance, just thematically, is that the very basis of the substance is that fulfillment is to be found in sort of youth and beauty for women. And so when she goes back to being Margaret Qualley, and now she's young, instead of utilizing her youth and beauty to actually do productive and interesting things,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
She basically Fs around. I mean, that's essentially what she does as a young woman, right? She parties and she has sex. The idea that like what a woman wants most out of life, the fulfilling thing that is going to cause her to want to relive her life is to essentially, you know, act like a teenager is really, really stupid. And so I don't think the movie flows in that way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And you know what would have been useful actually is if she'd gone back and said, I want to relive my life. You know what actually worked? If she'd gone back and said, I want to relive my life as a young woman. I want to get married and have kids.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That would have actually created some real dramatic tension because then you would have had sympathy for the idea that she wants to stay a young woman and not be an old woman again. She has to relive her life because she made some bad choices, but it's none of that because, of course, Hollywood could never possibly think that a young woman would want to get married and have kids.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That sounds like a Daily Wire plus original. It does. It does. So we're scripting it in real time. And finally, there's Wicked. If you want to see my review of that, then you can. Obviously, that did a lot of traffic because I liked Wicked. So of these pictures, the best picture, the only one that people are going to be watching 10 years from now is June Part 2. The rest of these—
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I think that it is bizarre to release it to social media influencers as opposed to releasing it to many journalists. I'm not talking about journalists on the left. I'm talking about journalists on the right. I mean, the Washington Free Beacon has a bunch of excellent investigative journalists. We at The Daily Wire have investigative journalists.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The rest of these kind of suck. Wicked is fine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I think, given the momentum, I think Enora will probably win. I think there's too much controversy with the others. And somehow, the movie about prostitution and sex work with enormous amounts of pornography is the least controversial nominee on this list. But it just shows you where Hollywood is, right? Enora is the America is evil because it doesn't like sex work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The Brutalist is America's xenophobic. A Complete Unknown has just walked the line. Conclave is the Catholic Church is transphobic. Amelia Perez is society is transphobic. Nickel Boys is America is racist. The Substance is America is sexist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I mean, I think all three are bad. And again, I'm speaking out of turn here because I haven't seen Conclave. I've only read the book. But my assumption is that the most interesting of those three is The Brutalist, which is at least attempting to do something thematically and at least is well-directed and well-acted. Well, folks, there is your rundown on everything Oscars related.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I know it's a bit lengthy, but there are a lot of films there. And we'll give you, I'm sure, our full review of the Oscars themselves on Monday. Alrighty, coming up, there's a new patriotic documentary that is coming out called Brothers After War, all about what happens to American soldiers after war. We're going to talk with the director of that film.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Speaking of which, you actually should come subscribe at Daily Wire Plus because we have tons of amazing stuff that is happening. We've got... All of our movies, obviously. The Matt Walsh stuff. Am I racist? What is a woman? We've got All Access Live, which we did yesterday, in which I answered your questions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
We also have episodes of The Search with people like Elon Musk and Megyn Kelly and Vivek. If you're not a member, you need to become a member today. Use code Shapiro at checkout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
We have like people who we hire, who we pay to actually go through documents at a legal granular level to do this sort of stuff. Or you could just release all of it online and have us all peruse it. I mean, that would be the best way to do this is so that we could all see it. The kind of release strategy was weird. And then when it turned out there was nothing in it, then the repercussions began.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And that actually the lack of justification for more material being out there is demonstrated by the lack of material. This sort of stuff is annoying. I want all the Epstein files out there. Every single bit of it. All of it. As much unredacted as humanly possible. The only parts, theoretically, that should be redacted are things to protect the victims.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So the repercussions began with a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi to Kash Patel over at the FBI. And now Pambandi is claiming that Kash Patel is essentially having the wool pulled over his eyes by underlings who may be getting rid of documents. Again, I'd love to see the evidence of this. If that's true, that's a criminal offense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I mean, destroying relevant criminal documents would be a criminal offense and people should go to jail for it. So if we're going to make those sorts of allegations, you shouldn't just throw them out there. Short a letter saying, quote, Dear Director Patel, before you came into office, I requested the full and complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
In response to this request, I received approximately 200 pages of documents, which consisted primarily of flight logs, Epstein's list of contacts, and a list of victims' names and phone numbers. I repeatedly questioned whether this was the full set of documents responsive to my request and was repeatedly assured by the FBI we'd received the full set of documents.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Late yesterday, I learned from a source the FBI field office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein. Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of these files. When you and I spoke yesterday, you were just as surprised as I was to learn this new information.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So this is her saying, someone, someone out there in FBI land is covering things up. It's not your fault, Cash. It's not my fault, AG Pambondi. It is the fault of these unspecified members of the New York office of the FBI who are destroying documents or hiding things, which again, Criminal offense. People should go to jail if that is true.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Quote, This is her kind of blaming Kash Patel, but letting him off the hook. Okay, so first of all, her issuing that letter publicly... is a way of shifting blame. I mean, there are a couple ways of reading it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
One, this is totally true, that actually there's somebody in the FBI offices who is scurrilously hiding away thousands of pages of documents that we have never seen and shredding them in the back room. Okay, again, if that's the case, that should not just be a matter of the records show up at the offices of the DOJ.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
That should be a matter of people who are doing that thing should not only be fired, but prosecuted. Okay, so that's a very serious allegation. Or the other way you can read this is, this is pretty humiliating, that Pam Bondi thought that she had new stuff. Nobody in her office bothered to check whether it was new stuff.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
They released it to a bunch of social media influencers in order to get clicks. And then it turned out there was nothing in the files. Okay, those are the possibilities. So Liz Wheeler, who again, is excellent. Love Liz as a human being. She put out a statement, quote, President Trump and AG Pambani committed to releasing the Epstein files. The FBI was told to deliver the files to Bondi.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
They did, about 200 pages. Bondi smelled a rat because there was nothing juicy in the 200 pages, just flight logs and Rolodex and phone numbers, no smoking gun. Still, Bondi promised to release the documents, so she prepared a binder of them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Certainly nothing to protect the allegations against perpetrators. I want to know exactly who Jeffrey Epstein was, who was opping him, because the question of how he made his money is a serious question, and why he was basically allowed by law enforcement to gallivant around performing atrocities against young women on behalf of powerful men.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Then last night, a whistleblower contacted Bondi and revealed the SDNY was hiding potentially thousands of Epstein files to find Bondi's order to give them all to her. We're talking recordings, evidence, et cetera, the juicy stuff names. These swamp creatures at SDNY deceived Bondi, Cash, and you. Be outraged that the binder is boring. You should be because the evil deep state lied to your face.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The binder is powerful because it's tangible physical evidence of the disgusting stunt the SDNY tried to pull. Okay, the binder is not powerful. The binder is empty. It is. And if Pam Bondi wanted to say this, she could have just said this without the reveal of the binder. Again, this looks like a low-level bureaucratic screw-up, and now people who are backfilling the story.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I'm just going to give you the honest story. That's what it appears to be. I wish I didn't have to say that. But again, the American people deserve answers to these questions, not either obfuscation or silliness. And if it turns out, by the way, that there are no thousands of pages of documents... And then they're not revealed because they don't exist.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And this, of course, is only going to feed the fire of, well, you know, absence of evidence is actually evidence, right? If it's not there, it must be because it once was there and we never got it. You want to feed conspiracy theorists? This is the way to do it. Again, I want full release of everything forthwith. And the Trump administration is in charge, both the FBI and now the AG's office.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
So there are no excuses left. Either reveal it all or say it has already been revealed or prosecute the people who actually got rid of the documents. Those are your three choices. There are no other choices. Don't blame everybody else. Like do the thing. Give us the stuff. And if the stuff ain't there, tell us that the stuff ain't there and tell us why the stuff ain't there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Well, listen, we deserve to see the Epstein documents obviously, obviously. And we also deserve our freedom. Because this country was founded on freedom. Freedom from a country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea and then tried blockading us when we dumped their tea into the ocean. How'd that work out for you, Great Britain?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 with a qualifying plan by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. You make the switch in as little as 10 minutes. No hassle, no gimmicks, just honest-to-goodness wireless priced right. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Visit puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. I've been using Pure Talk myself for years. And, you know, I take my calls pretty seriously. So if I trust Pure Talk, you should as well. Go check them out right now. PureTalk.com slash Shapiro for that special deal. That's PureTalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Also, with two entire months of the new year already behind us, man, that moved fast, I need to make sure I'm maintaining my health, hitting the gym, spending time with my family, even with the busy work schedule. When I was younger, I used to think I could just power through on pure conservative willpower and caffeine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I learned pretty quickly, peak performance requires peak nutrition, and that means eating enough veggies. That's why I'm so thankful to have Balance of Nature, which fits right into even the busiest of days. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day. That sounds miserable, time-consuming.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
With Balance of Nature fruits and veggies, there's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
with his girlfriend, Paramore, and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and all the rest of this. But that did not happen yesterday. And I got to say, I think that these distractions are really not great for the Trump administration. They're really not. The Trump administration has very serious work. I keep saying this because it's important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
You take your fruit and veggie capsules every day, and then your body, you know, uses them for all the best stuff. And it's kosher, which means I can use it when I pop it into the protein smoothie every day so that I look ripped and jacked the way nature intended. Go to balanceofnature.com. Use promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Plus, get that free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com. Promo code Shapiro. Again, balanceofnature.com. Promo code Shapiro for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer and that free bottle of fiber and spice. So again, why am I upset about this? I'm upset about this because number one, we deserve answers to the Epstein questions. The whole case is insane and ridiculous.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
And the fact that we don't have answers at this point in time is just disgusting. Two. I'm annoyed because if the Trump administration is going to make a big deal out of this sort of stuff, you have to be professional about how you do it. These are serious issues. And by the way, this also applies to the House Judiciary Committee. And again, I love the people on the House Judiciary Committee.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I'm friends with many of them. You don't do what you did yesterday. Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee put out a link and they said, this is the link to the new FBI files. And then it was a Rick roll. I'm sorry, it's not a joke. The mass rape of underage girls and sex trafficking of underage girls to prominent men. That is not a subject for jocularity. Take it seriously.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I mean this across the board. Seriousness of purpose is going to mean seriousness of result. And if it's unserious, then all you're going to end up doing is distracting people with shiny objects over here, not getting the job you need to get done over here with the other hand. And that's just not what you're looking for here. It's not what you're looking for.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
The level of distraction has to come down. It does because there are serious things to be done. Trump has appointed an amazing cabinet. His cabinet is filled with stars. he's got a big agenda, things to do, a short time to do them. These sorts of distractions, either put up or shut up. We're now joined on the line by journalist and TV host, Emily Austin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
She left the White House yesterday with, again, that binder of the Epstein files. I want to get the inside story on how that went down. Emily, thanks so much for joining the show. So why don't you tell us what happened yesterday? Obviously, a lot of controversy online about the release of the Epstein binders, which didn't really contain much that was new, apparently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
Why don't you tell us what actually went down at the White House?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I want the Trump administration to be highly successful, and there are important things to do. We need to rebuild the American economy and unleash its dynamism. We need to get our debt under control. We need to cleanse DEI from all aspects of the federal government. We need to reshape America's foreign policy around rising threats like China. There's tons to do and not a lot of time to do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
I mean, one of the things that is kind of sort of bizarre about the whole situation is it sounds like there was not an actual plan to simply handle the social media influencers, these binders, but the binders were there and then they were handed to you guys. It sounds like it was kind of sprung on a lot of the social media influencers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2148 - The Epstein File Release FIASCO
You had no intention of going there and being the kind of source of revelations about the Epstein documents when you went there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Folks, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer just went on national TV bragging that he has put hundreds of progressive judges on the bench and said he's proud they are ruling against Trump time after time. If you actually care about truth, sanity, and reality, it is time to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Winning the election, it turns out, was not enough. The fight for our values...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Now, it is quite possible that what this is actually about has nothing to do with confidential war plans. It's about weapon systems. There's been a lot of controversy surrounding, for example, the F-35, which is incredibly expensive to maintain. And there's great and open debate within the defense community about the efficacy of the F-35 for the future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Because as drone warfare becomes more and more plausible, should the United States be shifting its production into drones? This is something that Elon Musk has suggested. Musk recently made an unannounced visit to the NSA, which of course focuses on communication intercepts to discuss operations and staff reductions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
But I think the idea that they were going to bring him in and then show him like the actual set of war plans, it seems like that is not true at all. But the media are jumping on anything involving Musk right now, which does show that they are very deeply afraid of what Musk is doing. And what is Musk doing at this point? What Musk is doing is firing a lot of people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And he's not actually doing the firing. He's advising the Trump administration whom to fire. He's also acting as a sort of public relations shield for the Trump administration because everybody can hate on Musk, but he's an unelected official. So there's nothing for them to really do about it. In reality, if you're mad at Trump, you should be mad at Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
If you don't like that Musk is doing what he's doing, you should be angry at Trump if you're on the left, not at Musk. Musk is just the messenger. He's the outside consultant who's been called in. If you don't like the firings, that responsibility does not lie directly with Elon Musk. That responsibility lies elsewhere. But for the left, it is indicative of where the left's mindset is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The problem, shockingly, is never the government. It really is an amazing thing. I'm old enough to remember the Occupy Wall Street movement. So back during the recession of 2007, stretching all the way through 2009, During that recession, two sort of groups sprang up and they were making similar cases from different angles. One was the Tea Party. I was a charter member of the Tea Party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And that means that the left is now excusing actual acts of violence against, for example, Tesla dealerships. There are entire sites that have been set up to dox Tesla owners, according to the UK Independent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
You didn't actually have a membership card or anything, but basically the Tea Party was about reducing government spending. The idea was that the government's intervention in the economy had led to the real estate recession and general recession in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And so the Tea Party focused its efforts on lobbying the government, on saying the government should cut, the government should restructure itself, the government should get less involved in the markets. which makes sense because if you're going to lobby somebody, lobby the government. Occupy Wall Street, as the name would suggest, did not occupy Washington DC.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
They occupied Wall Street, which was not answerable to them in any way. And it basically ended up being a bunch of anarchists and fellow travelers who pitched tents, not near houses of government, but near great centers of finance and industry because the private sector had to be to blame. The public sector was never to blame. And you can see that in the hatred of Tesla.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Tesla has literally nothing to do with what Elon Musk is doing at Doge. Joining us online is Mary Margaret Olihan, Daily Wire, White House correspondent. A lot going on at the White House. Mary Margaret had the opportunity to ask questions again this week of Caroline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, particularly with regard to Doge. So Mary Margaret, let me ask you about that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
You had a report earlier this week about a bizarre standoff at the U.S. Institute of Peace. What exactly happened and what did the White House have to say about it?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
As protests against Doge had Elon Musk spread across the country, a website called DogeQuest has reportedly published the personal details of Tesla owners leading to concerns about privacy and safety. The site reveals the names, addresses, and phone numbers of Tesla owners on an interactive map and uses an image of a Molotov cocktail as a cursor.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Mary Margaret, one of the things that's become quite apparent is that the hatred for the Trump administration is now being telescoped into hatred for Elon Musk personally. It's pretty clear it's a public relations ploy that's being done by the Democratic Party and members of the media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
They can't actually challenge many of the things that Doge is doing on a sort of populist basis because most people actually want waste, fraud and abuse cut. And so they've decided they're going to go after Elon personally. What's the feeling in sort of the White House about Elon at this moment?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The operators of the site have said that they will only remove the information of Tesla owners who prove they've sold their cars, according to 404 Media, which is full-scale insane. There are legitimately hundreds of thousands of people who own Teslas.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Well, it's Mary Margaret Olihan. She, of course, is our White House senior correspondent. Mary Margaret, thanks so much for covering it and good to see you again.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Tesla, again, is a private company. Tesla is a company that sells cars and develops AI technology. What does protesting Tesla have to do with protesting what the federal government is doing in terms of cuts? Even if you don't like Musk, shouldn't you be going after Musk in his pseudo-governmental capacity as opposed to in his private capacity as an owner of a business?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Why does hitting the business... matter. Why is that? And the answer is because for the left, the government is never to blame. You just switch the people at the top of the government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The government must be maintained at all costs, even if that means you focus your ire on Tesla and not on the actual people in the government who are actively currently doing the kinds of firings that you're very angry about. Speaking of which, President Trump. is moving forward to try and dismantle the Department of Education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
This is a four-decade-long promise from Republicans that they are going to dismantle the Department of Education, which of course performs functions that should be performed not at the federal governmental level, but should be performed at the state level. Here is President Trump signing an executive order directed at abolishing the Department of Education yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
There is President Trump signing the actual document with the marker,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The president then made remarks about all of this. He was talking about Linda McMahon, who is the secretary of education, and he says that he is interested in her being the last secretary of education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
continues every single day. That's why we need you to become a Daily Wire Plus member. You get my show ad-free, plus exclusive content you won't find anywhere else. Stream all our top-rated hosts on desktop, mobile, and TV. Join the fight today at dailywire.com slash subscribe. Well, speaking of the left-wing assault on basic human values, the assault on Elon Musk's Tesla continues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The new site comes amid a number of attacks on Tesla properties, such as arson at showrooms and service centers, seemingly in protest of Musk and his role in the administration of President Trump. That map also includes locations of Tesla dealerships and superchargers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
By the way, worth noting here that everybody is yelling at Trump about that. How could they're going to dismantle the Department of Education? They can't do that. It is an established department by Congress. He's not going to dismantle the Department of Education outright. He's going to reduce the size and the scope of it, and then he's going to wait for Congress to do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
This is made clear by Caroline Lovett over at the White House yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
By the way, that's inarguable. Educational performance in the United States has sunk over the course of the existence of the Department of Education. And when it comes to American educational performance, sort of like America's performance in the war on poverty, the question isn't, did America get worse at education over the past few decades?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The question is whether we got better after injecting trillions of dollars into the system. So if the war on poverty took $22 trillion to reach the same point that we had before, That would be a failure. And if you have a Department of Education that spends trillions of dollars and achieves basically nothing, that would also be a failure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
So I asked Perplexity, one of our sponsors, quote, And Perplexity answered, American educational performance relative to other countries has not significantly declined since the creation of the Department of Education in 1979. While the U.S. does face challenges in some areas, particularly in mathematics, the overall trend shows mixed results rather than a clear decline.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
So I'm old enough to remember when Sarah Palin was blamed for putting up a map of targeted districts that she was hoping Republicans could flip. And then a nut job who had nothing to do with that map went and shot Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. And Sarah Palin was blamed for that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
But what does that actually mean? When it comes to the Program for International Student Assessment, in 2022, U.S. students ranked 21st in math, 5th in reading, and tied for 10th in science among OECD countries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
When it comes to the trends in international mathematics and science study, in 2019, the US had higher average scores than most participating countries in both math and science at fourth and eighth grade levels, but higher than most. We also spend virtually more than anybody.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The US ranked eighth out of 41 countries in educational attainment, with 92% of adults aged 25 to 64 holding at least a high school diploma. But that particular measure is also not a great measure because a lot of people in the United States are elevated through high school without ever learning anything, which is why you have to have remedial courses in college.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
One of the things that tends to happen when it comes to analyzing educational performance is people saying, look how many people have college degrees, rather than have the degrees been watered down such that a college degree is now worth what a high school degree used to be worth or a high school degree is now worth what a junior high degree used to be worth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The bottom line is we have expended trillions of dollars over time via the federal government Meanwhile, after more than a year of war, terror and pain in Israel, the need for security essentials and support for first responders remains critical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Even during periods of supposed ceasefire, Israel must maintain constant vigilance and preparedness for potential threats that could emerge from literally any direction. Throughout this challenging time, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has stood firmly alongside the people of Israel, providing essential security resources that save lives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
We remain committed to this vital mission.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Your gift today will directly contribute to life-saving security measures including bomb shelters to protect families during rocket attacks, armored security vehicles, ambulances that provide critical medical care, advanced firefighting equipment for emergency response teams, protective gear like flak jackets and bulletproof vests for those on the front lines, and numerous other crucial resources.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
By making a generous donation today, Thank you, and God bless. To help us feel energized and balanced, my team and I, we've been partnering with LiveGood. My assistant Kelly recently tried their bioactive complete multivitamin as well as the organic complete plant-based protein powder because this year she wants to stay on top of the health and the wellness.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Here you have people who are putting up an actual map with the icon of a Molotov cocktail and individual private people who own Teslas. And somehow this isn't a national scandal in any way. It should be. It should be. I mean, there's incitement to violence, certainly. The site says DogeQuest is the ultimate hub for enthusiasts of the Department of Government Efficiency.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Since taking them and getting all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body typically needs, she's noticed a big difference in overall health and strengthened immune response even with all the bugs that have been going around recently. and the protein powder is so convenient for throwing in smoothies after gym recovery as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Live Good delivers expert-formulated premium supplements at unbeatable prices by eliminating middlemen and excessive markups. It's no surprise they've become the fastest-growing supplement brand with over 1.5 million satisfied customers. Plus, all their products fit conveniently into your day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Kelly takes their multivitamin after breakfast, she throws some of the protein powder into smoothies after workouts, and she says she's noticed just how much more energy and focus she has throughout the day compared to before she added those Live Good products into her routine. If you're ready to make the switch and start saving, we'll make it even easier for you. Use our link.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
You can save an additional 10% off your first order on top of already low prices. Just go to livegood.com to save 10% on that first order. That's livegood.com. Don't miss out on this opportunity to invest in your health without overspending. The actual executive order, by the way, does not actually close the Department of Education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
It says that it should close, but it doesn't close it because Trump doesn't have the power to do that. The actual text of the executive order says, quote, Closing the Department of Education would provide children and their families the opportunity to escape a system that is failing them. Today, American reading and math scores are near historical lows.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
This year's National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that 70 percent of eighth graders were below proficient in reading and 72 percent were below proficient in math. The federal education bureaucracy is not working. Closure of the Department of Education would drastically improve program implementation in higher education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The Department of Education currently manages a student loan debt portfolio of more than $1.6 trillion. This means the federal student aid program is roughly the size of one of the nation's largest banks, Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo has more than 200,000 employees. The Department of Education has fewer than 1,500 in its Office of Federal Student Aid. The Department of Education is not a bank.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
It must return bank functions to an entity equipped to serve America's students. Ultimately, the Department of Education's main functions can and should be returned to the state.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And then the actual executive order says, quote, the Secretary of Education shall, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the states. Now, again, consistent with the provisions of law. And that's all. So he's saying we should move toward that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
We can't actually do it without some sort of congressional intervention, but we are going to move toward that. And this, by the way, is a broad spectrum popular conservative policy. Chris Sununu, who is the former governor of New Hampshire and very popular in the state and certainly not a radically conservative Republican, talked on CNN about why conservatives have been focused on closing the DOE.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
He is right about all of that. And again, what President Trump is doing here, this is the thing the left cannot deal with, is actually popular. Many of the things he's doing, these cuts, examining for ways, Doge remains a popular idea. which is why the left is fulminating against Musk. They're trying to personalize the politics here. It's about Musk.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Our innovative platform allows users to explore an interactive map of Doge landmarks. Leveraging our cutting-edge artificial intelligence algorithms, DogeQuest goes a step further by connecting like-minded Tesla owners with one another, facilitating a vibrant community through shared contact information. So obviously it's cynical and ironical.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
It's not about what he's trying to do, which of course is doomed to failure. But the good news is that Democrats do have a bunch of federal judges on their side.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
According to Politico, yesterday, a federal judge barred Elon Musk's Doge from accessing sensitive information at the Social Security Administration, saying the group appears to be on a phishing expedition that could jeopardize the data of millions of people. The Doge team is essentially engaged in a phishing expedition at SSA in search of a fraud epidemic based on little more than suspicion.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
said U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in a 137-page ruling. It has launched a search for the proverbial needle in the haystack without any concrete knowledge that the needle is actually in the haystack. That is a terrible analogy, truly a terrible analogy. First of all, we know that there are people who are using false social security numbers in the United States. That is a very real thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Illegal immigrants in particular have spent decades obtaining false social security numbers and then receiving aid or employment based on those false social security numbers. But beyond that, that is really stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
If you're auditing a government department and the argument is you can't audit the government department because you don't know if there's anything wrong, that's literally the purpose of an audit. That's why an audit exists, is to determine if there is something wrong.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Honest to God, that's like suggesting that police should never, ever be able to serve a search warrant because they don't know for sure what's inside the house before they actually search the house. Yeah, that's the point of the search warrant. That's the whole idea.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Hollander, of course, a Barack Obama appointee, said the group's broad access likely violated privacy laws and then ordered an immediate halt to the Doge social security team's access to any systems that contain sensitive data of social security recipients.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The judge wrote, ironically, the identity of these Doge affiliates has been concealed because defendants are concerned the disclosure of even their names would expose them to harassment and thus invade their privacy. The defense does not appear to share a privacy concern for the millions of Americans whose SSA records were made available to Doge affiliates without their consent. Well, hold up.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
That is not the same thing at all. The people who are working for Doge are properly concerned based on the fact that, you know, the left is burning cars and doxing people and swatting their homes. That may be the revelation of their names would be a problem for their safety.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Who thinks it's a problem for their safety if the Doge team looks at a list of social security numbers and tries to match it up with, say, birth records? And what exactly is what is the problem here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
But this is part and parcel of a broader judicial attempt by Barack Obama appointees, in large part Clinton appointees too, Biden appointees, to undercut the functioning of the executive branch, the judiciary, saying that basically Trump can't do what he needs to do because the judiciary says no. And it's all exaggerated and ridiculous. Vice President Vance is correct on this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
He was talking about judicial overreach yesterday. Here's what he had to say.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
All of this comes after a bunch of high profile attacks on Tesla vehicles, including setting Tesla vehicles on fire at a Las Vegas dealership. The vandalism against Tesla has absolutely surged, not just in the United States, but apparently also in Canada. According to the New York Times, people in Canada have done real damage to vehicles at Tesla dealerships in Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
I mean, he's right about that. By the way, J.D. went to Yale Law School, so it's not like J.D. has no background in any of this sort of stuff. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer, who was perfectly willing to buck the Constitution on behalf of both Barack Obama and Joe Biden routinely, he says that the United States is now in a constitutional crisis. Now, why? Seriously, why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
What is the constitutional crisis that he mentions? The administration has no intention of bucking Supreme Court orders the way, say, Joe Biden did. They have no intention of doing that. What they are saying is a district court judge should not have the ability to issue nationwide injunctions on national policy before the Supreme Court is weighed in.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And again, the Supreme Court needs to take this up. They do. The Supreme Court rejected taking this up just a few months ago and reverted it back to district court level. They need to take up the question of what exactly is the jurisdiction of a temporary restraining order issued by a district court judge because it is wrecking the system. It is a real problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Overreaching judges can, in fact, wreck systems. By the way, you see this abroad all the time. You see it in Brazil. You're seeing it in Israel right now. You've seen it in South Korea. The overreach by a judiciary into the realm of what the legislature or what the executive does is just as much of a damage
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
as the executive branch reaching into the functions of the judiciary or the legislature, or a legislative branch reaching into the functions of the executive or the judiciary. This kind of notion of a completely unfettered judiciary that can simply encroach upon the prerogatives of the other branch is a complete violation of what the founders meant to do. That's the constitutional crisis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Here's Chuck Schumer making the case that the Trump administration, not waiting around on every district court judge in America to sign off on their action, but instead wanting the Supreme Court to sign off on it, is somehow a violation of the Constitution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
He thinks judges should—I mean, so did Barack Obama. Barack Obama so much thought that judges should listen to him that he literally ripped the Supreme Court in front of the Supreme Court, leading Justice Samuel Alito to shake his head mildly and create an entire news cycle about how the Supreme Court justice had been disrespectful to Barack Obama. Again, remember, for the press, if—
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The Supreme Court does not rule the way Democrats like. The Supreme Court is the threat to the Republic. If the Supreme Court rules against a Republican and the Republican says, I don't like it, that's a threat to the Republic. It's all about power. It is never, ever about principle. Now, again, I don't think that the Trump administration is dumb enough to start defying Supreme Court orders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And in fact, they've said repeatedly they are not. It would, in fact, be a foolish move to start defying Supreme Court orders. And this is what every poll finds. Here's Harry Enten explaining.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
More than 80 Teslas had their tires punctured and bodies scratched at a lot in Hamilton, Ontario. Police said on Thursday, several acts of vandalism against Tesla property have also been committed in the United States. Apparently all in retaliation for President Trump being mean to the Canadians and Elon Musk being friendly with President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Okay, but the American public is not really talking there about like a lower district court judge who puts a temporary restraining order and then that temporary restraining order doesn't hold. They're talking about the Supreme Court says, for example, that student loans cannot simply be relieved by dint of executive action. And then Joe Biden does that. That's what the American public mean.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Meanwhile, the leftist agenda here suggests, of course, that everything is a danger to the republic, including, by the way, the idea that if you deport Hamas supporters, somehow this is a danger to American citizens. So Mehdi Hassan, who is an American, I mean, I understand why he's upset. Mehdi Hassan is pretty warm toward terrorism and also became an American citizen in 2020.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
But no one can deport Mehdi Hassan and no one's calling for the deportation of Mehdi Hassan. But here he was claiming that the threat is to American citizens if, you know, a person on a student visa or a work visa goes to a Hezbollah funeral. Here's Mehdi Hassan being Mehdi Hassan. Again, the horseshoe theory here is so strong. Here he is with Rick Wilson of the Lincoln Project.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Mehdi Hassan crossing streams with Tucker Carlson these days. The horseshoe theory of politics is quite a real thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Correct. So I'm just wondering, what is the due process that has been denied to citizens and political enemies? Can he name it? Truly, can you name it? And the answer is no. That is a large jump. That is a very, very large scale jump. Even the people that he's talking about, for example, this green card holder who is going to be deported for being a Hamasnik. That guy's getting due process.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Literally, his case is in the process of appeal right now in front of the judiciary. And meanwhile, the battle on the left continues between the kind of insane and the people who are more moderate. The insane are likely to win that battle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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On the side of the more moderate are people like James Carville, who keeps pointing out, why is it that the Democratic Party has abandoned the traditional sort of Clintonian blue dog Democrat audience?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
I mean, it has not exactly been sort of top of mind for Musk, what is going on with the Canadians and the tariff war. That's really outside his purview. Meanwhile, again, the left is celebrating this sort of stuff. The Daily Show audience literally cheered, Tesla is being burned. This is on Jordan Klepper's Daily Show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And again, Carville is not wrong about this sort of stuff. But Democrats are not going to listen to him. And the reason they're not going to listen to him is because they actually do not like non-college educated white men. This is a very big problem for the Democrats. They do not like a constituency that they actually need to win a larger share of. And you can see it in the polling.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Right now, the Democratic Party is run almost entirely by college educated white ladies. That is what the Democratic Party is. It is run by college educated white ladies who are disproportionately unmarried. This is evident from the polling from NBC News earlier this week, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Steve Kornacki says, when it comes to positive or negative views of Trump, among all voters, 46% positive, 49% negative. Among white voters, Trump is 52-45, 52% positive. 69% of white men without degrees view Trump positively. Only 28% see him negatively. Among white women with degrees, it is 29% positive and 67% negative. That is a net negative of 38 points.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
That is a 79 point net rating gap between the two groups. Those splits are absolutely enormous. And by the way, it does not include white non-college educated women. White women with no degree, for example, are plus 14 on Donald Trump. They're negative 38% on Donald Trump if you're a white college-educated woman. If you're a white college-educated man, you're plus one on Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you're a white man with no degree, you're plus 41 on Donald Trump. The gigantic outlier is not educational. It is educational and also sex-based. White college-educated women are enormously woke Take, for example, the issue of DEI. So in this NBC News poll, what it shows is that on DEI, white men with no college degree, negative 40 on DEI. White men with a college degree, negative 17 on DEI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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White women, no degree, negative one on DEI. White women, college degree, plus 31 on DEI. Plus 31. It is a truly what a complete disaster area for the Democratic Party. They are they are holding to a a one slice of the electorate and they're holding on to it tighter and tighter and letting it define them. This is why you end up with the popularity of people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Because Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is appealing to one group of women, white college educated ladies overall. That is really her subgroup. Those are the people who want the sort of resistance nonsense. Here she was just a couple of days ago saying that Americans, the Republicans have disdain for working people because they make fun of her being a bartender.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Well, yeah, we make fun of you being a bartender because you have not shown that you are qualified to be a useful person in the halls of Congress. And by the way, cosplaying as a blue-collar working woman while earning a pretty good salary to live in a really nice Georgetown apartment, it doesn't play anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Ridiculous. Let's be clear. Trump voters are much warmer toward your normal bartender than Democrats. Truly, like across the country. The Democrats are exactly the sort of people who believe that a degree in gender studies from Wellesley qualifies you for higher office.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Alyssa Slotkin, who is the senator from Michigan, who's attempting to do the James Carville routine, she actually spent yesterday slamming AOC and Bernie Sanders and said, what the hell do you guys do for a living? You're useless.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Senator Alyssa Slotkin of Michigan, and she, of course, is right, ripping on Bernie and ripping on AOC. They haven't done anything, but that is going to be their entire pitch going forward for the Democratic Party. We weren't involved in the system. They are a danger to the Democratic Party.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Now, the real danger is that, God forbid, Bernie Sanders and AOC start to gain credibility if there's an economic downturn. I've said this a thousand times. I will continue to say it. Bad economic policy is the greatest threat to the Trump administration. There's a bunch of good economic policy that they are currently doing, ranging from deregulation to presumably enshrining tax cuts permanently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The current tax rates should be maintained. All of that would be really, really good. But the markets are still quite nervous about the possibility of a major hike in tariffs come April 2nd. The Dow Jones is bouncing around a lot. It was up yesterday. It's down today. There's just a lot of turmoil in markets and a lot of lack of faith right now in what the markets are going to do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There's a reason for that. The Federal Reserve set out its projections. yesterday, and what they suggested is that the president's tariff plans are likely to subdue the strength of the economy. Policymakers had presumed that they would spend 2025 gradually cutting rates to keep inflation heading down without a big rise in joblessness, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The latest projections point to the prospect that tariffs covering a swath of goods and materials will actually send prices up while sapping investment sentiment and growth in the short term. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said, we now have inflation coming in from an exogenous source. The underlying inflationary picture before that was basically 2.5% inflation, 2% growth, and 4% unemployment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Now, officials are projecting weaker growth, higher unemployment, and higher inflation. President Trump continues to push forward with the idea that there should be both tariffs and rate cuts, which is not a thing that's going to happen. He put out a statement on Wednesday saying, quote, the Fed would be much better off cutting rates as U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
tariffs start to transition and ease their ways into the economy. Do the right thing. But cutting rates in the middle of inflation that is still 50% too high while tariffs are increasing prices would actually not be the world's best move. The truth is that if you want to wipe inflation completely out, the Fed made a mistake last year by artificially lowering those interest rates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
They should have actually kept the interest rates where they were and let the inflation peter out in the economy. Now, there is some good news. Again, the economy is ready to go in a lot of ways.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
For example, existing home sales rose 4.2% in February from the month prior to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million, according to the National Association of Realtors, which was far better than expectations. I think one of the reasons for that probably is that there are a lot of people who are now running out of cash and now they are going to have to try and sell their houses.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And they figure that the interest rates on mortgages are not going to drop dramatically anytime in the near future. And so they're basically giving up and now they're selling their houses. There's more inventory. So people are buying those houses. However, there are people who are in fact capable of buying those houses. So you are seeing some action in the real estate markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Weirdly enough, that action in the real estate markets might actually lead to prices going down as supply increases to meet demand. The Trump administration's number one goal at this point has to be a booming economy. All the other stuff is secondary. All right, folks, it is a Friday, so it's time for a cultural recommendation. So I have recommended the show Severance on Apple TV before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It is great. It is a truly terrific show. It's fascinating. It's interesting. It raises really interesting philosophical questions about identity, work-life balance, relationships. It really is a fascinating show. So the season finale is out on Friday. I had a chance to watch it. And I will say, again, really well-constructed show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It is doing the thing that Lost never did, which is answer the questions that it actually poses, which is wonderful. So I was a huge Lost fan.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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For people who remember back to 2007, 2008, Lost was a huge show on ABC, a fascinating show that posited a bunch of mysteries and then refused to answer any of them and suggested you were an idiot if you wanted to know the answers, which is why Damon Lindelof, who wrote the show, is a schmuck. I'm still angry at Damon Lindelof.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Here's an entire show filled with interesting mysteries and you have faith in the writers are going to solve them. And then he says at the end of the show that if you want those mysteries answered, well, you're just not mature. So well, then don't pose the mystery. I get it. Life is a mystery, but TV ought not be. So Severance is doing the opposite.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Severance sets up a bunch of mysteries and then it actually starts solving those mysteries. So for those who haven't watched Severance, there will be spoilers. The setup for Severance is essentially that there is a process that has been invented by a company called Lumen Industries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And Lumen Industries has made it so that you can sever your brain in such a way that your work life is completely separate from the rest of your life. So you lead your life and then you get in an elevator. And as you go down the elevator, your brain actually changes. When you get off the elevator in your workplace, you don't know who you are. You don't know where you are.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You just have your work life. And the purpose of this would be that when you get home, you're not thinking about work. And when you're at work, you're not thinking about home. And so it's for people who have trauma and they're trying to dissociate from that trauma and all of the rest. And so immediately, you've set up some interesting sort of spiritual and identity-based conundrums.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And the audience is cheering. They're cheering. Now, I'd like you to imagine for just a second that there is a company associated with the Biden administration, wherein right wingers literally went to the factories where that company manufactured its product and started burning up the factories.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Like, for example, if you have a completely separate identity when you go to your work life, a completely separate love life because you might fall in love with a co-worker because you don't even remember that you have a wife upstairs, for example. If you do that, is that a separate human? And if that person goes away, did you just kill a person?
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It's these sorts of questions that severance is asking. What is the nature of identity? Is it Is there a common thread between the different parts of your identity that holds them together? And it's wrapped into a really compelling plot with really likable and interesting characters and terrific writing. It's super weird and super interesting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
So in the season two finale, the setup is that the main character played by Adam Scott is Mark Scout when he goes into his any world, which is sort of the employment world. Then he's known as Mark S., And he falls in love in the any world with a woman who is not his wife. His wife supposedly died, but actually has been taken prisoner by Lumen and is being used in experiments, as it turns out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And he doesn't realize when he's in the any world that he actually has a wife. So he falls in love with a co-worker who, it turns out, is working for the company in her Audi life. The Audi life is what's happening outside the workplace. The any life is what's happening inside the workplace. And so... Mark S. finally breaks the barrier.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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The course of season two is about him sort of introducing his innie to his outie and trying to find what is the connection between them and what their various interests are. Because it turns out that
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
mark scout's wife is alive and so his interest is in getting his innie to go and free his wife and then for him to basically turn back into mark scout as opposed to his innie and then he and his wife can be together and meanwhile the innie is saying well i have my own separate life down here and sure it's kind of hellish because we live in this cubicle office space but i have a love life i have somebody i love i have friends so you're asking me to give up my life to you and so that's the central conflict of season two
The Ben Shapiro Show
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It's really well thought out. The characters are really fascinating, all the way down to the certain characters who are sort of the indoctrinated parts of the Egan Empire, which is Lumen Industries. Particularly the guy who plays Mr. Milchick is really a terrific actor. He's really great. It's a really well thought out show. The season finale really pays off.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And again, I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it because it's still pretty early. It only came out late Thursday night on Apple TV. So a lot of people are gonna watch it tonight, presumably. I will say that it pays off. For those who've been watching, The show's great. More of this. More creative shows. And there's so many paint-by-numbers pieces of content right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And not the kind of stuff where you buy Bud Light and then you break a Bud Light to demonstrate you don't like Bud Light. What we are talking about, people vandalizing other people's property, burning cars, and this stuff is really ugly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And good for Ben Stiller and for his team for putting together a piece of content that truly is interesting, asks cool questions, is well-plotted, is well-written, truly well-acted. I think it's the best TV show of the last several years. I mean, minimum. By the time it's over, if it continues to operate at this level, it's going to be one of the top five TV shows of all time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
It really is that good. Severance is terrific. If you haven't seen it, you should get into it today. I will admit that I watched the first season thinking my wife wouldn't like it. And then like various travels last year. And then this year I said, you know, season two is coming out. Maybe you should go back and watch season one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And after watching it, she's very angry at me that I didn't wait for her to watch season one. And so now she's all caught up. It is. It's great. Can't wait for season three on it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Alrighty, coming up, we'll get into some more cultural questions, including apparently LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign narratives on Assassin's Creed Shadows, a video game, and also images of the new Mattel doll have broken. We'll get to that momentarily. First, you do have to become a member.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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If you want to hear the rest of the show every single day, you do have to become a member here at Daily Wire Plus. And that means you get all sorts of stuff. You get Matt Walsh's amazing movies. Am I racist? What is a woman? All the background. You get all access library. You can hang out with me and Matt and Jordan and all the rest of the crew. Michael Knowles, all the rest of the crew.
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The only way you can watch all of this and the rest of my show is to join Daily Wire Plus. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And of course, it shades over into violence because many of the same people cheering this are also cheering the murderer, the alleged murderer, Luigi Mangione, who's the person who shot the head of UnitedHealthcare. The escalation of rage against the right into actual acts of violence is truly astonishing and also predictable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Now, I will say, it's pretty incredible what we're watching right now. There have been across American history a number of very large industrialists, bankers, innovators who have worked hand in glove with the American government when called upon to do so.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And it's being fomented by some of the most voluble people in American culture, including, of course, the schmuck Bill Burr, who used to be interesting, used to be funny, and then decided that he was going to go full woke. And he's angry at me for saying that. But that's your fault, Bill. It's not mine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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You're the one who decided to make the call that you were going to become Michael Moore with less hair So here is Bill Burr on The View, what a constellation of intellect, saying that he's very angry about who's running the country. There are a bunch of nerds who don't know how to talk to girls. I mean, Elon Musk is definitely a nerd. Also, Elon Musk has like a thousand children.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
So I'm pretty sure he knows how to at least talk to girls. Nerds who don't know how to talk to, I'm getting lectured by Bill Burr on this. Okay, here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Just psychotic, just psychotic stuff. And again, I point out Bill Burr because he's the same person who literally cheers Luigi Mangione, which is an act of evil. Cheering on murder is a bad thing to do. Cold-blooded murder. I mean, he has called essentially for the murder of billionaires, Bill Burr, a man who makes his living by saying marginally funny things in front of crowds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And again, I say marginally funny because I watched him perform live and he wasn't even funny enough to keep the crowd in their seats. It is truly amazing to watch how the left is swinging even further left. The far left has decided that resistance must eventually shade into Beider-Meinhof excuses for domestic terrorism and violence. It really is an amazing, amazing thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And again, Hollywood leads the way in all this. John Cusack, who again is particularly irrelevant at this point, except that he appears on sort of activist phone calls. Apparently there was something called a Tesla takedown mass call It is amazing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
In the early 20th century, there were bankers who worked with the federal government in order to essentially bail the United States government out of serious debt problems. During World War II, obviously, industrialists worked with the FDR administration in order to rev up the American war machine. Nothing about what Elon Musk is doing is particularly unprecedented.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
They don't have the ability to win electorally, so they are going to wreck the largest electric vehicle company on planet Earth, all of these environmental nutjobs. I get the impression that their priority is not the environment, that it actually is something far grimmer. Here is John Cusack, who was last relevant 15 years ago.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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I'm glad that he was using the term ghoul so precisely. If he had not been using it with exactitude, I would have been a little bit upset. Also, I love him calling out Elon Musk as some sort of anti-Semite, throwing up Hitler salutes. John Cusack is pretty famously totally fine with anti-Semitism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
So much so that the ADL, which is a left-wing organization, slaps John Cusack fairly regularly for it. John Cusack hasn't excited anybody in a movie for years, but starting a business is exciting. The financial chaos that comes with it, not so much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
When I launched The Daily Wire, I became very familiar with compiling a sea of receipts, trying to track employee expenses, spending countless hours reconciling statements. It was a nightmare until we got it all figured out, which is why I want to introduce you to Ramp. Ramp is a free corporate card that automates your entire tedious and time-consuming expense process.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Most finance teams are trapped, spending about 80% of their time on tactical busywork like chasing expenses and reconciling statements. with only 20% left for strategic thinking. Ramp flips this equation entirely. Their corporate card automates operations, freeing you and your finance team to focus on those strategies that truly drive growth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
It's very difficult to think ahead when you're just trying to stay apace on the treadmill that is business. Ramp allows you to do that because it takes care of the treadmill part of the business. It's no wonder over 25,000 businesses trust Ramp, including Shopify and the Boys and Girls Club of America, which is why they were just named number one in spend management by G2.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Plus, switching on over to Ramp is easy for new members. Ramp offers a complimentary white glove onboarding service to help you migrate from your current corporate card to start using Ramp. And now, for a limited time, listeners of this show can get $250 when you join Ramp. Just go to ramp.com slash Shapiro. That's ramp.com slash Shapiro. R-A-M-P dot com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Cards issued by Sutton Bank, member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. Meanwhile, Jasmine Crockett, who's attempting to drink Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's milkshake as the most viral left-wing congressional star, she was also on this Tesla takedown mask. Notice where they are directing their energies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Notice where they're directing their, they're not directing their energies toward the actual elected officials. There's a congressional election next year. They could be directing their energies at Congress, but they're losing because it turns out the Democratic Party is deeply unpopular. They could be directing all of their energies at President Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
But they know they're getting nowhere with that. So instead, they've decided they're going to attack the private company of a private individual. Obviously, I don't mean that Musk isn't a public figure. He certainly is. And Tesla is publicly traded. But none of this has to do with government interventionism. Typically, in a republic, the way that you change policy is through your vote.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
What is unprecedented is the idea that it's good for the country if his company is taken down. The hatred of President Trump is so strong and President Trump has been so invulnerable to that hatred that pretty much all the hatred of the left has now turned to Musk. It's kind of a fascinating thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Even when you're lobbying, the threat is to change votes. The threat is that you're going to do something that is going to change the nature of the electorate, which will then change the nature of the people who are governing you. But that's not what these people are doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
They're literally attempting to pressure a private company so as to pressure the owner of that private company into doing something that they would prefer he not do. It's an amazing thing. Here's Jasmine Crockett, U.S. representative. I mean, again, these are members of Congress who are actively attempting to foment some of the worst action against an electric vehicle company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
That's all she wants on her birthday, to see Elon taken down. These people are, there's something sick about this. Truly, truly sick. You know, Chuck Schumer is admitting that all these activists who you're seeing showing up at Republican town halls and screaming at Republican Congress people, basically Democrats are astroturfing this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
This is not a natural thing that when you're having Harriet Hageman, who is a congresswoman from Wyoming. Wyoming is like 110 percent Republican being berated at a congressional town hall that that is not the natural state of things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
I mean, at least you know what they're doing and who's astroturfing it. Meanwhile, again, this is spreading beyond its kind of normal boundaries into the realm of attacks by private citizens on other private citizens.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
According to Breitbart, a series of swatting incidents targeting conservative commentators and journalists have transpired nearly every evening since March 11th, according to X-Post, in which victims shared video surveillance footage and photos of the events, sparking questions as to who is engaging what Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee called domestic terrorism and attempted murder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
When you talk to people on the left right now, sure, they hate Trump, but they're kind of tired of hating Trump. They got bored with it. The fact is that they hated Trump 10 years ago. They hate Trump today. Elon Musk is the new hot thing to hate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have also reacted to the wave of dangerous crime. SWATing is where an anonymous person will call the cops and claim that there is a dangerous crime going on at some conservative's house. The police arrive ready to engage in some sort of battle with the person inside.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
They'll say that a murder or a hostage event is taking place at the home. It's designed to prompt SWAT teams to arrive at the targeted home and then possibly do violence to the people inside. As Breitbart reports, at least 15 figures in conservative politics and media have reportedly been swatted within the course of one week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
The string of swatting incidents seemingly began on the evening of March 11th with InfoWars reporters Chase Geiser revealing in an early morning March 12th ex-post that six to eight police officers used a PA system to call me by name and order me to walk out of my house. And he is not, of course, the only one. Nick Sorter announced that his family was swatted. We have also seen
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
Gunther Eagleman has 1.3 million followers on X, who is swatted, right? This sort of stuff is really dangerous. And the fact that it is becoming more and more popular with the left to do this is a very bad sign for the country. Now, meanwhile, the media are trying to target Musk with anything they can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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There's a story that the Trump administration is calling fake news about Elon Musk having a briefing at the Department of Defense today. According to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times also reported this. Musk was scheduled to receive a briefing Friday on the U.S. military's top secret war plans for China, according to two U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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officials, giving the wealthy businessman and presidential advisor insight into one of the Pentagon's most closely guarded operational blueprints. Now, the reality is that Elon should not be in on that. He does not, in fact, have security clearance. Elon does enormous amounts of business with China. Tesla does enormous business in China.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2163 - The Left’s ASSAULT On Musk Continues…
And because Elon Musk has dedicated himself to Doge, the Department of Governmental Efficiency, because he is going through department by department and looking for possible waste, fraud and abuse because he's so voluble. Because he's so rich, specifically because of all that, he has become persona non grata, enemy number one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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And so the idea that America's confidential war plan should be put in front of a civilian without proper security clearance, that is a bad idea. Well, fortunately, according to the Trump administration, that was never going to happen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Musk was going to visit the Pentagon, but he disputed that he would receive a sensitive China briefing saying, quote, it's an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies and smarter production. President Trump put up a post on Truth Social Thursday evening saying China will not even be mentioned or discussed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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So you now have a conflict between a media that has two confidential sources that they are not revealing and openly members of the Trump administration saying that it is not true. Supposedly, according to the Wall Street Journal, Admiral Sam Paparo, the head of the Indo-Pacific Command, said last month in remarks at a defense forum in Hawaii, the U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
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has war-winning advantages in possible conflict with China in both space and cyber capabilities, as well as a general advantage in submarines. Paparo was expected to participate in a Musk briefing with Hegseth Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg and Admiral Christopher Grady, who's vice chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Folks, there is a myth that pervades Western societies, and it's an unbelievably dangerous and stupid myth. That myth is that all cultures are like ours, and all people underneath are really just like us. They think the same way, they want the same things, and all it requires is a little bit of kindness and education for everyone to blossom into a good Westerner.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Hamas is also in Judea and Samaria, and they're quite powerful in Judea and Samaria. So apparently, Hamas loaded, as best we know, five different bombs onto five different buses. And it is only through the grace of God that this did not kill hundreds of people. One of the bombs on the bus was identified by one of the women on the bus. And she told the driver, there's something on this bus.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
We need to get off. They got off. The bus blew up. Two other buses then blew up. Apparently that is because the terrorists were stupid enough to mistime the bombs. They put analog clocks on there. And instead of setting it for 10 a.m. during rush hour, they set it for 10 p.m. And so they blew up in a parking lot without anybody aboard, which is a miracle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Israel then stopped every bus in the country and searched all of the various buses.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
There's speculation that this was supposed to be the lead off for another October 7th style attack because Hamas, knowing exactly what was going to happen after they had a celebratory event surrounding the murder of babies, knowing that the war is going to restart in the Gaza Strip, wanted another October 7th style event from the West Bank.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The goal there would be, presumably, to set off bombs simultaneously around Israel, draw troops to those areas, and then breach fences between the Arab areas of Judea and Samaria and the Jewish areas, and then start to rush into various Jewish villages and to another October 7th this time from the Judea and Samaria area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Again, it's only through the grace of God that that was thwarted because the Shin Bet, which is Israeli's domestic security service, completely, completely failed. Apparently explosives, this Jerusalem Post wing, four to five kilograms were found intending to explode on Friday morning in order to kill hundreds of civilians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And again, a Hamas West Bank battalion appeared to claim responsibility for the mass bus bombings. So what are we to make of all this? Well, the first thing we're to make of all this is that Donald Trump is absolutely right. The time to unleash hell is long past. It is long past. President Trump acknowledges realities on the ground better than any politician I have seen.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
In any case, this was also made clear by the fact that between 1948 and 1967, when Egypt was in control of the Gaza Strip and Jordan was in control of the so-called West Bank, Judea, and Samaria, there was no attempt at a Palestinian state. And in fact, in 1964, when the Palestine Liberation Organization was originally founded, calling for a Palestinian state
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
He recognizes that this two-state solution nonsense is precisely that. It is nonsense. It is rooted in wishful thinking. It is not rooted in reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
When President Trump suggests that Gaza be cleared of its population and people be allowed to go elsewhere and that the place actually turn into a place of investment and decency, that is the only decent solution that I have heard to this entire situation for literally decades.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
When it comes to the so-called West Bank, Judea and Samaria, and I always say so-called West Bank because that is not the proper name of this area. Judea and Samaria are the historic names for this area. The reason that the Jews are called Jews is because they spring from, wait for it, Judea. That is the biblical heartland of Israel.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Pretty much every place mentioned in the Bible is in the so-called West Bank, Judea and Samaria. It is called the West Bank because it is the West Bank of the Jordan River. It was called the West Bank, this particular area, when it was under Jordanian control from 1948 to 1967. Israel should annex all of it. Israel should say there will be no Palestinian state.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
There can be domestic home rule in some of these areas for purposes of picking up trash and collecting taxes. Anybody associated with terrorism will be expelled or jailed. Security control must retain in Israeli hands. And as for voting, nope, it's just like Puerto Rico. The United States and Puerto Rico have a wonderful relationship and Puerto Ricans do not vote in American national elections.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It's exactly the same thing. That is the only proper answer to what is going on here. Because the evil that we saw in Gaza is not relegated to Gaza. It exists in Tulkarm. It exists in Jenin. It exists in Nablus. It exists in Hebron. It exists in all of these places.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And so this bizarre, stupid Western notion that you can project your own values onto people who celebrate, cheer, and train their children to cheer the death of babies, the purposeful murder of babies. Again, the false equivalence, the sick false equivalence by some people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
in the media infrastructure who suggest that there is somehow an equivalent between attempting to target a terrorist who's hiding behind a child and the child being a civilian casualty and breaking into a family's home, kidnapping babies back to terror tunnels and murdering them. If you are that sort of person, you have a moral perversion inside you that I'm not sure how to solve.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Western left and even some on the Western right who agree with this particular mentality, that is a moral perversion. President Trump certainly doesn't agree with that particular mentality. The moral equivalence is non-existent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And because there is, in fact, no moral agreement on the basic things of life, in order for there to be any agreement, there has to be some sort of agreement on interests. There is no agreement on interests. There is no agreement on what this war is even about. Israel believes that the war should be about setting territorial boundaries.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Palestinians and the Palestinian cause is that Israel should disappear. End of story. As my friend Dennis Prager has frequently said, if Israel were to put down all of its guns today, every Jew in the area would die. Everyone. That was proved on October 7th. It's proved every single day. And if the Palestinians had put down their guns 30 years ago, they'd have a state.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The West Bank and Gaza Strip were not in Jewish hands. So the call for a Palestinian state when the PLO was founded was for the destruction of the state of Israel. The Palestinian cause has always been about the destruction of the state of Israel. It is why the Palestinians will simultaneously insist that Gaza is their home, but also a refugee camp. It's a refugee camp from where? From Tel Aviv.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And instead, they've not. They've decided they would rather that their own children die in war. They'd rather train their own children to whistle, cheer, and sing at the death of Jewish babies. That is not a situation that is fixable. Other ideas must be considered, and this is why President Trump is right, and this is why all hell should, in fact, break loose on Gaza.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Israel should do precisely what President Trump has suggested in the Gaza Strip. They should waste no more time on this, and they should do exactly the same thing in Judea and Samaria as well, because Hamas is in control of Judea and Samaria too. In fact, Hamas right now, by polling data, is more popular in Judea and Samaria than they are in the Gaza Strip.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Well, speaking of the evils going on in the Middle East right now, in the wake of the ongoing conflict, Israel continues to face profound humanitarian challenges. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews remains steadfast in providing vital support to those affected across the Holy Land, offering hope and healing to communities in crisis.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Your compassionate gift today will deliver essential aid to the devastated communities in both northern and southern Israel. Your generosity will directly impact those most vulnerable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Displaced families seeking refuge from conflict zones, dedicated first responders and volunteers, recovering soldiers, elderly Holocaust survivors, families who've lost their homes and livelihoods, and countless others in desperate need. In these uncertain times, your support becomes a beacon of hope. Join us in bringing comfort and relief to Israel by donating at benforthefellowship.org.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
That's one word, benforthefellowship.org. Your kindness makes a huge difference. And what's going on in Israel is truly horrifying. Israel is facing existential threat, not just from Hamas, not just from Hezbollah, also from Hamas in the West Bank. And the suffering continues day in and day out. Your help does in fact help. Benforthefellowship.org. Thank you. And God bless once more.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Benforthefellowship.org to help out the suffering people in the Holy Land. Also, this country was founded on freedom. Of course, freedom from another country that forced us to buy their overpriced tea. And then they blockaded us when we dumped their tea into the ocean. Well, now we're a separate country in Great Britain. What do they do lately? Well, here's the thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It's time to throw out your overpriced big wireless contract as well. You don't need to pay $100 a month just to get a free phone. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, says no to inflated prices. With a qualifying plan, you can choose an iPhone 14 or a Samsung Galaxy for $0. And yes, this is for premium service on America's most dependable 5G network.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Get your iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy for $0 with a qualifying plan by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro. You can make the switch in as little as 10 minutes. No hassle, no gimmicks, just honest-to-goodness wireless priced right. Again, that's puretalk.com slash Shapiro to claim your new iPhone or Galaxy with qualifying purchase from Pure Talk, America's wireless company.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Visit puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. That's puretalk.com slash Shapiro. I've been using Pure Talk myself for years. Their coverage is excellent. Otherwise, I wouldn't use them. You should try them out right now. Best price, best coverage, puretalk.com slash Shapiro for details. Okay, meanwhile, the other big global conflict that is taking place is obviously in Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Europeans are panicking over President Trump's approach to Ukraine. And again, I think that we need to separate off some of President Trump's rhetoric here, his sort of tirades against Vladimir Zelensky, many of which I find ill-founded as I talked about it on yesterday's show, from the actual policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The actual policy that President Trump is pursuing is in fact the only rational policy and everyone knows it. Security guarantees that are durable enough to ensure that Vladimir Putin does not reinvade Ukraine to Ukraine. And an acknowledgement that without a massive expenditure of resources that no one is willing to undertake,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It's why the Palestinians have always called for a quote-unquote right of return that would allow them to enter Israel and destroy it from within. This has always been the Palestinian nationalist cause. And the West has decided, because of its own stupid
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
the Donbass and Crimea are going to remain in Russian hands for the foreseeable future. Okay, that is just a reality. And everyone acknowledges that that is the reality that's been true for years at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Again, one of the very weird things that's been happening on the right is that if I agree totally with President Trump's agenda, but I disagree with some of his rhetoric surrounding the agenda, apparently that is some sort of heresy. I don't quite understand why. I don't quite understand why in order to agree, and actually,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
in order to propose an alternative that I have been proposing for years and that the Trump administration actually mirrors. Why, in order to do that, I also have to believe that Vladimir Zelensky is a CIA asset or some such nonsense. How about both these things? How about Russia is the aggressor in this war? Vladimir Putin is an evil dictator. Vladimir Zelensky is not, in fact, a dictator.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
He may be venal. He may be a problematic personality on the international stage in terms of how he approaches various countries, including the United States. All those things can be true. And also, the end sort of lines of the deal are exactly the same. Why is it that there has to be some sort of loyalty test about mirroring sort of the excesses? It seems to me a foolish proposition.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But in any case, the Europeans are adjusting to the new vision of the world proposed by President Trump. He's basically saying, listen, you guys want a different deal? Why don't you pony up? Get in here. Pony up. Show us the money. This is in Europe. It's not in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
According to the Wall Street Journal, American and European supporters of NATO said that by siding with Europe's longstanding adversary, Trump has done serious damage to its greatest asset, the deterrence that comes from the alliance's ironclad commitment to collective defense. But of course, President Trump has not suggested that NATO ought to be abolished.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
President Trump has suggested that the war in Ukraine ought to come to an end. It would be a mistake to abolish NATO because, again, withdrawing forces from, say, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia will lead to further Russian predations in those areas. If they believe they can get away with it, they'll do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
In the same way that removing the American trigger force in South Korea would presumably lead to North Korean predations in South Korea. It's a rather cheap deal to keep some military bases in Eastern Europe to prevent a Russian invasion of those areas, pushing deeper and deeper into continental Europe. However, I've not seen any proposal, a serious proposal that is like that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
idea that everyone thinks like the West, that this is just a territorial dispute in which if the sides could just get over themselves and if you drew the lines in the right places, everybody would go home happy. What everybody wanted was two states side by side in peace and prosperity. That was a lie. It is a lie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But if it causes the Europeans to step up, that's not a bad thing. The United States, Pete Hegseth said that NATO will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship, which encourages dependency. Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security. Now, I don't understand why that's a bad thing. That all seems perfectly reasonable to me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And some of the messaging that's coming out of the Trump administration, in fact, is not the sort of radical Russia is right messaging that is being mirrored on X. So, for example, Scott Besson, the Treasury Secretary, has asked about sanctions on Russia. He said, listen, we can ratchet them up. We can ratchet them down. We haven't decided yet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
OK, so, again, a lot of options are still on the table, but the foreign policy freak out is is happening. There's a piece in The Wall Street Journal that kind of is fascinating about this because it talks up a failed foreign policy while talking down Trump's foreign policy. Quote, since the end of World War II, the American-led system of alliances has bolstered U.S.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
power, most foreign policy experts say. By vowing to defend allies in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, the United States, more than any other country, took on the role of global guarantor of free trade and stability, a mission that included countering first the Soviet Union and more recently China. Trump has a different take. Allies take more than they give.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Instead of relying on the US military and its nuclear umbrella for their security, other countries should spend more on their militaries while providing economic incentives to stay in America's good graces. Trump's is a far more transactional win-lose vision of foreign policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Well, I mean, I don't see why that is cutting out the best parts of the prior foreign policy, meaning if our allies contribute to their own security and strengthen their own war-making capacity, that means we have to pay less and we achieve the same end. Trump is not saying that China should overrun the Far East. He's saying Taiwan should arm itself and we should help them arm themselves.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
He's not saying that Europe should surrender to Vladimir Putin. He's saying Europe should stop free riding on our coattails. That all makes perfect sense to me. Victoria Coates, vice president for national security and foreign policy at the Heritage Foundation, said, quote, It's not that President Trump is abandoning the post-World War II order.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It's that we're no longer in the post-World War II era. We have to accept the geopolitical landscape has shifted. So, I mean, that's clearly true. Why can't Europe afford to spend more of its own money on defense? Why are we paying for all of its defense in the face of a reality, which is that Europe as a combined entity is significantly more powerful than, for example, Russia?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
That is a lie, and it is a really dangerous lie, because when you grant that credibility to people who who actively want a different thing, who actively foment evil, who teach their children evil. When you say, well, they don't really want evil. They're not really evil. They don't believe evil things. Really, it's just about us not being nice enough.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It will always be a lie because the Palestinian nationalist cause is in its essence a rejection of the possibility of a Jewish state. It is a mutually exclusive proposal and it always has been. Now, that is the only way to understand what happened yesterday. So yesterday in Israel, Hamas, which has an ongoing hostage deal, a so-called ceasefire with the Israelis,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Russian GDP last year was about $2 trillion. The EU's GDP in 2024 was about $17 trillion last So I'm confused as to why precisely the EU and NATO countries can't pony up more in order to defend their own collective security. Like, why do we have to pay the bill? That is Trump's actual proposal here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Now, as far as the Vladimir Zelensky of it and President Trump's statements about Zelensky, again, some of this is personal. Some of this is that Zelensky has made an awful lot of boo-boos when it comes to offending President Trump preemptively. There's a point that Mike Walz, the national security advisor, was making yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So again, the Trump administration is trying to actually cut a deal with Ukraine in which the United States invests in Ukraine. Now, Ukraine might not like the terms of those deal, but if that's the case, then they should make a deal with Europe. And nothing Trump is doing here is actually crazy in terms of actual policy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And so all of the rhetorical flourishes and excesses aside, the actual policy being pursued is significantly more real world than anything Joe Biden was pursuing in the first place, which is this sort of bizarre wish casting in which there is no end of the war and we're going to eternally fund it, which, again, made no sense on any level whatsoever.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Well, the truth is that all over the world and domestically, your dollars are generally not safe. During tax season, your sensitive information travels through countless hands and systems from payroll to tax preparers to data centers before ever reaching the IRS. Every stop is a potential vulnerability. Your W-2 contains exactly what identity thieves need to wreak havoc on your life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
They'll fix your stolen identity, guaranteed, or you get your money back. Producer Jessica uses LifeLock to protect her data. You should do the same. Don't let identity thieves turn your tax season into their payday. Get the protection you need with LifeLock. Join now. Save up to 40% off your first year of membership. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and mention promo code BEN or...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Visit LifeLock.com slash Ben to save up to 40% today. Terms apply. That's 1-800-LifeLock. Mention promo code Ben or visit LifeLock.com slash Ben and you will save up to 40% today. Also, dudes, have you heard of Rose Sparks? This dual action prescription merges the powerhouse ingredients found in generic Viagra and Cialis, Sildenafil and Tadalafil into one formidable treatment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But it's not merely about the ingredients and the medication, it's how you take it. That's why Rose Sparks are designed to dissolve under your tongue. That is a huge deal because dissolvable treatment hits you faster than those old school pills. Rose Sparks leverages the benefits of sublingual administration, meaning your tablet dissolves under your tongue.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
This method allows for fast absorption directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. The result, quicker onset of action, reducing the wait time typically associated with traditional pills. Plus, Tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis, lasts in the system for up to 36 hours. Find out if Prescription Row Sparks is right for you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
To get $15 off your first order and find out if Prescription Row Sparks are right for you, connect with a provider at ro.co. That's ro.co. Get $15 off your first order, ro.co. Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA approved and do not undergo FDA safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing review.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Only available if prescribed after an online consultation with a provider. That's ro.co. Well, meanwhile, I will say the Trump administration needs to start putting heavy focus on the economy. There's been a lot going on. Doge is one attempt to get the economy under control by presumably cutting the excesses of government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The truth is the cuts that Doge is going to undertake, even if they get up to $100 billion, it's not going to make a dent in the national debt. It would be good in the sense that it would actually restructure, again, that blue pipeline we've been talking about between the federal taxpayer and a bunch of left-wing permanent organizations in and out of government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
That deal is that Hamas is supposed to trickle out live hostages and dead bodies of people that it kidnapped on October 7th. And in return, Israel is supposed to turn over murderous terrorists. That is the deal.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But Doge isn't going to be the cure-all for all of this. The real question for the Trump administration, Trump was elected for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason, the single biggest reason he was elected was the inflationary policies of Joe Biden. Inflation has to be coming down. It has to be. In order for Trump to get his agenda done, the inflation has to drop.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The economy has to keep chugging and the inflation has to drop because whether Trump is responsible for it or not. Presidents get the blame for the economy over which they preside. Sometimes fairly, as in the case of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and sometimes unfairly, as in the case of, say, George W. Bush after 9-11. But presidents always get the blame. They get the credit and they get the blame.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
That's the way this works. And so the economy needs to continue chugging. President Trump is doing his best with deregulation via Doge. But if inflation keeps clocking along at 3%, that is going to be a serious problem. According to Politico, President Trump's approval ratings have in fact been sinking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Two new polls from CNN, SSRS, and the Washington Post-Ipsos show the president is now at 47% in the CNN poll and 45% in the Post. So his positive approval rating is now, it's flipped, it's now in slightly negative territory. Again, these are not like disastrous approval ratings or anything, but they're not great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And when it comes to the actual economy, which is going to be the bellwether, that's the problem for President Trump. He currently has negative numbers on the economy. For the first time in years, President Trump has always been considered a good bet on the economy. But the inflationary signs continue to mount.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
According to Axios, bond markets are betting that inflation will stay elevated in the years ahead. Some evidence from business surveys and forecasters points in the same direction. This belief suggests the Trump administration and Federal Reserve face a headwind in securing a return to low inflation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And Israel foolishly has agreed to these sorts of deals in the past and is agreeing to those deals now because Israel puts a high priority on getting not only its live citizens home, but also on getting dead bodies out for proper burial. It is a policy with which I disagree. I think it's a stupid policy. I think it's a bad policy because all it does is incentivize further hostage taking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Concerns that have escalated just in the last few weeks as the president has threatened tariffs on a variety of US trading partners. And again, whether you like the tariffs or not. Will they have some minor inflationary impact? They absolutely could. I like his illegal immigration plans, for example. That will have some impact on inflation. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Because when you limit the labor supply, for good or ill, and I believe for good in this particular case, that is going to have economic impact. And here we are just talking about the economic impact of various Trump policies, which means a few things. One, the Federal Reserve needs today to actually increase the interest rates. 3% is not sustainable.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Federal Reserve needs to increase the interest rates. I understand that President Trump doesn't want that to happen. Republicans are wary about all of that. It's very, very early. It is February of the president's first year in office, in his second term. Now would be the moment to take the pain for the long-term gain. The interest rates should increase.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
There's still too much money floating around the economy. The price earnings ratios of the Dow Jones Industrial Average are totally out of control. Those big seven companies, which are right now driving an enormous amount of growth, are trading at P.E. ratios, meaning the price of the stock to the earnings of the company. They're trading at P.E. ratios in excess of 40. A proper P.E.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
ratio, typically speaking, according to Warren Buffett, is around 16. His mentor, Benjamin Graham, said 16 to 18 would be a normal price to earnings ratio. The Dow Jones Industrial Average right now is currently at 27%. That is way too high, way too high. That means there's a lot of money chasing around, not as much opportunity. We happen to be in an AI bubble right now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The amount of money that's being spent on the semiconductors from NVIDIA A lot of people chasing AI, the return on AI is not nearly what the actual investiture into AI has been. That doesn't mean that AI isn't important. It's very important. But just like the internet bubble didn't mean the internet wasn't important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It just meant that at the very beginning of a new technology, tons of money follows the tech and most of it gets wiped out. The same thing right now is happening in the AI space. An enormous amount of money that's being invested in the AI space is just going to get wiped out. So what does that mean? It means that the economy is actually a lot more tenuous than I think people are recognizing it is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Fed is reluctant to cut interest rates, but actually the Fed should be increasing the interest rate right now. According to Axios, longer-term measures of inflation expectations look less worrying. The bond market break-even for annual inflation in a window of five to 10 years from now is down slightly this year at levels consistent with the Fed's 2% target. But let's be clear about this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
If inflation stays at 3% or if it increases from there over the course of the next five years, inflation is an invisible tax on people's savings. It means that your wages are degraded. President Trump needs to put significant focus, and I think he is, into passing a bill, passing that one big beautiful bill that is going to make clear that the Trump tax cuts are not disappearing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But that is the policy of the state of Israel. That's why that ceasefire is in place. So yesterday it became clear that the Hamas terror group, which runs the Gaza Strip with the acquiescence and support of the civilian population. And let's be very, very clear about this. The civilian population in the Gaza Strip is supportive of the destruction of Israel. Period. Full stop.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
He needs to continue to allow Doge to do its work. He needs to pursue business opportunities that make it easier, not harder for costs to come down. All of those things need to happen because the success of the Trump administration rides on all that. Now, there's some misplaced worries over here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
One of those misplaced worries, people suggesting that President Trump's idea to donate, basically to give back part of the savings from Doge to the American people, that will be inflationary. Kevin Hassett did a good job of explaining why this is false yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So, again, he is correct about that. You're basically taking money that is already being spent by the government and you're putting it back in the American people's pocket. That's not what inflation is. That doesn't inflate the prices. Government spends all of that money. That money being spent in the private sector is actually significantly more efficient.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
He's the director of the National Council of Economic Advisors, by the way. Meanwhile, President Trump is trying to negotiate a budget bill. The House version is one big, beautiful bill. The Senate... led by Senator John Thune, has been proposing the possibility of two separate bills, one that would basically do a bunch of border security and ancillary measures, and one that would be the tax bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The problem, of course, with that proposal is that it is very difficult under reconciliation rules to get two of those bills through a single Congress. It hasn't happened any time in the recent past. I suppose the idea is that it'll be easier to get the budget bill through as an immigration matter. And then the tax bill can be taken up. And at that point, you'll get a cleaner tax bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But again, that's a high-risk proposal. Mike Johnson, who's the one who has to work with basically no majority, I mean, it's like a one-seat majority, two-seat majority, depending on how many House members he has on any given day, he's going to have to cobble something together. That is why he's going for this sort of big, beautiful budget bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
There's a lot of talk at the White House about what is the proper strategy. Joining us on the line to discuss is Mary Margaret Olihan. She's our senior White House correspondent. Mary Margaret, thanks so much for joining us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So let's talk about the budget bill. What are you hearing from the White House about their approach to the budget bill? One big, beautiful bill or two separate bills via the Senate?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So, Mary Margaret, as our senior White House correspondent at the White House, let me ask you about the differences in access from the Trump administration between the Trump administration and the Biden administration, because obviously Biden, his level of access was not high. Many members of the media were upset about that. And now things have radically changed.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The same thing is true in the West Bank. It's true in Judea and Samaria as well. This is true by every available polling statistic literally ever in this area. There is no desire for a two-state solution. There is no desire to live side by side in peace and security. In fact, there's an inculcation into children of the idea that the Jews must be wiped out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Now, Mary Margaret is the person on the ground asking those questions. Really appreciate the time, Mary Margaret, and we'll check back in with you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So again, these are very important things. I mean, there's a lot of important stuff going on inside the Trump administration. Kash Patel yesterday was confirmed. That's excellent. It is funny to watch Democrats lose their mind over Kash Patel being confirmed as the head of the FBI, an uber qualified person for this particular role. The final vote was 51 to 49.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
All the Senate Democrats voted against Kash Patel. Two Republicans, Collins and Murkowski, of course, voted against Kash Patel. Patel then posted, quote, the politicization of our justice system has eroded public trust. That ends today. My mission as director is clear. Let good cops be cops and rebuild trust in the FBI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Democrats, including Adam Schiff, were out there freaking out about all of this. Adam Schiff talking about the evils of weaponization of law enforcement is just beyond. It's beyond parody.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Listening to Adam Schiff, who is the head of the Russiagate witch hunt, talk about the weaponization of law enforcement is insane. Insane. Meanwhile, Dick Durbin, another foolish senator from Illinois, he was out there in front of the FBI talking about how it's just terrible.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It's just terrible that Kash Patel has joked about turning the FBI into a museum for memorializing the evils of things like mass surveillance. Here's Dick Durbin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And that is why you saw what you saw in the Gaza Strip yesterday. So yesterday... Kamas had announced a couple of days ago that the Bibas family, there are four members of the Bibas family who were kidnapped on October 7th.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Yeah, I mean, I'm confused. It's called the J. Edgar Hoover Building. So if you want to talk about the evils of government surveillance of people and how you don't care about that next to the J. Edgar Hoover building, good luck with that particular situation. Here's the thing. A lot of very serious things are going on. And we can either take our politics seriously or we can treat them as a joke.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
If you treat politics as a joke, there are some downsides. President Trump is trying to do very serious things on the economy, on foreign policy. He's trying to do very serious things on illegal immigration, for example. All of these things are very serious things. And it seems to me that we should treat our politics seriously since it has incredibly serious consequences.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
This is why I'm slightly annoyed by some of the response to Mitch McConnell announcing that he's not going to seek reelection. So McConnell, of course, should not. He is 83 years old at this point, and he's had a couple of health lapses over the course of the last several years. He's sort of a bizarre celebration from the right in the retirement of Mitch McConnell.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The single most effective Senate majority leader in modern American history is beyond recognition for me. I don't understand it. I don't agree with Mitch McConnell on a lot of stuff. Also, the job of Senate majority leader is to cobble together bare majorities to do the best that you can.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And three quarters of President Trump's legislative triumphs would not have happened without Mitch McConnell in the background pulling strings. That includes, by the way, the stacking of the Supreme Court. The only reason Merrick Garland is not on the Supreme Court right now is Mitch McConnell. So this sort of bizarre hatred of McConnell, it's deeply unserious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
When I see unserious people who really have never accomplished anything in politics ripping on Mitch McConnell, of all people, who, again, is single-handedly responsible for the overturning of Roe versus Wade, I just, I don't get it. I've critiqued Mitch McConnell. I've criticized many of the stances he's taken. I disagree with him on some of the things that he's done.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But this bizarre idea that Mitch McConnell is somehow the enemy, it's just chicken feed for people who don't watch closely. Here's McConnell announcing his retirement yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
That included the father, included the mother, and included two children, one of whom was three at the time of the kidnapping, and one of whom was nine months at the time of the kidnapping. And I want to introduce you to these children because... It's important to the story. So here are these children. One is named Ariel Bibas, and one is named Kfir.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
A lot of problems with Mitch McConnell, but the kind of overall judgment on the right that Mitch McConnell was an obstacle to victory when in fact he was a tool for victory many, many times, including most specifically on the Supreme Court, Trump's tax cuts, all of his legislative accomplishments. That's an unserious point of view. We'll get to more on that in a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
First, the best reason to become a Daily Wire Plus member, you're directly supporting the fight. Every dollar goes right back into building a real alternative to the mainstream. More shows, more movies, more investigative journalism. This is how we continue to reshape the culture. But there's another reason. If you like this show, there's more of it waiting for you. Ooh, mysterious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Only Daily Wire Plus members get exclusive content at the end of every episode, the show after the show, and live chats and more. Don't just listen, be a part of it. Download the Daily Wire Plus app or go to dailywire.com slash subscribe and become a member today. Well, folks, it is a Friday, and that means it's time to do a little bit of culture talk. I know, I know.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But the good news is my production team is filled with people who actually care about this stuff, and so we're going to go through it for your viewing pleasure or suffering, depending on the kind of thing that you like. So... Apparently, Denise Richards, you remember her. Maybe you don't. She was in a Bond movie at one point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
She's in Wild Things with Nev Campbell and all the rest of that crew, Matt Dillon. And now she has a reality show with her kids called Wild Things. And her daughter apparently has an OnlyFans. Apparently that is a thing. So here is Sammy Sheen. Again, Denise Richards had her kids with Charlie Sheen. So that is a... A pairing, if ever there was one.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
By the way, Charlie was the one who objected to Sammy joining OnlyFans. When Charlie Sheen is the responsible one in a relationship, you know you got a problem. Here is Sammy Sheen explaining why she joined OnlyFans in June 2022. She was 18.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
This is so sad. I'm sorry. That's so sad. She's met some really good people. Really? Are those the people you meet when you are stripping for money on OnlyFans? That's him. Also, by the way, she is the daughter of Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards. I assume that there is some money available to help pay for the apartment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Kfir is coming home from the hospital because just born. Ariel, at this point, would be barely three years old. Here is Ariel's reaction to meeting his baby brother for the first time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
This was your best job opportunity available was stripping or working at the candy store. Those were the two big job opportunities. Well, never you fear. Denise decided after watching the success of her daughter, she too would join OnlyFans because the family that strips together stays together.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Hmm. Wow. That sounds like a reasonable explanation. I mean, to be fair to Denise Richards, basically all she's doing on OnlyFans is what she was doing in Wild Things when all the teenage boys had to go to Blockbuster Video and then pause the tape. So nothing particularly shocking happening with Denise Richards over there. I do feel horrible. for their sister, of Sammy's sister.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So Sammy's sister is a person named Lola, and Lola was recently baptized in the Christian church, and she looks so uncomfortable during these clips. She looks just uncomfortable, which she should. So Denise Richards was asked, you know, how do your kids feel about mom joining OnlyFans, which, again, is stripping for money. That's all it is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
She didn't know what more she could do. Well, she could not do that. Maybe she could figure out a way to help her daughter so she doesn't become a career stripper. Maybe that. This sort of mainstreaming of OnlyFans is one of the worst things that has happened in American public life. It's just horrifying. The turning of normies into porn stars who sell their bodies for money is just gross.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It's truly gross. And if you don't think it's gross, well, I have some more gross OnlyFans content for you. So hope you're ready. And you can blame producer Jessica for compiling all of this. So apparently, you remember there was an announcement that Bonnie Blue, who is an OnlyFans creator, which is to say she's a prostitute on camera. I mean, I don't know what else you call it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
She literally has sex on camera for money. That is what she does. And if she's insulted by that, I wonder why, because definitions of words exist. In any case, Bonnie Blue, who had sex with 1,057 men in 12 hours, which is 10 men an hour. No, I'm sorry, 100 men an hour? That is 100 men an hour. Somewhere in that 80 men an hour?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
I have some logistical questions that are probably not air appropriate for how precisely that works. Is it just like an assembly line? What is the average time? In any case, She suggested that she was pregnant.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And this led to all sorts of memory, particularly from the Maury show, which is like, this is the ultimate Maury show, is that Bonnie Blue said that she was pregnant after having sex with 1,057 men. It did lead to one of the great tweet exchanges of all time, where somebody said, well, wasn't she using birth control? And somebody said, well, it's 99.9% effective. And she had sex with 1,057 men.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
For those who can't see, he's a small child approaching a baby and smiling big. This is a baby brother hugging the baby. And here is the baby brother, a little bit older. Just laughing and giggling as babies will. On October 7th, this baby and his slightly older toddler brother were taken along with the mother, Shiri Bibas, into kidnapped captivity, not by Hamas, not by Hamas, by Gazan civilians.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So you do the math, right? Fair, fair statistical analysis that you have made, sir. But it turns out that she wasn't actually pregnant. She faked the pregnancy, which I have to say I'm relieved for the potential child that doesn't exist. I'm glad for children to be born, but I don't think that everyone should necessarily have to be mothered by Bonnie Blue. That seems bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Like, if the child were already created, I'd be very happy that the child was created. But if Bonnie Blue could not have a baby with a random stranger, I feel like that's also not a terrible thing. In any case, she apparently faked it to raise funds for a stranger's IVF. It's all for charity, folks. For a stranger's IVF treatment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Again, she is the least decent model for IVF I've probably ever heard. But... So I guess we're just going to do like biblical conundrums now. Like, can you use prostitution money to pay for temple dues and that sort of stuff? Like, we're really going to do like Talmudic debates over this sort of thing now. Great. How exciting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
By the way, she wasn't the only OnlyFans girl this week who faked a pregnancy. Apparently, Lily Phillips, who had, you know, held the title.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
of person who slept with the most people in a particular time period until bonnie blue decided to you know outshine her she slept with 100 men she announced the cheat was pregnant and then it turns out that that was fake and it was role play for her subscribers it was role play don't worry only fans is only enriching the lives of americans and the health of women oh boy this is the culture you have created and i hope that uh i hope that you wallow in all of it
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Okay, other pieces of culture today. So I've been told, again, I'm just informed of these things and then told that people want to hear about them. I'm not sure I share the sentiment, but in any case, apparently Alec Baldwin and family now have a reality show because why the hell not? Everyone needs a reality show, everyone. So Alec and his wife, Hilarious, her name is Hilaria Baldwin, I guess.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
She's actually just from Boston. And she, I think, changed her name and then changed her backstory and changed her accent and maybe everything else about herself. I'm not really sure. Apparently, they have a reality show now. I don't know where they shot the reality show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
I know where Alec Baldwin typically does his shootings, but I'm not sure where they... In any case, we have a bit of the trailer for The Baldwins, which is a thing that is happening in all of our lives. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Wow, that sounds meaningful. That sounds great. Also, remember when TLC was the learning channel? I remember that. And now it's just random celebrity family who maybe somebody shot somebody. So that's great. By the way, again, Hilaria Baldwin is in fact one of the most hilarious people in possible human history. Flashback clip. Here is Hilaria Baldwin and her widely variant accent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
What you end up doing is surrendering to the evil. And that is the story of the Palestinian nationalist cause for the last 80 years. The Palestinian nationalist cause is based on an evil supposition, which is the destruction of the state of Israel. That is what it is about. It's about the extirpation of the Jews and the destruction of the state of Israel. How do we know this?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
She went by Hillary, her original name, until 2009. That's when she started using the name Hilaria. Instead of dropping the Spanish accent. Her original name is Hillary Lynn Hayward Thomas. In other words, the whitest name that has ever been whited. And yeah, so that's all great. Everyone needs a reality show. That's exciting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Speaking of reality shows, in just a moment, we're going to get to our 51st state because tragedy occurred last night in a hockey game between the United States and our archenemy, the Canadians. We'll get to that later. First, you need to be a subscriber. And again, we have tons of great content over at DW. We've got our kids' content, Bent Key. We've got all of our movies.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
We've got Matt Walsh's films. We've got All Access. We have all sorts of amazing, Jordan Peterson's content. Like the content is nearly endless. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro at checkout for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
A huge number of Gazan civilians joined in with Hamas on October 7th to participate in the rape, kidnapping, and murder of civilians. And they purposefully kidnapped a toddler and a baby back into Gaza. And we found out a couple of days ago that mom and both of those babies are dead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And now we know through forensic analysis, apparently, that the two kids aren't just, they didn't die of malnutrition. They were apparently murdered about a month into their captivity. Now, the IDF this morning actually announced, after doing the autopsy of the two babies, of the toddler and the baby, they announced that actually these kids were not killed in an airstrike.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So Hamas had lied, apparently. They had said that these kids were killed in an airstrike. Now, here's the thing. Even if they'd been killed in an airstrike, that would still be on Hamas. It's like saying that the Americans are somehow responsible for the death of Anne Frank because she died of typhus in the camps, as opposed to the Nazis, you know, just stuffing her in a gas chamber or something.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And if only the Americans had somehow gotten food to her, like that's not how it works. Okay, but that's actually not what happened. What actually happened here, according to the IDF, and they have now made public, The physical details of the bodies of these babies to various other countries, they've made that public so that it's transparent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, quote, Ariel and Kafir were murdered in cold blood savagely in Gaza in the first weeks of the war. They didn't shoot them. They murdered them with their bare hands and afterwards did horrific things to hide it. They mutilated the bodies to make it look as though they were not, in fact, beaten or strangled to death.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
But these were actually, and remember, they were taken by people not in Hamas uniforms. They were taken by Gazan civilians. That's what evil sounds like. True, true evil. I mean, there's no other word for it. There are no synonyms that do justice to this. The barbarity and the cruelty and the horror of what this ideology generates.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So Hamas was supposed to release the bodies of these children, babies that they had murdered along with their mother. They're supposed to release the bodies back to Israel in exchange for live terrorists. Now, just understand the moral logic here. You have one party that is seeking to bring back the dead bodies, the corpses of children who were just murdered and kidnapped.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And the other side is celebrating the release of terrorists who murder children. Not all cultures are the same. Not all people think the same way. Not all people inculcate the same values in their children. That is a stupid, idiotic, foolish, counterproductive, and dangerous Western conceit. That is the only way to look at what happened yesterday in the Gaza Strip. So Hamas held a parade.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
An actual parade with the coffins of babies, of Jewish babies. Here is what that looked like in the Gaza Strip. Giant crowd showed up, by the way. Giant crowd. Here's some of the footage of Hamas parading around with the coffins of dead babies. With the music playing, celebratory music. And by the way, you're seeing representatives there from all of the various terror groups, including Fatah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Well, because the call for a Palestinian state ended originally with the creation of one in Jordan. The original territory of Israel was supposed to include both Jordan and Israel. And then under the British mandate, it was sliced off, Jordan, and was made into a Palestinian state for the Arabs. And then under a variety of negotiations and white papers from the British,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Fatah is the military wing of the so-called moderate Palestinian Authority that is supposedly ruling the West Bank at this point. People are cheering the movement of these bodies, of these dead bodies. Music, celebratory music is playing in the background. of all of this. You can hear the voices of children. And in fact, again, here's a shot of the size of the crowd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It was a massive crowd that showed up to cheer, to celebrate the dead bodies of babies. This is a culture of death. It is in fact an evil culture. There is no culture. I've never even heard of a culture that celebrates the death of babies, like literally celebrates the...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Actual murder of children, not civilian casualties, which are tragic and awful and should be avoided, but the actual purposeful murder of babies. There is no culture on earth that I've even heard of that does this. And yet that's what it was. Listen to the cheers and whistling. You can hear the cheers and the whistling. This is thousands of Gazans who are out there, civilians, civilians, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The innocent, starved, genocided Gazan civilians out there cheering the coffins of babies being moved. And by the way, it's the kids too. Okay, now kids are not responsible for their actions. Their parents are responsible. The awful evil tragedy of children being indoctrinated into something like this is so beyond words. It is unspeakably, unspeakably malicious and horrifying.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
They put children on stage where the baby's bodies were one second ago to dance and sing. Here's some of the footage. These are children. Those kids are no more than 10 years old. Those kids are somewhere between five and 10 years old, smiling, cheering, dancing up and down. And behind, Hamas has put up a poster. Apparently their printing facilities were not wrecked in the war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
They printed out giant banners, including one of Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, as a vampire, supposedly responsible for the death of these babies. Okay, those are children, children. And then you have the exhibits with the coffins. Okay, so they went up there, they built out a full stage, they had a full sound production.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Here they are, here's a Hamas terrorist standing on stage, flanked by all sorts of posters, including one poster that says, we're going to murder the rest of your hostages if you try to come in here. These are the people that Western leftists support. These people, these human pieces of debris, these are the people that Kamala Harris said maybe had a point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
These people, Western self-flagellation, Western self-hatred. Western belief that all sins in the world can be laid at the feet of the West is not just self-defeating. It is wrong. It foments evil. It makes evil more common. Understand, Hamas initiated this war knowing full well what was going to happen. And they did so knowing the Western left would come to their defense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And indeed, they were not disappointed. The Western left did come to their defense because the Western left is of the opinion that the more barbaric, evil, and angry a group of people are, the more they must have been victimized by evil overlords. That is where the left-wing stream of thought crosses streams with the jihadi stream of thought. It gets worse, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The supposition was that the West Bank and the Gaza Strip would eventually become an Arab state in the partition plan of 1947. That was then rejected by the Arabs. The Arabs said there can be no Jewish state here under any circumstances at all. Palestinian nationalism is rooted in rejectionism of Jewish presence anywhere in that area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Hamas actually labeled the coffins with the supposed date of arrest. It literally says here, date of arrest, October 7th. Arrest? There's a mother and her babies arrested and murdered. Arrested. OK, but you think you think it gets it can't get any. Well, no, actually, it gets worse. So a couple of details from this. These coffins were locked.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The Israelis had to run them through metal detectors to make sure that they weren't actually booby trapped with bombs, because that is something that Hamas absolutely would do. Hamas gave them keys to the locks. The keys did not match the locks. They gave them false keys and false locks.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Then when Israel finally opened up the coffins, it turns out that Hamas had put a bunch of leaflets with Hamas propaganda inside the coffins. And then, as a final indignity, and the indignities are so strong here, as a final indignity, Israel had to do forensic analysis on the charred bodies of a baby, a toddler, and mom.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It turns out that the forensic analysis found that these were, in fact, the children, that the babies, these were the corpses of babies murdered by Hamas in November of 2023 and held for a year hostage to free terrorists. And it's just unspeakable. I mean, the level of evil is unspeakable. They didn't do this by accident. They did this on purpose. They kidnapped babies to murder them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And then they held their bodies to free terrorists. That's evil. Full stop. Period. And a culture that celebrates it in the streets. Every aspect of it is celebrated by a huge percentage of the population in the Gaza Strip. That doesn't mean that civilians ought to be treated as members of the military.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
It does mean that any sort of quote unquote two state solution is, was and always will be completely unworkable because one side wants to completely kill everyone on the other side. In any case, the final indignity here is that the mother's body, Shiri Bibas, was then analyzed. And it turns out it is not her body at all. Hamas handed over a random woman's body instead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So Shiri Bibas' body is still being held hostage inside the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Netanyahu said the cruelty of the Hamas monsters knows no bounds. Not only did they kidnap the father, Yardane Bibas, who, by the way, was never told what happened to his family. He was never told what happened to his family. He only found out that his family was dead after he was released from captivity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
His entire family slaughtered when he was released from captivity. Not only did they kidnap the father, Yardane Bibas, the young mother, Shiri, and their two small babies. In an unspeakably cynical manner, they did not return Shiri to her little children, the little angels. They put the body of a Gazan woman in a coffin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
Hamas said that they would examine the claims very seriously and would announce the results clearly. And then they told Israel they should return the body of the Palestinian woman. Sick, sick, sick. But don't worry. The horror didn't end with that. The International Red Cross took part in it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
The International Red Cross literally sat on stage during the ceremony and signed documents to receive the bodies. The International Red Cross, by the way, is a horror show of an institution. The International Red Cross, by the way, funded by taxpayer dollars all over the world. 82% of their budget is provided by various parties to the Western Geneva Conventions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And in fact, the extirpation of all Jews from that area, which is why every two-state solution that has ever been proposed by anyone has included the complete Judenrein nature of a Palestinian state. No Jews living within an Arab Palestine, despite the fact that 20% of Israel is actually Arab Muslim.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
So some of your taxpayer dollars have in fact funded the International Red Cross. The International Red Cross provides aid to Hamas, basically. They visited the hostages zero times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
And of course, this is all part and parcel of the International Red Cross's horrible record over the course of decades, dating all the way back to World War II when they were being shuttled around to Rasenstadt during the Holocaust and then vowing that the Nazis were treating people half decently. As this was happening, as this was happening,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2143 - The True Faces Of Evil
There were five buses yesterday that were loaded with bombs in Israel. Three of them blew up in the area of Bat Yam, which is near Tel Aviv. The initial assessment from the security establishment is that the plan for the attack came from Iran and was carried out by Hamas terrorists from the West Bank, from Judea and Samaria. So remember, Hamas is not just in the Gaza Strip.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Hey folks, Ben Shapiro here. Don't miss our latest episode of Daily Wire Backstage. Join me, Matt Walsh, Andrew Klavan, Michael Knowles, and Jeremy Boring as we cover the top stories in politics and pop culture with enough laughs and insights to get you through these insane news cycles. Take a listen. Well, folks, you know, I'm not famous for being a particularly optimistic sort.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And the cigars. And the Mayflowers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So by far the best thing that has happened during the first 30 days was that exchange that he had with the Afghan lady reporter, which is one of the great moments in all of media history. And if you haven't seen it, folks, you absolutely should Google it, because it is legitimately one of the funniest things that has ever happened in the history of the media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump has been slandered by the media as somebody who creates fictions of his own and sort of lives within those fictions and says a lot of words that don't always match up with the truth and all that kind of stuff. The reality is that President Trump, in his gut, lives in the real world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
There's a reporter from Afghanistan who asked President Trump a question in a very thick accent, and he had no idea what she was saying. And he said, your voice, it's so beautiful, so melodious, I don't understand a word you're saying. God bless, and live long, live in peace. He went full Spock at the end. It was great. So that was great, just as a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And there have been many such wonderful moments, including the I don't care, Margaret, right, from the vice president. And there are a bunch of great memeable moments. And of course, Elon is a walking meme, as you've seen. But in terms of actual policy, I think the most important thing that President Trump has done is he actually, he has exposed
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
the reality, which is that the amount of power that has aggregated in the executive branch over the course of time is extraordinary, and it is at the behest of the presidents of the United States. So for two reasons, this is really important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
One, because the Democratic Party established over the course of the last hundred odd years, really since Woodrow Wilson, that the executive branch was going to be the predominant branch of American government, and all power was going to be centralized in it, spending power, regulatory power, all of it. And then they basically said, and Republicans can't touch it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
When we run it, we'll run it, and we'll put permanent employees in place so that when you run it, you don't run it. And President Trump came in, and he said, no, no, no, no. You've given all this power to the executive branch. Guess what? Guess who's the president now? It's me. Long live the king. And he literally put out an executive order saying, like yesterday, all of you people work for me.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And here's your reminder. The executive branch is a branch of government. There is no fourth branch of government that is an unelected bureaucracy. And thus, you work for my agenda. And this is great for a couple of reasons. One, because it means that he's going to be actually able to clean out so much of the rot inside these institutions. And that's what Doge is in large part.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But second, I think it sets up the predicate for if there is going to be a useful constitutional fight, which I kind of like. then let that fight be about the prerogatives of Congress.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Let Congress try to actually go back to the original structure in a fair way, because for too long, Republicans have been playing by the Marcus of Queensbury rules on this stuff, where, as I say, the rules apply when Republicans are in power, and then they stop applying the minute a Democrat is in power.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And President Trump, as I said before, he lives in reality, and for President Trump, there's no... There's no set of rules where there are two sets of rules, right? There's either one set for everybody or there ain't no rules. And he says, there's one set of rules for everybody. I'm the president, and now all you people work for me or you're fired, which is just wonderful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Which is why President Trump wins so often, because if you are going to win, you have to acknowledge reality, because reality always wins. And this is what makes President Trump conservative. Conservatism lines up really, really well with reality. The reason that President Trump won the last election cycle is because the Democratic Party, the left, completely disconnected themselves from reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, folks, let's talk about how you stay healthy. OK, because let's be real about this. You need to stay healthy. And if you wish to stay healthy, balance of nature, fruits and veggies will make it happen for you. There's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That sounds horrible. It sounds like torture. It sounds like a year in jail with Nancy Pelosi. Well, Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule. And let me tell you, I can pop those directly into the protein smoothie, and that keeps me looking like a Greek god.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I know it doesn't look like that from the outside, but I can promise you that I am absolutely jacked. Believe me or don't believe me, that's your choice. But you should believe me when I say that you should take Balance of Nature fruits and veggies every day and your body will do the rest. Head on over to balanceofnature.com.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Use promo code backstage for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer. Plus, get a free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com. Promo code backstage. And thank you for helping, you know, like pay our bills and everything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Completely disconnected themselves from reality in every possible way. They ran screaming with their hair on fire, their blue hair on fire, away from reality. President Trump embraces reality with both arms. When it comes to the world of economics, for example, President Trump only cares about success. He cares about economic dynamism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Pick her up right here.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
He cares about American businesses being able to build and succeed. And he understands that in order for all those things to happen, you have to free American business from the shackle of regulation and government. You have to allow businesses to innovate. You have to allow people to rise and fall on their own merit. Meritocracy has to be valued more than, say, identity politics and DEI.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump knows that in his guts because he's a business person. President Trump has had to make payroll. Unlike literally every leader of the Democratic Party over the course of my lifetime, he is not a career politician, which means He's always been answerable to reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I mean, first of all, I'm having trouble getting over Drew calling God Uncle God. I really am. When you're as old as me. Wow.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
We've been together a long time. My goodness. It's rare that you spring a new one on me, but Uncle God was definitely a new one. So I think that one of the great dangers that conservatives face right now is that so many of our institutions have been thoroughly corrupted by the left that the temptation is to destroy all of them. And you see this in government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
A huge number of institutions in government are completely broken, need to be destroyed, rebuilt from the ground up. But my problem is that I see some people entertain, who are attempting to take social institutions and then destroy those social institutions as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Pretend that they are meritless, that because there have been bad things that have been done to those institutions, now you throw out the baby with the bathwater and those institutions are themselves meretricious and need to be destroyed. And the substitute morality that is offered is actually amorality, it's actually sin. And that is a deeply disturbing and disturbed point of view.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The thing that we all need to do, I think, and what I hope to do in my own life, is not to make excuses. Okay, this is the biggest thing. And this to me is the essence of conservatism. Stop making excuses for your own failure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It is one thing to point to an actual wrong that is being done in the world and say that this wrong needs to be corrected because the world is filled with wrongs and it's filled with injustices and it's filled with bad things that do need correction. It is another thing to look at your own failure and then not say, what can I fix?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But instead look out there at, you know, the institution, I can't find a girl. Thus, the institution of marriage is broken, and thus I should treat women like trash. That is a terrible way to go about your life. The answer to finding a good woman is to be a good man. The answer to having a good marriage is to find a good woman and engage in a good marriage. The answer to...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Finding yourself a better church is to find yourself a better church. If you don't actually like the church that you're going to, if it's been taken over by Wokies, then the answer is not, well, I guess we're done with the church. The church is stupid. We're not doing it anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The answer is to either form your own or to find a more traditional instituted church that is not doing those stupid things. And I think one of the great temptations of politics is to assume that politics can solve everything. You've got problems in your life, economic, spiritual, marital, and politics is going to solve all of those problems.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And that means that when he unleashes another businessman, Elon Musk, inside the government and says, go in there with a meat ax and start taking out programs, that is what a businessman would do. If you came into a business as a business person and it was rife with waste, fraud, and abuse, you wouldn't sit around and run a commission on it. You would start firing people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If only you can go after somebody out there and blame those people, well then that gives you the license to do really whatever you want. And then the failures that spring there from are not your own fault. And that to me is a sin.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It's a sin against yourself, it's a sin against your society, it's a sin against the God who created you, gave you free will, the ability to choose, and the skills with which to do something productive in the world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You would go in and you'd start making changes. You'd start breaking things and moving quickly, and President Trump is doing precisely that. You can see business optimism in the country is skyrocketing specifically because of that. Meanwhile, the Democrats don't know what to do because their cherished blue pipeline, which is what the federal government is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, speaking of the hard parts of life, taxes, folks. So, am I right? Taxes suck, right? They're bad. That's why President Trump just fired everybody at the IRS. He actually did. He just fired, like, thousands of people at the IRS.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
unfortunately you don't have a choice i'm sorry to tell you this april 15 tax day is just around the corner and don't think that just because trump and elon are going through and basically making all these people unemployed that you're not going to have to pay your taxes you eventually will but you don't have to worry about your tax issues with tax network usa
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Did you see where I was going with that, folks? Did I project it? In any case, Tax Network USA has a preferred direct line to the IRS, meaning they know exactly which agents to deal with and which to avoid if you get in trouble with your taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
With proven strategies to settle tax problems in your favor, whether you owe 10 grand or $10 million, Tax Network USA's attorneys and negotiators have already resolved over $1 billion in tax debt. You should talk with their strategists today. It is free. You don't need the threatening letters. You don't need to look over your shoulder.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You can protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies as well. Do not let the IRS control your future, and don't count on the IRS agent who's in charge of your case suddenly losing their job. Maybe it'll happen, you know, God willing, and the creek don't rise, but eventually they're going to come after your taxes. So you should call 1-800-958-1000 or visit TNUSA.com slash Daily Wire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Again, that's 1-800-958-1000 or visit TNUSA.com slash Daily Wire. So, clap for the avatar. It's the best part of the show. It's an ad. I mean, it's what we all love, correct?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It is a permanent payment program for the left, the federal government. They have permanent institutions that exist outside the government. They take literally trillions of your taxpayer dollars, and then they funnel all that money out to their political allies inside and outside the government. And Donald Trump came in, and he broke the pipeline. Why? Because he lives in the world of reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Hmm. I think it depends on the kind of business that you're founding. There are certain things that are just baseline conservative, like be honest in business and don't try to cheat people. In my faith, the Jewish faith, you may have noticed, it says that the first thing that God is going to ask you after you die is, were you honest in your business dealings?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It's one of the things that Judaism teaches. As you know, we like the money. In any case... When it comes to actually forming a business, the hard part of business, and Jeremy can talk about this more than I can since he does a lot of the hiring and firing, is actually being cold-blooded enough to look at what's working and what's not.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You're not doing anybody any kindnesses by keeping people in the wrong position for too long. That's the hardest part, I think, of doing business, is the difficulty in extricating yourself emotionally from the business to do the efficient thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But it is important that in order for your business to be a success, in order to be able to employ other people and provide goods and services at a market rate, that you actually make those hard decisions. And again, I think that that requires a certain level of emotional remove.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And you have to understand that you're actually, again, not doing anybody any favors by keeping them in a position where they ought not be. And that does... I think also include the reality that you have to, I think, take the blame on yourself if you hired the wrong person, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Usually if an employee fails, if somebody does something wrong at your company, it's probably because you put the wrong person in the wrong position to succeed, right? That's sort of your job as a company is to put people in the right position to succeed. And so that I think is the hardest part.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
When we're talking about foreign policy, President Trump lives in the world of reality. When President Trump looks at the situation in Ukraine, he doesn't say, well, you know what, we're not gonna set an endpoint. We're not really gonna set a goal. We're just gonna wing it. We're just gonna go along with this for years. He says, listen, here's the reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Eventually we'll be for sale. I started writing a syndicated column when I was 17, so actually not that much older than your daughter is now. And the key, I think this is true by the way in virtually all businesses, but it's certainly true when it comes to political commentary, is you have to read an awful lot, learn an awful lot about the business, and do a lot of work for free.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
There's no such thing as a person who's success in literally any business who was not a failure for a very long time before they were a success. Everyone who's an overnight success was an overnight success 10 years in the making. I started writing a syndicated column making no money off of this for probably a decade before I had the famous Piers Morgan interview.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That was fully a decade after I started doing what I was doing. That takes an awful lot of reading and writing. Then the other thing that I would say is that she should attempt, and I think everybody should attempt, to find a niche where you're a specialist in the thing. And that can be an information niche.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Either you can know a lot about a particular topic, or you can be willing to report on a particular topic. And if you have a monopoly on that topic, that makes you a marketable commodity. Everybody's got an opinion on politics. Everybody in the room could be a political columnist, I'm sure.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But there's a difference between that and being a person who does the research and does the hard work that nobody else wants to do. One of my mentors, Andrew Breitbart, used to say that if you have a cell phone with a camera, you're now a reporter. And that's one way that I encourage young people to get started is you're in your town.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
There are stories all around you of things that probably require change. Get those stories. hook up with an outlet like ours, we'll report it, and we'll make that a thing. And that's a great way to get started in this particular business.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The reality is that there is a grinding trench warfare situation in Ukraine. There is very little shot that Ukraine is gonna be able to win back Donbas and Crimea. And we don't want Ukraine to actually fall to the Russians, and so we know what an off-ramp looks like. Now it's just a question of how do we get to that off-ramp. That is what a practical person does.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That is a person who lives in reality. That's not a person who wants to speak airy-fairy nonsense and nostrums about democracy and tyranny. All that stuff sounds nice, but does it get the job done is the question that President Trump is always asking. Does it get the job done? When it comes to the Middle East, President Trump has completely broken the mold.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Oh, I totally disagree with this. You totally lie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
He's very old. You should totally lie. So the way that this works is that when I was at UCLA, you speak up in class, and then they had these things called blue books. The blue books were the anonymous test that you took. You would write by hand in those days. I know, it's a long time ago. And you would write a student number, not an actual name on your blue book.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And then you write a comma, and you get the A. Obviously, because what difference does it make what you write inside the blue book? So that's where you lie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Look at my wallet.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, I mean, it depends if you're talking about foreign actors who are actually funding American media. So yes, I think there should absolutely be congressional investigations, presumably the House Foreign Affairs Committee, looking into funding of various enterprises and the propaganda that emerges from those enterprises.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If you're talking about the Democratic Party working in cahoots with the legacy media, I'm not sure that you need an investigation with that. I think you just need retinas and a prefrontal cortex. I mean, basic logic suggests that the human centipede, that is the relationship between the Democratic Party and the media, is an ongoing bleep show.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The sort of ancient wisdom of the State Department, which has been wrong for 80 years in the Middle East, is that the only way that you actually achieve peace in the Middle East is to make the Palestinian issue front and center. President Trump in his first term totally turned that on his head. He ignored it, and peace broke out in the Middle East.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So I don't think that requires an investigation, and I don't think it's a big scandal. I think that the truth is that the legacy media, and this is something Drew said earlier, so Drew, this is where you're right. You were wrong before, but now you're right. What Drew said earlier is right. The legacy media has absolutely destroyed itself.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
What this last election cycle did was expose the legacy media beyond all repair. And that was really exposed not even by COVID, which was truly terrible, or BLM, which was also truly terrible, but by Joe Biden dying on stage. When Joe Biden died on stage, in that moment, the legacy media was destroyed for all time. And I don't think that they're ever going to be able to recover it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And you can see it in the numbers. People do not trust the legacy media. It's irrecoverable. The Washington Post is never going to have a majority of Americans that believe it's trustworthy again. So I'm less worried than I've ever been about the power of the legacy media. And I've spent most of my life worrying about the legacy media.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump has now thrown onto the table a solution with regard to the Gaza Strip that is breaking people's brains and also happens to be the only plausible solution anyone has proposed in about a century in this particular area.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Because it turns out that when you have a population group that literally held today a celebration of dead babies in the Gaza Strip, babies they had murdered in the Gaza Strip, it turns out that a two-state solution in which one of those states is actually run by those people is a really bad idea. And President Trump knows that. And he says it because he lives in the world of reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And this is how you chalk up victories. When it comes to China, President Trump is a realist. He understands that China is globally an opponent of the United States and that we need to stand up to Chinese predations, stealing our IP, buying American land, funneling fentanyl precursors through Mexico. He understands on immigration that a realistic nation cannot have an open border.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So it is important never to acquiesce in this. Truly, it is really, really, really important. And you're not doing anybody any favors. Harsh truth is still better than kind falsehood. And telling somebody who is obviously suffering from a mental condition that in reality they're a member of the opposite sex is not doing them any favors at all. You wouldn't do it in any other circumstance.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You cannot have a welfare state and an open border and pretend that that's workable. President Trump understands that. Now, all of this sounds commonsensical to all of us, right? Because it is commonsensical. But in Washington, D.C., commonsensical is not the way things have been run.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You would never say to an anorexic person, actually, you know what, you're totally right, you're really fat when they're actually underweight by 40 pounds. You would never ever tell somebody who is suffering from severe depression that actually maybe you're right, maybe suicide is the proper answer, maybe you're thinking this through properly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And so the idea that you should confirm somebody in what is an unhealthy delusion is wrong. Now, is that going to make friends? No. Is that person going to necessarily want to go out to dinner with you? No. But they are going to remember in the darkness of the night that there was somebody who was telling them the truth. And that is really, really important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Because if no one tells them the truth, then they're never going to understand that the other answer was always there, which is that maybe this is not a body problem. Maybe this is actually a brain problem. And that requires different thinking about these issues entirely. And of course, Matt is the expert on this particular topic. Because not only did he make a movie, but I've heard he's a woman.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Instead, people have been so wedded not to victory, not to winning, not to achieving things, but to saying things properly in just the right way to get the right coverage in the New York Times or in the Wall Street Journal or in whatever media outlet they're pandering to, that they never actually think about what wins and what loses. And then there's the matter of the reality of our daily lives.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If you've ever listened to my show, I'd say morosity, depression, that may be a feeling that's come over you once in a while listening to my show where I describe what's going on in the country. But I can safely say I've never felt more optimistic about the United States than I do right now. And that is thanks to President Donald J. Trump.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If this kid asks for cocaine, the answer is no. The answer is no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You're all fine. No, no, I'm good. It's okay.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump understands that what most Americans want is not identity politics. What most Americans want is not some bizarre notion about androgyny, where men can be women and women can be men, and that we are sort of free-floating sets of feelings existing within the meat suits that we wear around.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It's a massive category error. So when you're talking about people who are intersex, these are people who...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
have some sort of genetic disorder in which they develop differently than, say, XY genetics because the SRY gene has crossed over, for example, or where they develop secondary sexual characteristics that are not in line with their genetics, this does not make them a separate sex any more than a person who is born with a third arm would constitute a separate class of human being called the third arm people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
A genetic defect is not the same thing as suggesting that there is an entirely separate sex. Sex is defined by the actual reproductive resource that is being created, either the egg or the sperm, or the large cell gamete or the small cell gamete. That is actually how you define sex biologically speaking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So suggesting that because somebody has a birth defect in which it's unclear to the outside eye what their genetics might be, that this somehow means that a genetic man who has all the normal characteristics of a genetic man could theoretically be a woman.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump understands basic things that the left has completely abandoned and that he was willing to say. Stuff that was uncontroversial, you know, five minutes ago, like boys are not girls.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That's just an asinine category error, and people are lying when they attempt to equate intersex with, for example, a person who is a genetic male who claims that they are actually a female.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
These are controversial statements to make, but President Trump understands that that actually has some pretty deep ramifications when you say things like boys are not girls, such as perhaps men have a role to play that is different from women's role. That does not mean that women shouldn't be in the workplace, obviously. And it doesn't mean that men shouldn't help take care of the kids.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But it does mean that men being masculine is a good thing. And it means that women being wives and mothers is a good thing, too. And that no country that ignores these basic truths can survive and grow and thrive.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump acknowledges and knows that the things that most Americans want, whether they are Hispanics living down on the border of Texas or whether they're white Americans living up on the border of Canada, those things are basically the same. They want to be able to live in safety, free of crime, with prosperity, being able to hold down a job in a growing, innovative, dynamic economy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
They want to be able to go to their church and worship God and share that with their community without the government getting in their way. These are all things that, again, sound so easy. They sound so easy. But the way that President Trump measures whether a thing is true or not is whether it works. And that is why he has been so unbelievably successful.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Now, when it comes to us, what can we do? This does say something to the rest of us. I talk for a living, which is a really fun way to make a living. But the reality is that people come to me all the time and say, how do I make a difference in politics? And obviously, there are things that we all can do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I spent the last election cycle campaigning with a variety of Senate candidates and with President Trump. I went out and I did things. But the things that most of us can do, aside from all the normal political fighting that Steve was talking about earlier, which is really important, the thing that is most important
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
is to live a reality-based life, to be a model to our children, to be a model to our community, to build the social fabric that actually makes this country work, to create the businesses that make the country function, to engage in everyday common virtue. Because the truth is, the country is not just built by President Trump. We love President Trump. He's doing an amazing job.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
He should continue to be healthy and well and continue to succeed day in and day out. We're all praying for him. But the country also runs because of the people who are doing the everyday things, whose names we don't know.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You, people I know, all the people out there who are just living with their families and bringing up their kids in the correct fashion in a country that is growing and thriving, building those building blocks, taking those building blocks and actually... day-to-day level, President Trump is clearing the field for you. He's clearing the field for me. The Republicans, I hope, are going to do that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But then it's our job to actually build. And that's what we should be focused on, not just on politics over the next four years or eight years or 20 years. We should be focused on the building because that project, that's the project that never ends. The political fight will always be there. There's no such thing as permanent victory. There will be losses in the future.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But the one thing that we can do every single day is continue to build. And thank God, President Trump, the reason I'm optimistic, President Trump has brought us back to a world of reality where that building is possible and we should all build together. Thank you so much. And now, thank you, I appreciate it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And one of the things that's sort of mysterious about President Trump is the fact that he isn't really an ideological conservative. Now, people like me, I grew up in the movement. I grew up reading Thomas Sowell and Frederick Hayek and reading Russell Kirk. I don't think President Trump has ever sat around reading those people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And now, I want to take the opportunity to welcome out my buddies from The Daily Wire for an episode of Backstage Live.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I don't think he sits around at night and browses Edmund Burke or anything. And so the question is, why is it that this man, who's not truly an ideological conservative, is the most successful conservative president of my lifetime, bar none? It's a real question.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And I think to understand that, the thing that we need to understand about President Trump is that more than anything else, more than anything else, and in this era, needed more than anything else, President Trump lives in the world of reality.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, President Trump has chalked up another win with the victory of a continuing resolution in the Senate. We'll get to all that in a moment. First, if you want more from The Ben Shapiro Show and The Daily Wire, it's time to become a Daily Wire Plus member. Get member-exclusive shows, ad-free streaming, early access to our new releases.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Is that the impression that you're getting from the administration at this point?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Now, Speaker Johnson, you're doing an incredible job under very trying circumstances. Really appreciate your hard work. And again, congrats on the victory in the continuing resolution fight.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Speaking of the economy, now, again, if you're a Democrat right now, if you're smart, and again, I don't mean to give advice to people who I hope continue to lose from here until the end of time, but if you are smart and you're a Democrat, the thing that you are focusing in on is not the continuing resolution. It is not even Doge, which by and large is actually doing pretty popular things.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Most Americans don't like waste, fraud, and abuse. Whatever they think of Elon Musk and whatever the media's take on Musk is irrelevant. The real question is whether Americans like somebody going through the books and firing people who are useless on the federal government payroll. They're focusing in on the wrong thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The obvious thing they should be focusing in on is the tariff controversies that are being driven by President Trump because they have a pretty clear narrative win when it comes to the idea that this is creating havoc in the markets. Yesterday, U.S. stocks slid. The S&P 500 closed in correction territory, down more than 10% from its record high in February, according to CNN.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And that allowed enormous discretion inside the executive branch for President Trump to continue to allow Doge to do its work. This is what Democrats were objecting to. However, if they had gone into government shutdown, then President Trump would have had the ability to determine who was an essential worker and who was not an essential worker. because he's the president.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The Dow ended the day down 537 points, 1.3%. The S&P 500 fell 1.39%. The NASDAQ was almost 2% lower. The sell-off extended a route in US markets that has been driven by the uncertainty around Trump's tariffs. And by the way, you can see this happening in real time. When President Trump does a presser, You can see the actual stock market reaction to his presser based on his answers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
You'll be watching him on the main screen talking about tariffing the EU. And you will see the Dow Jones Industrial Average dip from green into red as he talks because the markets react very quickly to what President Trump is saying. And as I've said before, even the sort of flip-flop appearance of chaos with regard to these tariffs is bad for markets. Uncertainty is just bad for markets.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
This is a point that the Treasury Secretary, Scott Besson, was making. And I really hope that President Trump is taking advice from his quite brilliant Treasury Secretary. And Besson is an excellent pick. He knows exactly what he's doing. Here he was making the case for what the administration really is focusing on or at least should be focusing on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And that, of course, is exactly, that's the stuff that Trump really needs to focus in on. Unfortunately, the stock market has now dropped. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped from a high on February 19th, which, again, is less than a month ago, of 44,627, all the way down to yesterday's close at 40,813.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, which means that the stock market has now dropped something like 3,700 points, almost more than 8% over the course of the last month. So that should be a winning case for Democrats, right? This is what they should be focusing in on. James Carville has been making this case. Again, I think James Carville is a schmuck, but James Carville is not stupid.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And when he says, wait around for your opponent to make the mistake, that, of course, is good political advice. Well, obviously... I want President Trump's agenda to succeed. I've said this a thousand times. The way that it's going to succeed is focusing in on Doge, on deregulation, on tax cuts, on doing the things that create a predictable investment environment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It is not helped by President Trump continuing to bang on the Canadians and smacking around the Canadians. Again, it might be fun and games. It might be enjoyable to rip on the people up north who keep putting use in words that don't need them. I just don't understand what the actual economic goal here is. What is the attempt to achieve?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And that would have meant more firings. So Chuck Schumer got himself stuck in this box canyon. His radical left-wing base was very upset with him for not standing up to President Trump by filibustering the continuing resolution. Here was Jasmine Crockett, who's kind of the new AOC. AOC's lost some steam, and now she's been replaced in the public mind of the crazed left as sort of the hot new thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
This notion that Canada is somehow screwing us on trade is just not true. It is not true. The average Canadian tariffs on American goods, the average, is one of the lowest in the world on American goods. Under an agreement President Trump himself negotiated in Trump Term 1, the Canadian trade deficit is only in oil. Every other area, we have a trade surplus with Canada.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So I suppose if we want to stop buying oil from Canada, we could do that. I'm not sure why we would do that. Presumably they're not exactly an enemy of the United States. Our cruel northern neighbors. President Trump keeps suggesting that Canada should simply be absorbed as the 51st state. Well, they're a sovereign country. They're not going to be absorbed as the fifth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Again, I like the joke, but at the point when the joke meets reality, things start to get a little dicier. And one of the unfortunate effects, I'll say this over and over, Pierre Poliev was leading in the polls by a huge margin until the trade war started. Then the trade war started, and now it appears that Justin Trudeau's party is likely to retain power in Canada. That is terrible. That is bad.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
If you want other countries to sympathize with the Trump agenda, And everything from free market economics to foreign policy, you would like for those countries to be friendlier with the United States than you don't want to drive them into the arms of political opponents. But here's President Trump yesterday ripping on Canada again, suggesting they need to become the 50.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Again, I get the joke, guys. I get the joke. But when people start taking the joke seriously, it's kind of a problem.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Again, hilarious, but not as hilarious when the Canadians in response to all of this are like, listen, we're a little bit freaked out. And so we're going to increase our tariffs. And then we get into a tariff war with the EU and all the rest. We'll get to more on this in a moment.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
First, if you're not able to watch old family videos anymore because nobody has a VCR, you're going to love my friends at Legacy Box. Sure, spring cleaning might have you tossing everything out, but how about that box of family videos and photos? That's one treasure you always want to keep.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Now, with Legacy Box's spring cleaning sale, you can check digitizing memories off your to-do list, protect them forever for only nine bucks a tape. Legacy Box makes it incredibly simple. Just pack up your outdated tapes, films, photos, mail them in. They handle all the rest. Everything comes back digitized to the cloud, so you can view and share your memories from any device anywhere.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It's so effortless, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Recently, we found some old family videos I hadn't seen in decades. We found them because we'd had them digitized by our friends over at Legacy Box. I went through them with the kids. They're amazing. I mean, that sort of stuff is the stuff you can't afford to lose. Legacy Box helps you out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Check protecting your memories off that spring cleaning to-do list with Legacy Box. Visit LegacyBox.com. slash Shapiro to shop their $9 tape sale. Get 90 days free access to Legacy Box Cloud. That's LegacyBox.com slash Shapiro to unlock that incredible offer. By the way, it makes an amazing gift. We did this for my parents. We did this for my in-laws.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Watch premium films and documentaries you won't find anywhere else. Connect with a community that shares your values, not one that cancels you for them. Watch anywhere, anytime on desktop, mobile, TV apps, and with new content everywhere. at it every single week, there's always something worth watching. Join the fight right now at dailywire.com slash subscribe.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It's fantastic because everybody's got these old pictures and tapes lying around in the garage moldering. Well, there's no reason for that. Get them preserved forever with LegacyBox.com slash Shapiro. Also, after more than a year of war, terror, and pain in Israel, all of Israel is brokenhearted after learning of the horrific murders of the Bibas family.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
who were held hostage in Gaza and then Hamas actually murdered babies with their bare hands. Countless families continue to suffer throughout the Holy Land, where the needs for aid and support grow more urgent with each passing day.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has supported and will continue to support the families of hostages and other victims of the October 7th terror attacks. With your help, IFCJ has provided financial and emotional help to hostages and their families and to those healing. But the real work is just beginning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
There's the hotter, newer thing in Jasmine Crockett, the congresswoman from Texas. Here she was yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
As communities struggle to rebuild what was destroyed, families are attempting to piece together shattered lives while living under the constant threat of further violence. Children who've witnessed unspeakable horrors need specialized care. Communities require ongoing protection and resources. Stand with Israel during this critical time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Your compassion makes a tangible difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer. Your gift today will help provide critically needed support to families in Israel as Israel remains surrounded by enemies. Give a gift to bless Israel and her people. Go to benforthefellowship.org. That's www.benforthefellowship.org. Thank you and God bless.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And again, all of this is the precursor to what is supposed to happen on April 2nd. This is one of the reasons the markets are freaking out right now, because President Trump said in his State of the Union address, and I want to actually quote it here, quote, this system is not fair to the United States and never was. He's talking about the trade system. He said, Think of that, four times higher.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And so he says, The system is not fair to the United States. It never was. And so on April 2nd, I wanted to make it April 1st, but I don't want to be accused of April Fool's Day. Just one day, which costs us a lot of money. We're going to do it in April. I'm a very superstitious person. April 2nd, reciprocal tariffs kick in. Whatever they tariff us, other countries, we will tariff them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
That's reciprocal, back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them. If they do non-monetary tariffs to keep us out of the market, we will do non-monetary barriers to keep them out of our market. Market. There's a lot of that too. They don't even allow us in their market. We will take in trillions and trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, this is where the disconnect happens. reciprocal tariffs as an idea to drive down tariffs is actually precisely what Canada is trying to do with us right now. We increased our tariffs on certain products. They increased their tariffs in an attempt to get us to ratchet back down our tariffs. So President Trump's saying, we're going to do that to all these other countries on April 2nd.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
We're going to do it to South Korea. We're going to do it presumably to China. We're going to do it to Brazil, to India, to Mexico, to the EU, basically all of our main trading partners. We're going to do that to them. Now, It would be one thing if he said, we're doing that in order to get them to lower their tariffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Instead, he says that he's doing that because the tariffs themselves will make us richer. We'll take in trillions and trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before. Not by getting them to lower their trade barriers, which actually would do that, but by increasing our own trade barriers. And this is why markets are saying, it's March 14th today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
In a couple of weeks, if we get President Trump radically increasing tariffs, and he's already making noises about it now, Well, what are the markets going to do in just a couple of weeks? This is how people who trade in the markets think.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
They take in the information and then they just determine on as objective a level as they can whether this means that markets are going to go up or whether they're going to go down. Well, yesterday, Martha McCallum over at Fox News was pressing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who's an advocate for a lot of these tariff measures, about the Canadian tariffs. What's the point of these?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Now, again, if the idea is the tariffs are going to quote unquote bring all the jobs back to America, first of all, jobs are not an amazing gauge of the economic health of a country. They are a decent gauge if the unemployment numbers are super high. It's a good shot the economy is doing really poorly if the unemployment numbers are really fantastic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Actually, you can have countries where the unemployment numbers are really fantastic that are absolute bleep holes. North Korea has a 0% unemployment rate. Why? Because everybody works for the government. So actually, it's not a good proxy. What you actually want for economic growth is the living standard of the American people. Is it getting better or is it getting worse?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And there's so much gamesmanship that is played, all these sort of bizarre games that are played with regard to numbers, everything from the GDP to inflation rates to living standards and all the rest of it. My preferred standard is the standard that is used by the economist Marion Tupe in his book, Superabundance. And that is, how many hours do I have to work to achieve a certain good?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And that has been getting cheaper and cheaper and cheaper over time for virtually every vital good in human existence. To take, for example, electricity. The reality is that if you were to find the equivalent of electricity 200 years ago, it would be whale oil. How many hours did you have to work for some whale oil so you could read a book at night?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And the answer was you had to work a significant number of hours in order to achieve the money necessary to buy the whale oil. Today, you can flip on the light and it costs you almost nothing. And that is true for an enormous number of goods, products, and services in the United States.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
For all the people who are nostalgic for the 1950s, I don't see a bunch of these people sending their kids to riveting school because they want them to work on an assembly line at Ford. They're all sending their kids to college so their kids can be techies. And for all of the talk about how Americans are living so much worse than they were in 1980, that is not actively true. It isn't.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
You would not trade your economic life. I'm not talking about your spiritual life. There are lots of problems with America spiritually. You would not trade your economic life right now for your economic life in 1980? You wouldn't because you wouldn't have a cell phone. You wouldn't have a computer. I remember these times. I'm old enough to remember before the internet was a big thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
I'm old enough to remember when cell phones were not available and the only cell phone you saw was Gordon Gekko walking around on the beach carrying basically a giant box on his head. This sort of stuff is how economies develop. So using the proper metrics is important.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, but here is the problem. If you actually shut down the government, then he gets to designate people as essential workers and then furlough everybody else. So again, Democrats got themselves stuck here. And this was basically a really, really amazing play by Speaker Johnson. Speaker Johnson was somehow able to cobble together the entire Republican majority.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The metric of we're going to bring jobs home, we're going to bring jobs... Again, it's not hard to bring jobs home if everybody works for the government or if everybody is subsidized by the government. The question is economic health. Is everybody's economic livelihood getting better?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And again, you can make the case that in some areas, America's economic livelihood is not as good as it was a few years ago. Presumably with home ownership would be a good example. But overall... Is America worse off now economically than we were in 1980 in terms of Americans' everyday life? Not in terms of the national debt, in terms of Americans' everyday life. The answer, of course, is no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
We are not. Okay, so what is the goal? So what are we trying to achieve here? Well, Howard Lutnick said, again, yesterday, the Commerce Secretary, that all these people, the Canadians, they need to say thank you to us. That's what we're looking for. We're looking for a thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, so first of all, sure. I mean, everybody should say thank you to the United States all the time. Everybody should thank God for the United States all the time. We are the most benevolent world power in human history. No question. Sure, everybody should say thank you. However... Is that a way to make trade policy? Let's say the Canadians come tomorrow and they say thank you.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Thank you for being the power on our southern border that protects us from enemies foreign and domestic and that helps drive our economy. Thank you for that. If they say thank you tomorrow, do the tariffs go away? And what exactly is the goal? Again, if the goal here is to lower the tariffs, I'm for it. If the goal here is just the idea that tariffs are going to make us somehow richer...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Again, no one is for that, including, by the way, Tesla. So Tesla sent out a letter to the administration yesterday. This is Elon Musk's company. It sent out an unsigned letter to the administration warning that President Trump's trade war could make it a target for retaliatory tariffs against the United States and increase the cost of making vehicles in America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
In an unsigned letter, this is the Financial Times reporting, addressed to U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer, Tesla said it supports fair trade, but warned that U.S. exporters were, quote, exposed to disproportionate impacts when other countries respond to U.S. trade actions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
For example, past trade actions by the United States have resulted in immediate reactions by the targeted countries, including increased tariffs on EVs, electric vehicles imported into those countries. And that, of course, is not a shock. If we are hitting other places where they live, they're going to hit us where we live. They're going to hit our tech sector.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The question I have in all this is, what is the goal? And this is where, again, I'm bewildered that Democrats are not honing in on this. Why are Democrats not honing in on this? Just as a matter of politics, it's malpractice. Maybe they agree with the tariffs. Maybe they have no idea what they're doing. I don't know.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And there's been a lot of talk about Speaker Johnson, the unworkable Republican majority because it's so small. In some ways, he's actually benefited by that because any single vote could be the vote that sinks a Trump agenda item. And no one wants to be the House vote except for Thomas Massey to sink a Trump agenda item.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Whatever it is, when markets go down, that is typically a good proxy for a good line of political attack. And meanwhile, none of this, it's just not necessary. It's not necessary. Why are we focusing in on a tariff war initiated against our allies mainly, places like Canada, places like the EU.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
China's right there, and China is perfectly willing to ship its goods anywhere, cheaply, and make deals with Canada and the EU. And there's plenty of stuff that needs to get done. Again, as the Treasury Secretary, Scott Besson, suggested, what the administration should be focused on is deregulation, cuts to government, and tax cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Speaking of which, you can see the panic in the eyes of the public sector employee unions. One of the worst aspects of American politics is the fact that you have all of these unions that are in the public sector, taxpayer-funded public unions, and these unions are not negotiating against a profit-driven management, against a business-savvy management.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Instead, they are negotiating against the taxpayer, and they are literally electing the people to negotiate on behalf of the taxpayer. So these public sector unions donate enormous amounts of money to Democrats, and then they negotiate with the Democrats for their own salary, all to be paid for by the national debt or by the taxpayers.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, now Doge is coming in and cutting a lot of these folks, and they are freaking out, totally freaking out. So here, for example, is the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, Everett Kelly, and he's freaking out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, well, I mean, the idea that the federal government is the same size it was in the 70s belies the fact that the federal budget in 1970 was approximately $195 billion. That was the total outlay of the federal government in 1970. $195 billion. Today, the annual outlay of the federal government is somewhere in the neighborhood of $6 to $7 trillion. Okay, so, no. The...
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Speaking of which, we'll be having Speaker Johnson on in just a few minutes here on the show to discuss what's going on. For Democrats, according to the Wall Street Journal, a key issue in the continuing resolution was the GOP's full-year continuing resolution omits the report that details where the executive branch should spend money program by program, as I mentioned.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Yes, the federal government has grown just a little bit. Just a little bit. The federal budget in 1970 on a non-inflation adjusted basis was about 3% of what the total federal budget is right now. So to pretend the federal government hasn't grown is totally psychotic. It's just ridiculous on its face.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Unfortunately, the Trump administration is facing down adversaries across the country in the form of district court judges. Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge William Alsop described the mass firings that have been made by Doge as a, quote, sham strategy by the government's Central Human Resources Office to sidestep legal requirements for reducing the federal workforce.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And this is one of the really terrible effects of these public sector unions. They sign these long-term contracts in which people basically can't get fired, which is ridiculous. You should be an at-will employee of the federal government if you're working for the federal government. This judge was a San Francisco-based appointee of President Bill Clinton. Shocker, shocker.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
He ordered the Defense, Treasury, Energy, Interior, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs departments to immediately offer all fired probationary employees their jobs back. The Office of Personal Management, according to the judge, had made an unlawful decision to terminate them.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Alsup said that the agencies have the authority to implement reductions in force, but they have to follow proper procedures, so they're claiming this is a procedural matter. Well, we'll find out. We'll find out, because all this stuff's going to end up at the Supreme Court.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
By the way, so should the general principle that district court judges have the ability to issue nationwide injunctions on the basis of having jurisdiction over a small share of the United States. Well, meanwhile, the Trump administration has been cracking down on pro-terrorism protests at universities all over the country.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And hilariously, now Columbia has decided that, you know, it might not be a great idea to have foreign exchange students who actually support terrorism, according to Two, the Columbia University statement that was just put out yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The Columbia University Judicial Board determined findings and issued sanctions to students ranging from multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocations, and expulsions related to the occupation of Hamilton Hall last spring. You remember this? A bunch of pro-Khmerist protesters took over buildings on campus violently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
With respect to other events taking place last spring, the UJB's determinations recognized previously imposed a disciplinary action. The return of suspended students will be overseen by Columbia University's Life Office. So finally, they are actually enforcing their own rules. That is only because the administration threatened to remove their federal aid dollars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Until then, they were perfectly fine with their own university being taken over by the radicals because, of course, they largely agreed. Meanwhile, along the same lines, the controversy continues over Mahmoud Khalil, who is a foreign exchange student who apparently attained a green card.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
He was brought to the United States apparently to learn how to agitate because that's pretty much all he did at Columbia University. He joined up with a group called Columbia University Apartheid Divest. This was the group that led the violent protests at Columbia taking over buildings. He was the chief negotiator on behalf of that group.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Such a report would give Democrats their best chance of defending the existence of shuttered operations in the courts. This week alone, the Education Department announced it was cutting about half its staff. The Veteran Affairs Department outlined plans to cut about 70,000 from its workforce. Now, the continuing resolution would extend funding for fiscal 2025 at prior year's levels.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
That group put out many statements in solidarity with the violent actions of Hamas. And somehow the idea is that he can't be deported now because he has a green card. Again, we're not talking about an American citizen. And by the way, the real question here is not whether he should be deported. The question is why the hell he was here as a foreign exchange student in the first place.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
How did he end up with a student visa? Well, yesterday, pro-Khamas protesters took over Trump Tower in New York City. And so I hope that all these people who are illegally inside Trump Tower and trespassing, I hope that they, in fact, are prosecuted. And if they are here on a student visa, then they can go home as well. That'd be fun.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
because it turns out that violating the law by taking over somebody else's property is in fact a deportable crime. Here we go. Okay, and then they started chanting, bring Mahmoud home. Okay, which again is a riff on the Israeli attempt to get actual hostages to be brought home from the predations of Hamas. Just wonderful people.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And these are the people that the Democrats have decided that they truly need to reach out to. This is the single moral issue on which they are absolutely unified, is that terrorist supporters who get in here on a student visa should be allowed to get a green card and then should be allowed to stay permanently in the country. That's what America needs more of.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
According to the Wall Street Journal, about 300 protesters entered the Manhattan skyscraper that houses the Trump organization and the president's New York penthouse on Thursday and then swarmed the ground floor. The New York Police Department arrested 98 pro-Palestinian protesters. No injuries reported, no property was damaged. Okay, but if you're arrested and you're here on a visa, You can go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
We don't need you here, actually. That's fine. And it's not the same thing if you're an American citizen. If you're an American citizen, you have the right to say whatever dumb thing you want to. That is not the same thing if you are here as a guest of the United States, obviously. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is moving in strong ways to cut the Department of Education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
According to the Washington Post, the Trump administration promised that massive staffing cuts would not impact the process students used to apply for federal financial aid. About two dozen workers who helped manage a key piece of the system were among the hundreds that laid off. The next day, access to FAFSA, that's the free application for federal student aid, went in and out for four hours.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, so then they fixed it. This, of course, is going to be used as an excuse to suggest that there can't be any cuts to the Department of Education at all. But the reality is that when you're moving fast and breaking things, you're going to rebuild the pieces that you most need. And that's what's going to happen with federal student aid, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The percentage of people who are laid off in the federal student aid arena, about 30%. So that shouldn't kill federal student aid by any stretch of the imagination. The number of people who were fired in the Institute of Education Sciences, that's more like 78%. These are huge layoffs.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
There would be some cuts, cutting to non-defense spending by $13 billion, increasing military spending by $6 billion. It would also unravel some portions of Joe Biden's ridiculous Inflation Reduction Act. Overall, it really doesn't change the workings of the government all that much. It just allows Trump to keep doing what he's been doing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
According to Frederick Hess, Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, we're talking about huge layoffs, unprecedented layoffs. So of course, Democrats are freaking out about this. Randy Weingarten in particular is freaking out. She says it's death by 2,000 cuts.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, I can only hope that her evil leadership of the American Federation of Teachers ends up on the chopping block.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So we will find out soon enough whether that is true. We can only hope that that is the case. Meanwhile, the negotiations over Ukraine continue. Vladimir Putin has rejected them. Vladimir Putin has said that he is not interested in an immediate ceasefire. He instead wants a longer term ceasefire, but without any of the conditions that would actually be necessary to achieve that ceasefire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Let's be real. There is not going to be a ceasefire, an armistice, anything like that, unless there are security guarantees to Ukraine preventing this from happening again in two years when Russia has rearmed. That is the only way Ukraine will sign on to anything. And frankly, it's the only reason that Ukraine should sign on to anything.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And if Vladimir Putin continues to press forward militarily, it would not be in the interests of the United States or any of our allies for him to take Eve. That'd be a mistake. If you actually want to get to an off-ramp that freezes the lines where they are, you have to maintain enough pressure to keep Vladimir Putin from strolling through Kyiv and rolling tanks into western Ukraine.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, Putin apparently feels like he's got control of these negotiations, which, honestly, the United States should take as an insult. Putin said on Thursday he did not support an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, calling for more discussion on a permanent end to the war as Moscow's army made rapid gains toward expelling Kiev's forces from the Kursk region.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Again, the interruption in aid and intelligence that the United States was trying to use to leverage Ukraine back to the table has had some significant downside impact in the Kursk region. Kursk, of course, is in Russia. It is one of the areas where Ukraine has pushed forward. Why? Because they then want to trade that territory for area in Crimea or the Donbass.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Putin said any pause in fighting at this point would be in Ukraine's interest because Russia is gaining on the battlefield and a host of issues would need to be resolved before a ceasefire could be reached. Those were the first official responses from Moscow after Ukraine agreed this week to a U.S.-backed proposal for a pause in the war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Putin spoke as President Trump's special envoy, Steve Woodcock, was due in Moscow. Trump said that he planned to speak with Putin soon and was pressing to a speedy end to the conflict. Here was President Trump talking about this yesterday, flanked by the NATO Secretary General, Mark Rudy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
This, of course, is why so many wild left-wing Democrats are upset. Pramila Jayapal, who's the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, was very upset about this bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And it will be a disappointing moment for the world if Vladimir Putin continues to push forward. He said, who will give orders to stop fighting? What is the price of those orders? Who will determine where and by whom they were violated? Well, I mean, if you guys crossed the border into Ukraine again, then you'd be the one violating the orders.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
President Zelensky of Ukraine called Putin's response highly predictable and manipulative words aimed at dragging out the process by setting unworkable preconditions. And, of course, Zelensky actually is right about that. He said Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly he wants to continue this war and keep killing Ukrainians. Putin does this often. He doesn't say no.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
He drags things out and makes reasonable solutions impossible. Again, that is accurate from Zelensky. Everything is Zelensky. Putin is the one who's not accepting an immediate ceasefire right now. And Putin is the one who's suggesting an inordinate number of preconditions that are just not doable. They're just not doable. He says that he doesn't want Ukraine to rearm.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, of course Ukraine is going to rearm. You just invaded them. What do you think they would do? Sit there with a half-scarred military? It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. So it'll be interesting to see what happens from here. Obviously, the ire of the Trump administration should turn to the intransigent party now.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And the intransigent party is not Vladimir Zelensky, who has been properly chastened by the Trump administration. The obstinate party right now is pretty obviously Vladimir Putin, who feels as though he has his opposition on the run.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, folks, a little bit earlier this week, I had a chance to sit down with my friend Seth Dillon from the Babylon Beat to talk all things comedy, humor, and politics. It was a great conversation. Here's what it sounded like. Well, I'm joined here in studio by Seth Dillon, the founder of the Babylon Bee, which is, of course, the funniest news site in America.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It's a satirical news site, as it constantly points out, and yet the left seems never to understand. Seth, great to see you. Great to see you, too.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It's been an amazing journey for the Babylon baby. It has. It is also amazing to think that the change that has happened across the world may have happened because you guys got banned at Twitter for making a joke that boys are not girls.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, I mean, again, it is kind of funny to think that you guys are that first domino in the domino, maybe. Yeah. That ends with President Trump destroying DEI and the Oval Office with a baseball bat and all the rest of it. That must be an amazing thing. But I want to ask you about how to do comedy in this particular era, because comedy is now closer to prophecy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
We've done entire segments of the show talking about how Babylon be headlines. end up being prophetic. It used to be the lag time has gone down. It used to be like a five-year lag time between when you'd write a headline and when it would materialize. And now it seems to be about a month headline between when you write a headline and then it materializes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So how do you do comedy in an era that is this outlandishly absurd?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And one of the other things that seems to have happened over the course of the last 10, 15 years is I actually think people have lost a lot of their sense of humor. It used to be that you could laugh at a joke, particularly about your own side. It was okay to laugh at jokes about your own side. Things that I would say on the show in 2015 that were kind of
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
jokes about Republicans or President Trump or Ted Cruz or whomever was running, because that was a really funny primary. I mean, 2016 was a hysterical time in American life. If you don't remember all the way back to 2016, youngins, let me just tell you, that race, that primary race was hysterically funny. It was like- That was right when the beast started, too. Exactly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It was like Donald Trump on stage, insulting Rand Paul's hair by saying he had like a dead animal on his head and President Trump going after. And it was inherently funny that President Trump became President Trump. I just remember the night of the election literally bursting out laughing hysterically for like 90 seconds live on air when it was announced that he'd won because it was so outlandish.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
All right, so Chuck Schumer had made noises a little bit earlier this week about the possibility of holding up a continuing resolution that would fund the government all the way until September. And it was sort of unclear why he was doing that. Strategically, he had no ground to stand on because after all,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And yet now it's obvious why that happened. And in retrospect, you can kind of see the historic moment happening. But at the time, it was really, really humorous. But everybody, I think, also was willing to laugh at things. Do you feel like people are less willing to laugh at things on pretty much all sides of the aisle in a lot of ways?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Okay, so the Senate did not. So Chuck Schumer gave up the ghost yesterday. He said he would back the continuing resolution, not that he'd vote in favor of it, but that he at least would not filibuster it. Here he explained yesterday.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
One of the things I think that you guys have done an incredibly great job at is somehow navigating the line of humor where you don't just become – kind of over the top edge lords. One of the things that's happened in sort of meme world, and we all now live in meme world because the lord of all memes is the head of Twitter. Elon is a living meme.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
I saw him at CPAC and he literally turned to me as he was wearing the ridiculous meme sunglasses and carrying a chainsaw and he turned to me and he goes, Ben, I'm just living the meme. That's the guy who is the head of Doge and the head of X and the head of Tesla and the head of SpaceX. So we now live in that world.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
That has some benefits in that it's inherently funny, but it also means that one way that people get attention is by being edgelords. And so the idea is the more provocative, more violative, more transgressive you get, then that's like a form of humor. And that's always been a form of humor, shock humor. But shock humor seems to be a huge and growing part of sort of the humor contingent.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The problem with shock humor is that sometimes the reason that the thing is shocking is because it's actually bad. And not because, you can make people laugh in a lot of ways, but the cheapest way to make somebody laugh is to say the F word. And it's always been true in humor. If you want to make somebody laugh, the discomfort laugh, right?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Saying the F word or graphically describing sex or something. These are ways that- Vulgarity. Right, vulgarity. And there is a such a thing as sort of a political vulgarity where you say something that is so kind of gross that people laugh because it's gross and violative and taboo. You guys have never gone there.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
You always have had sort of a moral line that you won't step beyond just for the sake of the laugh. How do you find that sort of ground where you're being moral and humorous at the same time, which is a hard thing to do? Yeah.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So when you look at sort of the political spectrum, a lot of the issues that were great sources of humor seem to be on their way out. And the right is in the ascendancy, particularly culturally.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And so a lot of the stuff that has been mined for humor by you guys, by us, we made Lady Ballers, which is an entire movie just about the idea of transgender people in sports, men playing women's sports and all and all of that. Now, that's on the way. I mean, the president has signed executive orders essentially banning that from sports that are sponsored by taxpayer dollars.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Wokeness has been banned at the highest levels of the American government. Like, the battles are getting won on the cultural level. So what do you see are sort of the next battles? What are the next, as I say, the Babylon Bee is half prophecy, half dark prophecy, and half humor. What are sort of the next big cultural battles that you see on the horizon that... You guys are gonna mine for the joke.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
I think they're going to move into sort of the realm of economic insanity, because they've already played out the cultural insanity, and they'll continue to do that to a certain extent. And Again, I think they've kind of hit the edge cases already.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
I mean, when you're sitting on your hands because you can't applaud a 13-year-old cancer survivor at the State of the Union address, I'm not sure how much further you can go to hate President Trump. So the hatred of President Trump, he's not going to be president in four years. So they're going to have to move on to whatever is the next thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And it seems to me that the Democratic Party, if they are going to have any shot at electoral success in the future, is going to have to move away from a lot of these cultural kind of wokeness-based issues and into the sort of demagoguery of success. And you see that in a lot of the attacks on Elon. A lot of what they're doing right now is Elon is bad, Elon is evil, Elon is corrupt.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
That's my favorite one, is when they say that Elon is corrupt. He's the richest man on planet Earth. What would you have to pay him to buy Elon off? How would you even accomplish this? But I think you're going to see an enormous amount of this left-wing economic populism, which is mirrored by parts of the right, that starts to become a sentence. And that has its own sort of bizarre logic.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Yeah, we're seeing some of that already, for sure. So what's next for you guys? You guys have done a number of projects. You have the Bee itself, which is text-based, and then you've done videos. You've done now a movie about January 6th, the worst day. What's the name of the film? I don't want to screw it up. Yeah, January 6th, the most deadliest day. The most deadliest day, correct, exactly.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
He went on to explain why with MSNBC's Chris Hayes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So what's next on the horizon for bigger projects?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, Seth Dillon, it's always great to see the Babylon Beat. It's great, folks. If you haven't checked it out, well, you've been living under a rock, but you definitely should. Babylonbeat.com, go check them out right now. All righty, coming up, we'll get to Representative Sarah McBride. He, Tim McBride, says that the Republicans are obsessed with culture war issues.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
We'll also jump into today's mailbag, but you have to be a subscriber. We have so much good stuff coming. Pendragon Cycle is coming. Backstage Live, Morning Wire, Am I Racist? What is a Woman? All Access Live, so much good stuff. You need to become a member. Become a member. Use code Shapiro. Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And so one of the things that Democrats are doing increasingly is they're reverting to cursing. If they are upset about something, they curse. They have to show performatively that they oppose Trump, even if they can't actually obstruct his agenda in any sort of effective way. So you'll notice every single Democrat beginning to curse at a higher level. Again, that's performative.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Chuck Schumer doesn't just drop bastards into a normal cable conversation. He drops it there because he wants to show his base he's really, really, really mad. But it's not going to be enough. Jake Sherman over at Punchbowl News, which is maybe the best insider newsletter in Washington, D.C., he says, what a mess this has become for Democrats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
A government funding fight that began with Democrats demanding restrictions on Trump, Elon Musk, and Doge has ended with Democrats folding and now sniping bitterly at each other. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team distanced themselves from Schumer's decision but didn't name him in a statement on Thursday night.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Other House Democrats took direct aim at Schumer, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, even Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee and Schumer ally, thinks it is a big mistake. Sherman says, let's be blunt here. Democrats picked a fight they couldn't win and caved without getting anything in return.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
If the United States Senate, the Democratic minority, decided that they were going to filibuster the continuing resolution, there would be a government shutdown. And the Republicans would correctly say they had the votes to prevent the government shutdown, and it was Democrats who had actually created the government shutdown.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
We'll also note it's more than five months into fiscal year 2025 already. Even with another month of negotiation, what Democrats were asking for, it's still not clear they would have notched any policy wins. And there's a reason Republicans put Democrats in this position, because they knew Democrats would cave. And they did.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
As Sherman points out, Democrats never managed to put Speaker Johnson or Senate Majority Leader John Thune or Trump in a tough spot. There are plenty of policies House Democrats could have asked for in the CR, more money for certain programs, for instance, that could have placed Republicans in a bind, but they never actually did any of that. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats tried to have it both ways.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
They warned each other in private and in public about forcing a government shutdown, but then they tried to force the government shutdown. So this set the Democratic base up for disappointment for seemingly no reason. And they violated the first rule of politics. Never interrupt your opponent while he's making a mistake.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And right now, the mistake the Democrats should be focusing in on is the tariff war, because that tariff war is driving the Dow Jones Industrial Average down. That is an easy case to make. If it recovers, of course, that case will disappear. But they can say, well, Dow Jones Industrial Average is now in corrections.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Instead, they decided, hey, maybe we should start a giant fight over a continuing resolution we have no chance of actually stopping. And if the government shuts down, we get to own the economic chaos. I mean, it's just the dumbest thing I've ever heard. In a second, we'll be joined by the Speaker of the House. First, only two things in life are certain, death and taxes.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Well, there is now a third certainty. If you're with one of the three big phone providers, you could be saving a fortune every single month by switching on over to Pure Talk. That's right. Pure Talk, my cell phone company, is cutting the fat from the wireless industry. For just $35 a month, you can get unlimited talk, text, and 15 gigs of data with Hotspot on America's most dependable 5G network.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The average family of four saves over $1,000 a year when they switch to PeerTalk. That's real money back in your pocket. Plus, our favorite deal is back. When you switch to PeerTalk's super low $35 plan this month, you'll get one year of Daily Wire Plus for free.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
You'll get access to a library of DW Plus movies, series, and documentaries, including Lady Ballers, What is a Woman, Mr. Burcham, Run, Hide, Fight, and more. Uncensored ad-free daily shows. One year free of our DW Kids platform, BentKey. Free leftist tears Tumblr. You know the one and only. But the only way you get that stuff is by going to puretalk.com slash Shapiro.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Switch to Pure Talk at puretalk.com slash Shapiro. Get a year of Daily Wire Plus for free with qualifying plan. Pure Talk is wireless by Americans for Americans. Also, here's something shocking. Over 140,000 family farms across America have shut down since 2017. Why?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
At which point, Chuck Schumer and the Democrats would be blamed for everything. It was a gigantic unforced error by Chuck Schumer. Well, yesterday he reversed himself. Democrats are, of course, very upset at Chuck Schumer because they believe that it is their duty to obstruct literally everything the Republicans do. Now, to be fair to Schumer, it was a no-win situation.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Because grocery chains keep pushing cheap imported meat instead of supporting the people who live and work right here in the United States. So this spring, let's spring into action and make a real difference. When you visit goodranchers.com, you're not just getting better meat, you're getting behind a mission that matters. Well, what makes them different?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
For starters, everything they offer is 100% American sourced. That means every juicy steak, chicken breast, pork chop comes from farms right here in the United States. And you can taste the difference because the meat is completely free from hidden additives. No antibiotics, no added hormones, no seed oils. Plus, when you choose Good Ranchers, you're helping preserve a way of life.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
They partner exclusively with local farmers who spent generations perfecting their craft and feeding American families just like yours. Producer Savvy. We'll not stop talking about the Good Rancher steak that her husband cooks for the family every single week. And obviously it's working because her baby is a chunky baby. That's a baby who eats probably seven steaks a week.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Subscribe to Good Ranchers and you'll get to choose free bacon, ground beef, seed oil-free chicken nuggets, or salmon in every single order. for a full year, plus an extra 40 bucks off with Code Ben. You'll get incredible meat delivered right to your doorstep. American farmers keep their livelihoods. They even donate to veterans with every purchase.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Head on over to goodranchers.com today and use Code Ben for that incredible spring into action deal before it disappears. Good Ranchers is American meat delivered. As I mentioned before, Speaker Johnson has done a masterful job of keeping together an incredibly narrow House majority. He joins us on the line right now. Speaker Johnson, thank you so much for the time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Let's start with the continuing resolution. So Democrats in the Senate were thinking about filibustering the continuing resolution. This is one of the great own goals that I've seen in recent history, because obviously if they'd filibustered the continuing resolution, the government shutdown would have been totally on them. Credit really goes to you and the Republican majority in the House.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
It's a very slim majority. Somehow you keep cobbling together wins. How is that happening?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
Yeah, Speaker Johnson, one of the things that you mentioned there is sort of the open ocean that you need in order to get things done. The reality is the thing that everybody is waiting for is the one big, beautiful bill. So how are the negotiations? On that going, obviously, this wraps up a bunch of different topics into one gigantic bill.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
On the one hand, if the continuing resolution goes forward, then President Trump continues to unleash the executive branch on itself to use Doge to cut, to slash, to burn, to fire. He had the ability to do that because the continuing resolution basically just says the government is going to continue to run at the same funding levels it has previously run.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And there's been some controversy between the House and the Senate over what that looks like. The Senate had originally suggested they wanted two different bills, one that would be tax focused, one that would be sort of immigration and defense focused. How are those negotiations going?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So one of the big questions that's emerging with regard to the tax bill, Speaker Johnson, is the question of baseline budgeting. So typically the Congressional Budget Office has a 10-year budget estimated on current law because the Trump tax cuts would expire over the course of the next couple of years.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
The idea from some is that somehow we should treat a tax cut continuation as though that's a change in the law and then it wouldn't be deficit neutral. Maybe you can explain what's going on.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
And this continuing resolution did not, in fact, include specific designations of where funding ought to go within each department, which would sort of force Trump to spend the money in each department. Instead, it has a broad overview. Spend X dollars at HHS. Spend X dollars at Department of Defense, for example.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
So obviously, all this is really important because as Treasury Secretary Scott Besson was saying yesterday and has been saying, the goal here is to provide a predictable, economically friendly future for business and investors. This, of course, brings up the turmoil in the markets. There's been a lot of turmoil in the markets over the course of the last three and a half weeks or so.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2158 - Democrats CAVE, Trump Chalks Up Another Win!
A lot of talk about tariffs, reciprocal tariffs and all the rest of this. My great hope has been for the Trump administration that when President Trump says reciprocal, he means reciprocal, meaning that the goal is to get other countries to lower their tariffs so we can also lower our tariffs and then we sail off into the future together.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, folks, President Trump has put enormous effort into killing the Department of Education, which has been a longtime Republican goal as long as I've been alive. That's been something Republicans have wanted to do. And today we're going to break news on the show with our friend Chris Ruffo tapes of what you have been funding via the DOE. And it is shocking.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So these are presumably advisors to educational institutions around the country comparing our current educational system to the Holocaust. I noticed during the Holocaust, nobody had a camera talking about how terrible it was in the concentration camps, you know, like outside in a forest, which is where that lady is when she when she's talking, actually. But who are these folks?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Why should we care how much money is flowing to them?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
I mean, some of the other clips that you've provided us with are absolutely insane. I mean, make that clip look mild. Here, for example, is a clip in which these pseudo educators explain the importance of sex work in the LGBTQ plus minus divided by sign community and how important it is for children to learn about sex work.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Now, this is just evil. I mean, the actual slide talks about how important it is for young people to be supported, and presumably we're talking about here minors, young people to be supported in legitimizing sex work so that they are not stigmatized if they are young, transgender, LGBTQ, and are making a living from being actual prostitutes. Am I missing something here?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
When it comes to higher education, last year, the Department of Education spent $165 billion on higher education. That's nearly half the total spend of the entire department. That's money that went to colleges and universities to prop up the great scam that is, again, higher education. Those are grants to students to go major in lesbian dance theory. You're wondering how they got that money?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
I mean, that is pedophilia. And certainly the word grooming would not be an opposite with regard to this. That is insane. But just in case you thought that we were done, we're not. Here's another clip of some of these pseudo educators explaining that we need to really fight adultism.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Apparently adultism is the idea that adults have the ability to make adult decisions while children are in fact children. Apparently this is a bad and a form of discrimination as well.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Okay, this is actually what we would call in common parlance evil, because basically what she is saying is that parents should not parent their children. Children are fully capable of making decisions in consultation with educators like her.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The answer is you got to pay for it. Just $40 billion went directly to elementary and secondary education. So even if you wanted the money going to the small kids, it's not actually going to the small kids. Predominantly, It is going to the very large overgrown children who are 19 and 20 years old majoring in nonsense.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
I mean, this is exactly the sort of issue that lost Terry McAuliffe, his gubernatorial race in Virginia against Glenn Youngkin, this sort of anti-parental movement, and also the bizarre, sick, and perverse idea that children are capable of making lifelong decisions about important matters. And as it turns out, we'll see in just a moment,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Apparently, even babies are capable of having racist tendencies or making decisions. I mean, this is all insane. And Chris, it does go to something deeper, which is the infusion of all these values throughout our educational system. That really needs to be rooted out.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
We'll get to more with Chris in a moment. First, you know in business, efficiency is everything. At The Daily Wire, we're always reviewing our operational processes in attempts to optimize time on overcomplicated procedures. Got me thinking about other areas of life where we overcomplicate things unnecessarily, like, for example, estate planning.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The dollars went, at least in part, at the lower level to the grifters and cretins of the unions, like the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. Not directly to them, but when federal dollars go to subsidize schools that are in bed with the AFT and the NEA, you get to subsidize the work of Randy Weingarten.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
That's 10% off and free shipping at trustandwill.com slash Shapiro. Also, the IRS is ramping up its enforcement efforts in 2025. April 15th is approaching and time is running out. If you're facing back taxes, unfiled returns, delaying action will only compound the problem. Every day you wait makes your tax situation more difficult to resolve. Do not let another tax deadline pass you by.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
While taking immediate action is crucial, attempting to deal with the IRS by yourself, that would be a very large-scale mistake. This is where Tax Network USA's expertise becomes invaluable. What sets them apart? Unlike other tax resolution firms, Tax Network USA maintains privileged access to the IRS through their preferred direct channels. We'll be right back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
First, our Daily Wire plus President's Day sales happening right now get 40 percent off new annual memberships. All the shows, all the news, all in one place, 40 percent off for a full year of unlimited access. Join right now at DailyWire.com slash subscribe. Use code DWW. 40. All right. So the Department of Education has been forever a boondoggle.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies. Do not let the IRS control your future. Instead, call 1-800-958-1000 or visit TNUSA.com slash Shapiro. April 15th is just around the corner. Act now before the IRS acts first.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Now, Chris, another of the clips that you provide us, and again, it sounds like an endless compendium of insanity that we, the taxpayers, have been funding over the course of the last couple of decades minimum.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Here is a clip in which these, again, pseudo educators, and I call them that because the only thing they're educating in is propagandistic idiocy at the very best, where they talk about race and racism in infants. Here we go.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, the babies are racist. And because the babies are racist, presumably the babies have to be hijacked into this beautiful educational or re-educational system as soon as humanly possible, taken out of the hands of their subtly racist parents to prevent white supremacy from taking over the nation or some such.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Some of this stuff goes to waste and fraud, and that doesn't include the $68.1 billion in indirect spending. Those are block grants, largely, that are given to states. So what have been the priorities of the Department of Education lately?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Yeah, so Chris, just to sort of conclude this, this all wraps into their broader perception of society, which of course we let off with, which is the idea that American society is deeply systemically racist, homophobic, evil, and needs to be torn out at the root. And of course their job as educators Their praxis is to remove all of the barriers to the reeducation of America's youth.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, according to Joe Biden's Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, quote, the investments proposed in President Biden's new budget reflect this administration's deep belief in education as the foundation of all opportunity in America. The goal is to raise the bar for college affordability, inclusive student success, and driving more equitable outcomes in higher education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Here are, again, some of these pseudo-educators talking about how white supremacist American society innately is.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So, Chris, I think the most important thing for people to understand is that all these people are going to lose their jobs. These particular agencies are going to be defunded. But the biggest problem is the Department of Education, as you say, overall, is just a giant agitprop machine on behalf of these ideologies at this point. This is the reason why Republicans have been calling for the
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
disestablishment of the Department of Education overall. I mean, the kinds of money that you're talking about for these particular agencies, a drop in the bucket of the overall DOE budget, which was about $268 billion in fiscal year 2024.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
But the point of that is that if you are throwing, say, $160 billion at higher education to subsidize exactly this kind of trash at our nation's higher education schools, You're doing the same thing. It's just that it's not quite as obvious. It's not on all the tapes. And what you're doing here is a real service because it is indicative of a much broader rot.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
These are just symptomatic of something much deeper happening inside our educational systems, and it needs to be ripped out root and branch.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Equity, of course, is a code word for effectively racial quotas. That's at least how Biden saw it. Biden requested $100 million for, quote, developing and implementing strategies to promote diversity in their schools and classrooms. And here we're not just talking about racial quotas. We are talking about the curriculum itself. We are talking about the kinds of material that get taught.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, that's Chris Ruffo. No one is getting the job done quite like Chris is. Chris, amazing work as always. And thanks for, again, an ongoing contribution to the fixing of all the broken systems. Really appreciate the time. And thanks for breaking these tapes with us. Thank you. All righty, coming up, RFK Jr.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
has now been confirmed by the Senate, and we have some breaking news on what should be on the chopping block first off for HHS. It's Valentine's Day, and here's a deal you'll love. Our President's Day sale starts right now. Get 40% off a full year of Daily Wire Plus. Why early? Well, because for the first time in four years, we actually have a president worth celebrating.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
That is 40% off all new annual memberships. One full year of breaking news, culture-shaping entertainment, investigative journalism, and live chats with people like me. Go to dailywire.com slash subscribe. Use code DW40 and save 40% today. That's dailywire.com slash subscribe. Promo code DW40. Okay, meanwhile, RFK Jr. has now been confirmed by the full Senate.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
He's going to have a heavy lift because obviously the Make America Healthy Again agenda is its own agenda. And he's going to have to balance between a couple of different sort of militating forces inside the Republican Party. One, Republicans tend to like freedom of choice. They don't actually want Big Macs banned.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
President Trump is not interested in Diet Coke going away because of aspartame or something. Traditionally, Republicans have been much more freedom-oriented as opposed to regulation-oriented. On the other hand, RFK Jr. is pledging to take a much harsher look at much of the stuff that goes into our food and that he believes might be making us unhealthy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Presumably that means funding will be increased in places like the National Institutes of Health in order to actually research just how unhealthy things are making us. One of the big problems with some of the studies done on, say, red dye number 40 or stuff like that is that the conclusion that is drawn in the public about the –
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The lack of safety of some of these particular ingredients is rooted in studies in which a rat was drowned in 40 gallons of red dye 40, for example. That sort of stuff needs to actually be applied in a user human friendly way. And again, none of that is an argument for bad stuff in our food. It's just a recognition that an overburdened.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
overweening regulatory state is not something that Republicans really signed up for. They would like, however, to take a much harsher look at how HHS does its business. Now, again, HHS is the single largest spender in the federal government.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
when President Trump came into office pledging to kill DEI programs at our nation's schools. The Department of Education apparently handed out $1 billion in DEI grants since 2021 alone. Some 229 grants pushing DEI, according to Parents Defending Education, that included $490 million for grants for race-based hiring schemes, which are illegal under the Constitution.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So I'm hoping and I think that Bobby Kennedy will bring in a bunch of experts on, for example, CMS, the Medicare payment services and Medicaid payment services, take a look for the fraud and the waste. Already, apparently, a House subcommittee has discovered a massive amount of waste in this area, according to Caroline Leavitt today at the White House. Here she was.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
By the way, if that subcommittee report is correct, $2.7 trillion, that is a lot of money. I mean, that is basically, at this point, what, 8% of our national debt just there? If that's right. I'd love to see whether that's right or not, because that's pretty wild. But one of the places that RFK Jr. should absolutely put his focus has been uncovered by our very own Luke Rosiak over at Daily Wire.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Apparently... Numerous agencies seeking to thwart President Trump's efforts to lay off DEI employees have been changing their job titles after the election. That includes the HHS's chief diversity officer, who billed himself as, quote, authentically, unapologetically, blackity black black. His profile said, quote, greetings and salutations. I am Dia D. Harris, ACF chief equity officer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
My pronouns are he, him, el, il. You know what that means. I'm unapologetically a black man. He said that in one HHS presentation. But after the election, his title was then changed to Chief Organizational Development Officer. He was no longer committed to authenticity on LinkedIn.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
He then falsified his resume, changing his previous job titles across an entire career spent as a DEI consultant and advocate. So stuff like this, that needs to be rooted out immediately by the brand new Health and Human Services Secretary. Congratulations to RFK Jr. By the way, it's not just in HHS. It's in the Department of Labor. It's in the NIH.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
There are a bunch of agencies where all of the equity diversity officers are basically just changing their past titles in order to avoid the consequences of their job. You know, RFK was sworn in yesterday. Here was some footage of what that looked like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
$169 million for DEI-based mental health training. $343 million on general DEI programs. That's just over the past few years. So what exactly did they do after the Supreme Court banned affirmative action last year? Well, the DOE then released resources to assist colleges and universities to basically end around the law. And you remember, Joe Biden tried to do this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
RFK Jr. then gave a speech explaining that he's been spending his entire life trying to get to a position where he could make America healthy again, and he credits God with President Trump's election.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So what exactly is going to be on RFK's agenda? Well, some of the things he's talked about are banning direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads, which is politically popular. It may run into some free speech concerns. His basic idea is that It causes consumers to basically request drugs that they don't even know what the drugs do.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And it doesn't put the doctor in the driver's seat to sort of recommend particular drugs that would actually be best used for the patient. He also is focusing a lot on preventative care as opposed to, say, infectious diseases. He wants to purge employees at the NIH. The NIH is going to be run by the excellent Jay Bhattacharya, by the way.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So I assume that Jay Bhattacharya has no interest in, for example, getting rid of polio vaccines. Kennedy is also pushing work on sort of regulations surrounding food safety. He has some momentum here for sure, because there is a generalized feeling that Americans are fat and out of shape and in bad health shape. And that is not a wrong perception.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And the fact of the matter is that the United States is filled with obesity and it is filled with chronic disease. And RFK Jr. is not wrong about that. Again, the rubber is going to meet the road when it comes to specific proposals that are less advisory than mandatory in their effect. Meanwhile, President Trump, has been exploring in serious ways an end to the Ukraine war.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
He has suggested that there will be a get-together in Saudi Arabia involving Vladimir Putin. And he believes that peace is in the offing, or if not peace, then at least a ceasefire. Kaylin Collins over at CNN was very upset with Trump for saying this. She says, do you believe that Vladimir Putin wants peace? Now, the reason this is sort of a dumb question is because what is Trump supposed to say?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
No. No. I mean, how does the negotiation go if he says no right there? The whole purpose of the negotiation is to try to get to something. Preemptively killing the negotiation by saying that Putin doesn't want peace would not exactly be a bright tactic. Here is Trump basically saying that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
He said the Supreme Court may have killed affirmative action, but diversity is still our strength, boo. Well, on August 14th, 2023, the Biden administration issued what's called a Dear Colleague letter, which is effectively an advisory letter from the federal government to a variety of institutions designed to tell them how they want the law applied.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So, again, does he actually trust Vladimir Putin? President Trump is not in the business of trusting people. Again, this is, I think, one of the great myths about Trump is that, oh, he must have trusted Kim Jong-un. Did he trust Kim Jong-un? Did he really? Or did he say nice things about Kim Jong-un when he thought there was something to be done?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And then when there wasn't, he was talking about how his red button was bigger than Kim Jong-un's. This is, I think, the entire stupidity of the media's approach to Trump, particularly in his second term. And again, they keep trying to play as though Trump is doing something out of the box by suggesting publicly that Donbass and Crimea are likely to end up in Russian hands at the end of this.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
CBS's Nancy Cordes, she acknowledges that even the Biden administration knew that much.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Now, there are many ways in which President Trump is actually quite reminiscent of Ronald Reagan. One of the things about Ronald Reagan that was really interesting in the way that he negotiated agreements is that he was very, very optimistic and almost utopian in the way that he would approach foreign policy problems, but then very realistic and hardheaded in the implementation of the solutions.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So very famously, in 1986, he had a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev, in Reykjavik, Iceland, in which he discussed the possibility of almost complete denuclearization of Europe by both sides, a massive reduction in nuclear weapons armament. And when it came down to, for example, the Strategic Defense Initiative, when it came down to Star Wars, Reagan famously said no to Gorbachev.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
They're like at the very end of the negotiation and Gorbachev wanted SDI killed. Right. That have been our space based missile defense. And Reagan said, no, we're not giving that up. Catch you later. And that was the end of the negotiation. And the left still complains about that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
But that was one of the key points in the end of the Cold War, because the Soviets knew they could not compete with the United States on that footing. And they're ramping up their military budget would effectively bankrupt the country. Well, President Trump is just as utopian in some ways as Reagan was. Here he was yesterday suggesting that he would like to cut the defense budget in half.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
But of course, is he going to cut the defense budget in half? Is President Trump really going to do that? He doesn't trust Xi enough to do that or Putin enough to do that. President Trump is not a sucker. I know the media want to turn him into a sucker, but I have yet to see the evidence.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The goal, apparently, is to substitute now mush words like overcoming adversity for explicit racial quotas. So if you are a college, instead of asking, are you black? And then. deducting 200 points off the required SAT score. Now, they ask you to write an essay about overcoming adversity in which you mention that you're black as a point of adversity.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Okay, now, does he really believe that China's going to cut its military budget in half, or Russia? That they're really just going to stop competing on the world stage? I doubt it. But setting that up as a possible carrot is not a bad negotiation tactic. Again, I don't think that President Trump wants to get taken to the cleaners.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
I mean, meanwhile, by the way, while he's saying all of this, while he's talking about massive defense cuts, for example, Pete Hegseth, his Secretary of Defense, is out there telling NATO they need to increase their defense spend to 5% of GDP.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And by the way, the NATO Secretary General is saying, well, he's not wrong. Like if we actually wish to be an independent body, then probably the nations of NATO really should increase their own defense spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
By the way, speaking of Europe, it's not just a matter of Europe actually increasing its defense spending. It's a matter of Europe actually shutting down its asinine immigration policies. Yesterday, I love the headlines from the legacy media. It really is amazing. The Wall Street Journal, which has a great editorial page, but its news section is to the left of the New York Times.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Here was the headline yesterday, quote, car hits crowd in Germany, injuring at least 30 in suspected attack. Man, I hate when cars just do that, just on their own, just hitting crowds. What's the actual story? You know what the story is. The actual suspect is an Afghan refugee.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
It's a terror attack in all likelihood, wounding more than two dozen people in what authorities said was a suspected terror attack. The suspect was a 24-year-old Afghan citizen who had a German residence permit. The suspect was previously known to authorities from investigations in which he was a witness to his previous work in security, actually.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And again, this is just the latest attack in Europe, deadly attack using a car in a crowded place, again, springing from devotees of the most radical form of the religion of peace. Europe is going to have to take a hard look at itself because it turns out their policies have been a giant fail for quite a long time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at ED, Catherine E. Lamin wrote, quote, In other words, ignore the Supreme Court. Remember, All the rule of law people who keep shouting about Donald Trump and constitutional crises ignored the Supreme Court of the United States and openly said that they would basically defy the Supreme Court in pursuit of their diversity agenda.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, meanwhile, on the cultural front, it's a Friday, so we got to talk a little bit of culture. Apparently, we have breaking updates, breaking updates, very important on the Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni saga. I know people are really into this, like really, really into this. So what is the latest update?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, it turns out that Blake Lively was caught on tape talking about how she manipulates people around her in order to take control of the movies upon which she works. Oops! Oops! That turns out to be a bad tactic. As I've said before, my first advice as a lawyer to all possible clients, don't do criming on tape. Criming on tape is stupid and bad, and don't do it.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
It's not a crime to do this, but it does make it look a little suspicious that you are using exactly these tactics against Justin Baldoni, apparently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And then she did exactly that to Justin Baldoni, apparently. That's literally the accusation as to what happened. And then she went and complained about it by attacking him and trying to wreck him because she apparently was at one point in a room with her, Ryan Reynolds, and Taylor Swift trying to bully Justin Baldoni to make changes to the script for this movie.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So first of all, let me point out to Blake Lively, you are an actress. Unless you signed on as a producer or a director, there's literally no reason why your creative input should matter. You're an actor. If you want to write your own script, you should go write your own script. If you want to sign on to a movie with the understanding that you're going to actually make script changes, then great.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
But if the idea is that you sign on as an actor and then you turn around and try to take control of the script, this makes you a jerk. Like at the very, very least, there's a reason why the public has shifted from being a little skeptical of Justin Baldoni to basically just rooting outright for Justin Baldoni at this point.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Speaking of which, it's time for a thing I hate that is actually attached to the Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni situation. So I had the misfortune a couple of months ago of being on a plane and looking for a movie to watch and settling on Deadpool versus Wolverine. I know some people like this movie. Some people are stupid. This movie is bad. It is a bad movie. Every joke is too long.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
It's the same joke over and over, which is some sort of like strange homoeroticism between Deadpool and Wolverine, mainly from Deadpool toward Wolverine. The plot makes zero sense at all. It's eight hours long. It's just terrible. Again, apparently people sort of love this movie because they thought that it was kind of just wisecracking Ryan Reynolds doing his thing.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
But every line is ad-libbed and not particularly well. It is just a bunch of jokes about the male appendage. This movie has now also become rather notorious because there's a character called Nicepool who apparently is a spoof of Justin Baldoni. He looks like Justin Baldoni, talks like Justin Baldoni.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
He's actually maybe the only character I kind of thought was hilarious in Deadpool versus Wolverine, was Justin Baldoni's character, apparently. Here's what that looked like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
He ends up being killed, of course, and in a rather gruesome fashion. I thought that was actually maybe the only funny part of the movie. But if you can't avoid this movie, you absolutely should because it's absolute trash. Speaking of absolute trash, another thing that I hate today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So I was informed by producer Jessica, who informs me of all of the bad movies that I never want to watch, that I had to take a look at a movie called Kinda Pregnant. Starring the veritable pustule on the ass of American popular culture, Amy Schumer. And this movie is just an abomination. It is a war crime, this movie. Truly, you belong in the Hague for having made this movie, Amy Schumer.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So President Trump is coming into office. He's seeking to end all of that. There is no bigger boondoggle, no greater hose of federal taxpayer money pointed at ideological allies than the Department of Education, which is why they are screaming bloody murder over all of this. Randy Weingarten, one of the most corrupt people in American public life,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The logline is, when Lainey, she is Lainey, has a plan to settle down and start a family, and it falls apart. So she puts on a fake baby bump, tells a lie, and accidentally falls for her dream guy. How this movie was ever made is beyond me. It is a horror show. It also happens to be filled with abortion jokes. That's exciting.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Here is a scene in which Lainey finds out that her best friend is pregnant and jokes. She's upset because her best friend is pregnant and she's a loser. And so she makes a joke about maybe she should just get rid of the baby. Hilarious. Abortion killing babies. Hilarious.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Looks great, guys. Looks great. If you didn't like that abortion joke, maybe you'll like this other abortion joke.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Hmm. Didn't like that one either, did you? Abortion. Hilarious. See, it's totally fine. It's totally great and totally fine in a movie about pregnancy. Well, I guess the good news is that there's bad news. The bad news is apparently it was the most watched title during the week of its release at 25.1 million views over at the Netflix, apparently.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And the good news is that Rotten Tomatoes got it right. 23% critics score, 23% audience scores. That means it's terrible across the board. It is indeed terrible across the board. Okay, interesting moment. If you stick around. Pass this. I will actually give you some things that you should watch that are actually good and interesting. If you're not a member, become a member. Use code Shapiro.
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Check out for two months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
And you have to understand the way that these public sector teachers unions work. The way they work is that they take, in many states, union dues from their teachers. And then they take those union dues and they pay off Democratic politicians. They campaign for the Democrats.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Education should be done at the local and state level. Parents should be in charge of the education of their children, whether you're in private school or public school. The reality is the more local the education, the more reflects the needs, desires and wants of the parents, who, of course, are the ones most aligned with the interests of their children instead.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The Democrats then sign massive, ridiculous, pork-laden contracts with the American Federation of Teachers to enrich everybody at the AFT. And then the AFT just does it all over again. That's the game. And meanwhile, the AFT, do they care about students? Of course not. That is not a priority.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
We learned that during COVID, when the AFT was pushing incredibly hard for students never to go back to school. Instead, the idea was that they weren't safe. You remember Randy Weingarten said this, despite literally every piece of evidence. The idea from Randy Weingarten at the AFT was, you can't let your kids go back to school. They're going to die of the COVID.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
It didn't matter that virtually no young children were dying of COVID. All that mattered to Randy Weingarten is, do my teachers get to stay home and like teach on Zoom and still get paid their salary? That seems pretty great. So Randy Weingarten is freaking out over the attacks on the Department of Education. Here she was calling it cruel and inhumane.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
You see, the only form of non-cruelty is to just continue signing giant checks with taxpayer dollars to Randy Weingarten.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
OK, the Department of Education is not paying Elon Musk billions of dollars to distribute DEI materials. The federal government has contracts with SpaceX, the most successful private space company on planet Earth. And apparently the Defense Department has some contracts with Tesla that were signed under, wait for it, Joe Biden.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
But again, this is going to be the tale that Democrats try to tell is that your kid is going to lose their cherished public school education because Donald Trump wants to kill the Department of Education. The vast majority of funding for public school in the United States, where we spend an exorbitant amount of money per pupil, is coming at the state and local level.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
It is not coming from the federal government. The stuff that is coming from the federal government is very often attached to precisely the kinds of interest groups that Democrats want it attached to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So again, the Democrats are just going to keep shouting about this bloody murder because President Trump is just, he's taking a scissors and he is cutting the hose, the fire hose of gushing dollars coming from the taxpayer to all of the Democrats allies. Here's former Biden education secretary, Miguel Cardona, claiming that somehow this is a form of monarchy.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
we in the United States have increasingly devolved authority to the federal government. And the federal government, virtually all of its agencies have been hijacked, as we've now been learning, by a left-wing bureaucratic mess designed as a permanent pipeline of cash to the friends of the Democrats. And this is particularly true of the Department of Education.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So understand it's democracy when a regulatory bureaucratic agency pumps out $300 billion a year to the friends of Miguel Cardona. That's called democracy. It's monarchy when the new president comes in and says, we're not doing that anymore.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
No, no, no. You're not in favor of auditing anything. You're not in favor of checking out the curriculum. You're lying. That's the thing you don't want done. That's the reason why you're objecting. President Trump has been winning and winning and winning. He's moving faster than pretty much any president in my lifetime.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
In his first few weeks, President Trump and his administration have made massive strides in bringing America's economy back. From tax cuts to deregulation to trade policy, there's a sense of renewed momentum. New leadership often brings new perspectives. Smart investors know these transitions don't Thank you for watching. I'll see you next time.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Want to learn how gold can fit into your financial future? Text Ben to 989898 for your free gold investment guide. Plus, get the ultimate guide for gold in the Trump era with a foreword by Donald Trump Jr. No pressure, just valuable information to help you make informed decisions. I choose Birch Gold for my precious metals investments. You should as well. Text Ben to 989898 today.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Because new chapters in American leadership bring new opportunities for people who plan ahead. Again, diversification, just a smart thing to do. Don't get caught off guard. Instead, text Ben to 989898 today and work with my friends over at Birch Gold.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Also, during tax season, your sensitive information travels through a lot of hands and systems from payroll to tax preparers to data centers before it even hits the IRS. Each stop is a potential vulnerability. Your W-2 contains exactly what identity thieves need to wreak havoc on your life. It's no surprise the IRS reported a 20% spike in tax-related identity theft last year.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Well, that's where LifeLock comes in. Their advanced system monitors millions of data points every second, catching threats that you might miss on your own. If the worst happens, LifeLock's U.S.-based restoration specialists have your back, supported by their million-dollar protection package. They'll fix your stolen identity, guaranteed, or you get your money back.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
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The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
In fiscal year 2024, the Department of Education spent $268 billion. That is a lot of money. And since 1980, the DOE spending has increased 372%, which is almost double the increase of the size of the rest of the federal government. So the DOE has been growing by leaps and bounds.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and mention promo code BEN or go to lifelock.com slash BEN to save up to 40% today. Meanwhile, Sunny Hostin, who, again, is in a run-and-gun battle with Whoopi Goldberg for stupidest person on The View, she says that the whole goal of defunding the Department of Education is they want a cheap underclass.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
No, actually, right now we have a very expensive underclass generated by our crap public education system. What I would like is school choice, which would allow parents to actually select for their children which school they would like their kids to go to. to be able to go to.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
That, by the way, is supported by the Republican Party and President Trump, who would like to nationally promote school choice. People like Sonny Hostin don't want that. They just want the American Federation of Teachers paid off.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Okay, this is so stupid in about eight different ways. First of all, no one supports illegal immigration more than Sunny Haas and In The View. You want to talk about a cheap, underpaid labor force? Illegal immigrants who can't actually bargain collectively in any way or bargain for higher pay because it turns out they're illegal. And she's in favor of an open border.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
The notion that like a primary school education is what makes you a high paid individual. Pretty much everybody in America ends up going to school through high school. A very high percentage of people. That is not what this is about. That's never what this has been about. So what is the Department of Education actually spending its dollars on?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Joining us on the line to explain with some breaking news is Chris Ruffo, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, contributing editor of City Journal and author of America's Cultural Revolution Report. He has broken an enormous number of clips over the course of the last 48 hours, culminating in Doge, which has been following his work, canceling some $350 million in spending.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
That's just the tip of the iceberg. So Christopher, why don't you walk us through some of the clips that you dropped a little bit earlier, and also some brand new clips that we are going to drop now on the show. And tell us what exactly we're talking about here. What are these agencies that DOE is funding?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
Now, most of that goes to subsidize precisely the sort of indoctrination centers that have been churning out radicals in extraordinary numbers, corrupting our body politic for decades. If you don't like the Hamas tentafadas on campus last year,
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So, Chris, one of the sort of... centers of spending that you have pointed out here is the equity assistance centers at the Department of Education. What are these? Why are we spending money on them? How do they operate?
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
So I'm going to go through some of these clips right now. Since 2017, these so-called EACs have taken in about $52 million in taxpayer money. So let's begin with a clip in which members of the Equity Assistance Centers and the MAEC, or the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, talk about how effectively our educational systems are a concentration camp. Here's what it sounds like.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2139 - SHOCKING Tapes: Department of Education Pushes SEX WORK FOR CHILDREN
You can blame the fact that we as a society have decided it is deeply imperative that we send all of our teenagers to institutions of higher education that indoctrinate them in trash. You can blame that on the fact that our lower education institutions, secondary education, high school, primary education has been indoctrinating kids in left-wing values for literally as long as I have been alive.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Tell me about the wall. This is all exterior wall. That is, you can see by the side of the rock, that it's Ottoman era, right? It's smaller stones. The whole city's built out of this rock. Jerusalem stone, yeah. It's Jerusalem stone.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
It's so pathetic. No, the geography here is great. It's a gorgeous city. It's beautiful. One of the coolest things about walking through Jerusalem is that you can see the progress over time. It's almost like walking forward through time.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
You start off on the Temple Mount, which is fully 3,000 years old, and then you walk through the Old City of Jerusalem, which is somewhere between 1,000 and 500 years old, and then you walk directly into the Mele Mal, which is about 20 years old. They all use the same basic building material.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
There's building restrictions in Jerusalem that you have to build out of Jerusalem stones, that there's sort of architectural similarity and continuity of aesthetics. And more American cities should do this. I mean, one of the big problems in American architecture is that it's just basically a hodgepodge of whatever people felt like that day.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
But there is nothing worse than when you see an old Gothic cathedral, and then right next door somebody's built like a modern monstrosity. And there is nothing, I think, more beautiful than walking through a city that recognizes its past while simultaneously reaching for the future. Jordan and I walked past this model of the old city of Jerusalem, and you can see what it looked like in the time.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And all of Jerusalem is built around this idea that the ancients and the modern are all of one piece.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
The British brought in the cats to kill all the snakes. They killed all the snakes. The cats killed the snakes? The cats killed the snakes. But they proceeded to take over.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
In the Jewish community, you can have a lot of free-feeling conversations about God and then border on heresy and you're basically okay. Mainly because the skin in the game elements of religion, which is here's a bunch of things you do to demonstrate you're part of the... Yeah.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
If you're doing all that stuff, then whatever doctrinal issues you have, you've already proved that's the skin in the game. Right, right, right.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
The British in the game had rituals, right? So now the doctrine is the rituals. You better abide by the doctrine.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Exactly. You also see it in any area that becomes completely propositional. you see an inability to tolerate diversity of thought at all. And that's why the objections to nationalism, which is like, well, you know... Yeah, that's a nice general principle.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Right, exactly. What destroys the ability to have propositional conversation is a feeling of bad faith. The reason you're doing this is to avoid the responsibility. The reason that you're saying this is because you want to destroy the system.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Exactly. So I was thinking that, you know, what's kind of fascinating is that if you see Judaism as an attempt to concretize the spiritual, this is why everything is focused on minutia and legalistic minutia. So, for example, they'll take a commandment. We'll take a commandment, like, in Hebrew, you're supposed to love your brother as yourself.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And we'll say, okay, what this means is when your brother is poor, you have to give him some money. It means that when you are, it means that when somebody dies, you have to visit a house of mourning. It concretizes into specific commandments.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Jordan and I are at the Shrine of the Book. This is where you'll find the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were the most ancient versions of the biblical text discovered in 1947. So we're going to look at some texts that are well over 2,000 years old that contain direct quotations from the Bible that we all know. Well, that was quite the discovery. Right, exactly.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
So this is straight from the Book of Isaiah. One day there's a little Arab kid who's throwing rocks. He throws a rock into a cave and hears a shattering noise and he runs in there and there are just these urns. These urns are filled with 2,000-year-old script. And these scrolls show continuity of biblical text because they're 200 B.C. and they contain... verbatim phraseology from the Bible.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And so the idea that the Bible is completely sort of a made-up construct and it's not a preservation of older material is debunked by some of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Oh, yeah, yeah, I mean, for sure. The idea that people have been writing down the Bible for thousands of years and, you know, hundreds of years before Christ at the very least, that obviously is true, and that's true from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Those are the oldest extant remnants, but that doesn't mean that it was made up in that generation.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
I mean, the presumption is that hundreds of years beforehand people were doing that as well. the old city of Jerusalem. It's old, but it's not that old. So some of it's Ottoman era, some of it is before. But 2,000 years old in Jerusalem is like kind of old. Then there's like the really old stuff, which is what we're about to see at City of David, which is fully 3,300 years old.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
For hundreds of years, thousands of years, people saw in the Bible this historical document.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
One of the things that's really amazing about looking at all the archaeological digs in Jerusalem and seeing as piece by piece they verify details in the Bible is that as they uncover pieces of that historical truth, not only does it reunify you with the history, but it also reunifies you with the idea that things that are ancient in origin and have tended to stand the test of time might be kind of valuable.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And so you dispense with the importance of that sort of stuff at your own peril. The City of David is located just below what is now traditionally known as the Old City of Jerusalem. The City of David is the original location of Jerusalem, actually. Archaeologists think that this site is the Palace of King David.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
You understand the story of David and Bathsheba very clearly when you look at the geography. You have David looking out from his palace, and he sees onto the roof of Uriah, and Bathsheba is bathing up there. He sins with Bathsheba, and then the prophet Nathan comes and chastises and tells him that he's done a grave evil and a grave wrong, and he's forced to atone for that wrong.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
You can see the geography there, right? Because the palace is sort of on top of a hill, and there's a valley, and then on the other side of the valley is Silwan. So presumably, Bathsheba's house would have been somewhere in Silwan.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
If there's a window right there, this is where David is looking out and seeing Bathsheba bathing naked on the roof, which is always... If you know that the king is sitting up there with his window, you know, bathing on the roof seems like a risky proposition, you know? Here you start to see the beginnings of the idea of a constitutional monarchy. So there are even hints of this in Deuteronomy.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
One of the laws in Deuteronomy is that the king is supposed to carry around his own Sefer Torah. He's subject to the law. The king is not above the law. So Judaism is very clear about that, and so is Christianity. And henceforth, the idea of limitations on absolute government are part and parcel of the whole system.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
That's definitely one of the things in favor of biblical narrative is that when you show all the warts, it suggests that you're not propagandizing.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
That's the entire Exodus story, right? The idea is that you have an absolute monarch in Pharaoh, and he is a god, and so everything he says goes. And then people are brought forth from slavery to freedom, but the freedom requires subjugation to God, right? You're still a servant, but you're not a servant of a person anymore. Now you're servants of an ideal. You're servants of a higher power.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And that means inherently limiting the power of human beings. Looks like this is a massive cistern.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Both the Judaic side of government and the Greek side of government are predicated on the idea that there are limitations to what government can do. You can make the case that the biblically-based system is more of a limited monarchy, where the powers of the king are fairly limited. but the kingship is derived not from the people.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And the Greek system is that authority is derived from the people and is almost unlimited. When Aristotle talks about how there are three types of governments and all have the capacity to devolve into tyranny, that's what he's talking about. You can have a benevolent monarch, which is more like the biblical system, but even the Bible is pretty divided over whether kings are good or necessary.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Samuel gives a whole speech before the appointment of King Saul about you guys are really gonna hate this king thing. You probably shouldn't do it. And people are like, well, no, we want it anyway. And God says, okay, fine. If they want it, they're gonna get it.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
This goes down several stories as they uncover additional layers of history over the course of 3,000 years. We were just told up there that this above our heads would have been a Roman mansion, actually.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
This is Mount of Olives.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
It's also amazing because the suffering which, you know, Jews commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem till this day, you know, the suffering which is temporary and then you see, you know, there's a famous story in the Talmud about rabbis visiting the
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Yeah.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
a place where they're overlooking the Temple Mount, and they see all the destruction, and there are three rabbis, and two of them are crying, and one, Rabbi Akiva, is laughing, and they ask him, why are you laughing? And he says, well, you know, it says in the prophets that it's going to be rubble, and there are going to be foxes wandering on the holiest places.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And he says, I'm seeing that happen right now, which means that the other part is going to come true. And one of the things about being here in the modern age is that you get to see the destruction in the rearview mirror and then you get to, you know, you look almost straight up and you can see the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It's an amazing, amazing thing.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
587 BCE is the year that the Babylonians invade Israel and they destroy the first temple. And you would imagine that this would have been the end of Judaism and therefore no Christianity and no further Western civilization, right? Typically in the olden days, when a civilization was destroyed and its chief city burned to the ground, They kind of dissipate into history.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
You never hear of them again. That's not what happens here. Judaism exists in exile for thousands of years, that Judaism can survive that and then revivify itself, not once but twice. And then they come back to the land of Israel in 1948 and reestablish a thriving state. I mean, it's an unbelievable story of heroic perseverance, but also of the presence of God in history.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
This pilgrimage road is the road that hundreds of thousands of people would use every single year, several times a year, in order to bring their sacrifices to the Temple Mount. It's in pretty good condition.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
That's here. Where the church is. Yeah, this whole area is the Gardens of Gethsemane. Jerusalem is the birthplace of Western civilization. It's the first place where people seriously start to think in a communal way about the idea that there is a set of godly values that rest above human authority.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
One of the things that's really cool about the pilgrimage road is that for Christians, there is 100% certainty this is where Jesus walked. There may be a lot of questions about where Jesus was at different times in the Bible. There's no question that Jesus walked the pilgrimage road because all the Jews did. There's a rock there where speakers would stand and they'd make political statements.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Probably Jesus was the guy on the side yelling at people, stop worrying so much about the specifics of your sacrifice and start worrying about your closeness with God. And everybody's probably looking at Jesus and like, who's that in that job? Like, nothing will come of him. They move on with their day.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
It's not going to work exactly. That's the thing about Jerusalem is that when stuff gets destroyed, it doesn't get fully destroyed. It just gets kind of built on top of, which is the story of civilization in a lot of ways, right? We like to pretend that when we level things, they're completely leveled. Nothing is completely leveled. It's mostly leveled.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
That's also the nature of human beings. We don't really want to clear all the debris. You've got to have something to build on.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
If Jerusalem is the idea of man meeting God, and this is where Revelation becomes reality, then the question becomes, how does man deal with Revelation? How do we actually work in a world in which values are discoverable, in which they're important? And that requires that reason come to the fore and reason become a paramount concern for human beings.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
How does man respond to a universe that is knowable? What kind of resources can human beings bring to a mysterious but knowable universe? That other half, that rational component, is really cultivated to the utmost in Greece. Well, you might ask, what's wrong with being a populist? If the people want it, then it must be good. But that obviously is not true. Yeah, you just look at Twitter. Right.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Is it wrong because people voted it so?
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
We stop by the shrine of the book. We find it astonishing that texts are preserved for this long or that ideas are preserved for this long. But it's sort of the natural state of things.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
In order to truly understand the modern-day conflict in the Middle East, this is a great view, because what you see is that everything is right on top of each other. And so when you look across the landscape, you can see the Temple Mount up and to the left, and then you move toward the Mount of Olives, and you're looking at Jewish graves going back centuries, and then you move a little bit
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
to your right and you're going to see an Arab village that used to be a Jewish village. They have very small pockets of places where Jews are living protected by barbed wire. Everything is right on top of each other. And so whenever people suggest, well, you know, just a quick population separation and you're done. It's not quite that simple.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
When you say high resolution, it's also just, everything is just geographically incredibly close together. When people say East Jerusalem, they mean like this, is that. Right. Like, here's the old city, and here's David, and that's East Jerusalem.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Exactly. except here everything's 3,000 years old.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
You don't realize how new America and Western civilization is in the Anglo-American history is so new compared to biblical history. It's amazing.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
In America, the entire history of the country, it's like, oh, my gosh, I visited Plymouth Rock. Wow, that's 400 years old. Like, well, over here that's like a house that somebody built five seconds ago.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
They did map out the biblical road that the fathers in the Bible travel, like where Abraham came and he's like wandered down in this direction, ended up up there with the sacrifice of Isaac. I took Jordan Peterson to the Temple Mount because it's perceived as the foundation stone for the building of the world, according to Jewish theology.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
So we're now at the holiest site on Earth for Jews. The third holiest site for Muslims is al-Aqsa, which is this mosque right here. This is certainly the most contentious area on planet Earth.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
So if you go back about 3,000 years, the Temple Mount is created by flattening part of the top of the mountain and then building retaining walls and filling all of that with dirt, which is how you end up with this about three-football-field-size giant area. And that's where the original first temple stood. It was destroyed in 576 BCE.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And then it was rebuilt about 70 years later, and that stands for about half a millennium. And then that is destroyed in 70 CE. Approximately a thousand years later or so, the Dome of the Rock is built directly on top of where the Holy of Holies would have been and where the foundation stone is located. This is where Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to heaven in his dream.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
He used this rock as sort of the launching off point, ascending to heaven, and that foundation stone is visible. You can walk into the Dome of the Rock and you can actually see that. In sort of Jewish theology, the foundation stone is the idea that God used this stone as the basis for all creation. It's called in Latin the Axis Mundi.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
The idea that there is a spiritual center to the world, that's what we mean when we say this is the foundation stone. So there are a couple of ideas that this place is the actual mountain on which Abraham is about to sacrifice Isaac, which of course is sort of a seminal point in the Bible. Also Jacob's Ladder.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Jacob lies down, he puts his head on the stone, where he has the dream about the angels going up and down the ladder. There is an idea in Jewish commentary and Christian commentary as well that this is the location of that.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
This is about as close as we'll get on this particular side to the Dome of the Rock. This was the second temple platform. I mean, this was like, it's slightly elevated probably over time because it's been 2,000 years. But then they built the dome directly on top of it. Here's a supervisor from the walk coming over. I'm checking this out for what purposes? To make sure that I'm not praying.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Does that count? As long as it's in your head, it's probably okay. If I were to whip out a sitter right now, a prayer book, and start saying psalms, it would be a problem. I assume this is why you wanted me to have the hat on for this part of the journey. So Jordan and I go up to the Temple Mount and we're walking around. That's literally all we are doing.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
We're walking the perimeter of the Temple Mount under guard because that's what you do according to the law. You're not allowed to carry up, if you're a Jew or a Christian, any religious items. If you're a Muslim, you can do whatever you want. You're not allowed to pray up there openly if you're a Jew or if you're a Christian. If you're a Muslim, you can do whatever you want.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
The simple fact that Jordan and I are walking around up there gets caught on tape and people who are, I would say, malicious in intent decide that they are going to characterize this as Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro invade the Temple Mount.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
People are literally paid to be up there pretty much every day, ready to jump on any incident that they can turn into some sort of narrative about predations on Islamic rights up there, which is an absurdity. The only people who actually have the full rights of movement and prayer on the Temple Mount on a daily basis are Muslims. This is the origin of Western civilization.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
If you believe that it's Jerusalem and Athens, which is sort of the typical structure that people use to discuss, then this is the center of Jerusalem. This is the Axis Mundi, and we're walking through it right now. You're walking through not just history, but the foundation for the entire modern world.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
Western civilization, traditionally speaking, has been thought of as the marriage of Jerusalem and Athens. Jerusalem is the foundation of a godly morality. Human beings who are bound by a higher power in an understandable universe where they can discover God through the process of reason and revelation.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
And then that has to be balanced with Athens, which is traditionally seen as human rationality and human reason. So if the idea is revelation is religion and reason is... science, then essentially the marriage of those two things is Western civilization.
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Jerusalem & the Axis Mundi | Foundations of the West Episode I with Ben Shapiro
When people sort of mock faith, which is what they try to say that Jerusalem is, and Jerusalem is really sort of, I would say, informed faith, meaning that it's not sort of principles that are taken from nowhere, but you do need the ratification of a revelatory structure in order to just say these are things that are inarguable.
The Matt Walsh Show
Ep. 1524 - Selena Gomez Should Deport Herself In Solidarity With 'Her People'
Today on the Ben Shapiro Show, China releases a competitive new AI at a fraction of the cost of the American companies. Democrats launch resistance on Trump's illegal immigration crackdown, and Trump signs an order to ban gender dysphoric people from the U.S. military. That's today on the Ben Shapiro Show. Give it a listen.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So by far the best thing that has happened during the first 30 days was that exchange that he had with the Afghan lady reporter, which is one of the great moments in all of media history. And if you haven't seen it, folks, you absolutely should Google it, because it is legitimately one of the funniest things that has ever happened in the history of the media.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump has been slandered by the media as somebody who creates fictions of his own and sort of lives within those fictions and says a lot of words that don't always match up with the truth and all that kind of stuff. The reality is that President Trump, in his gut, lives in the real world.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
There's a reporter from Afghanistan who asked President Trump a question in a very thick accent, and he had no idea what she was saying. And he said, your voice, it's so beautiful, so melodious, I don't understand a word you're saying. God bless, and live long, live in peace. He went full Spock at the end. It was great. So that was great as a moment.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And there have been many such wonderful moments, including the I don't care, Margaret, right, from the vice president. And there are a bunch of great memeable moments. And of course, Elon is a walking meme, as you've seen. But in terms of actual policy, I think the most important thing that President Trump has done is he's actually, he has exposed
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
the reality, which is that the amount of power that has aggregated in the executive branch over the course of time is extraordinary, and it is at the behest of the presidents of the United States. So for two reasons, this is really important.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
One, because the Democratic Party established over the course of the last hundred odd years, really since Woodrow Wilson, that the executive branch was going to be the predominant branch of American government, and all power was going to be centralized in it, spending power, regulatory power, all of it. And then they basically said, and Republicans can't touch it. When we run it, we'll run it.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And we'll put permanent employees in place so that when you run it, you don't run it. And President Trump came in and he said, no, no, no, no. You've given all this power to the executive branch. Guess what? Guess who's the president now? It's me. And long live the king. And he literally put out an executive order saying, like yesterday, All of you people work for me. And here's your reminder.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The executive branch is a branch of government. There is no fourth branch of government that is an unelected bureaucracy. And thus, you work for my agenda. And this is great for a couple of reasons. One, because it means that he's going to be actually able to clean out so much of the rot inside these institutions. And that's what Doge is in large part.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But second, I think it sets up the predicate for if there is going to be a useful constitutional fight, which I kind of like. then let that fight be about the prerogatives of Congress. Let Congress try to actually go back to the original structure in a fair way. Because for too long, Republicans have been playing by the Marcus of Queensbury rules on this stuff.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Or as I say, the rules apply when Republicans are in power, and then they stop applying the minute a Democrat is in power. And President Trump, as I said before, he lives in reality. And for President Trump, there's no... There's no set of rules where there are two sets of rules, right? There's either one set for everybody or there ain't no rules.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And he says, there's one set of rules for everybody. I'm the president, and now all you people work for me or you're fired, which is just wonderful.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Which is why President Trump wins so often, because if you are going to win, you have to acknowledge reality, because reality always wins. And this is what makes President Trump conservative. Conservatism lines up really, really well with reality.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The reason that President Trump won the last election cycle is because the Democratic Party, the left, completely disconnected themselves from reality, completely disconnected themselves from reality in every possible way. They ran screaming with their hair on fire, their blue hair on fire, away from reality. President Trump embraces reality with both arms.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, folks, let's talk about how you stay healthy. OK, because let's be real about this. You need to stay healthy. And if you wish to stay healthy, balance of nature, fruits and veggies will make it happen for you. There's never been a more convenient dietary supplement to ensure you get a wide variety of fruits and veggies daily. Imagine trying to eat 31 different fruits and veggies every day.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That sounds horrible. It sounds like torture. It sounds like a year in jail with Nancy Pelosi. Well, Balance of Nature takes fruits and veggies, they freeze dry them, they turn them into a powder, and then they put them into a capsule. And let me tell you, I can pop those directly into the protein smoothie, and that keeps me looking like a Greek god.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I know it doesn't look like that from the outside, but I can promise you that I am absolutely jacked. Believe me or don't believe me, that's your choice. But you should believe me when I say that you should take Balance of Nature fruits and veggies every day and your body will do the rest. Head on over to balanceofnature.com.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Use promo code backstage for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer. Plus, get a free bottle of fiber and spice. That's balanceofnature.com. Promo code backstage. And thank you for helping, you know, like pay our bills and everything.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That was a picker-upper right here.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
When it comes to the world of economics, for example, President Trump only cares about success. He cares about economic dynamism. He cares about American businesses being able to build and succeed. And he understands that in order for all those things to happen, you have to free American business from the shackle of regulation and government. You have to allow businesses to innovate.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You have to allow people to rise and fall on their own merit. Meritocracy has to be valued more than, say, identity politics and DEI. President Trump knows that in his guts because he's a business person. President Trump has had to make payroll. Unlike literally every leader of the Democratic Party over the course of my lifetime, he is not a career politician, which means
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I mean, first of all, I'm having trouble getting over Drew calling God Uncle God. I really am. When you were as old as Drew. Wow.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
We've been together a long time. My goodness. It's rare that you spring a new one on me, but Uncle God was definitely a new one. So I think that one of the great dangers that conservatives face right now is that so many of our institutions have been thoroughly corrupted by the left that the temptation is to destroy all of them. And you see this in government.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
A huge number of institutions in government are completely broken, need to be destroyed, rebuilt from the ground up. But my problem is that I see some people who are attempting to take social institutions and then destroy those social institutions as well.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Pretend that they are meritless, that because there have been bad things that have been done to those institutions, now you throw out the baby with the bathwater and those institutions are themselves meretricious and need to be destroyed. And the substitute morality that is offered is actually amorality, it's actually sin. And that is a deeply disturbing and disturbed point of view.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The thing that we all need to do, I think, and what I hope to do in my own life, is not to make excuses. Okay, this is the biggest thing and this to me is the essence of conservatism. Stop making excuses for your own failure.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It is one thing to point to an actual wrong that is being done in the world and say that this wrong needs to be corrected because the world is filled with wrongs and it's filled with injustices and it's filled with bad things that do need correction. It is another thing to look at your own failure and then not say, what can I fix? But instead, look out there at the institution.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I can't find a girl. Thus, the institution of marriage is broken. Thus, I should treat women like trash. That is a terrible way to go about your life. The answer to finding a good woman is to be a good man. The answer to having a good marriage is to find a good woman and engage in a good marriage. The answer to... Finding yourself a better church is to find yourself a better church.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
he's always been answerable to reality. And that means that when he unleashes another businessman, Elon Musk, inside the government and says, go in there with a meat ax and start taking out programs, that is what a businessman would do. If you came into a business as a business person and it was rife with waste, fraud, and abuse, you wouldn't sit around and run a commission on it.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If you don't actually like the church that you're going to, if it's been taken over by Wokies, then the answer is not, well, I guess we're done with the church. The church is stupid. We're not doing it anymore. The answer is to either form your own or to find a more traditional instituted church that is not doing those stupid things.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And I think one of the great temptations of politics is to assume that politics can solve everything. You've got problems in your life, economic, spiritual, marital, and politics is going to solve all of those problems. If only you can go after somebody out there and blame those people, well then that gives you the license to do really whatever you want.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And then the failures that spring there from are not your own fault. And that to me is a sin. It's a sin against yourself, it's a sin against your society, it's a sin against the God who created you, gave you free will, the ability to choose, and the skills with which to do something productive in the world.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You would start firing people. You would go in and you'd start making changes. You start breaking things and moving quickly, and President Trump is doing precisely that. You can see business optimism in the country is skyrocketing specifically because of that. Meanwhile, the Democrats don't know what to do because their cherished blue pipeline, which is what the federal government is.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, speaking of the hard parts of life, taxes, folks. So, am I right? Taxes suck, right? They're bad. That's why President Trump just fired everybody at the IRS. He actually did. He just fired, like, thousands of people at the IRS. Well...
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
unfortunately you don't have a choice i'm sorry to tell you this april 15 tax day is just around the corner and don't think that just because trump and elon are going through and basically making all these people unemployed that you're not going to have to pay your taxes you eventually will but you don't have to worry about your tax issues with tax network usa
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Did you see where I was going with that, folks? Did I project it? In any case, Tax Network USA has a preferred direct line to the IRS, meaning they know exactly which agents to deal with and which to avoid if you get in trouble with your taxes.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
With proven strategies to settle tax problems in your favor, whether you owe 10 grand or $10 million, Tax Network USA's attorneys and negotiators have already resolved over $1 billion in tax debt. You should talk with their strategists today. It is free. You don't need the threatening letters. You don't need to look over your shoulder.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You can protect yourself from property seizures and bank levies as well. Do not let the IRS control your future, and don't count on the IRS agent who's in charge of your case suddenly losing their job. Maybe it'll happen, you know, God willing, and the creek don't rise, but eventually they're going to come after your taxes. So you should call 1-800-958-1000 or visit TNUSA.com slash Daily Wire.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Again, that's 1-800-958-1000 or visit TNUSA.com slash Daily Wire. So, clap for the avatar. It's the best part of the show. It's an ad. I mean, it's what we all love, correct?
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It is a permanent payment program for the left, the federal government. They have permanent institutions that exist outside the government. They take literally trillions of your taxpayer dollars, and then they funnel all that money out to their political allies inside and outside the government. And Donald Trump came in, and he broke the pipeline. Why? Because he lives in the world of reality.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Hmm. Well, I think it depends on the kind of business that you're founding. So, I mean, there are certain things that are just baseline conservative, like be honest in business and don't try to cheat people, right? In my faith, the Jewish faith, you may have noticed, it says that the first thing that God is going to ask you after you die is, were you honest in your business dealings?
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It's one of the things that Judaism teaches. As you know, we like the money. In any case... When it comes to actually forming a business, the hard part of business, and Jeremy can talk about this more than I can since he does a lot of the hiring and firing, is actually being cold-blooded enough to look at what's working and what's not.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You're not doing anybody any kindnesses by keeping people in the wrong position for too long. That's the hardest part, I think, of doing business, is the difficulty in extricating yourself emotionally from the business to do the efficient thing.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But it is important that in order for your business to be a success, in order to be able to employ other people and provide goods and services at a market rate, that you actually make those hard decisions. And again, I think that that requires a certain level of emotional remove.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And you have to understand that you're actually, again, not doing anybody any favors by keeping them in a position where they ought not be. And that does... I think also include the reality that you have to, I think, take the blame on yourself if you hired the wrong person.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Usually if an employee fails, if somebody does something wrong at your company, it's probably because you put the wrong person in the wrong position to succeed. That's sort of your job as a company is to put people in the right position to succeed. And so that I think is the hardest part.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
When we're talking about foreign policy, President Trump lives in the world of reality. When President Trump looks at the situation in Ukraine, he doesn't say, well, you know what, we're not gonna set an endpoint. We're not really gonna set a goal. We're just gonna wing it. We're just gonna go along with this for years. He says, listen, here's the reality.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Eventually we'll be for sale. I started writing a syndicated column when I was 17, so actually not that much older than your daughter is now. And the key, I think this is true by the way in virtually all businesses, but it's certainly true when it comes to political commentary, is you have to read an awful lot, learn an awful lot about the business, and do a lot of work for free.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
There's no such thing as a person who's success in literally any business who was not a failure for a very long time before they were a success. Everyone who's an overnight success was an overnight success 10 years in the making. I started writing a syndicated column making no money off of this for probably a decade before I had the famous Piers Morgan interview.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That was fully a decade after I started doing what I was doing. That takes an awful lot of reading and writing. Then the other thing that I would say is that she should attempt, and I think everybody should attempt, to find a niche where you're a specialist in the thing. And that can be an information niche.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Either you can know a lot about a particular topic, or you can be willing to report on a particular topic. And if you have a monopoly on that topic, that makes you a marketable commodity. Everybody's got an opinion on politics. Everybody in the room could be a political columnist, I'm sure.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But there's a difference between that and being a person who does the research and does the hard work that nobody else wants to do. One of my mentors, Andrew Breitbart, used to say that if you have a cell phone with a camera, you're now a reporter. And that's one way that I encourage young people to get started is you're in your town.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
There are stories all around you of things that probably require change. Get those stories. hook up with an outlet like ours, we'll report it, and we'll make that a thing. And that's a great way to get started in this particular business.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The reality is that there is a grinding trench warfare situation in Ukraine. There is very little shot that Ukraine is gonna be able to win back Donbas and Crimea. And we don't want Ukraine to actually fall to the Russians, and so we know what an off-ramp looks like. Now it's just a question of how do we get to that off-ramp. That is what a practical person does.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That is a person who lives in reality. That's not a person who wants to speak airy-fairy nonsense and nostrums about democracy and tyranny. All that stuff sounds nice, but does it get the job done is the question that President Trump is always asking. Does it get the job done? When it comes to the Middle East, President Trump has completely broken the mold.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Oh, I totally disagree with this. You totally lie.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
He's very old. You should totally lie. So the way that this works is that when I was at UCLA, you speak up in class, and then they had these things called blue books. The blue books were the anonymous test that you took. You would write by hand in those days. I know, it's a long time ago. And you would write a student number, not an actual name on your blue book.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And then you write a comma, and you get the A. obviously, because what difference does it make what you write inside the blue book? So that's where you lie.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, I mean, it depends if you're talking about foreign actors who are actually funding American media. So yes, I think there should absolutely be congressional investigations, presumably the House Foreign Affairs Committee, looking into funding of various enterprises and the propaganda that emerges from those enterprises.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If you're talking about the Democratic Party working in cahoots with the legacy media, I'm not sure that you need an investigation with that. I think you just need retinas and a prefrontal cortex. I mean, the basic logic suggests that the human centipede, that is the relationship between the Democratic Party and the media, is an ongoing bleep show.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
The sort of ancient wisdom of the State Department, which has been wrong for 80 years in the Middle East, is that the only way that you actually achieve peace in the Middle East is to make the Palestinian issue front and center. President Trump in his first term totally turned that on his head. He ignored it, and peace broke out in the Middle East.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So I don't think that requires an investigation, and I don't think it's a big scandal. I think that the truth is that the legacy media, and this is something Drew said earlier, so Drew, this is where you're right. You were wrong before, but now you're right. What Drew said earlier is right. The legacy media has absolutely destroyed itself.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
What this last election cycle did was expose the legacy media beyond all repair. And that was really exposed not even by COVID, which was truly terrible, or BLM, which was also truly terrible, but by Joe Biden dying on stage. When Joe Biden died on stage, in that moment, the legacy media was destroyed for all time. And I don't think that they're ever going to be able to recover it.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And you can see it in the numbers. People do not trust the legacy media. It's irrecoverable. The Washington Post is never going to have a majority of Americans that believe it's trustworthy again. So I'm less worried than I've ever been about the power of the legacy media. And I've spent most of my life worrying about the legacy media.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump has now thrown onto the table a solution with regard to the Gaza Strip that is breaking people's brains and also happens to be the only plausible solution anyone has proposed in about a century in this particular area.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Because it turns out that when you have a population group that literally held today a celebration of dead babies in the Gaza Strip, babies they had murdered in the Gaza Strip, it turns out that a two-state solution in which one of those states is actually run by those people is a really bad idea. And President Trump knows that, and he says it because he lives in the world of reality.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Well, folks, you know, I'm not famous for being a particularly optimistic sort. If you've ever listened to my show, I'd say morosity, depression, that may be a feeling that's come over you once in a while listening to my show where I describe what's going on in the country. But I can safely say I have never felt more optimistic about the United States than I do right now.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I couldn't hear a word you said. You have a beautiful, mellifluous voice.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And this is how you chalk up victories. When it comes to China, President Trump is a realist. He understands that China is globally an opponent of the United States and that we need to stand up to Chinese predations, stealing our IP, buying American land, funneling fentanyl precursors through Mexico. He understands on immigration that a realistic nation cannot have an open border.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So it is important never to acquiesce in this. Truly, it is really, really, really important. And you're not doing anybody any favors. Harsh truth is still better than kind falsehood. And telling somebody who is obviously suffering from a mental condition that in reality they're a member of the opposite sex is not doing them any favors at all, you wouldn't do it in any other circumstance.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You cannot have a welfare state and an open border and pretend that that's workable. President Trump understands that. Now, all of this sounds commonsensical to all of us, right? Because it is commonsensical. But in Washington, D.C., commonsensical is not the way things have been run.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You would never say to an anorexic person, actually, you know what, you're totally right, you're really fat, when they're actually underweight by 40 pounds. You would never ever tell somebody who is suffering from severe depression that actually maybe you're right, maybe suicide is the proper answer, maybe you're thinking this through properly.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And so the idea that you should confirm somebody in what is an unhealthy delusion is wrong. Now, is that going to make friends? No. Is that person going to necessarily want to go out to dinner with you? No. But they are going to remember in the darkness of the night that there was somebody who was telling them the truth. And that is really, really important.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Because if no one tells them the truth, then they're never going to understand that the other answer was always there, which is that maybe this is not a body problem. Maybe this is actually a brain problem. And that requires different thinking about these issues entirely. And of course, Matt is the expert on this particular topic. Because not only did he make a movie, but I've heard he's a woman.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Instead, people have been so wedded, not to victory, not to winning, not to achieving things, but to saying things properly in just the right way to get the right coverage in the New York Times or in the Wall Street Journal or in whatever media outlet they're pandering to, that they never actually think about what wins and what loses. And then there's the matter of the reality of our daily lives.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
If this kid asks for cocaine, the answer is no. The answer is no.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You're all fine. No, no, I'm good. It's okay.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump understands that what most Americans want is not identity politics. What most Americans want is not some bizarre notion about androgyny, where men can be women and women can be men, and that we are sort of free-floating sets of feelings existing within the meat suits that we wear around.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
It's a massive category error. So when you're talking about people who are intersex, these are people who
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
have some sort of genetic disorder in which they develop differently than, say, XY genetics because the SRY gene has crossed over, for example, or where they develop secondary sexual characteristics that are not in line with their genetics, this does not make them a separate sex any more than a person who is born with a third arm would constitute a separate class of human being called the third arm people.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
A genetic defect is not the same thing as suggesting that there is an entirely separate sex. Sex is defined by the actual reproductive resource that is being created, either the egg or the sperm, or the large cell gamete or the small cell gamete. That is actually how you define sex biologically speaking.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump understands basic things that the left has completely abandoned and that he was willing to say. Stuff that was uncontroversial, you know, five minutes ago, like boys are not girls.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
So suggesting that because somebody has a birth defect in which it's unclear to the outside eye what their genetics might be, that this somehow means that a genetic man who has all the normal characteristics of a genetic man could theoretically be a woman.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
That's just an asinine category error, and people are lying when they attempt to equate intersex with, for example, a person who is a genetic male who claims that they are actually a female.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
These are controversial statements to make, but President Trump understands that that actually has some pretty deep ramifications when you say things like boys are not girls, such as perhaps men have a role to play that is different from women's role. That does not mean that women shouldn't be in the workplace, obviously. And it doesn't mean that men shouldn't help take care of the kids.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But it does mean that men being masculine is a good thing. And it means that women being wives and mothers is a good thing, too. And that no country that ignores these basic truths can survive and grow and thrive.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
President Trump acknowledges and knows that the things that most Americans want, whether they are Hispanics living down on the border of Texas or whether they're white Americans living up on the border of Canada, those things are basically the same. They want to be able to live in safety, free of crime, with prosperity, being able to hold down a job in a growing, innovative, dynamic economy.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
They want to be able to go to their church and worship God. and share that with their community without the government getting in their way. These are all things that, again, sound so easy. They sound so easy. But the way that President Trump measures whether a thing is true or not is whether it works. And that is why he has been so unbelievably successful.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
Now, when it comes to us, what can we do? This does say something to the rest of us. I talk for a living, which is a really fun way to make a living. But the reality is that people come to me all the time and say, how do I make a difference in politics? And obviously, there are things that we all can do.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I spent the last election cycle campaigning with a variety of Senate candidates and with President Trump. I went out and I did things. But the things that most of us can do, aside from all the normal political fighting that Steve was talking about earlier, which is really important, the thing that is most important
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
is to live a reality-based life, to be a model to our children, to be a model to our community, to build the social fabric that actually makes this country work, to create the businesses that make the country function, to engage in everyday common virtue. Because the truth is, the country is not just built by President Trump. We love President Trump. He's doing an amazing job.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
He should continue to be healthy and well and continue to succeed day in and day out. We're all praying for him. But the country also runs because of the people who are doing the everyday things, whose names we don't know.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
You, people I know, all the people out there who are just living with their families and bringing up their kids in the correct fashion in a country that is growing and thriving, building those building blocks, taking those building blocks and actually... day-to-day level, President Trump is clearing the field for you. He's clearing the field for me. The Republicans, I hope, are going to do that.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And that is thanks to President Donald J. Trump. And one of the things that's sort of mysterious about President Trump is the fact that he isn't really an ideological conservative. Now, people like me, I grew up in the movement. I grew up reading Thomas Sowell and Frederick Hayek and reading Russell Kirk. I don't think President Trump has ever sat around reading those people.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But then it's our job to actually build. And that's what we should be focused on, not just on politics over the next four years or eight years or 20 years. We should be focused on the building because that project, that's the project that never ends. The political fight will always be there. There's no such thing as permanent victory. There will be losses in the future.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
But the one thing that we can do every single day is continue to build. And thank God, President Trump, the reason I'm optimistic, President Trump has brought us back to a world of reality where that building is possible and we should all build together. Thank you so much. And now, thank you, I appreciate it.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And now, I want to take the opportunity to welcome out my buddies from The Daily Wire for an episode of Backstage Live.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
I don't think he sits around at night and browses Edmund Burke or anything. And so the question is, why is it that this man, who is not truly an ideological conservative, is the most successful conservative president of my lifetime, bar none? It's a real question.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
And I think to understand that, the thing that we need to understand about President Trump is that more than anything else, more than anything else, and in this era, needed more than anything else, President Trump lives in the world of reality.
The Matt Walsh Show
Daily Wire Backstage Live at CPAC: The Fight, The Wins, The Future
No one wants to see that.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, once again, for the FBI, the immediate response, which is we know the motive and the motive is uncomfortable. So we're going to pretend that that's not really the motive or the motive. I mean, it was the least mysterious motive of all time. He literally had an ISIS flag attached to the back of his Ford F-150.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
He said, here's my motive on a giant flag that I don't even know where you get an ISIS flag. Can you buy that off Amazon? In any case. This person had put out tapes of himself talking to his family about how he had joined ISIS.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And honestly, the reason why this should earn more media attention than the terrible case of what happened in Las Vegas, which seems to be a member of the military who had his life breaking down, seemed to have some mental problems. The reason that this one is more noteworthy is because it is ideological in nature, not only ideological in nature.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
One of the stories that we reported at Daily Wire, actually, was that the local mosque was being contacted by the FBI. Members of that mosque were being contacted by the FBI, the mosque where this person attended, the terrorist and the alleged terrorist.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And the mosque apparently put out a public message like on their own Instagram saying, if you are contacted by the FBI, you should contact the Council on American Islamic Relations. You should contact groups that are not the FBI, right? Not cooperate with the FBI.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
You should call the Council on American Islamic Relations, which by the way, was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism trial in the 2000s. The Council on American Islamic Relations original foundation was by people who are closely associated with Hamas. Like there are actual real systemic problems in the United States with radical Islam.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And that's something that people really don't want to talk about, which of course is the same sort of thematic that you're seeing in the UK right now, right? You're seeing this sort of break, into the open because Elon Musk is going after Keir Starmer quite properly.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
But I think that so much of what you're seeing in the West right now is revolt against the assault on common sense that we've been seeing for legitimately decades here in the West. The revolt on common sense that says that, for example, mass migration without assimilation is a wonderful idea.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The revolt on common sense that says that everyone should be forced to take a vaccine, even if the vaccine is not totally vetted out yet. The assault on common sense that says men can be women. What we're watching right now across the board is this revolt against that thing. And it's happening everywhere. It's happening in the UK. It's happening in France. It's happening in Germany.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
It's already happened in Argentina. It's happened in the United States already. It's obviously happening up in Canada where the conservative party, if the election were held today, would absolutely wipe out the liberal party where Justin Trudeau just resigned as the head of the liberal party, if not prime minister today. Again, something is happening.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And that thing is that people across the board in the West are tired of, to use your word, being bullshitted. And I think that now they're starting to fight back in a wide variety of ways, mostly politically.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Well, what's amazing about it is that people are denying what it's about. So if you actually look at the history of the scandal, this started to break out into the open in a place called Rochdale in the UK back in 2003. And that was because a 15-year-old girl died when there was an investigation into why she died. It turns out that she had been one of the girls who was groomed by these gangs.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
For folks who don't know the story, basically over the course of literally decades, And there are allegations of this going all the way back to the 1970s. Basically, over the course of decades, white girls were preyed on by Muslim men in gangs. They were rape gangs. They're not grooming. They treat them. They call them grooming gangs. They weren't grooming gangs.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
They were rape gangs because these are all underage girls who are being traded around by these Muslim rape gangs. And that's what they are. And the media knew full well about this back in 2003, 2004. They knew completely about this. The police knew about it. They knew about all these cases. These were already being brought up in Rochdale, in places like Rotherham, in places like Oldham.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
It was happening in a wide variety of cities. And as it turns out, the police basically decided that because this would be politically unhelpful, they were going to bury these cases. And so they started blaming the girls, claiming it was the girls' own fault, that they had quote unquote consented, even though obviously a 13, 14, 15-year-old girl can't consent.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Some of these girls got pregnant by their rapist, 13, 14, 15 years old, and the system totally ignored them. One of the journalists in this case, Andrew Norfolk, who reported for The Telegraph in 2010, he's the one who wrote this big cover story for the UK Telegraph talking specifically about the extent of the scandal in Rochdale. He knew about the case.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
He's admitted he knew about the cases back in 2003. And the reason that he did not actually report those cases, and again, these are his words, not mine.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
is he was afraid that it played into quote-unquote right-wing narratives that were going to talk about the difficulties of multiculturalism and the problems with importing vast numbers of immigrants from Muslim countries who were not integrating into British national life and not assimilating.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
They were afraid that the British National Party, the right-wing party, was going to start increasingly winning elections, that the English Defense League, led by Tommy Robinson, was going to increase its popularity. And so they literally just buried the story. They said for a decade that We are not going to even prosecute these cases.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And it took a full-scale decade and more and more of these cases piling up for there to be any prosecutions at all. The first prosecutions, I believe, happened in 2013. That led to a government study that was finally released in 2014, finding that in Rotherham alone, there were 1,400 girls who'd been preyed on in just that city, in just that city.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
You're talking about thousands of girls who were raped white girls were raped by Muslim men, and the reason it wasn't reported is because it was white girls and because it was Muslim men. Now, again, that would be reported, and talk about reportorial malpractice. Okay, so Keir Starmer was the head of the Crown Prosecution Service for a large part of this period, from 2008 to 2013.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Keir Starmer, of course, is now the prime minister of Great Britain, is head of the Labour Party. And there was a call for the Labour Party as the head of the government to now lead a national investigation into these cases. And they denied it. They said, we're not going to do it. Now, to be fair, the Conservative Party had said the same thing. They said this is all regional.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The regional investigations should go on. But Elon went after Keir Starmer for it and deservedly so, because Keir Starmer has been part of the system the entire time. And I played tape on my show earlier today of Keir Starmer with the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, talking about the real problems of the UK in 2024, which include a radical uptick since October 7th in Islamophobia.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, asking Keir Starmer what could be done to prosecute people who are actually engaged in Islamophobia. Right. This sort of conspiracy.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
That's exactly correct. And all of Europe is reacting to this, but in ways that the political establishment doesn't particularly like. So in Germany, that means that the AFD, which is a very right wing party that has always been sort of called Nazi-esque, but the reason people oppose them is not because of their original roots. The reason they're opposed now is because they're anti-immigrant.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The AFD is picking up steam. Obviously, Elon is lending some of his sort of loudspeaker to the AFD and Alice Weidel, who's the head of the AFD. You're seeing the same thing happen in France with Marine Le Pen's National Rally Party, which has been gaining steam in every single election and keeps being blocked by the quote unquote centrist party of Emmanuel Macron.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
You're seeing the same thing in Germany, by the way, where the CDU, which is the centrist party, says we won't sit with the AFD. Okay, guys, you keep trying to keep a lid on the biggest issue in Europe in generations, and it will blow.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, this idea that you can just tell the people to sit down and shut up and ignore the fact that their countries are being overrun with people coming from places that hate the country, that really hate the country and hate the civilization.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
People are only going to take that for so long before it really starts to come out and support for parties that are not within your deemed establishment purview.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, either it will or they won't have any power anymore. I mean, in the country that Ayan came from, Gerd Wilders is now leading the largest party. Right. And Gerd Wilders is a very right wing anti-immigrant and anti-Islam leader. in the Netherlands. So again, these are the natural consequences.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
She was originally from Somalia and then she went to Amsterdam and now is- Was essentially exiled because they wouldn't give her immigration status because of her perspective. I mean, they essentially decided that she was a persona non grata because of her perspective on immigration, being an ex-Muslim from Africa. who had immigrated to the Netherlands.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, Ayaan's story is sort of ahead of its time, but that is the reality that is now besetting, I think, an enormous part of the West. And again, reality is having its way here because reality always has its way. And when it comes to immigration, I mean, so many things have changed about the way the West does immigration.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
So it used to be that because we didn't have a welfare system and because it actually was a risk to come to places like the United States, you left everything behind, you came here with nothing, and then you were expected to assimilate and make your own way without a welfare system to back you. Because of that,
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
America acted as a magnet to a bunch of different groups who usually were sort of the most risk-seeking members of the Irish population or the Swedish, like we've had many waves of immigration in the United States, Irish, German, Italian, Swedish, Jewish, Russian, a huge number of immigrants in the United States. But once you change that system,
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
to make it so that you are neither expected to assimilate or you're expected to earn, right? You're not expected to do either of those things. We have welfare systems that pick you up and you're not expected to assimilate, which is the sort of immigration that the left apparently loves.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Well, yeah, I mean, the consequences are going to be pretty dire for any civilization that attempts that particular two-step. And those civilizational consequences have been quite dire and pretty terrible.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, I think that obviously it's great. I think that the person they're attempting to block from the prime ministership with all of this is Pierre Polievre, who is phenomenal. I mean, truly tremendous. He's fantastic. I mean, one of the things that you're seeing is this crop of new leaders all over the world, ranging from Millet to-
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
to Polievre in Canada, to Maloney in Italy, to Wilders in Netherlands. You're seeing like a whole spate of new leaders come to fruition. And that's really wonderful. And Trudeau going, again, he's hanging on through basically parliamentary maneuvering.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The way that it works in Canada is that in order for there to be a new election called the snap election, you actually have to have a vote of no confidence. Right now, there are 338 seats in the House of of Commons in Canada. The Liberal Party controls 153 of them, I believe, so they have just short of a majority, so they need some outside help from some of the other smaller parties.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The Conservatives only have 120 seats. If the election were to be held today, the Conservatives would be expected to win an overwhelming majority of seats in the House of Commons, something like 230 seats in the House of Commons, and then Polievre would enter the government with a huge majority that requires no coalitional help in order to govern.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And so that's basically everybody who's in the current coalition does not want the coalition to fall because the minute that happens, then the election takes place. Polievre wins. He walks in with a vast conservative majority. So the idea here is it's sort of like a Biden stepping down in favor of Harris idea here.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Basically, Trudeau is planning to step down in favor of a new liberal leader who will be selected. And that way, Polievre has to run against not Justin Trudeau, but against Randall McPhace over here, who's going to be the new liberal leader. I don't think it makes much of a difference.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The mistakes that Trudeau has made ranging from the authoritarian take on COVID, which led to the trucker freedom convoy, to the treatment of immigration. He's been an open borders immigration guy the whole time. The cost of housing in Canada have increased rapidly. And Polly Everett makes the point, hey guys, you know one thing we have in Canada? Very few people. You know what we have?
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Tons of land. Really, housing should not be all that expensive. He's right about that. The fact that Trudeau has been bad on energy policy in a country that really could be rich in energy. It's truly amazing. And then add on top of that all the woke crap from from trans to indigenous peoples, all the stuff that Trudeau has done.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
It's like watching a laboratory experiment with all the left's worst policies put into Bunsen burger and then boiled until they boil over. And it turns out that people really, really hate this stuff. And it doesn't matter if you're the good looking likely son of Fidel Castro. People still really don't like this policy at all.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Well, I mean, they'll narrowly avoid President Trump's invasion if that happens. I mean, I'm wondering, you know, if we're going to invade, now's the moment, right? We got to do it before they have an election up there and make Canada our 51st state. Right now, we'll be greeted as liberators. But if if Polly Evra is the prime minister, then they might we might actually have to fight them.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And last time we fought the Canadians, it went surprisingly poorly. So now's the window of opportunity. Greenland, Canada, the Greater America Project is still on the table, but only for a few more weeks.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, that's what the polls show right now. I mean, right now, the polls, according to CBC up there, have Poliev running at something like 44 percent, while the Liberal Party is now running at 20 percent. And that's how much the Liberal Party has fallen off.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
So and it goes to show you that, you know, actually just being a steadfast conservative in a place, even in a place like Canada, will win you some points. This is what's so amazing about Great Britain is that they can't find anybody to just do that. Right. Well, just do that. It doesn't look that hard. I mean, granted, Karapolyev appears to have a resting heart rate of 35.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
But with that said, he is like the fact is that it actually does not seem that difficult to find somebody who has some basic common sense. That, of course, is the thing that I think is underappreciated about President Trump. The media kept playing up the fact that he says wild things on Twitter.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
But the reality is that most of the stuff that Trump says is very commonsensical because he always shoots from the hip. And when people like Trump shoot from the hip, it tends to be kind of like the common sense thing that you would say. And the same thing is true of Polyab. The same thing is true of Mele. The same thing is true of Maloney. The same thing is true of Wilder.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Saying common sense thing has become illegal in many countries at this point. People are more likely to be arrested in Britain at this point, it seems, for saying a common sense thing than for raping someone possibly. And I think that the blowback to that is dramatic and international. And so it's shaping up to be a really interesting year.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Now, in the United States, obviously, that means that now that you have power, this is all about gaining the power. Once you have the power, you have to do the thing. This is where the pedal is going to meet the metal and the rubber is going to hit the road when it comes to President Trump and the Republican Congress. What can they actually get done this year?
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And there, I think, you know, there are some outsized expectations that I think that we should temper and we should recognize the reality of a fractious coalition in Congress where you have maybe a one to two vote majority in the House. But I do think things can get done if people keep their heads screwed on straight.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Okay, so I love a vague. And the truth is that when it comes to H-1B visas, I think that there are some things you can do with H-1B visas, like increasing the income limit before you let people in. That's an interesting conversation. I think there's a lot more to be said about sort of the variation in terms of what actually went on in this argument.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
That was very, it was sort of a bizarre argument to be had. But when it comes to the cultural analysis, I have to say, it's just, it's not actually true. Okay, I promise you that Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, all, I mean, Elon Musk is a very culturally savvy guy and he was not participating in the math Olympics.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Okay, so it turns out, by the way, that's also a very bad read, I have to say, on Boy Meets World. Okay, so as a Boy Meets World stan, I will say that if you ever watch an episode of Boy Meets World, the entire moral center of the Boy Meets World universe, not to get too abstruse here,
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
is Mr. Feeney, who is the high school teacher who tells the kids that they need to study harder and take history seriously, right? That's actually the theme of Boy Meets World. And by the way, the same holds true of like, you're picking all of the shows from the 1990s that actually had parental figures who actually pushed education.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
If you think to any of the shows that he names right there, those are all like the ones that had sort of the Sunday evening special that would have like a talk with the kids about how you actually need to take your schoolwork seriously.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Listen, I understand that for a lot of people, particularly from countries that are not the United States, the way that you rise in those countries is to do really, really well on your exams. So you study super, super hard in South Korea. They have a very programmatic approach to how to train kids. When it comes to American innovation, which is where most of the innovators are coming from,
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The problem is not that people are watching Boy Meets World. If you want to talk about like systemic problems in the United States with regard to education, those exist. There are public schools, right? That's why we need school vouchers. You can talk about broken families that need to be healed. You talk about lack of social structure.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
But this is the weird take, which is that you have to be a person training for the spelling bee in order to be a top level engineer at Google. That's just not true. I mean, just on any sort of relevant level, that's not true.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I was definitely not the prom king, okay? Like I skipped two grades and graduated high school when I was 16 and went to UCLA as the smallest, shrimpiest kid at UCLA, right? I was not like the toast of the town, but even I recognize that like watching Saturday morning cartoons is not the thing that's preventing people from staffing up Silicon Valley engineering jobs.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
That's not like the chief problem in the United States.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Again, listen, I really like Vivek and I even agree with some of his immigration takes. This one I don't think was the best cultural analysis. I'll put it that way.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
The biggest nerds in the world, right? Dungeons and Dragons, some of them actually, you know, actually work out. Many of them are the people who are playing video games at night, right? They're not like culturally non-savvy. This idea that nerds are somehow, they've never watched TV. Have you met a nerd? Like spend some time with the nerds. The nerds watch some TV.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
So I actually don't think it's going to work. And the reason I don't think it's going to work is in the interim, since Trump was in office, there was an overruling of Chevron deference, which means that administrative decisions that are overruled, but they kind of get caught up in this internal procedure, now will go before the judiciary. So it may be that the doctrine has changed in the meantime.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
So maybe Trump actually has a shot at reversing this in a way he didn't back in 2019. Whatever the case, it is very clear who Joe Biden is, right? Now that everything has been sort of All the chains have been unleashed, right? He is free and he's running naked through the streets in all of his horrifying glory. And it's terrible.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
I mean, in every way from the drilling to the pardons of the murderers to whatever he's going to do on foreign policy, which I think is going to be quite bad in his last couple of weeks. I mean, we are blessed that he is leaving office and we are blessed that his party will have no power. Thank God for the American people, man, because that bleep needs to go.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Great to see you. Happy New Year. You too.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Hey, you too. Glad you're back from vacation.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Well, I mean, I think that they have to, because I think that what they've demonstrated over the course of the last several years is their complete inability to govern or to be in any way aligned with the agenda of the American people.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And so all they've had for years, and this is true going back to 2021, when Joe Biden gave that awful address in Philadelphia, where he basically labeled everyone who is Republican, his political enemy and an enemy of the republic. The only thing they can keep saying over and over is that Donald Trump is, in fact, an incipient dictator and authoritarian.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
None of it has the same ring after Trump won. I mean, he won the popular vote and he won the Electoral College overwhelmingly. And so the sort of idea that he attempted a coup and that we narrowly averted the rising tyranny in the United States, that particular narrative was always stupid. But it has died a horrible death.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
at the hands of the American people who themselves voted by majority for Donald Trump in the last election. And so it just, it brings super hollow this year. It always was hollow, but it brings particularly hollow this year, given the fact that again, Democrats didn't just lose the presidency. They also lost control of the Senate. They don't have control. of the House.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And so what exactly is the thing that we are supposed to be commemorating on January 6th?
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Is it the idea that all Trump voters are akin to the small coterie of Trump supporters, not even the small coterie of Trump supporters generally, the small coterie of the people who were even at the January 6th Stop the Steal rally, who then committed some criminal acts, which again, that's a subset of people who are even at the sort of more riotous portion of the day.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
It really is an incredible stretch for them. The fact they can't let it go is, again, a demonstration. This is a party devoid of ideals. It's a party devoid of ideas. And it's a party devoid of any connection with the American people whatsoever. Like, who really is spending today thinking about January 6th, 2021?
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
It's an absurdity. It's a true absurdity. And what makes it even more absurd is you mentioned all the cops who were injured during the BLM riots. The cops that have been demonized since 2014 in this country, since really the Ferguson riots of 2014, the number of cops.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
who have been destroyed as human beings, the number of cops who have failed to do their jobs because they were afraid that if they did their jobs, they would then be dragged through the court of public opinion in the ways the Democrats like to do this sort of stuff. That number of cops is incredibly high.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And the same week that Joe Biden is doing this routine, crying crocodile tears over January 6th, and we must remember, and the cost to the cops and all this, he gave a Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
to George Soros, who's the number one funder of left-wing prosecutors who have spent their entire careers trying to undermine the cops in every city in America and make it easier for criminals to do their business. This same president who just a few weeks ago, I mean, during the break, he had a very busy break, Joe Biden.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
This is the most alive he's been for years is just before he's leaving the presidency. And now he's doing things like commuting the sentences of 37 out of 40 people on death row because only three of those murderers apparently deserve to die. People who rape and murder little girls, they don't deserve to die.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Only the Tree of Life shooter and the Black Church shooter and the Boston bomber, those people deserve to die. The other 37 who committed atrocities, those people don't deserve to die, according to Joe Biden. I mean, he's letting it all hang out at this point.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And again, I think it underscores the reason why Joe Biden was so unpopular with the American people, which was they kept trying to sell us the line that he was a kind-hearted, decent old man. And he was never a kind-hearted, decent old man. He was just an old man. He was never kind-hearted. He was never decent. He was always corrupt. He was always venal. He was always bloviating.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
None of his values ever meant anything at all. And this attempt to sort of retcon his own history and retcon what the Democratic Party has done over the course of the last few years into something benevolent is... an utter failure. It's a total failure.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And I can't imagine that there are many people who are reading that op-ed or hearing you read it, Megan, who aren't rolling their eyes so hard they fall out of their head.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
shook the foundations of American democracy. By the way, I love their respect for the property damage that may have numbered in the tens of dollars at the Capitol building. They did $2 billion in property damage during the BLM riots. The enthusiasm for remembering January 6th is matched only by the enthusiasm of the media in forgetting September 11th, actually.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
You're not allowed to show images of September 11th lest we actually remember what happened and who did it on September 11th. The media have already moved on. You mentioned earlier on the New Orleans terror attack. The media are already very steadily moving on from that one.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
They really are not going to cover that one for very much longer because, of course, they can't tie that into some sort of narrative about broader American white supremacy and about domestic homegrown white terrorism or any of the rest of that sort of thing. And so they're going to move right past that sort of thing. But they definitely have to focus in on January 6th.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
And the media, by the way, I'm not sure who took it on the chin harder this past year. The Democratic Party or the media? I mean, they're appendages of one another. I've called them the human centipede because that's what they are. But, you know, at this point, I'm not sure that has anyone. That's the first time anyone actually heard John Meacham saying that thing.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Media Obsessed with January 6 To Smear Trump Supporters, and Biden's Bizarre Outburst, with Ben Shapiro and Glenn Greenwald | Ep. 976
Megan, was you playing it on your show? Because no one is left to watch MSNBC. No one actually has seen Keith Olbermann say that except on your show. So congratulations, Keith Olbermann, for making your show, I suppose.
We Might Be Drunk
Ep 202: Kyle Dunnigan & Blair Socci
But it can't be defined in words. It's the darkest heart of soulless man. It's a note on the piano that mustn't be bled. It's a naughty little piggy handing you a hot dog. It's a paparazzo. Not getting out of your face when you call him a cocksucking asshole. I'm way more confused now. It's a... You take a swing at a stewardess, but it doesn't taste as good.