NRA launches ethics investigation into Grover Norquist

On Wednesday's radio program, Frank Gaffney, founder of the Center for Security Policy, alleged that Grover Norquist was acting as an agent of influence on behalf of the Muslim Brotherhood. Norquist is currently up for re-election to the board of the NRA, and Glenn said he had heard enough bad things about Norquist that he was going to drop his membership if the re-election was a success. Friday morning, Glenn revealed that he had spoken with Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, and the NRA was opening an ethics investigation in Norquist.

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Below is a rush transcript of this segment from radio:

I have a -- an important and personal conversation with you about the NRA. I know that a lot of our listeners are NRA members. I am an NRA member. I am a member -- a lifetime member. And one that -- I'm a reluctant member to almost anything. The only two organizations I belong to are my church and the NRA. I believe in Wayne LaPierre and the direction he's set for the NRA. I don't always agree with him. But I believe they're honest people trying to do the right thing.

Two days ago I was on the air, and I brought up Grover Norquist. And he's a board member on the NRA, and he's running for reelection. And I said something then that I meant then and I mean now. That if Grover Norquist remains on the board of the NRA, I don't believe that I can remain a member of the NRA. I so deeply believe this is a very, very bad man. And I so deeply that he -- and I'm not assigning. I shouldn't say he's a very bad man. I don't know him. And so I don't want to assign his reasons. I don't know why he does what he does. And I just know the people that he hangs out with and the people that he helps empower, and they are agents of influence for the Muslim Brotherhood.

And many of the reasons why we're off on the wrong track now in the Middle East is because of the influence of Grover Norquist. He is a guy that the left used to say was the all powerful, all mighty and powerful Oz during the Bush administration. I used to mock that. I didn't know anything about Grover Norquist and I thought that was the most ridiculous thing ever heard. We heard it so many times that we started doing our own homework on it. And instead of mocking it, we decided, let's just dismiss this. We started doing our homework on Grover Norquist, and I'm sorry, he is Oz. And he is a -- it's really sad because what he does on taxes, I happen to agree with. I happen to agree with some of his policies.

But when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood and Islam, this guy is on the wrong side. Whether he knows it or not, I don't -- I don't believe he's out trying to destroy America, but his efforts and his work will lead to the destruction of America. And he is one of 76 board members of the NRA. I am not saying to the NRA, it's either him or me, I'm just saying, he's up for election, and it is the lifetime members that vote for him. And if the lifetime members think that he is a guy that should be on the NRA, just like I did with General Motors, General Motors was my biggest client at the time. And I loved General Motors. And I loved the direction they were going in. And then they switched directions and they took money from the federal government.

And I had to make the hardest call I've ever made. I turned down seven figures for my business because it violated my principles. And I told General Motors, the minute you get out of bed with the government and you start doing the things that you told me you were going to do, I would love to represent you again. But I don't have an axe to grind against General Motors. It's a personal decision.

Yesterday, I spent about an hour on the phone with Wayne LaPierre at the NRA. And we discussed this issue. And I am happy to report that the NRA, after hearing this a couple of days ago, and they've been trying to get on my schedule the last couple of days and I haven't had the chance. But they reacted immediately because of your phone calls. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of phone calls have apparently come into the NRA and have said, if Glenn leaves the NRA, we leave the NRA. And I don't want you to be a lemming by any stretch of the imagination, I assume you've done your own homework on Grover Norquist as well. And don't ever take my word. Just because I do something, doesn't mean you should do it. And I don't mean to talk down to you. I know you know that.

PAT: It's more for the media than it is for --

GLENN: Thank you very much.

We can be in lockstep. But not mindless. And you must do your own homework. And I urge you to do your own homework on Grover Norquist. Because he is an influential player in the G.O.P. And he is, I believe, a dangerous man. Because of what he believes about Islam.

This is going to raise all kinds of charges. The game will be played. I have now thrown down the chips on the table, and so Grover Norquist is a very powerful man. And we don't have friends in Washington as it is, and I'm happy about that. But he is a very powerful man, and so I believe that, you know -- you know, we've started a little war here because of our principles.

But he is the first to lead the charges of, well, you're a racist and everything else if you say anything against the Muslim Brotherhood or him. And there's not a racist bone in my body. I don't hate Muslims. I just had Zuhdi Jasser here who I think is a guy that should be held up. He's a Muslim. He's of Arab descent. So please, shut up.

Now, let me tell you about the phone call. So Wayne calls me yesterday, and he said, Glenn, I understand your concerns. And before I say anything -- because I honestly expected some sort of defense. And he said, I want you to know, because of the phone calls that have come in, I want you to know and I want your audience to know, I take our members voice's seriously.

Now, I have been -- I have been in rooms with a lot of people, I have talked to a lot of company heads and everything else. There's no organization bigger than the NRA. More powerful than the NRA. And I was humbled and shocked by how seriously they take your voice. And when you called, they went into action. And they said that they were opening up an ethics investigation on Grover. They said they're going to get down to the bottom of this once and for all. Grover denies all of these allegations.

PAT: Always has.

GLENN: And always has.

And they said, I want you to know, and when they said that, I thought, what does that mean? They said, I want you to know, it will be fully transparent. It will be posted on the web. You will know everything we did and everything we found. And then we will take action from that point. You know, they -- my feeling is, this really hurts the NRA. This really -- just the question of whether he's in with the Muslim Brotherhood or not really hurts the NRA. And the last thing I said to Wayne was: Wayne, if I were on the board, and when I said foolishly on Fox that morning, I think the president was a racist. And I was thinking out loud. And the gates of hell opened up. If I were on the board and people were starting to question the NRA because of what I said, do you think you would have had to call me?

And he said, no. And I said, no. I would have called you. The NRA is more important than me, I said. Take me off the board. Get this heat off of me. The fact that Grover Norquist hasn't said I won't run for reelection I think speaks volumes because he's one of 76 board members. He goes to the meetings, but he doesn't really even speak up. It's not like he's leading anything. So he's one of 76. What difference does it make that he's on the board of the NRA?

So I think that says a lot about his personal character, myself. But I also can understand someone digging in their heels if they think they're right. And I'm not leaving. I'm not going to be bullied like this. Et cetera, et cetera. I'm not trying to bully. I have nothing against the NRA. I think if we lose the NRA, we lose a lot. We cannot lose the NRA. And that's why I say this, because I believe Grover Norquist is an agent of influence. And I believe that he is influencing people to look the other way when it comes to people like the Muslim Brotherhood. And the facts are clear.

And I want to just give a story. This was written by Bill Gertz.

Islamists linked to the Muslim Brotherhood are seeking to influence the US conservative movement as a part of a nonviolent jihad against the United States. This is according to a group of retired national security leaders. Ten former US officials, including the retired attorney general, former CIA director, a retired general and an admiral, and a former counterterrorism prosecutor, among others, have challenged an assessment made years ago by the political outreach activities by the antitax activist, Grover Norquist.

Now, this story, you can read it online. It's from Bill Gertz. It's called Influence Operation. But I want you to hear the names of the people that put their name on a cover letter saying, he's an agent of influence.

Now, again, I don't have any firsthand knowledge. I will tell you that I have, A, been on Grover Norquist's side at the beginning. I thought this was ridiculous. We used to mock the people who used to say this about Grover Norquist. So it's not like I have an axe to grind. I don't know the guy. I like his other policies. And I also mocked the people who used to say this. But then we did our homework.

And there is enough smoke to worry about fire. And our homework has included talking to some very good, reasoned, well educated and well balanced individuals. Now, I want you to listen just to the names of the people who have signed this cover letter saying, there is fire here.

Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey. Pretty significant. Former CIA director James Woolsey. Allen West. Lieutenant general, retired, William Boykin. General Boykin is one of the most honest, decent, and clear-minded men I know. Former Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, a former federal prosecutor, Andrew McCarthy, who is really clear on this. Former FBI agent, retired admiral, James Lyons. Former commander of the US Pacific Fleet. Former Pentagon inspector general. An ambassador. Former Director of the Pentagon Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. And a former CIA officer, Clare Lopez.

I know many of these people. I find them to be sound and of sound mind and sound judgment. And I am warning you that Grover Norquist is an agent of influence. Whether he knows it or not, I'm not assigning in any ill will toward him. Whether he knows it or not, he's placing himself near and around members of the Muslim Brotherhood. And he is assisting, whether knowingly or not, agents of influence from the Muslim Brotherhood. And he's currently on the board of directors on the NRA. And I've said to Wayne last night that I -- I appreciate the NRA. I love the NRA. And I support the NRA. And I will wait to see what they do. And I know it will be open and transparent.

And he said, Glenn, I will take you and your audience through it every step of the way. And I believe him.

Now, I will tell you, I said to him, this is a matter of opinion. A lot of this. This is a matter of opinion on whether he is knowingly doing this or not knowingly doing this. I don't know how you remove somebody -- you know, from a position because you disagree with their opinion. And this might turn out to be, I disagree with the opinion -- I agree with the opinion of the former CIA director and the former generals and admirals and commanders of the Pacific fleet. I happen to agree with them and not the people defending Grover Norquist. And that doesn't make either of us wrong.

It's a matter of opinion. But I think when it comes down to something this important, of agents of influence. Of people who are intentionally trying to destroy us from within, we do not take a risk. Especially with an organization as important as the NRA.

So goes the NRA, so goes America. It's really critical that they remain healthy. And that's why I am bringing this to their attention. And I'm asking you, especially if you're a lifetime member to bring this to the attention of every lifetime member. Because it's the lifetime members that vote for the board. And no matter what it says, if the lifetime members with uneducated and they vote for him on the board, you are doing a grave disservice to the -- to the NRA.

And as I said to Wayne, I don't want this to happen. I don't want this to happen. And he said, Glenn, it's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. But, again, it's a matter of opinion. And my opinion is, he's a very dangerous man, whether knowingly or unknowingly. And if he remains on the board of the NRA, I will to have resign my membership. And that comes at great pain for me because I love these people. I really love them and I believe in them.

But let's play this out and see what they do. They have promised that they will be transparent. And I want you to know, Wayne was open and honest. Not hedging. There was nothing. It was -- he was so deferential to you. And I want to bring the message that this is one of the only organizations of this weight that I've ever seen that is truly reacting to you. They listen to their membership. They listen to their membership. So let's see how this plays out. But I want you to do your own homework on Grover Norquist. And see what you feel. He's a very dangerous man when it comes to Islam I believe.

Top FIVE takeaways from Glenn's EXCLUSIVE interview with Trump

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As President Trump approaches his 100th day in office, Glenn Beck joined him to evaluate his administration’s progress with a gripping new interview. April 30th is President Trump's 100th day in office, and what an eventful few months it has been. To commemorate this milestone, Glenn Beck was invited to the White House for an exclusive interview with the President.

Their conversation covered critical topics, including the border crisis, DOGE updates, the revival of the U.S. energy sector, AI advancements, and more. Trump remains energized, acutely aware of the nation’s challenges, and determined to address them.

Here are the top five takeaways from Glenn Beck’s one-on-one with President Trump:

Border Security and Cartels

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Early in the interview, Glenn asked if Trump views Mexico as a failed narco-state. While Trump avoided the term, he acknowledged that cartels effectively control Mexico. He noted that while not all Mexican officials are corrupt, those who are honest fear severe repercussions for opposing the cartels.

Trump was unsurprised when Glenn cited evidence that cartels are using Pentagon-supplied weapons intended for the Mexican military. He is also aware of the fentanyl influx from China through Mexico and is committed to stopping the torrent of the dangerous narcotic. Trump revealed that he has offered military aid to Mexico to combat the cartels, but these offers have been repeatedly declined. While significant progress has been made in securing the border, Trump emphasized that more must be done.

American Energy Revival

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Trump’s tariffs are driving jobs back to America, with the AI sector showing immense growth potential. He explained that future AI systems require massive, costly complexes with significant electricity demands. China is outpacing the U.S. in building power plants to support AI development, threatening America’s technological leadership.

To counter this, Trump is cutting bureaucratic red tape, allowing AI companies to construct their own power plants, potentially including nuclear facilities, to meet the energy needs of AI server farms. Glenn was thrilled to learn these plants could also serve as utilities, supplying excess power to homes and businesses. Trump is determined to ensure America remains the global leader in AI and energy.

Liberation Day Shakeup

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Glenn drew a parallel between Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and the historical post-World War II Liberation Day. Trump confirmed the analogy, explaining that his policy aims to dismantle an outdated global economic order established to rebuild Europe and Asia after the wars of the 20th century. While beneficial decades ago, this system now disadvantages the U.S. through job outsourcing, unfair trade deals, and disproportionate NATO contributions.

Trump stressed that America’s economic survival is at stake. Without swift action, the U.S. risks collapse, potentially dragging the West down with it. He views his presidency as a critical opportunity to reverse this decline.

Trouble in Europe

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When Glenn pressed Trump on his tariff strategy and negotiations with Europe, Trump delivered a powerful statement: “I don’t have to negotiate.” Despite America’s challenges, it remains the world’s leading economy with the wealthiest consumer base, making it an indispensable trading partner for Europe. Trump wants to make equitable deals and is willing to negotiate with European leaders out of respect and desire for shared prosperity, he knows that they are dependent on U.S. dollars to keep the lights on.

Trump makes an analogy, comparing America to a big store. If Europe wants to shop at the store, they are going to have to pay an honest price. Or go home empty-handed.

Need for Peace

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Trump emphasized the need to end America’s involvement in endless wars, which have cost countless lives and billions of dollars without a clear purpose. He highlighted the staggering losses in Ukraine, where thousands of soldiers die weekly. Trump is committed to ending the conflict but noted that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has been a challenging partner, constantly demanding more U.S. support.

The ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East are unsustainable, and America’s excessive involvement has prolonged these conflicts, leading to further casualties. Trump aims to extricate the U.S. from these entanglements.

PHOTOS: Inside Glenn's private White House tour

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In honor of Trump's 100th day in office, Glenn was invited to the White House for an exclusive interview with the President.

Naturally, Glenn's visit wasn't solely confined to the interview, and before long, Glenn and Trump were strolling through the majestic halls of the White House, trading interesting historical anecdotes while touring the iconic home. Glenn was blown away by the renovations that Trump and his team have made to the presidential residence and enthralled by the history that practically oozed out of the gleaming walls.

Want to join Glenn on this magical tour? Fortunately, Trump's gracious White House staff was kind enough to provide Glenn with photos of his journey through the historic residence so that he might share the experience with you.

So join Glenn for a stroll through 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with the photo gallery below:

The Oval Office

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The Roosevelt Room

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The White House

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Trump branded a tyrant, but did Obama outdo him on deportations?

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MSNBC and CNN want you to think the president is a new Hitler launching another Holocaust. But the actual deportation numbers are nowhere near what they claim.

Former MSNBC host Chris Matthews, in an interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta, compared Trump’s immigration policies to Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust. He claimed that Hitler didn’t bother with German law — he just hauled people off to death camps in Poland and Hungary. Apparently, that’s what Trump is doing now by deporting MS-13 gang members to El Salvador.

Symone Sanders took it a step further. The MSNBC host suggested that deporting gang-affiliated noncitizens is simply the first step toward deporting black Americans. I’ll wait while you try to do that math.

The debate is about control — weaponizing the courts, twisting language, and using moral panic to silence dissent.

Media mouthpieces like Sanders and Matthews are just the latest examples of the left’s Pavlovian tribalism when it comes to Trump and immigration. Just say the word “Trump,” and people froth at the mouth before they even hear the sentence. While the media cries “Hitler,” the numbers say otherwise. And numbers don’t lie — the narrative does.

Numbers don’t lie

The real “deporter in chief” isn’t Trump. It was President Bill Clinton, who sent back 12.3 million people during his presidency — 11.4 million returns and nearly 900,000 formal removals. President George W. Bush, likewise, presided over 10.3 million deportations — 8.3 million returns and two million removals. Even President Barack Obama, the progressive darling, oversaw 5.5 million deportations, including more than three million formal removals.

So how does Donald Trump stack up? Between 2017 and 2021, Trump deported somewhere between 1.5 million and two million people — dramatically fewer than Obama, Bush, or Clinton. In his current term so far, Trump has deported between 100,000 and 138,000 people. Yes, that’s assertive for a first term — but it's still fewer than Biden was deporting toward the end of his presidency.

The numbers simply don’t support the hysteria.

Who's the “dictator” here? Trump is deporting fewer people, with more legal oversight, and still being compared to history’s most reviled tyrant. Apparently, sending MS-13 gang members — violent criminals — back to their country of origin is now equivalent to genocide.

It’s not about immigration

This debate stopped being about immigration a long time ago. It’s now about control — about weaponizing the courts, twisting language, and using moral panic to silence dissent. It’s about turning Donald Trump into the villain of every story, facts be damned.

If the numbers mattered, we’d be having a very different national conversation. We’d be asking why Bill Clinton deported six times as many people as Trump and never got labeled a fascist. We’d be questioning why Barack Obama’s record-setting removals didn’t spark cries of ethnic cleansing. And we’d be wondering why Trump, whose enforcement was relatively modest by comparison, triggered lawsuits, media hysteria, and endless Nazi analogies.

But facts don’t drive this narrative. The villain does. And in this script, Trump plays the villain — even when he does far less than the so-called heroes who came before him.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Can Trump stop the blackouts that threaten America's future?

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If America wants to remain a global leader in the coming decades, we need more energy fast.

It's no secret that Glenn is an advocate for the safe and ethical use of AI, not because he wants it, but because he knows it’s coming whether we like it or not. Our only option is to shape AI on our terms, not those of our adversaries. America has to win the AI Race if we want to maintain our stability and security, and to do that, we need more energy.

AI demands dozens—if not hundreds—of new server farms, each requiring vast amounts of electricity. The problem is, America lacks the power plants to generate the required electricity, nor do we have a power grid capable of handling the added load. We must overcome these hurdles quickly to outpace China and other foreign competitors.

Outdated Power Grid

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Our power grid is ancient, slowly buckling under the stress of our modern machines. AAI’s energy demands could collapse it without a major upgrade. The last significant overhaul occurred under FDR nearly a century ago, when he connected rural America to electricity. Since then, we’ve patched the system piecemeal, but it’s still the same grid from the 1930s. Over 70 percent of the powerlines are 30 years old or older, and circuit breakers and other vital components are in similar condition. Most people wouldn't trust a dishwasher that was 30 years old, and yet much of our grid relies on technology from the era of VHS tapes.

Upgrading the grid would prevent cascading failures, rolling blackouts, and even EMP attacks. It would also enable new AI server farms while ensuring reliable power for all.

A Need for Energy

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Earlier this month, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt appeared before Congress as part of an AI panel and claimed that by 2030, the U.S. will need to add 96 gigawatts to our national power production to meet AI-driven demand. While some experts question this figure, the message is clear: We must rapidly expand power production. But where will this energy come from?

As much as eco nuts would love to power the world with sunshine and rainbows, we need a much more reliable and significantly more efficient power source if we want to meet our electricity goals. Nuclear power—efficient, powerful, and clean—is the answer. It’s time to shed outdated fears of atomic energy and embrace the superior electricity source. Building and maintaining new nuclear plants, along with upgraded infrastructure, would create thousands of high-paying American jobs. Nuclear energy will fuel AI, boost the economy, and modernize America’s decaying infrastructure.

A Bold Step into the Future

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This is President Trump’s chance to leave a historic mark on America, restoring our role as global leaders and innovators. Just as FDR’s power grid and plants made America the dominant force of the 20th century, Trump could upgrade our infrastructure to secure dominance in the 21st century. Visionary leadership must cut red tape and spark excitement in the industry. This is how Trump can make America great again.