EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Behind the scenes on the campaign trail with Donald Trump Jr.

August 19, 2020

Writer

The year 2020 has been one for the record books, that's for sure. Any election year gets especially feisty at this point in the calendar, but you mix in a worldwide pandemic, chaos and rioting in the streets, and oh yeah, an asteroid that barely missed Earth, and you get history in the making.

With all that going on in such a short period of time, the last presidential election seems like a lifetime ago. In the lead-up to November 2016, many conservatives — Glenn Beck included — had reservations about what a Donald Trump presidency would look like. Considering how contentious and heated the rhetoric got, you might expect those closest to President Trump to hold a grudge — but not Donald Trump Jr.

"I get it. In 2016 I totally understand why people didn't believe he'd follow through on his promises," Trump Jr. said. "Especially when it comes to pro-life and religious liberty issues. He was a New York guy that had to work with liberals to get things done. But now he's got a track record and he's doing what he said he'd do. He's accomplished so much and has followed through on what he promised. I think the people in this country are really responding to it and will come out and support him on Election Day even stronger this time around."

"Now he's got a track record and he's doing what he said he'd do."

Once in office, it didn't take long before President Trump started to fulfill his campaign promises. In 2016, without any history in public service and with celebrity as his main source of recognition, it's easy to understand why his primary opponents and later Hillary Clinton didn't see him as a serious threat — at first. Luckily for him, they made the fatal mistake of miscalculating how well he connects with the average American.

"My dad spent his formative years walking construction sites, talking with the workers and the contractors, and he got to know all kinds of people. He's always been very hands-on with his projects, and it gave him the opportunity to get to know what people care about and what issues are important to them. That was key for him to understand the problems the people of our country face right now," Trump Jr. said.

Aside from connecting with the common man, Don Jr. shared how his dad's time working in "the lion's den" of New York City helped him govern once he took office.

"As a businessman and a developer, my dad has always had to deal with bureaucracies and red tape, so he's had hands-on experience dealing with politics — especially as a conservative in New York," Trump Jr. said.

"Unlike Joe Biden, who's been an elected official since he was in his 20s, my dad has real-world experience and knows how to get things done."

"My dad has real-world experience and knows how to get things done."

Watching Don Jr. in front of a crowd or one on one with an individual, you can see he has some of the same abilities as his father to relate to the people he meets. Sincerity is often lacking in politics, but Don Jr. credits one very simple reason why both he and his father resonate with the people.

"The reason we connect with people and appear genuine is because we are genuine. It's easy to appear genuine when you aren't a phony and you are just yourself," Trump Jr. said.

If you follow Don Jr. on Instagram, you can see he enjoys "poking the bear" as the president does on Twitter. The memes and quips he posts often highlight the hypocrisy in government and show a side of him that many thought didn't exist.

"If you were to ask people before all of this, even family, they would say I've been the member of the family least like my father my whole life. But now I realize our personalities are much more similar than I thought," Trump Jr. said.

The similarities between Don Jr. and the president don't end there. Neither will back down from a fight, but like to take on bullies head-on, something the president's base had been longing for. After years of being silenced during the Obama administration, Republicans found their champion in Trump. Now as the president's top surrogate, Don Jr. has joined the fight and is taking on the enemy head-on, just like his dad.

"There are certain traits you are born with, but a lot does come from the way we were raised," Trump Jr. said. "We grew up around business and real-world problems, and he definitely helped shape who we are and how we view things."

When you are an outspoken member of the first family, you become subject to attacks and criticism. For Republicans, that criticism often comes from the mainstream media. The latest such attack on Don Jr. was a CBS News story blasting him for appearing in promotional images for a rifle company.

"I've been a lifelong conservative and a big supporter of the Second Amendment, and a guy asked me to go shooting with him when I was in town. Now the media is smearing him and throwing out all kinds of accusations. The guy had a contract with the military and went through that approval process, but I'm supposed to do a deep dive into his past and vet him even further? Give me a break," Trump Jr. said.

When CBS News asked for a quote for its story, Don Jr.'s spokesperson, Andrew Surabian, provided a statement that called out the journalistic double standard of assigning two investigative reporters to Don Jr.'s story and none to cover the recent Bill Clinton/Epstein allegations. CBS ultimately published a clipped version of the statement, omitting the part that highlighted its own hypocrisy.

You can read the full statement here:

Dishonest gutter level smear by @CBSNews. Don didn't appear in a promotion, he got invited to go shooting & they posted a pic of it on their instagram.

PS: They also refused to run my full statement. Maybe because I called CBS out for protecting Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein? https://t.co/OTGyyoJmB4 pic.twitter.com/t8ZcrLR0CS
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) August 19, 2020

"I can't go shooting at a range for half an hour because they dug up info about a guy I hadn't met before, but it's totally cool for Bill Clinton to sign off from his Secret Service detail 28 times to visit Jeffrey Epstein on 'pedophile island' — I mean, come on," Trump Jr. said.

For the amount of hate directed at President Trump, there is a part of the country that loves and supports him as well. This was evidenced by Don Jr.'s July appearance in Utah to help Burgess Owens' congressional bid. To conclude the day's events, he was asked to participate in a special tribute to Gold Star widow Jennie Taylor at a local rodeo. Taylor's husband, Major Brent Taylor of the Army National Guard, gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of his country. After Trump Jr. was announced, he walked out to a standing ovation and chants of "USA." Following his remarks to the crowd, he presented Mrs. Taylor with a flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol building.

"We love the crowds and the support has been amazing, but there was something different about this one. Obviously with the COVID situation, we haven't been around as many people as we'd like. When they asked me to present a flag to the widow of the mayor [of North Ogden, Utah] who died in combat overseas, I was totally humbled," Trump Jr. said.

"Obviously the stump speech went out the window and I was just honored to be able to present that flag to her."

Due to the current pandemic, President Trump faces a hurdle that hits him right in his wheelhouse — limiting in-person events. His advantage of connecting with the average Joe appears to be hamstrung, and this should be detrimental to the campaign, but Don Jr. explained the Trump campaign has something the Biden campaign doesn't.

"Obviously we love the crowds and we haven't been able to hold the rallies that we'd hoped to, but we're confident about our ground game. Especially considering we actually have a ground game. We have over a million trained volunteers to help with the campaign, and Biden just doesn't have that kind of grassroots support," Trump Jr. said.

"We have over a million trained volunteers to help with the campaign, and Biden just doesn't have that kind of grassroots support."

It's this grassroots movement that won the 2016 election, and it's what the campaign is counting on to pull off the win this year, Trump Jr. said. The mainstream media would have you believe Trump is way behind Biden in the polls and that he's so power-hungry he will go to any lengths to stay in office. They claim he will rig the election via the postal service or that he'll hold on to power and refuse to leave office.

Conspiracy theories aside, Don Jr. says their concern is not Joe Biden as president; it's what the radical left has planned for his administration.

"First off, we know it's not actually Joe Biden who will be president. The Democrat Party has gone completely to the left and people like AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and Bernie Sanders are going to be pushing their radical agenda, and we'll have a totally different country if Biden wins. That's why we're so passionate about this election," Trump Jr. said.

Vitriol is at an all-time high, and it's not just left vs. right or Democrat vs. Republican any more. It's anti-Trumpers vs. pro-Trumpers. If there's one thing separating President Trump from his predecessors, it's the amount of hate coming from his own side.

"They are a bunch of losers that haven't been able to accomplish anything, and it pays better to be anti-Trump right now. So we aren't concerned about what they are doing," Trump Jr. said.

But not even this level of hate seems to stick to the "Teflon Dons."

Love the Trumps or hate 'em, there is no denying they have something special. Whether it's connecting with the average American, having real-world experience, or just an ability to recognize the issues people are most passionate about, they've got it in spades.

Hopefully that's enough to defeat Biden come November.

Watch Glenn's interview from radio Thursday with Donald Trump Jr. here:

DONALD TRUMP JR: We Can't Let the Media Cover for Biden's "Mental Decline"www.youtube.com

'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 Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

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?

Do you think the Gen Z support for Trump is an opportunity for conservatives to win them over with anti-establishment reforms that preserve liberty?