The Saudi King is dead - but who’s replacing him?

January 23, 2015

WRITER

The king of Saudi Arabia is dead at the age of 90 today and there’s been lots of conversation about his legacy today. But who is the new king set to replace him? Given he’s known as the ‘war prince’ what does this mean for the future prospects of stability in the Middle East? Glenn had his researcher join the show to discuss.

Below is a rough transcript of this segment:

GLENN: So we brought Jason in. He's one of our researchers. Jason, what did you do in the military.

JASON: I was military intelligence, both counterintelligence and analysis.

GLENN: So -- so here's what -- here's what Jason said. He's on our research team. And he kind of poked his head in during the break when we said, what do we know about the new Saudi -- the new Saudi king, on replacement, the prince? What do we know?

JASON: We have been looking at him for a little bit. He's basically considered the war prince. He --

GLENN: Hang on there. That sounds good, doesn't it? That's a positive move. We got the war prince in.

STU: I'd be very upset if he was known as the peace prince.

GLENN: That would be terrible.

JASON: So he and two other of the next successors to the throne are all pretty militant.

GLENN: How do you mean militant? Islamic militant.

JASON: No, not Islamic militant. They've been pushing for solidarity and attacking radicalism --

PAT: That's good, right.

GLENN: Notice he did not say yes.

JASON: It's hard to say when you're talking about the Saudis and which way they'll take it.

PAT: Yeah.

JASON: One day they that I they're going to attack ISIS and behind the scenes --

GLENN: They're attacking us.

JASON: On the other end.

GLENN: So the war prince is the guy coming in. What does it mean that Yemen is collapsed today? Are these two related at all and what does it mean?

JASON: Very interesting to see how aggressive he'll get with that because Yemen has basically been toppled by Houthi rebels and the Houthis are a branch of Shiites -- there's not 12ers. I think they're considered 5ers, actually, so there's close to Sunis than say Iran is.

GLENN: Okay.

JASON: But Iran has been rumored to and they most probably are supporting.

PAT: So they're waiting for the 5th Imam not the 12th Imam squares after that they don't recognize.

GLENN: So bizarre, so bizarre.

PAT: So is he in a well also?

GLENN: No, just the 12.

PAT: Just the 12th, all right.

GLENN: Are you mocking?

PAT: Not at all.

GLENN: All right.

PAT: Not at all.

GLENN: Because we know what whens when you mock. You dare mock the fifth, the seventh, the ninth, the first, or the 12th. Dangerous stuff.

JASON: It's not uncalled for at all for a more militant Saudi king to see a Houthi government that's backed byane in Yemen -- by Iran in Yemen for him to see it as a clear and present danger and want to do something about it.

PAT: How long have they been talking about anotheris? I lost a toothi and I put it under you are my pillow.

STU: Take a sand here, Jason. Are they youth or not. Don't say they're Houthi. Are they youth or are they not Houthi.

JASON: They are Houthi.

(overlapping speakers).

GLENN: Let me ask you this, Jason. Does this -- does this accelerate the instability and chaos in the Middle East? Or is it business as usual?

JASON: It definitely has the potential to escalate it depending on how he handles -- if he's not as reserved as -- the former king is, it definitely has the potential to.

GLENN: To destabilize.

JASON: Yes.

GLENN: So let me switch gears. I sent you a piece of information yesterday. I saw -- I'm at the Billy Joel concert and I'm sending Jason a research something. I said, could you verify this for me. It's a missile that, quote, has just been found on a platform. Almost like an Atlas or ICBM rocket just been found by satellites. In the deserts just outside of Torhan. And the president just said, oh, they've halted you a that stuff. They're not -- all that stuff. They're not doing any of that. And now there's this missile sitting on a launchpad. And A, did you verify that that picture is real? Do you know yet?

JASON: Looks real.

GLENN: Okay. And what does that mean? Where did this come from? Did that come from the Israelis? The Israelites or the Jews?

JASON: So that was released via an Israeli news station, like Channel 2 News I believe it was. It definitely appears to be real. I highly doubt that they stumbled on that by themselves.

GLENN: So is this -- is there a connection at all to the president is not going to meet with -- and this is really bad. The president is not going to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu. I guess there's some leaked information back and forth that we're all pissed about and they're pissed about. Boehner is having him up to speak to the Congress. He's getting obviously the snub from the president. Is this going to play -- is this a thumb in the eye, this -- you know, released picture now of -- showing the president doesn't have a clue or is lying to the American people?

JASON: I would say no question about it. I mean, the president came out in the State of the Union and said their nuclear program had halted since they signed the agreement. It was no longer active, you know. The day after -- you know, Boehner invite Netanyahu to come talk to Congress, and then a day after that -- and specifically that he invited them come and talk about the danger that Iran posed. A day after that he made this invitation, this video of this ICBM, 100-foot ICBM gets leaked to Israeli news. I guarantee you that's going to be one of the main points of discussion that he brings up.

GLENN: With us last thing. Let me change gears here. What's our next special. Is it on the NSA and spying, the history of spying? Squares that's right.

GLENN: That's next month? Squares I believe it's February the 10th-ish.

GLENN: Jason is a brilliant guy. Been with me a long time. But we decided to do a series of specials called the roots and we just did one on Russia and I wanted to do one on the history of spying because you know, everything -- there's going to be no secrets here soon. But I'm going up to New York and I have never heard of this. And you know me, I love history and I love New York history. Where is the place you're taking me to do part of this special next week?

JASON: The Black Chamber.

GLENN: Listen to this. Tell the story quickly.

JASON: So there was a really brilliant man. His name is Herbert Yardley. He was recruited back in -- when the you know entered World War I. He went and broke most of the German codes during that time. Brilliant, brilliant man. Came back to the states after the war was over and then as soon as the war was over, he should have been shut down but he wasn't. Instead, they made a deal under the table with the state department to keep his program alive. You would think that you know, just hearing about a -- you know, the -- you know, the NSA spying in on their own citizens started now around the Edward Snowden times, when all actuality, it started back in 1999 with this guy named Yardley.

GLENN: Woodrow Wilson. And this is a townhouse. The Black Chamber?

JASON: I think today it's being used as a townhouse, an apartment building. You'd never know what it was just by looking at it.

GLENN: what it was is all of the messages, Western Union, and everything, correct me if I'm wrong, Western Union and everything, it all came in to that place and they were reading all traffic. 1919. Nothing has changed.

PAT: It's amazing.

GLENN: Nothing has changed. The Progressives do what the Progressives do. Over and over again. Thanks, Jason. I appreciate it.

Featured image courtesy of the AP.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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