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Hacking presidential elections? Unleashing cyber warfare on the West? All diversions to conceal Russia's real plan to subvert Western culture and the American Way. Their real secret weapon: scheduling dance recitals on Mother's Day.
Enjoy the complimentary clip or read the transcript for details.
GLENN: So I'm just talking about -- I want to get real on how the Russians are screwing us. My daughter takes a class with Russian -- you know, some Russian ballet teachers.
PAT: So does my granddaughter.
GLENN: And I can't take it. I can't take it.
Yesterday, give -- give -- give to mother of your performance. No. No. No.
JEFFY: No.
PAT: Not much of a gift.
GLENN: Not much of a gift.
My wife yesterday, she got up at 8 o'clock. Started running around the house, trying to get everything ready for this performance at 8 o'clock in the morning. She had to be out of the house by 10:00 --
PAT: Bearing in mind that the performance is at 7 o'clock at night.
JEFFY: Wait. What?
GLENN: Yeah. She had to be out of the house by 10:00 to drive across town to get to the place. She had to be there for my daughter from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
JEFFY: The performance was --
GLENN: At 7:00 .
PAT: On Mother's Day.
GLENN: On Mother's Day.
PAT: That's unbelievable. Unbelievable.
GLENN: So she was just -- and they had the gall -- these Russians, "Give your mother gift of your performance." No, no.
PAT: I'm going to give you the gift of pulling my daughter out of your stupid dance club.
JEFFY: Yeah. Yes.
GLENN: Oh, my gosh. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.
My wife last night was so -- so tired, so tired. I went and I saw her. We came and I took care of the kids and took the grandkids and everything to the performance.
And so we arrive at 6:45, and I see her, and she's just beat into the ground. And I said, "Hey, happy Mother's Day." And she said, "Yeah, duh. Thank you very much."
JEFFY: Fortunately though, you had Saturday.
GLENN: No, I worked all day Saturday. And she -- she had a birthday party for Cheyenne. It was like -- not Mother's Day. It's every day is not Mother's Day. Every day is kid's day, as my mother used to say.
They -- she had 14 girls. She was like -- Cheyenne wanted to go to the -- wanted to go that medieval times thing. Oh, my God. I can't take it anymore. So Tania was like, she wants 14 people to go. How much is it -- no. No.
PAT: It's about $700 a person.
GLENN: Yeah. It's like, no. We're not going to medieval times --
PAT: It's ridiculous.
GLENN: She's like, I'm just going to get some stuff, and I will decorate the house. And then we can go swim out in the pool.
So she's decorated the whole house. It would have been worth spending eight zillion -- it would have been worth mortgaging the house, instead of having 14 girls at the birthday party.
PAT: Yeah.
GLENN: My wife had the worst -- worst Mother's Day weekend of all time.
PAT: Oh, man.
JEFFY: And you probably shouldn't have eaten her strawberries --
GLENN: And it was the damn Russians.
PAT: The good thing though is the Russians had you pay $25 per person to -- that's great.
GLENN: Oh, no. There's more. There's more to that, if you would like to hear it. There is much more to that story, when we come back.
[break]
GLENN: You want to stay on this Russian conspiracy thing, you know, perhaps Clapper is more right than I thought. And I believe the Russian influence and destruction of the way of life starts with ballet classes for your little girls.
PAT: Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
GLENN: Now, let me just say, I happen to have a special experience and special passion -- because as I said just a few minutes ago, my wife was at a ballet recital, getting my daughter ready for 12 hours yesterday. And the Russians -- mother. Throw a potato in pot and dance. Cook! Drink!
So they said, you know, oh, happen to fall on Mother's Day, sorry for that.
Yeah, uh-huh. Here in America, Ivan, it's a little important.
JEFFY: Are you?
GLENN: So she was gone all day yesterday. And then we had to watch the teacher in this deal -- we all want to go home -- it was a three-hour performance.
PAT: It's a dance recital --
GLENN: Gilligan was lost and washed up on to an island and built a hut in three hours. We're having to watch -- and they -- they have the teacher dance. I don't care to see the teacher --
PAT: Right.
GLENN: I don't care. They hired some guy to dress up in tights to do some dances. I guess -- why? Why? Why do I need to look at his junk jumping in front of me for --
PAT: Good golly.
GLENN: I don't care. I don't care about anybody on the stage, except my daughter and her friends, and everybody else I'm tolerating because, you know, it's your daughter and their friends. So I'm like, okay. That's cute. Because you were cheering for my kid. It's cute. It's great.
Stop the madness.
JEFFY: Right.
STU: Yeah, there's a misunderstanding in the audience there, right? No one is there because they like ballet. There's 0 percent --
GLENN: Right. And we all pay $25 to sit there.
STU: Right. They're there because they want to see their daughter or at least feel the need to show up so their daughter sees them. That's probably more accurate.
GLENN: Yes. Yes.
PAT: We've been doing dance recitals now for, you know, almost 30 years because my oldest daughter is almost 30.
JEFFY: One hundred years.
GLENN: Dance recitals or ballet?
PAT: I've never seen the instructor dance.
GLENN: Never.
PAT: I've never seen them invite a third party to dance. And I've never been charged 25 bucks a person before.
GLENN: It's outrageous. It's outrageous.
PAT: I mean, that's nuts.
GLENN: I'm going to make a stand tonight. And I probably won't because I'm too much of a chicken. But I'm going to make a stand tonight to say, this is --
PAT: Find some place else.
GLENN: First of all, it's crazy the amounts of time. I was watching this thing last night, and I thought, "I don't know anyone -- growing up, I don't know a single person that would have had the money to -- to -- to rent the stupid costumes, let alone have the recital -- the recital would have been them dressed in tights, if they even did a ballet class. I don't know anyone who was froufrou enough to have a ballet class. My sisters never took it. They never took, you know, private singing lessons. My folks never went to our games or -- it didn't happen.
STU: Your folks never went to your games?
GLENN: I actually played basketball until I was in 6th grade, and then it stopped.
STU: I'm sorry. What?
GLENN: Yes. Stop. I'm not even going there. I will not --
STU: Is there footage of these events?
GLENN: No.
STU: Aw.
JEFFY: Is there a chance --
GLENN: It was as sad and as tragic as you thought.
JEFFY: Maybe that's why they didn't go.
GLENN: They would stand on the court, and they would be like -- they would almost look at the other team and -- they would look at me. And I'd be like, "I'm hooping. I'm hooping." And they would stand with the ball and go, "Oh, crap." And then they would look at the other team like, "I might as well just throw it to you, and it will -- let's just get on with it." And then they would throw it to me, and then I'd drop it or something, and then the other team would have it. But that's a different story. Let's not go any deeper. There's a lot of pain there.
So we never went --
JEFFY: No way!
GLENN: Our folks would say, "Go out and play."
JEFFY: Get out.
GLENN: Go out and play. And you would go out and play. We didn't have all this orchestrated stuff that costs so much money. I can't get past the fact that our kids are better off in some ways because they -- they are taking --
JEFFY: Yes, they are.
GLENN: Taking dance and things we never even thought of. You know, going over robotics over the summers. And doing things -- okay. That's good. Except it's tearing the family apart. When the family is not together for Mother's Day, it's insane. It's insane.
PAT: Uh-huh.
GLENN: And my wife -- you know, I made a list -- I watched her. I posted something on Facebook last night -- or, yesterday morning. I took this picture, and I didn't include her face. I just took her -- a picture of Cheyenne sitting at her feet and her hands because she had gotten up. And it was 10 o'clock in the morning. And she's like, "I have got to get into the shower and -- and I took this picture of her because she was telling me all the things that she had to do.
Okay? Let me just read this to you. Because she gave me this list of all the things she had to do. And I just started listening to her, and I thought, I do not -- I'd kill myself. If I had to be a mother, I'd kill myself.
There's just no -- I don't know how -- I don't know how women do it. Facebook, this is a shot of the worst Mother's Day. But the most revealing about what a Mother's Day really is like.
It's of Tania in her pajamas this morning. She hasn't had time to take a shower yet, as my daughter's Russian ballet instructor doesn't really care about American holidays. So here she sits on our couch this morning, sewing Cheyenne's point shoes for tonight's recital. She didn't do it yesterday, as evidenced by the little Groot doll on the table. Yesterday, Cheyenne had a birthday party here at the house with 14 girls that mom had to pull off by herself because dad was at work.
The open laptop is next to Tania because she had to go over Raphe's homework that needs to be finished with you today, Glenn. It's due tomorrow, and I've been reminding him and trying to get him to do it all weekend long. She has to leave in an hour. She has to be the backstage mom all day for the recital. Her socks are on because she's always cold, yet she keeps the house that way for me because I'm always hot.
Have you had breakfast yet? Raphe, your right shirt is hanging on the ironing board. Honey, Cheyenne needs to pack a lunch. Can you turn the iron on for me? Cheyenne, hurry up. I need to do your hair. Raphe, did you brush your teeth and use a washcloth?
Did you put deodorant on? No, you didn't. You didn't do any of those. Go back upstairs.
Me, just trying to help doesn't help really at all. Pack the lunches and snacks. Pull the car up front. Tell the son to empty the garbage long after mom had asked him twice, and try to pack the sewing kit. How did I forget the scissors and the lighter? Okay, Mom. Scissors, they were obvious. But a lighter. What's a lighter for?
I didn't ask. I just got one and helped her into the car. But if I were a mom, the lighter would be so I could smoke crack and forget about the endless lists that mom is always writing, checking, and juggling in her head. This is our crappy Mother's Day. Our glimpse into what her day is like every day.
Perhaps the purpose of this day is to notice how lost we would be without her.
I made a list yesterday of the things that she has to do. And it's overwhelming. Just overwhelming.
JEFFY: It's a shame to have to add some stuff to that list.
GLENN: It really is. It's going to be -- it's a shame when I have to let her go because, I mean, she's getting high in the miles, you know what I mean?
JEFFY: Right.
STU: I'm sure she's going to appreciate that.
GLENN: Yeah.
STU: Now, she's got another thing in the list, which is filing certain papers.
GLENN: Wait. What? So I'm sitting here and I'm thinking and I'm honestly -- I mean, I'm thinking about my mom. And I loved my mom.
And, you know, I loved her. Flaws and all. When she would come in, middle of the night, "Why the hell haven't you cleaned up your room? Get out of bed. You're just like your stinking father."
Those were great times.
JEFFY: Oh, good times. Good times.
GLENN: They don't come back again, and I love those moments.
Well, they didn't happen.
(laughter)
You know, I look at what my life was like. And then I look at what our children's life is like. And I think, what the hell are we doing? Really, honestly, what are we doing to them?
We are constantly the -- the house stops for them. We have put them, in many cases, above the family and above our relationship.
JEFFY: Yeah.
GLENN: Now, our relationship, sometimes that is the one to be battered. But you batter that, it's over. It's over. You beat up the relationship between mom and dad. The whole family dissolves. But how many times have you been -- now, this I expect -- how many times have you been in a critical conversation and the kids are like, "Mom, we've got to go -- I've got to go." Okay. "Dad, we've got to go -- okay. We'll get to that later.
That happened with my parents, but not to the degree that it's happening now and not for the stuff that's happening now. Usually, it was the parents who were like, "I've got to go. You're either coming with me, or you're riding your bike. You're coming now, or I'm going. I got to get to work, so ride your bike. You're going to walk." I don't know how many times I heard that. "Go. You're walking. I got to go."
Not now. God forbid.
JEFFY: I know.
GLENN: And if you even thought about doing it, you'd go to jail. It's not that -- Pat was talking about how, you know, times have changed and how, you know, you don't want your daughter walking outside in even your neighborhood.
PAT: Uh-huh.
GLENN: I got news for you --
PAT: Well, she likes to walk around the pond, which is about half a block from our house.
GLENN: Man, and you live in the mean streets --
PAT: And I don't like her doing that alone.
JEFFY: Pat, that's not dangerous.
GLENN: You've got to be kidding me. Really?
PAT: No, you can't do it. No. Not alone.
GLENN: Yes, you can. Pat.
JEFFY: Pat.
GLENN: Pat.
PAT: One of your brothers going with you? No, you're not going.
Come on.
GLENN: Pat. Pat. Pat.
STU: Wait. How old is she again?
JEFFY: She's seventeen.
PAT: Seventeen.
GLENN: Sharia law. Sharia law.
(laughter)
JEFFY: No kidding!
PAT: That's kind of ridiculous, right? That's ridiculous.
JEFFY: Yes, it is, but you --
PAT: That's ridiculous.
GLENN: That's all coming from you believe -- it's safer for our kids, I think, than it has ever been in many regards. Where the danger is, is online. That's where the real danger is.
JEFFY: That's where we send them.
GLENN: And that's where we send them.
JEFFY: Stick them in the house.
GLENN: We stick them in the house.
"Watch this."
That's where the real danger is.
"No, no, no. Don't go outside and play. I can't be there to watch you."
JEFFY: You might get an ant bite.
GLENN: No, it's not -- we think -- all we think is Taken.
JEFFY: Yeah, I know.
PAT: Yeah. Yep.
GLENN: Oh, my gosh. She's going to go for a walk. She's going to be half a block. Some guy is going to put her into the car.
PAT: Uh-huh.
GLENN: It's safer than it was. But you don't dare let your kids go out and do the things -- we were outside for hours and hours all day long.
JEFFY: All day. All day.
GLENN: Somebody would say -- hey, who do you kids belong to? We wouldn't want to tell them, not because the folks would get into trouble, because we would get into trouble.
JEFFY: Yes!
GLENN: They would call our folks and say, "You know what your kids were doing?"
JEFFY: I know.
GLENN: I mean -- and what are we doing? We're renting ballet -- don't do it, Stu. I can see it in your eyes. You have a kid --
STU: Uh-huh. Well, this is very -- this is a frightening conversation because I have a 4-year-old daughter. And she's very cute. And she'll dance to the songs. And my wife was saying recently, "You know what we should do is get her into dance. She loves to dance."
GLENN: Yeah.
PAT: Tell her she's too old already. There's no way -- you can't start them at four.
GLENN: Yeah, no. That's half serious.
PAT: Yeah, it is.
JEFFY: Yeah. Yeah, it is.
GLENN: When it comes to real ballet -- now, remember, my daughter was taken from Russians who are like, four years old, no. My daughter was performing on stage at four, smoking a pipe, and knitting a sweetheart at the same time and also killing men for KGB.
JEFFY: Yeah.
GLENN: And you're like, what?
STU: What?
GLENN: But you -- that's the thing, ballet costs so much money, and it's such a commitment. And it's -- I mean, what do you do with it? Unless you're going to be a ballet dancer, what are you going to --
STU: Yeah.
JEFFY: That's why I stopped.
GLENN: I like the grace that it gives.
JEFFY: That's why I stopped, Pat. Because, I mean, what are you going to do with it?
PAT: Right. I can imagine the grace that was Jeffy in ballet.
JEFFY: Right. I decided after classes of years, that's enough. What are you going to do with it?
GLENN: I think we should do a ballet. I think this show should do a ballet.
STU: With Jeffy?
(laughter)
STU: With Jeffy?
GLENN: Yeah, with Jeffy.
PAT: He'll do a pirouette and fall through the stage.
STU: You keep saying "this show." What you mean is Jeffy, right? Because I know you don't mean this show, as if we'd all be involved in it. I think what you mean is Jeffy. Right?
GLENN: No, I mean this show, the whole show. I would produce and direct.
STU: Oh, and I'll write it. I'll write it. I'll write that thing.
PAT: The musical. I'll do the musical score.
GLENN: Pat, looks like -- looks like you're playing Clara, and Jeffy, of course, is the Nutcracker.
In the frozen trenches of World War I along the Lys River in 1914, amidst the relentless thunder of artillery, a miraculous unofficial truce unfolded on Christmas Day. British and German soldiers, weary enemies, emerged from the mud and wire to share gifts, songs, and stories of home together in the ruins. Produced by Glenn Beck in collaboration with AI, this poignant music video and original song recapture the true story of the Christmas Truce, reminding us that even in the darkest times, a single brave act or small light can awaken our shared humanity, allowing soldiers to lay down their weapons and remember they are human... just for a night.
Stay tuned at GlennBeck.com for more musical storytelling inspired by Glenn’s artifacts next year on Torch.
President Trump recently received heat from his own party over his comments about the allegedly murdered actor Rob Reiner. Glenn Beck explains why he believes Trump’s comments were not a good move, but also tells of a meeting he had with Trump that he believes explains why Trump hates TDS so much…
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: You know, I don't -- I don't -- I don't want to get into -- into the mix with everybody and personalities. I like -- my goal is to make things about right and wrong, and not about personalities.
But I do want to spend just a second on President Trump's post yesterday about Rob Reiner. It made me sad. It made me really sad. Because I like the president.
And -- and he doesn't help himself when he does things like this. But I think I understand this in a different way.
You know, the President has said, you know, all kinds of things about me at times when I disagree with him. He'll say, "Oh, he's just a failing fat blob," or whatever. And that's just him. That's just the way -- when he's in a fight, he is a -- he's a knife fighter. And I get it. I don't like it. But I get it. This was different. This was different.
And this was -- you know, you can say a lot of stuff politically about Rob Reiner. But politics didn't matter yesterday. We weren't -- I mean, that's not -- it just didn't matter. It didn't matter.
But I think to the President, it does. I saw a change in the President -- I've seen two changes in the President. I've seen a change in him when they started going after him and his family. After 2020. And they really started going after his family. And we know this because we showed you the documents. What they -- they had a plan. Take him down.
Take his family down to stop MAGA at all costs. Put them in jail. I mean, those are their words.
And it's -- it was frightening to read.
And I talked to the president, I don't know. Maybe six months after, you know, we were in 2021. Maybe six months. Eight months.
And I said, how are you holding up?
And he had talked a little about how he felt. He had really let people down because he had things going in the right direction. And now, look at it, and look how screwed up things are going to get. And how the economy is going to be damn near impossible to fix. It will take us time. But we can't fix it. Pragmatism, but they've just destroyed it. And I said, how are you personally.
How are you holding up?
And this is the first change I saw. He -- his body changed. And he said, they're going after my damn children!
And it was this Dad. All of a sudden, he wasn't the president or former president, he wasn't Donald Trump. He was a Dad. And it was every Dad response in him. And he said, "You don't go after our children."
And I saw him really, truly mad for the very first time, and it was righteous indignation.
Then after he was shot, I saw another change. I saw him recognize that God existed. I mean, I know he believed that in God. I don't know that he believed that God was actually part of, you know, the story. The everyday story. You know, I don't know how he views God in that way.
But I know that he recognized that God was in his -- in the story of America now.
Firsthand, he witnessed it. The reason why I said this made me sad yesterday, is because -- I don't agree with what he said. I feel -- it was -- it was sad.
Because he is -- he has been kicked in the head over and over and over again by some of these people, that he -- Christmas is about the baby Jesus coming again.
And what he can do in your life. And the biggest thing that he taught was, love your enemies. Don't hate them. But that's really, really hard to do. And the President isn't there yet. On this. And it -- it made me sad. How did you feel about it, Stu?
STU: I didn't like it at all. I think maybe the same as you. You know, one of the things that bothered me about it.
Because you hit many of the points that I had on it without the personal insight that is illustrative of -- of -- of what he's going through. I think there is something to understand there. You know, obviously I --
GLENN: Big time.
STU: One of the things that is difficult about life in your attempt to master it is to try to act the right way, even when you're faced with circumstances like that. And, you know, I get it. I get why he's angry and doesn't like the guy. The man -- you used a phrase, I think in there, where you said, he's a knife fighter. This guy was actually just in a legitimate knife fight and was murdered. It was a -- it was -- this actually really happened.
GLENN: Oh, yeah.
STU: And, look, my honest opinion is, it's indefensible. You know, I like President Trump. I think he does a lot of great things for the country. We've defended him on a lot of different things. A lot of times when he's being attacked, I think he deserves defense. In this case, you know, it is -- you know, it is what it is.
It is priced in to everyone's understanding of who Donald Trump is. And everything I heard about him in personal situations where he cares about the person. Is that he's very generous. He's very likable.
He's very -- he's one of those people that you like being around. You know, that is something that I've heard from tons of people. This part of him is really hard for me to square with what I've heard from -- from other -- from everybody that I've talked to, and has been on the inside with him.
And so I don't -- I don't have a defense for it. I think it's really bad. And I will say one more thing on this real quickly, Glenn.
I know a part of this that I think is difficult. In that, one of the things I took from the aftermath of that immediately was -- I don't know if pride is the right word. But like, I really liked the way conservatives responded to it.
We didn't do what they did, after Charlie Kirk.
We didn't do what they did after they shot the president. Right?
Like we -- they celebrated it. They -- they were horrible human beings, and I enjoyed the high ground, that we had there.
GLENN: Yeah. Me too.
STU: And it's difficult to make the argument that we have the high ground. When, you know, the President of the Republican Party. The Republican President of the United States, the most high profile person on, quote, unquote, our side, whatever that means these days, is a guy who, you know, kind of did some of the things that they did.
You know, so I don't -- I don't like that. I understand as part of Donald Trump. And I think if we're all adults here, we're able to kind of price that in and judge him on everything that he's doing. And when I mean pricing in. I think that's a negative part of him. Overall, you have to take everything into context.
GLENN: Right. And if we're all adults here, you know, we should be able to say, to those we love and respect, bad move. I didn't like that. Don't do that.
And I think, you know, I think because the left always says, well, you never take on your own.
Yes, we do. We take on our own, all the time. All the time. And I think it's important that we say, didn't like that. Thought that was a bad move. It didn't look good. It just wasn't right.
He's -- I wish -- and, again, though, I -- I'm not excusing it, but I am tempering it with none of us have gone through what he has gone through.
STU: So true.
GLENN: His family, somebody is shooting at him. He's being called fascist Hitler all the time. I mean, that wears on you and changes you.
And, you know, he's having a hard time forgiving that. And I kind of understand that. I wish he would take that on and take on the forgiveness, so he could be more a peacemaker in all of those things. But that is his own personal journey.
But --
STU: Yeah. And I think when we talk about like a terrible crime that's occurred.
GLENN: Sad.
STU: Like, I don't know. If there was -- think about some awful situation and at times you'll see -- he'll hear family members say the worst possible thing.
You know, if your kid is murdered. And by some -- somewhat of a particular area or group or whatever.
And they might react with just an awful thing about that group or area.
And you just. We all have a bit of understanding. Right?
A person going through a massively emotional thing.
And lashing out.
You want -- you know, the example you bring up all the time, Glenn.
Of the maybe -- the ultimate example of being able to have restraint was the Amish situation from years ago. Where, you know, you were talking about mass murder. And they were to the family's house that night, right?
And saying, we --
GLENN: Not that night. That afternoon.
I mean, within an hour. The kids were not even out of the schools yet. Their bodies were still laying in the school. And the Amish went, oh, my gosh. The killer is dead too.
He was a member of our community. His wife lives here.
What is she feeling? She's feeling completely alone. My gosh. What an example. I couldn't do that.
STU: Right. I don't even think I come close to that standard in that moment.
GLENN: No. But I would like to.
STU: That's the range. Some people act -- react really well. Some people react really poorly.
And I think we all understand the emotion and everything that takes over in a situation like that. And that has to be factored in, I think, to Trump. Of course, Rob Reiner wasn't responsible to the shooting. He was just a liberal who said bad things about Trump. And look, he's a very unique person. And a very unique situation, that I don't think anyone in the world has ever experienced.
You know, what happened with him over his life.
But may I just say, you still haven't forgiven RFK Jr for what he said about me.
(laughter)
Okay?
STU: As I said, I'm not Amish. You know, I like technology. I don't have any wagons. I didn't say I'm perfect.
GLENN: Right.
STU: No. I have -- I have -- I have absolutely forgiven RFK Jr for what he said. And if you didn't know, he accused Glenn of being a traitor. He said, he should be charged with treason. The penalty of which is death.
So, you know, I don't like that. And RFK Jr. I don't like for a lot of his policies. Some of them, by the way, I do really like. Some of them, I think are really positive. I could give you a list of some of the negative things he's done as well.
GLENN: I can too.
STU: That doesn't mean -- I certainly was find that to be an appropriate context, when the embrace of RFK Jr is occurring.
I think we need to understand what people are, and what they're doing. If he's apologetic about that, I do forgive him in that sense. Do I want him on the show and promoting all his books and his candidacy?
No. I did not -- I did not like that. But, you know, a lot of people do. I will say is, you're right, though.
We all have our hang-ups.
GLENN: I do. I certainly was.
STU: I will say this, though.
And, you know, again, all the context here. I know people are really defensive of Donald Trump, appropriately.
Because of the fact that he's targeted unfairly. I understand why people are defensive of him. I can tell you this. I really don't like RFK Jr.
He's one of my least favorite people in politics. I'm just not a fan. I could give you other names of people. Most of them revolve around Olivia Nuzzi, who whatever. I don't have feelings about her. But the story was packed with people.
GLENN: Yeah.
STU: Cuomos for sure.
GLENN: Yeah.
STU: God forbid, one of these people that I really don't like, was murdered and his family and his spouse.
I can promise you. I can promise you, I will not be tweeting anything like what Donald Trump tweeted.
That is just a -- is a -- is a situation where I understand -- I understand the context around it, that we just discussed.
I don't think there's a defense to it. I think there's something, I really hope he has an awakening to at some point.
GLENN: I think that is enough to be said on that.
Now maybe we should examine ourselves, and say, where do we have that hardness in our heart that we should learn from and remove this holiday season?
America is facing a shocking security breakdown—from a mass shooting at one of the most heavily surveilled campuses in the United States to a deadly ISIS attack in Syria that exposes the cracks in U.S. intelligence and foreign-policy strategy. As surveillance systems fail, former extremists gain power abroad, and radical Islamist networks globalize their reach, the West is confronting a threat both inside and outside its borders. This episode uncovers the uncomfortable truth behind Brown University’s unanswered questions, Syria’s escalating instability, and why the West may be running out of time to get its own house in order.
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: I wanted to bring Jason in -- I wanted to bring Jason in because the news that we talked about a minute ago in Australia, then Brown.
There's some weird stuff happening with the Brown shooting. And we -- we don't know much about that. And also, Syria. So let me start with Brown University, Jason. Why is this one weird, as our chief researcher, why is this one weird?
JASON: Well, there comes a point where, you know, as a society, we just end up getting used to the massive surveillance state we live in. And I think we're just like, okay. Fine.
We're never not going to be surveilled 24/7. Maybe there's some benefits to it.
Well, no!
It doesn't seem that way. Because the people were asking the people at Brown. Like, how is it that you have not fully identified the shooter yet? And that's a very good question. Because if you go back to around 2021, there were people writing about how Brown University was one of the most surveilled campuses of the United States.
GLENN: How is it we only have one picture of this guy from the back?
JASON: Right!
GLENN: Apparently the one thing that will help you get away with any crime is a hoodie.
JASON: Yeah. Wear something over your head and a coat.
Apparently, that foils the entire surveillance state. Also, we have nothing to worry about with surveillance. I don't know.
GLENN: Yeah. Right. Right.
JASON: And on top of that, Kash Patel, the FBI director said that they sprung into action. And they activated their cellular monitoring system to help identify the person that has now been let go. Again, that's another layer of this surveillance state that I think a lot of us have been worried about.
And that didn't do anything either. That helped give us the wrong suspect? What is all this stuff for?
It's not keeping us safe, that's for sure.
GLENN: Hmm. I don't want to jump to any conclusions on, you know, what we have, what we don't have. I'm assuming that they have more. They just haven't shown it.
I would like to -- you know, we could help. You show us some pictures.
I think it's odd.
What happened in Syria over the weekend with al-Qaeda.
JASON: Yeah. In Syria.
There's a ton of news, especially involving ISIS, who is very much active and still very much planning attacks.
GLENN: So wait. Wait. Wait. Was this ISIS, or was this al-Qaeda?
JASON: This is ISIS. That's what they're saying. They're saying it's a lone ISIS perpetrator. The location was symbolic as well. The location as in or around Palmyra. Which, I don't know if you remember, that was a scene of a gruesome ISIS video back at the height of their caliphate, where they behead a lot of people in that area.
GLENN: Right. Right. Yes. That's where they lined them up in the orange jumpsuits. Remember everybody was kneeling down in the sand. And they started beheading people. Yes, I remember.
JASON: It was one of those UNESCO sites with ruins all around. And it was very crazy. Brutal video. But another brutal attack. I believe it was three US service members that were killed in this attack. There's a lot of speculation about to go, on if this person was working. I think he was actually at a time working with the security services that are in Syria right now, under the new president. He -- he could have been, you know, a sleeper in that organization. Who knows? But for -- the one thing I do know. And I don't understand the direction we're moving in Syria. I don't understand how a former al-Qaeda guy suddenly is an all right guy because he puts a suit on. And now he's the president of Syria. And he's our ally.
I don't understand that. The Trump administration, maybe they have more information, that I don't know.
I would love to get more of an explanation on this.
As of now, I don't see this going any direction other than a whole lot worse.
You look around that entire area. You have a former al-Qaeda guy now the president of Syria.
You have the rest of Syria, an absolute Dumpster fire. You have Iraq. I hesitate to call these countries.
They're so far down the sectarian, you know, spiral that this is.
But I don't see how this is going to go anywhere, but south, from here on out.
We're in an absolute war with these radical Islamists. And it's not just in the Middle East. It's globalize the intifada has landed on shores all over the world. And while there are politicians that will not denounce that. That is exactly what's happening. Sorry!
GLENN: So I think that's where -- I think that's what -- that explains Trump's thinking. That Trump does not want these everlasting wars to go on.
He does not want to be fighting in the Middle East. He doesn't want to really be fighting anywhere. He will, if he has to. But he's focused more on the American homeland. And the American hemisphere.
And so I think he is -- I think he's letting the Middle East take care of itself.
And as long as they can all get along with each other and Israel.
And recognize that, you know, Iran and the -- the -- the al-Qaeda, the, you know, Muslim Brotherhood. Et cetera, et cetera.
Trying to coax them all into. Hey. These are kind of your enemies here.
You know, ISIS is a big enemy to us and to peace.
And I think he's hoping that they will start to take care of themselves. Whether they will or not, I don't know. You know, it's never happened were. But it's worth trying. We've been playing this other game of us getting involved in everything for 100 years. We know that doesn't work.
So I'm guessing what Trump is thinking is, we know that doesn't work. We're not going to do that. Let's try to give peace a chance, and help them stomp this out, because it will be prosperous for all of them and plant those seeds as deeply as you can to see what happens. But we're not getting involved in any of that. I have a feeling, but there will be a military response to this, I'm sure. Won't you agree?
JASON: Oh, one hundred percent, and to tack on to what you're saying, I would hope that the President would go with his gut on this.
Because the previous ways this has been handled with Islamists, especially in this area. They've screwed it up.
They don't know what they're doing. Although, they think they know what they're doing. I'll go back to history. The Iran and Iraq War. We supported both size on that. In a similar -- in a similar strategy. So we're like, okay. We don't like either one of these groups. Sectarian groups to get too large. Let's fund this country at the same time we fund this country. We'll arm them. They'll fight each other, and they'll be fine. We do that all the time.
So now, the only thing I can think of is that's what they're thinking with the Syria president, this former al-Qaeda guy. Okay. Well, fine. They'll be anti-Iran, so they can counter Iran.
It's literally the same exact strategy, that they're going for. And I get it. That means that we don't have to get involved. I guess in the initial point.
But we always end up having to get involved after the fire erupts and --
GLENN: We know -- look, I think he's trying to buy time, quite honestly. Get us out of that.
Let us recover, and hopefully not go back to it. Try to buy hopefully some real peace.
But we all know how this will end. It's never going to work in the long-term. Because we as the West have to concentrate on our own homelands. You're seeing that with what happened in Australia. We have let the barbarian into the gates. And we've got to focus on that. We've got to get this cancer, cut out of our own societies. Because it's not good.
Hollywood is mourning after the shocking and heartbreaking deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife—an iconic creative force whose films shaped generations. Glenn Beck reflects on Reiner’s extraordinary legacy, the tragedy surrounding his final moments, and the humanity he showed even toward those he disagreed with politically. This emotional tribute explores Reiner’s impact, the devastating circumstances of his passing, and why his work—and his character—left a mark far beyond Hollywood.
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: it's so sad that Rob Reiner thing is so sad.
I mean, I don't -- I think -- Stu, correct me if I'm wrong. If he hadn't have done This Is Spinal Tap -- A Mighty Wind, Best of Show, for your consideration, any of those would have been able to have even been made. Because this is Spinal Tap. Rob Reiner directed, but it was still Christopher Guest. I think it was Harry Shearer that wrote it.
STU: And Michael McKean, yeah. Yeah, so theoretically, those movies could have been made, but I don't think any of them get made without Spinal Tap. And I don't think Spinal Tap gets made without Rob Reiner. Because they needed somebody attached to it that would be able to bring that to life.
GLENN: I mean, what a legacy he and his father brought to television.
I mean, think, Carl Reiner did your show of shows, which was Mel Brooks and Woody Allen with Carl Reiner writing that. Imagine That. Then he bought the Dick Van Dyke show and a million -- a million other TV shows and movies he was responsible for. And then his son starts with All In the family, and brings us all these classic movies, and the way they died this weekend, is just horribly, horribly tragic. Horribly tragic.
STU: Yeah. And it's not just Spinal Tap, which is a big one. Princes Bride.
GLENN: Oh, I know.
STU: Some of the movies --
GLENN: Harry Met Sally. Gosh, so good. So good.
STU: So many things.
GLENN: Stand By Me. One of my favorite movies.
STU: Oh, yeah. Jeez.
GLENN: Just great moves. Just great movies.
GLENN: So Rob Reiner met his wife in 1989. They have been together ever since. They live in Brentwood, which is a suburb of Los Angeles. It's -- their house is 2 miles away from where Nicole Simpson Brown was -- was discovered and killed.
Officers were called to Brentwood, to their home. All they said at first was, a man and a woman found with stab wounds. That's what came out over the radio. They were dead. And then friends started to show up. Billy Crystal was there. He came into the house. Reporters say he left looking horribly shaken. Larry David, who is a neighbor, he came in. Same story. It was confirmed that Rob Reiner and his wife were killed and brutally murdered: stab wounds.
We knew early this morning that the guy who might have done it is their 32-year-old son. His name is Nick Reiner. He's a screenwriter and also -- he's a guy who has battled drugs and alcohol and homelessness. He said at one point, I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas. I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street, and it wasn't fun. That's what he said to People magazine in 2016. I don't know the latest on him.
But he has been just arrested for the murder of his mother and father. Just horrible!
Just horrible. I mean, Rob Reiner was one of those guys that I was always sad that, you know, we disagreed. And -- I'll be kind to him here.
Neither of us could ever find our way to talk to one another.
Because I really admired him.
I really liked him.
I didn't like him politically.
That's such a small part of life. I mean, gosh. He did When Harry Met Sally. He did the Princess Bride. This is Spinal Tap. He did A Few Good Men.
Stu, look up -- look up his work. He's responsible for some of the best movies ever. His father was a genius. It is so sad that Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner, and then now that is broken by the third generation. The son!
And it ends this way. He brought so much joy -- to just me. I'll speak for me. His movies have brought me so much joy, just the Princess Bride alone. But so sad. So incredibly sad.
And to be killed by your -- it's one thing I guess to be killed by your stranger, and that's bad. But to be killed by your own son. Oh!
STU: Glenn, listen to this -- late '80s. Early '90s. Quickly.
1984, this is Spinal Tap. '85, The Sure Thing. '86, Stand By Me. '87, The Princess Bride. '89, When Harry Met Sally. 1990, Misery. 1992, A Few Good Men. I mean, that is -- that is a run!
GLENN: Wow! Wow! Just -- just brilliant, brilliant guy from a brilliant family.
I'm glad his father isn't here. I mean, his father just died, what?
A year ago. Two years ago.
Mel Brooks is still alive, which this has just got to kill Mel Brooks.
Gosh, poor Mel Brooks. The tragedy.
By the way, I want to show you how Rob Reiner for as politically different as we were, and we were extraordinarily politically different. I want you to listen to how he handled the death of Charlie Kirk.
VOICE: When you first heard about the murder of Charlie Kirk, what was your immediate gut reaction to it?
VOICE: Well, horror, absolute horror.
And I unfortunately saw the video of it. And it's -- it's -- it's beyond belief. The -- what happened to him, and that should never happen to anybody.
I don't care what your political beliefs are. That's not acceptable! That's not a solution to solving problems. And I felt like what his wife said at the service -- at the memorial they had. Was exactly right.
And totally, I believe, you know, I'm Jewish. But I believe in the teachings of Jesus, and I believe in do unto others. And I believe in forgiveness. And what she said was beautiful. And absolutely -- she -- she forgave his -- his assassin.
And I think that -- that is admirable.
GLENN: I mean, how many -- how many other people did that? Especially for as vehemently as he disagrees with the right.
He was a human being. And I think that's why his -- I think that's why his films lasted and connected with us. You know, I mean, in a lot of ways, his films were a little like John Hughes' movies.
John Hughes was -- I mean, he was lightning in a bottle.
And there was something. And I think that something in many ways, was John Candy.
But there was something about the John Hughes movie, that connected to us on a basic level.
You know. That -- that spoke to us, deeper than just a movie! Or a script.
You know, it -- it came from a place that was real.
And I -- I think of Peter fall. And
What's his name?
I can't remember. He used to be in the wonder years. It was the little kid on Princess Bride, that -- that just those scenes alone -- just those scenes alone were so real! So real. When Peter Falk turns around and says, as you wish. It -- by the end of the movie, you felt that deeply.
