Trump's Achilles Heel Revealed in New Podcast Series

Want to take a deep dive into the psyche of Donald Trump? Look no further than The Run-up, a podcast "that makes sense of the most delirious stretch of the 2016 campaign." Taped before Trump's run for the presidency, the five-hour recording reveals much about the larger-than-life businessman, including his greatest fear:

The intense ambitions and undisciplined behaviors of Mr. Trump have confounded even those close to him, especially as his presidential campaign comes to a tumultuous end, and he confronts the possibility of the most stinging defeat of his life. But in the more than five hours of conversations — the last extensive biographical interviews Mr. Trump granted before running for president — a powerful driving force emerges: his deep-seated fear of public embarrassment.

In the tapes, Trump goes on record as saying he doesn't look back, focusing only on the present and the future.

"What he's saying is, I don't ask for forgiveness because I don't look back. I don't want to look back. I may not like what I find. But that is a denial of the power of forgiveness, the power of atonement, the power of sacrifice," Glenn said.

Read below or listen to the full segment for answers to these questions:

• What does it mean if a man can't reflect on his life?

• Did something damaging happen in Trump's childhood?

• How did Trump respond to his wife publicly skiing better than him?

• What does Trump love about physical fighting?

• Will Trump ever have a day of reckoning with himself?

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: There's an election podcast called the Run-up that is out right now. And Donald Trump said, "You know, this is pretty old and boring stuff, but I hope people enjoy it." That was his statement on Monday night. It's not old stuff. It's two years old. It's an interview, five hours of an interview with him right before he announced. When he was -- when he was asked, you know -- you know, look back on your life and analyze yourself. What's the meaning of life that you have found?

He said, "I don't want to think about it. I don't analyze myself because I might not like what I see."

Who do you -- do you have any heroes? Who do you look up to?

"I don't have any heroes."

Do you --

PAT: I think he's his own hero.

GLENN: Do you look at history? How do you use history to understand what's happening now?

Quote, I don't like to talk about the past. It's all about the present and the future. And for the most part, you can't respect people because most people aren't worthy of respect.

Then he talked about how he doesn't need -- he said, "I would be very happy in a one-bedroom. I don't need these three floors in the Trump building."

(laughter)

GLENN: He said, "It's very hard for someone to be married to me." He always seems to return in one form or another to the theme of humiliation. He reserves special scorn for people who embarrass themselves in front of their peers. He tells a story of an unnamed bank president who became inebriated during an award dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, a ritual of New York society.

By the end of the night, he recalls, the man was incapable of walking. He had to be carried out.

Donald Trump, "We all had an arm, a leg, a back, and we carried him out of the room that night, right after he made the worst speech you've ever heard. And I've never looked at him the same way. I've never forgot that, in the front of the room, the most important people, we had to carry him out of the room. And so things like that have an impact on me."

I think that's -- that would have an impact on me too.

There's little trace of sympathy of understanding when people lose face. Mr. Trump's reaction is swift and unforgiving. If Mr. Trump feels he has been made a fool of, his response can be volcanic.

Ivana Trump told the reporter about a Colorado ski vacation she took with Mr. Trump soon after they began dating. The future Mrs. Trump had not told her boyfriend that she was an accomplished skier. As she recalls it, Mr. Trump went down the hill first and waited for her at the bottom.

So -- this is Ivana. So he goes up and stops and he says, "Come on, baby. Come on, baby." I went up. I went. I did two flips in the air. Two flips right in front of him. I disappeared. Donald was so angry, he took off his skis, his ski boots, and walked up to the restaurant. He couldn't take it. He just couldn't take.

He had been bested in public, as he stormed off the slope, leaving behind a trail of equipment, she recalled. Donald Trump could not contain his embarrassment. Quote, she recalled him saying, I'm not going to do this for anybody, including you.

On the tapes, Mr. Trump also describes a passionate enjoyment of fighting.

Now, listen to this. Then I'm going to play you some audio from yesterday, which I think the press is being extraordinarily unfair on.

On the tapes, he describes a passionate enjoyment of fighting which started during his adolescence in Queens. It didn't matter, he said, whether the altercation was verbal or physical, he loved it all the same. Quote, I was a very rebellious kind of person. I didn't -- I don't like too talk about it actually. But I was very rebellious and very set in my ways. In the eighth grade, I loved to fight. I always have loved to fight. Physical fights. Any kind of fights. All types of fights. Even arguments. Any kind of fight, I love it, including physical.

Now, he then talks about how he was a real troubled kid. And at the age of 13, he had to be sent off to the New York Military Academy because his parents couldn't deal with him anymore.

He said, "I'm standing there in the military academy, and this guy comes out. He's like a bulldog, a rough guy. He was a drill sergeant. Now they call him Major Dobias. But he was a sergeant then. When I knew him, Sergeant Dobias. Right out of the Army. And he was a rough guy. Physically rough. Mentally rough. He also was my baseball coach. And he used to say things like, "Stand up." And I would say, "Give me an, expletive, break." The guy came at me. You would never believe what he did. I mean, he came at me. It was really fantastic.

Did he rough you up?

Oh, yeah. Absolutely.

He grabbed you by the shirt?

Oh, yeah. But it doesn't matter. It's not like what it happens today. You have to learn to survive. It was tough, not like today. Those were rougher times. These guys go back to some of those old drill sergeants, they can't even understand what's going on in this country. I loved the old days.

Now, listen, he loves to fight. Listen, now, the press has this so unfair against Donald Trump: Joe Biden threatened -- said I want to take him out behind a bar.

STU: The gym is what he said.

GLENN: Yeah, the gym. I want to take him behind the gym. Basically he's threatening. I want to take him out and beat him up.

Here's two losers, two guys who think they're 13 years old, threatening violence against each other. The press doesn't report that the vice president just threatened violence on Donald Trump. They only report that Donald Trump threatened violence on Joe Biden. But it was a response to Joe Biden's threat.

STU: Right. They've handled that completely unfairly.

GLENN: Oh, completely unfairly. But here's Donald Trump's response.

DONALD: Did you see where Biden wants to take me to the back of the barn? Me. He wants it. I'd love that. I'd love that. Mr. Tough Guy. You know, he's Mr. Tough Guy.

You know when he's Mr. Tough guy? When he's standing behind a microphone by himself. That's when -- he wants to bring me to the back of the barn. Oh. Some things in life you could really love doing.

Our nation has lost -- and, by the way, if I said that, they'd say, "He's violent. How could he have done that?"

PAT: And they did say that.

STU: That's true.

PAT: They did say it, anyway, even though it was Biden who said it first.

GLENN: Yep, yep.

STU: Yeah. Totally unfair.

GLENN: Okay. So the next thing that's on these tapes that's very interesting --

PAT: I'd pay a lot of money to see that fight, by the way.

GLENN: I think Donald Trump would kick --

PAT: Oh --

GLENN: Oh, Donald Trump would --

PAT: Destroy him.

GLENN: Yeah. That would be like a scene out of the Sopranos. He would just be beating and beating and beating.

(laughter)

JEFFY: Yes.

GLENN: Anyway, in these -- in these tapes that Donald Trump says, really old -- two years old -- and -- and kind of boring. So far, they're very interesting.

He says he can still recall the thrill of a newspaper mentioning his name for the first time.

Quote, I said, I love it. I love it. It's the first time I was ever in the newspaper. I was a young kid, right? I was probably a sophomore in high school. I don't think anything is wrong with that. I thought it was amazing. It felt good. Donald Trump was hooked. But it wasn't enough for Mr. Trump to be the object of media fascination. He took pleasure in knowing that such coverage was denied to almost everyone else.

When Mr. D'Antonio said that it was exciting for anybody to be mentioned in a newspaper, a seemingly wounded Mr. Trump interrupted and explained why his experience was special. Quote, well, most people aren't in print though. Don't forget, I mean, how many people are in print? Nobody is in print.

Mr. Trump refused to let the subject go, emphasizing over and over again how unique it was and how he had been mentioned in the newspaper. By the time he was an established businessman, Donald Trump hired a service to compile the swelling number of references made of him in the media. Which he then reviewed. He told on tape, "There are thousands of them. Thousands. Every day, thousands. Thousands a day." He quickly figured out the media attention was free advertising. "I could say no, and then I could advertise a project I'm doing, like Doral or something, and spend half a million dollars on it or a million dollars. Or I can do a show and spend nothing and be on for a lot longer." Do you understand what I mean? So I've always felt it was a positive thing.

No matter the newspaper, magazine, or show, Mr. Trump has always been keeping score, how positive coverage was and how often he was featured, just as he does today.

Unfortunately, Mr. Trump fears more than anything else being ignored, being overlooked or being irrelevant.

This is why I bring this up. Because this is -- this is the trait in him that makes Putin such a dangerous foe. That's how he saw Arsenio Hall in the 2000s, as forgotten and ungrateful for his time on the Celebrity Apprentice.

There was a time when he recalled his favorite song during our interview. It was performed by Peggy Lee. Is That All There Is.

Trump: It's a great song because I've had these tremendous successes, and then I'm off to the next one. Because it's like, oh, is that all there is?

PAT: Wow.

GLENN: He is -- he is a tragic figure. He's a sad figure, I think.

That's a great song, actually. That's an interesting song, especially sung by her, because she had such a troubled life.

But he quickly retreats from the moment, declining Mr. D'Antonio's invitation to further explain how the song makes him feel about himself. Saying, "I don't know if I'll like what I discover."

Of this, however, Mr. Trump is certain: He needs the world's attention and the embrace. A life force that has sustained him for decades. He recalls walking into a giant room and watching the crowd surround him as if he were a magnet attracting everything around him.

Mr. D'Antonio asked him when that first started.

Oh, a long time ago. It's really always been that way.

Did it ever unnerve him, the author wondered.

No, Trump said. I think what would unnerve me is if it didn't happen. I find that an interesting look -- I think Donald Trump is one of the more interesting guys, if you could ever break down the wall. Because I think there is something -- something at 13. Something -- I don't know. Something in his youth that had to have happened that cemented this need for attention. And I think he is a very frightened man. Like the Peggy Lee song. Is that all there is?

And anybody who is an alcoholic -- now, Trump has total self-control on alcohol and everything else. But if anybody is an alcoholic, you know that that's the way you feel.

You'll have a success. And you'll have a high. Or you'll have whatever. And you'll be -- is that it? And you're always looking for the next great whatever. And it never happens. You get there. And you think, that's going to make me happy. That's going to make it. And it doesn't. And you're more empty inside.

And eventually, you crash. He's never had the crash. And he doesn't want to look backward.

You know, when he said, "I don't ask for forgiveness because I don't need to ask for forgiveness," this interview shows that's not true. What he's saying is, I don't ask for forgiveness because I don't look back. I don't want to look back. I may not like what I find. But that is a denial of the power of forgiveness, the power of atonement, the power of sacrifice. He -- none of us like what we find in our past. None of us like what we have, you know, the things that we've done. That's why we have to have that forgiveness.

And he doesn't understand that. And some day -- I mean, I don't know if you can teach old dogs new tricks. I mean, how much more time does he have before -- you know, ten, 15, 20 maybe years before he can have that moment where he can go, "Oh, man, why was I fighting so hard all these years? Why was I doing that? I didn't need to run from my past."

JEFFY: Oh, you think he has one of those moments?

GLENN: I hope so. I hope so. For his own happiness, I hope so. Because I don't think he's happy. He might think he's happy, but I don't think he really is. I used to think I was really happy, but it was only because I was running so hard. You know, it says something that he can't -- he has to have somebody around him at all times. He has to be occupied by something at all times. He's not -- to me, that's a sign -- if you can drive in your car by yourself and turn the radio off and be alone with your thoughts --

STU: Outside of this time slot. Another time slot.

GLENN: Yeah. Another time slot. You can -- to me, that's a sign that you're pretty healthy. But if you can't be alone with your own thoughts, that's a problem.

Featured Image: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pauses during a campaign event September 6, 2016 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Trump participated in a discussion with retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

6 things every voter needs to know heading into the 2024 election

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Election season is coming up and every vote matters. Over the last four years, our country has experienced some of the lowest lows it has seen in a long time. From horrors at the southern border to government overspending, it is clear: our country is in trouble. Everybody needs to get out and vote.

When you look at the numbers, there are some noticeable trends in who actually votes... and who doesn't. According to Pew Research, the more mature crowd (30 and up) gets out there and does their civic duty, while the younger crowd (18 to 29) just doesn't make it out to the polls. If you are a young or first-time voter, the process can seem daunting. You have to jump through some bureaucratic red tape before you can head to the polls, which can be frustrating and discouraging for someone who has never done it before.

If this describes you or someone you know, you're in luck. We compiled everything you need to know to get ready to hit the polls this election season in a convenient guide below.

Get an I.D.

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The first thing you'll need is a valid state I.D. These can take a while to acquire, so if you don't yet have one, it's time to get on it. Not all states require I.D., and every state has different requirements. You can check to see if your state requires an I.D. to vote here.

Register to vote

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Every state, except North Dakota, requires prospective voters to register, so it is important to make sure you are registered in the state and county you reside in. Every state has a different registration process. You can find your state's registration website here.

Confirm date of election day

You want to make sure you arrive at the polls at the right date and time. Most states have a set election day, and often there are even a few days or weeks of early voting that lead up to it. Check out this list of election dates to find out your election day and mark it in your calendar.

Find your polling location

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You can find polling locations on your state's voter information website, which can be found here. Keep in mind that you will likely have to find a location within the county where you reside. These locations often include public schools, public libraries, city halls, and other public buildings.

Research candidates on the ballot

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Before you vote, it is important to be educated in what you are voting for. Find out who will be on the ballot (and don't be surprised when it's not just the presidential nominees), and do a little digging. Don't assume that because a candidate has a little "R" next to their name they share your values. You can visit this website to find out who will be on the ballot in your local area.

Actually go vote

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There is nothing else to to but get out there and vote! Go out there and make your voice heard!

What do clay pots have to do with to preserving American history?

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Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Why should we preserve our nation’s history? If you listen to my radio program and podcast, or read my columns and books, you know I’ve dedicated a large part of my life and finances to sourcing and preserving priceless artifacts that tell America’s story. I’ve tried to make these artifacts as available as possible through the American Journey Experience Museum, just across from the studios where I do my daily radio broadcast. Thousands of you have come through the museum and have been able to see and experience these artifacts that are a part of your legacy as an American.

The destruction of American texts has already begun.

But why should people like you and me be concerned about preserving these things from our nation's history? Isn’t that what the “big guys” like the National Archives are for?

I first felt a prompting to preserve our nation's history back in 2008, and it all started with clay pots and the Dead Sea Scrolls. In 1946, a Bedouin shepherd in what is now the West Bank threw a rock into a cave nestled into the side of a cliff near the Dead Sea. Instead of hearing an echo, he heard the curious sound of a clay pot shattering. He discovered more than 15,000 Masoretic texts from the third century B.C. to the first century A.D.

These texts weren’t just a priceless historical discovery. They were virtually perfect copies of the same Jewish texts that continue to be translated today. Consider the significance of that discovery. Since the third century B.C. when these texts were first written, the Jewish people have endured a continued onslaught of diasporas, persecutions, pressures to conform to their occupying power, the destruction of their temple, and so much more. They had to fight for their identity as a people for centuries, and finally, a year after the end of the Holocaust and a year before the founding of the nation of Israel, these texts were discovered, confirming the preservation and endurance of their heritage since ancient times — all due to someone putting these clay pots in a desert cave more than 2,000 years ago.

I first felt a prompting to preserve our nation's history back in 2008, and it all started with clay pots and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

So, what do these clay pots have to do with the calling to preserve American history? I didn’t understand that prompting myself until the horrible thought dawned on me that the people we are fighting against may very well take our sacred American scriptures, our Declaration of Independence, and our Bill of Rights. What if they are successful, and 1,000 years from now, we have no texts preserved to confirm our national identity? What kind of new history would be written over the truth?

The destruction of American texts has already begun. The National Archives has labeled some of our critical documents, like our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, as “triggering” or “containing harmful language.” In a public statement, the National Archives said that the labels help prepare readers to view potentially distressing content:

The Catalog and web pages contain some content that may be harmful or difficult to view. NARA’s records span the history of the United States, and it is our charge to preserve and make available these historical records. As a result, some of the materials presented here may reflect outdated, biased, offensive, and possibly violent views and opinions. In addition, some of the materials may relate to violent or graphic events and are preserved for their historical significance.

According to this statement, our founding documents are either “outdated, biased, offensive,” “possibly violent,” or a combination of these scathing descriptions. I’m sorry, the Declaration of Independence is not “triggering.” Our Constitution is not “outdated and biased,” and our Bill of Rights certainly is not “offensive and possibly violent.” They are glorious documents. They should be celebrated, not qualified by such derogatory, absurd language. Shame on them.

These are only the beginning stages of rewriting our history. What if they start banning these “triggering” documents from public view because they might offend somebody? Haven’t we torn down “triggering” statues before? What if we are no longer able to see, read, and study the actual words of our nation's founding documents because they are “harmful” or “possibly violent”? A thousand years from now, will there be any remnant to piece together the true spirit behind the nation that our founders envisioned?

The Declaration of Independence is not “triggering.”

That is why in 2008, I was prompted to preserve what I could. Now, the American Journey Experience Museum includes more than 160,000 artifacts, from founding-era documents to the original Roe v. Wade court papers. We need to preserve the totality of our nation’s heritage, the good, the bad, and the ugly. We need to preserve our history in our own clay pots.

I ask you to join with me on this mission. Start buying books that are important to preserve. Buy some acid-free paper and start printing some of the founding documents, the reports that go against the mainstream narrative, the studies that prove what is true as we are continually being fed lies. Start preserving our daily history as well as our history because it is being rewritten and digitized.

Somebody must have a copy of what is happening now and what has happened in the past. I hope things don’t get really bad. But if they do, we need to preserve our heritage. Perhaps, someone 1,000 years from now will discover our clay pots and, Lord willing, be able to have a glimpse of America as it truly was.

Top 10 WORST items in the new $1.2 TRILLION spending bill

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Biden just signed the newest spending bill into law, and Glenn is furious.

Under Speaker Johnson's leadership, the whopping $1.2 TRILLION package will use your taxpayer dollars to fund the government through September. Of course, the bill is loaded with earmarks and pork that diverts money to fund all sorts of absurd side projects.

Here is the list of the ten WORST uses of taxpayer money in the recently passed spending bill:

Funding venues to host drag shows, including ones that target children

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Money for transgender underwear for kids

Funding for proms for 12 to 18 year old kids

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Border security funding... for Jordan and Egypt

Another $300 million for Ukraine

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$3.5 million for Detroit's annual Thanksgiving Day parade

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$2.5 million for a new kayaking facility in Franklin, New Hampshire

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$2.7 million for a bike park in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, a town with a population of less than 2,300 people

$5 million for a new trail at Coastal Carolina University

$4 million the "Alaska King Crab Enhancement Project" (whatever that means)

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There is no doubt about it—we are entering dark times.

The November presidential election is only a few months away, and following the chaos of the 2020 election, the American people are bracing for what is likely to be another tumultuous election year. The left's anti-Trump rhetoric is reaching an all-time high with the most recent "Bloodbath" debacle proving how far the media will go to smear the former president. That's not to mention the Democrats' nearly four-year-long authoritarian attempt to jail President Trump or stop his re-election by any means necessary, even if it flies in the face of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Biden is doing worse than ever. He reportedly threw a tantrum recently after being informed that his polls have reached an all-time low. After Special Counsel Robert Hur's report expressed concerns over Biden's obviously failing mental agility, it's getting harder for the Democrats to defend him. Yet he is still the Democratic nominee for November, promising another 4 years of catastrophic policies, from the border to heavy-handed taxation, should he be reelected.

The rest of the world isn't doing much better. The war in Ukraine has no clear end in sight, drawing NATO and Russia closer and closer to conflict. The war in Gaza is showing no sign of slowing down, and as Glenn revealed recently, its continuation may be a sign that the end times are near.

One thing is clear: we are living in uncertain times. If you and your family haven't prepared for the worst, now is the time. You can start by downloading "Glenn's Ultimate Guide to Getting Prepared." Be sure to print off a copy or two. If the recent cell outage proved anything, it's that technology is unreliable in survival situations. You can check your list of supplies against our "Ultimate Prepper Checklist for Beginners," which you can find below:

Food

  • Canned food/non-perishable foods
  • Food preparation tools
  • Go to the next level: garden/livestock/food production

Water

  • Non-perishable water store
  • Water purification
  • Independent water source

Shelter

  • Fireplace with a wood supply
  • Tent
  • Generator with fuel supply
  • Go to the next level: fallout shelter

Money

  • Emergency cash savings
  • Precious metals

Medicine

  • Extra blankets
  • Basic first aid
  • Extra prescriptions
  • Extra glasses
  • Toiletries store
  • Trauma kit
  • Antibiotics
  • Basic surgery supplies
  • Potassium Iodate tablets

Transportation

  • Bicycle
  • Car
  • Extra fuel

Information

  • Birth certificates
  • Insurance cards
  • Marriage license
  • Immunization records
  • Mortgage paperwork
  • Car title and registration
  • House keys, car keys
  • Passports
  • Family emergency plan
  • Prepping/survival/repair manuals
  • Go to the next level: copy of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, and other important books/sources

Skills

  • Cooking
  • Gardening
  • Sewing
  • First Aid
  • Basic maintenance skills
  • Go to the next level: farming/ranching
  • Self-defense training

Communication

  • Family contact information and addresses
  • HAM radio

Miscellaneous

  • Flashlights and batteries
  • Lamps and fuel
  • Hardware (tools, nails, lumber, etc)
  • Extra clothes
  • Extreme weather clothes and gear
  • Gas masks and filters
  • Spare parts for any machinery/equipment