Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: "We'll Stop Deporting Illegals If We Can Jail Don Lemon"
Date: January 20, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Main Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Episode Overview
In this episode, Armstrong & Getty tackle some of the biggest national and international stories dominating the headlines in 2026. The hosts bring their trademark irreverent humor and sharp opinions to major topics, including the ongoing political chaos around Donald Trump's presidency, the controversy surrounding immigration crackdown in Minnesota, the unexpected sports triumph of Indiana’s college football team, and a contentious protest led by Don Lemon. They also weigh in on media coverage, political strategies, and societal divides, all with a blend of satire and seriousness.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Recap & Reaction: Indiana Football’s Miraculous Season
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[03:03–08:20]
The show opens with an animated discussion of Indiana’s unexpected college football championship, placing it among legendary sports underdog stories.-
Armstrong describes the emotional high:
“It's one of the greatest sports stories in the history of sports... It's that amazing. There'll be movies made, guaranteed in my lifetime.” (Jack Armstrong, 03:24) -
The team had no blue-chip players or superstar coach, making their achievement more astounding.
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Getty’s realistic take:
Points out the complexities and oddities of the transfer rules and college football's changing landscape. -
Memorable moment: Amused banter about the coach's Spock-like deadpan reactions even during dramatic plays.
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2. Global Mayhem: Trump, Greenland, and Trade
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[09:06–11:26]
The hosts pivot to President Trump’s latest foreign policy escalation—threats of tariffs and military action aimed at pressuring Europe to cede Greenland to the US.- Getty’s skepticism:
“It feels like something that's falling apart.” (Joe Getty, 11:03) - Discuss whether “chaos is the plan” or just a result of Trump’s unpredictable strategy.
- Reference to Macron and other EU leaders, Trump’s “tariff diplomacy,” and speculation over future moves.
- Getty’s skepticism:
3. News Headlines & Quick Reactions
- [13:52–18:05]
Katie Green runs through the day’s headlines, sparking rapid-fire commentary:
- Greenland in the news: Global reaction to Trump’s policy moves.
- Aid to hiding immigrants: Minnesota volunteers delivering groceries as ICE crackdowns increase.
- Iran eases internet bans after violent state crackdowns.
- China’s record low birth rates: Discussion of demographic decline and failed pronatalist policies.
- Sports item: Buffalo Bills fire head coach.
- Odd news: A coyote swims to Alcatraz.
- Humor: Minnesota’s new "state bird" per satirical Babylon Bee— "Screaming Lesbian".
4. Minnesota in Crisis: Immigration Crackdown, Protests, & Political Fallout
- [18:47–28:41]
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Situation in Minnesota grows tenser:
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Active duty troops on alert; ICE agents detaining suspected illegals; tense standoffs with protestors
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Armstrong’s insight:
"You let a bad situation go too long and that you let 15 million people come into your country illegally and people decide we want them out... It's going to be an ugly process..."
(Jack Armstrong, 19:37) -
Getty compares it to untreated dental problems: "...the longer you wait, the bigger it gets, the more painful the solution..." (Joe Getty, 19:57)
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Debate over public officials’ rhetoric:
They criticize Governor Waltz for previously calling ICE “the Gestapo” and now urging calm. -
Clip analysis: Protestors block ICE from arresting a child sex offender.
- Getty’s frustration: “Insane.” (Joe Getty, 21:45)
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Deeper divide: The hosts argue that many progressives fundamentally oppose deportations, regardless of legality.
- Getty:
“Their worldview is so completely different... They’re not comfortable with borders and restrictions and rules...” (Joe Getty, 23:37)
- Getty:
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Fear of escalation:
Armstrong and Getty warn of a potential for "bloodletting" if tensions continue.- Potential for violence as armed protests, government crackdowns intersect.
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5. Don Lemon & Church Protest Controversy
- [27:15–30:17]
- Background: Don Lemon joins protestors who storm a church service in Minneapolis; bases actions on the First Amendment.
- Armstrong and Getty’s take:
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Both find Lemon’s actions offensive and counterproductive.
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Getty’s harsh rebuke:
“He is a disease, Don Lemon.” (Joe Getty, 29:09) -
Armstrong:
“This is what the First Amendment looks like. Storming into a church and disrupting the service so that they can't have their service... F you, dude.” (Jack Armstrong, 29:49)
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Tongue-in-cheek proposal:
“We'll stop deporting illegals if we get to jail Don Lemon for the rest of his natural life.” (Joe Getty, 30:03)(Leads to darkly comic banter about "shuffling Don Lemon off to El Salvador.")
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6. Media & Social Commentary; Division in Politics
- [31:39–32:31]
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Escalation of rhetoric: Bemoan the absence of good-faith debates, replaced by "going for the kill shot."
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Getty's view:
"I picture people having brought the country down into smoldering ruins on their deathbed, saying, yeah, but I owned the libs and drank their tears." (Joe Getty, 32:07) -
Brief Mailbag: Listener emails address welfare, socialism, and anticipated revelations about MLK's life.
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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Sports Exuberance
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“It's one of the greatest sports stories in the history of sports... It's movie-making stuff.”
Jack Armstrong, 03:24 -
“He's either a genius or a madman... no facial expressions always. Like he's Spock from Star Trek.”
Jack Armstrong, 05:27–05:42
Immigration Debate
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“You let a bad situation go too long... It's going to be an ugly process to get them out. There's just no getting around it.”
Jack Armstrong, 19:37 -
“The longer you wait, the bigger it gets, the more painful the solution is going to be.”
Joe Getty, 19:57 -
“Their worldview is so completely different... they're very uncomfortable with setting... boundaries here or we're going to have chaos.”
Joe Getty, 23:37
Don Lemon, Protests & the First Amendment
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“He is a disease, Don Lemon.”
Joe Getty, 29:09 -
“This is what the First Amendment looks like. Storming into a church and disrupting the service... F you, dude.”
Jack Armstrong, 29:49 -
“We'll stop deporting illegals if we get to jail Don Lemon for the rest of his natural life.”
Joe Getty, 30:03
Societal Division
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“We're the person that goes for the kill shot in every argument. And then you can't have a discussion at all...”
Jack Armstrong, 31:39 -
“...having brought the country down into smoldering ruins on their deathbed, saying, yeah, but I owned the libs and drank their tears.”
Joe Getty, 32:07
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Indiana Football Story: 03:03–08:20
- Trump, Greenland, and Tariffs: 09:06–11:26
- News Headlines with Katie Green: 13:52–18:05
- Minnesota Immigration Crisis: 18:47–28:41
- ICE Agents & Protestors Clash: 21:10–22:31
- Don Lemon Church Protest & First Amendment Debate: 27:15–30:17
- Escalation of Political Rhetoric: 31:39–32:31
Tone and Style
The episode is marked by the hosts’ sharp wit, frequent satirical jabs, and willingness to mix humor with serious concern. Armstrong & Getty critique both the right and left, resist “utopian” thinking, and lament the coarsening of public discourse. The atmosphere often veers from comically exasperated to genuinely worried about the country's direction.
Summary Takeaway
This episode showcases Armstrong & Getty's ability to inject humor and biting commentary into the week’s most heated political stories. From unlikely sports heroes to high-stakes immigration showdowns and farcical political strategies, the hosts emphasize the cost of escalating rhetoric and wish for cooler heads to prevail—even as they can’t resist a few more jokes at Don Lemon’s expense.
