DONKEY: Charlamagne Responds To Glenn Beck Calling Him Out Over Trump Administration Criticism. Listen for more!

Summary

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Donkey of the Day: Charlamagne Responds To Glenn Beck Calling Him Out Over Trump Administration Criticism

Podcast: Donkey of the Day, Power 105.1 FM (WWPR-FM)
Host: Charlamagne tha God
Date: May 4, 2026
Episode Description: Charlamagne awards Glenn Beck the Donkey of the Day after Beck takes issue with Charlamagne’s comments on the pain caused by the Trump administration and allegations of “justifying” political violence.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on Charlamagne tha God’s fiery rebuttal to Glenn Beck’s accusations regarding Charlamagne’s recent comments about pain and radicalization in the U.S. following an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Charlamagne forcefully reasserts his consistent condemnation of political violence while challenging Beck’s apparent inability to grasp the very real economic and social suffering endured by millions of Americans.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Glenn Beck’s Accusation and Social Media Framing

• Charlamagne explains that Glenn Beck highlighted his remarks about the attempted Trump assassination on Beck’s show and social media, with captions implying Charlamagne "justifies" the incident.
  • Quote (03:02):

    "He [Glenn Beck] was trying to paint the picture that I was justifying the Trump assassination. That’s why they put ‘justifying’ in caps. But you put a question mark at the end to protect yourselves. Okay, I get it.”
    — Charlamagne tha God

2. Charlamagne's Original Stance: Radicalization and Pain

• Charlamagne reiterates that he explicitly does not condone political violence, but insists it is important to honestly discuss how extreme pain and hardship can lead to radicalization.
  • Quote (04:50):

    "The Trump administration has caused so much pain, people’s everyday lives, that some folks are fed up and willing to risk it all. Simple as that. And if you’re gonna talk about anybody toning down violent political rhetoric, start with the President. I’m Donald J. Trump."

• He accuses Beck of gaslighting and being out of touch:
  • Quote (05:23):

    "That’s some grade A gaslighting right there, okay? People like Glenn Beck have been too rich, too privileged, and too in a bubble for so long that they have zero clue about the pain so many in this country are currently facing."
    — Charlamagne tha God

3. Examples of American Pain and Economic Strife

• Charlamagne reads directly from listener comments to underline systemic suffering:
  • Loss of subsidized healthcare, chronic illness costs, working parents unable to afford basics, children going hungry despite parents’ efforts.
  • Quote (06:27):

    "Maybe the pain isn’t loud. Maybe it’s quiet and constant. It’s the moment someone loses subsidized healthcare... every doctor visit feels like a financial risk. It’s parents who work every single day earning $7.25 an hour… but still coming home wondering how to stretch groceries for the week."

• Other themes raised include lack of accountability for powerful offenders, police violence, loss of rights, and rising prices for essential goods and services.

4. Political Violence: Condemnation and Context

• Repeatedly affirms: There is absolutely no justification for political violence.
  • Quote (06:54):

    "Once again, there is no justification for political violence, but we do ourselves a grave disservice if we don’t at least discuss the many reasons a person can be radicalized."

• Warns against ignoring or downplaying legitimate grievances that, left unaddressed, drive people to desperate acts.

5. Power Inequality and Privilege Gap

• Sharp contrast between the lived experience of wealthy commentators and working-class Americans.
  • Quote (11:15):

    "You can’t just shrug that off because you rich… It’s a different feeling when… your people are really trying to figure some things out. That’s different. You got an eviction notice right now, like a full time job… you can’t afford daycare…"

6. Societal Impact of Economic Hardships

• Points to data:
  • 57%–78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
  • Over 40% struggle to save for retirement.
• Argues that economic hardship—not just rhetoric—breeds frustration and instability:
  • Quote (08:15):

    "Economic hardships act as a stressor, raising hostility and contributing to higher rates of robbery, property crime, intimate partner violence, and in some cases, yes, political conflicts. Not saying it’s right, but it’s reality."

7. Political Accountability and Policy Failures

• Asserts that the Trump administration’s policies have been illegal, unconstitutional, and blatantly harmful to public health, environment, healthcare, and Social Security.
  • Quote (09:22):

    "You have to know in your heart that this administration in particular has acted illegally and unconstitutionally in ways that have weakened our democratic institutions, wrecked our economy, rolled back protections for public health, the environment, not to mention health care and Social Security benefits."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Glenn Beck’s Platforming:
  "Glenn, your social media people knew what they were doing, okay? They were trying to paint the picture that I was justifying the Trump assassination. That’s why they put justifying in caps. But you put a question mark at the end to protect yourselves." — Charlamagne tha God (03:12)

• On Radicalization and Reality:
  "There is no justification for political violence, but we do ourselves a grave disservice if we don’t at least discuss the many reasons a person can be radicalized." — Charlamagne tha God (06:54)

• Economic Pain on the Ground:
  "Maybe the pain isn’t loud. Maybe it’s quiet and constant... It’s parents who work every single day earning $7.25 an hour… but still coming home wondering how to stretch groceries for the week." — Listener Gina, cited by Charlamagne (06:30)

• Privilege vs. Lived Experience:
  "You can’t just shrug that off because you rich... it’s a different feeling when you got an eviction notice right now..." — Charlamagne tha God (11:15)

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Key Timestamps

• 02:24 – Charlamagne opens the Donkey of the Day segment
• 03:02 – Identifies Glenn Beck as the recipient and summarizes Beck's framing
• 04:44 – 05:23 – Glenn Beck’s critique and Charlamagne’s immediate rebuttal
• 06:00 – 08:15 – Charlamagne reads comments illustrating economic pain and the lived realities of listeners
• 09:22 – Lists alleged Trump administration harms and stakes of ongoing policy choices
• 10:32 – 11:38 – Opens phone lines for callers to share personal pain and experiences with policy impacts
• 11:15 – 12:00 – Personalizes the economic crisis, talking about eviction notices and basic needs crises
• 12:03 – Segment transitions toward listener call-ins

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Tone & Language

Charlamagne delivers his message with trademark frankness, urgency, and a conversational style. He keeps the discussion centered on real-world consequences for everyday Americans, refusing to allow what he calls “gaslighting” by elite commentators to set the narrative. His language is direct, sometimes biting, and always reasserts his principles against political violence while demanding discomforting but necessary national self-reflection.

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Conclusion

Charlamagne awards Glenn Beck the Donkey of the Day for performative outrage and willful ignorance about the pain endured by millions under political policies. He demands that public figures move beyond rhetorical games and actually address why economic and political suffering today is so acute as to risk radicalizing members of society. The segment ends with Charlamagne inviting listeners to share their own stories of hardship, keeping the focus on real people—not just media personalities.

Transcript

[Charlamagne tha God]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

This is America.

[Guest or Commentator]

There is no question that there are problems in this country between police and community.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes, you are a donkey to the latest on that Police killing of a black man. Now to new developments in the deadly spa shooting rampage.

[Interviewer or Co-host]

And yesterday was a really bad day

[Charlamagne tha God]

for him, and this is what he did.

[Guest or Commentator]

And so we are in a state of emergency.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Okay. White supremacist violence is. It always has been, the number one threat to our society.

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But I'm also very proud that my wife is white.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Breakfast Club, bitches.

[Guest or Commentator]

All right, Charlemagne, please tell me, why was I your donkey of the day?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, Tommy, Lauren, donkey Today for Monday, May 4th goes to American political commentator Glenn Beck. You know who Glenn Beck is, right? I know who Glenn Beck is. Right. CEO of the Blaze, used to be on Fox. I believe we share the same syndicate as he's with Premier networks as well. He's very successful. Very successful. He's had a long, prosperous career in media. In fact, I was looking up his net worth this morning because I am a notorious pocket watcher. And his net worth is 150 to 200. $200 million. Okay, he gets to it. And he was recently having a conversation on his radio show, I believe, about some of my comments in regards to the shooting that happened at the White House correspondence dinner. We know the story. Cole Thomas Allen rushed security guards and fired a shotgun. And he is now being accused of trying to assassinate President Donald J. Trump. Now, I made some comments about that situation. My comments were simple. There is no place for political violence in our society. None. I don't condone it, but I think we do ourselves a disservice when we don't talk about how people can become radicalized. And the reality is the Trump administration has caused so much pain to people's everyday lives that some folks are fed up and willing to risk it all. Well, Glenn Beck decided to talk about those statements. And in his caption on IG of the video, he put charlamagne justifies. And he put justifies in all caps. Charlemagne justifies the Trump assassination attempt with a question mark. An exclamation mark. Glenn, your social media people knew what they were doing, okay? They were trying to paint the picture that I was justifying the Trump assassination. That's why they put justifying in caps. But you put a question mark at the end to protect yourselves. Okay, I get it. But Glenn asked the question in regards to what I said. Let's listen.

[Interviewer or Co-host]

You know who Charlemagne tha God is. I want you to listen to what he said about the Trump assassination attempt this week. Listen to this.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Trump administration has caused so much pain, people's everyday lives, that some folks are fed up and willing to Risk it all. Simple as that. And if you're going to talk about anybody toning down violent political rhetoric, start with the President. I'm Donald J. Trump. What.

[Interviewer or Co-host]

What the hell pain are people going? I mean, I understand economic pain that started under Biden. What pain are people going through right now that you can go, yeah, I can see why they want to kill him? That's an honest question. What pain is being applied by this administration that makes you say, I want to kill him?

[Charlamagne tha God]

That's some grade A gaslighting right there, okay? People like Glenn Beck have been too rich, too privileged, and too in a bubble for so long that they have zero clue about the pain so many in this country are currently facing. And if you listen to what Glenn Beck said, he gets it, but he just shrugged it off. He literally says, I understand the economic pain. Let's listen to that part. What the.

[Interviewer or Co-host]

What the hell pain are people going. I mean, I understand economic pain that started under Biden. What pain are people going through right now that you can go, yeah, I can see why they want to kill him?

[Charlamagne tha God]

If you understand the economic pain, then why are you asking the question what pain? Okay, could people possibly people. When you. Why are you asking the question what pain? Okay, could people possibly be going through something in this country? Yes. Once again, there is no justification political for political violence. But we do ourselves a grave disservice if we don't at least discuss the many reasons a person can be radicalized. Once again, there is no justification for political violence, but we do ourselves a grave disservice if we don't at least discuss the many reasons a person can be radicalized. You said, what pain can people possibly be going through? Well, let me speak. Let me speak from some of my people, okay? My good friend Gina, Lisa Monterosso, she is the founder of Medicaid Advisory Group. She left a comment and said, maybe the pain isn't loud. Maybe it's quiet and constant. It's the moment someone loses subsidized healthcare and suddenly has to choose between Medicai are rent. It's living with a chronic illness and realizing the coverage that kept you stable is gone. And now every doctor visit feels like a financial risk. It's parents who work every single day earning $7.25 an hour in places like Texas and Mississippi, but still coming home wondering how to stretch groceries for the week. Is children feeling hunger not because their parents don't try, but because they no longer qualify for SNAP while prices keep rising? It's the silent math happening at kitchen tables. What can we cut next? What happens if someone gets sick? That is the PA people are carrying right now. Another person in my comments said they're literally killing protesters in the street, terrorizing immigrant communities. People can't afford food, gas, everyone working two jobs. There is no accountability for anyone in the Epstein files or for killing school children in an illegal war. There is so much unnecessary pain in a world with enough resources for everyone to live a happy, healthy life. If we just shared in, quote, another person in my comments, her name is Mistress Fatima, says women have lost their rights to their bodies, black folks have lost political power, and the price of everything has skyrocketed. And he wants to know what pain people are in. The Epstein files is a big part. Okay? Because if you read Cole Allen's manifesto, he says, and I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist and trader to coat my hands with his crimes. Sadly, if people don't feel like the justice system is doing anything to protect kids, they're going to take matters into their own hands. I don't agree with vigilante justice. I don't think political violence is the answer. But we have to have honest conversations about how these people are being radicalized. Glenn Beck knows this, okay? But he's one of those people who has made a career of gaslighting folk and playing dumb, okay? It's hard to know what people like Glenn Beck really believe and what's just performative because you acknowledge that you understand the economic pain. And if you understand the economic pain, then you know, economic strife, high unemployment, poverty, income inequality, all of that can lead to violence. It's not right, but it's reality, okay? Economic hardships act as a stressor, raising hostility and contributing to higher rates of robbery, property, crime, intimate partner violence, and in some cases, yes, political conflicts. Not saying it's right, but it's reality. Do you realize that according to CBS News, between 57% and 78% of American adults live paycheck to paycheck, meaning they have little to no savings left after covering basic expenses, okay? The rising costs of living, inflation and debt, those are all primary factors. Practice, okay? With over 40% of consumers struggling to save for retirement, Glenn Beck. I don't know how you can be so detached from everyday Americans that you don't understand that type of pain, okay? I don't understand how you don't understand the pain the Trump administration has caused. You have to know in your heart that this administration in particular has acted illegally and unconstitutionally in ways that have weakened our democratic institutions, wrecked our economy, rolled back protections for public health, the environment, not to mention healthcare and Social Security benefits. Okay? All of that is at risk for millions of Americans. If you don't think for one second this could lead to someone risking it all, then you're bugging. Yes, we should talk about violent political rhetoric that leads to political violence and we should discourage that and denounce it, okay? Especially when it's coming from the president of the United States of America. But we should also talk about violent political policies that are hurting the pockets of everyday working class Americans and discourage and denounce that, too. Please give Gillen Beck the biggest Hee Haw. That's all I'm saying. And if you don't think people are in pain, open up the phone lines right now.

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

Let's do it.

[Charlamagne tha God]

1-800-585-1051 okay, let's talk about some of the pain you did.

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

That's right.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Has the policies that the Trump administration has implemented, what type of pain has it caused you? Let's discuss. Let's just talk about it. 1-800-585-101051 yes. Okay. And listen, once again, I don't condone political violence. There is no place for political violence in our society. I don't condone it on any level. But I think we do ourselves a disservice when we don't talk about how people can become radicalized in these situations.

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

Well, let's open up the floor.

[Charlamagne tha God]

And the economic strife will cause you to do some strange things.

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

800-585-105. When we're talking about pain, what pain have you been dealing with recently?

[Charlamagne tha God]

And he knows it. He literally said, I understand the economic pain because you can't just shrug that off because you rich. I was about to say he might know it, but like it's a different feeling when you got, when you feeling, yeah, you going home and you, you

[Guest or Commentator]

know what I mean?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Like your people are really trying to figure some things out. Like that's different. You got an eviction notice right now. Like a full time job. Exactly. Where you going to go? You can't afford daycare. You might have to take your kid to school. Like there's things that you feel pains

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

you and you're scared to go to the doctor because you know you're going to get a huge bill and you

[Charlamagne tha God]

can't afford it, man. Listen, the TSA agents, you know, who had to be down at the food bank because like I said, people are living check to check in this country and missing one paycheck. Literally. You got to decide between rent, food, daycare, car notes, health insurance. Like, what are we talking about?

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

Let's. Let's take your phone calls. 800-585-1051.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Let's discuss this. The Breakfast Club.

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

Good morning.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Wake you up. Wake you up.

[Breakfast Club Producer/Caller]

Wake that ass up.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Program your alarm to power 105.1 on iHeartradio.

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[Charlamagne tha God]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

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