Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels

Guest: Eric Bolling
Episode: Government Shutdown, Socialist Shift & Trump’s Next Move
Date: October 31, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jillian Michaels sits down with Eric Bolling, former Fox News host and current host of "The Edge" on YouTube, to break down the most urgent and controversial events in U.S. politics. The conversation dives deep into the state of partisan media, the impact of extremism on both sides of the political spectrum, the government shutdown and its fallout, the future of welfare and food stamps, election dynamics, and the shifting landscape of American values. The dialogue is candid, at times intense, and punctuated by urgent warnings about the consequences of mainstreaming extremists and losing hold of centrist politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of Political Discourse and Extremism

Timestamps: 01:44–12:45

• Opening Thoughts: Jillian expresses distress over the current political climate, criticizing both extremes and lamenting the lack of common sense and dialogue.
• Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes: Both hosts are alarmed at Carlson platforming Fuentes, who openly admires Joseph Stalin.
  • Jillian: “When you mainstream a guy who says he loves Stalin, the show's over... You are handing this win to the left.” (04:44)
• Bolling’s Perspective on Platforming Extremists:
  • “There’s no click or view that’s worth highlighting someone who’s an absolute lunatic who’s detrimental to humanity, period.” (05:51)
  • He refrains from deplatforming people but believes mainstream figures must not legitimize extremists.
• Clicks & Partisanship: Both agree that outrage and extremism drive online engagement and create financial incentives for polarizing content.
  • “They're clicks, Jillian. The more outrageous you get...the more advertising dollars you get. Although...advertisers tend to steer away from people who are too hyper-partisan.” – Eric Bolling (07:29)

2. Political Bifurcation and the Changing Fabric of America

Timestamps: 08:59–14:19

• Bolling’s Observations from “Halloween Horror Nights”:
  • “The fabric of the country has changed...our politics have gone so far left and right. The progressive wing of the Democrat party just owns academia...” (09:02–09:59)
• Younger Generations: Bolling worries younger people are being indoctrinated to embrace progressive policies, and that society risks total political bifurcation.
• Discussion on Trump’s Influence: Trump’s divisiveness polarizes the nation, and both parties are emulating his “elevated rhetoric.”
  • “Trump is a divisive figure. Our side loves him. Their side cannot take one more minute of Trump, but they also can’t look away—like a train wreck.” (10:28)

3. Dangers of Normalizing Extremism

Timestamps: 10:55–15:26

• Jillian: Warns that the right is at risk of losing “purple” (centrist) voters by normalizing figures like Fuentes.
• Violent Rhetoric and Real-World Consequences:
  • Increased political violence, referencing the assassination of Charlie Kirk and rising acceptability of political violence among youth.
  • “When they go out and they commit political violence and assassinations, they feel all the more justified. And I just, I’m so disappointed that the right is doing this.” – Jillian (14:19)
• Bolling: Describes Fuentes as “the worst of our society...a racist…a bigot,” and stresses that radicalism on both ends is dangerous.

4. The Government Shutdown & Food Stamps Crisis

Timestamps: 18:49–34:53

• Shutdown Mechanics:
  • Democrats and Republicans blame each other, but Bolling notes that sunset clauses enacted during Obama’s administration are a root cause.
  • “Food stamps run out November 1st...a lot more loosely attached to EBT—are going to be the Democrat constituents...I think you’re going to see a lot of pressure after November 1st and the Democrats probably will cave.” – Eric (22:35–24:40)
• Funding Loopholes & State vs. Federal Power:
  • States can try to fund welfare against federal rules, but risk losing federal grant money.
  • “If the federal government really want to enforce...with transfer payments, Stephen Miller...his biggest thing is immigration. I think the feds are going to clamp down on anyone who tries to supply an EBT card with state money, circumventing the feds.” (28:30)
• Problems with Welfare:
  • Legacy use rather than crisis support.
  • EBT misused for “garbage food”—calls to restrict food assistance to healthy foods.

5. Critiques on Abuse and Fraud in Welfare

Timestamps: 30:52–34:53

• EBT Abuse: Both discuss videos and reports of welfare fraud, people well above poverty thresholds qualifying, and “selling” of food stamps.
  • “They’re selling. Even the folks who are, who qualify may not be using it for food. And the way they get around that is...their card to go buy drugs and alcohol.” – Eric (32:49)
• Long-Term Structural Issues:
  • Both parties to blame for expanding government and debt, wink-and-nod deals.

6. Upcoming Elections: Socialist Shift & America’s Future

Timestamps: 35:48–54:17

• Key Races:
  • Gubernatorial in NJ and VA, NYC mayoral, CA Prop 50.
  • Rising socialist figures (Mamdani in NYC): “He might even be worse than the socialist. Some things…are pushing Marxism boundaries.” – Eric (35:48)
• Concerns About Socialist Policies:
  • “If they're the majority, they got the vote...this could be an inflection point in America where we move towards a more heavily, more socialist country the way Europe...has done.” – Eric (36:36)
  • Memorable Cuomo Takedown:
    • “You have never had a job. You've never accomplished anything. There's no reason to believe you have any merit OR qualification for 8.5 million lives. You don't know how to run a government. You don't know how to handle an emergency.” – Andrew Cuomo, during debate (40:17)
• Jillian: Raises concern that radical policies and punitive taxes will drive high-income earners and capital out of blue states.

7. Islamophobia Accusations and Critique of Identity Politics

Timestamps: 46:46–54:17

• Mamdani’s Resume & Radicalism:
  • Jillian and Eric criticize his references to Islamophobia and alleged dishonesty (inventing relatives, praise for Holy Land 5).
  • Jillian: “It's not because we're Islamophobic, but it's also like, you lied about an aunt that doesn't exist...you're giving love to the guys that funded a terror group.”
• Concerns about Sharia Law and Identity Conflict:
  • “The man is a socialist, but he also is a very strongly opinioned Muslim...Will he move New York to recognize Sharia law? Some would say that would be the case.” – Eric (49:36)

8. Gerrymandering & California’s Prop 50

Timestamps: 55:53–61:09

• Schwarzenegger & Electoral Reform:
  • Schwarzenegger laments both parties “cheating” via gerrymandering.
  • “Now all of a sudden they’re undoing all of that. There’s this war going on...who can out-cheat the other one...the ones that are getting left behind are the people.” – Schwarzenegger (55:53)
• Implications for Republicans in California:
  • Dave Rubin: “It will take 193,000 votes to elect a Democrat to Congress, 1.52 million to elect a Republican. A Democrat vote will be worth eight times a Republican vote.” – Dave Rubin (59:32)
  • Bolling: “They could care less about the policy that helps the people. Gerrymandering is a joke...they really should just lay out a grid.” (57:10)
• Jillian’s Stand: Frustration that both sides enable structures that undermine true representation and fairness.

9. Trump, Tariffs, and the China Deal

Timestamps: 62:05–73:26

• Summing Up the Politics of Tariffs:
  • Bolling admits he “hates tariffs,” believes they’re bad for the free market and concedes Trump is using them for leverage but real changes are minimal.
    • “I want less government intrusiveness in my life...the market said, are you kidding me...we don’t need to play that game. I like the markets to stay free.” (62:33)
• Jobs, Manufacturing, & Repatriation:
  • Little hope that manufacturing repatriation will actually create jobs—automation will dominate.
  • Potential solution: incentivize capital expenditure instead of government-mandated repatriation.
• Fentanyl Crisis & Foreign Policy Ethics:
  • Jillian raises national security, civil rights, and drug issues.
  • Bolling, after losing his son to fentanyl: “These are horrible people, they're hard dogs. Please let no one say that I'm defending narco terrorists...But...we have to be smart about how we handle the problem.” (69:17)
  • Warns that a wrong move diplomatically can have devastating political backlash.

10. The “Ballroom” Outrage

Timestamps: 73:28–79:22

• Media Backlash against Trump’s White House Ballroom:
  • Jillian: Outrage mirrors TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome), especially since the project is privately funded, whereas previous presidents (Obama, Clinton, Nixon, Bush) spent taxpayer money on personal amenities.
  • Even left-leaning ChatGPT agrees: "If you're outraged that Trump is building a ballroom, you may want to sit down…” (77:46)
  • Bolling: “It’s just more Trump derangement syndrome...The place is really, really in need of upgrade. That briefing room was a swimming pool, then they filled the swimming pool in and made it a floor…It needs a facelift too.” (76:18)
• Bolling Closes: “There it is right now. That’s the bifurcation of American politics.” (78:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jillian (on political extremism):
  “When you force a purple person to choose between somebody who's arguably misguided and uninformed, that chooses sex changes for kids, and a party that normalizes a guy who says he loves Joseph Stalin, you're gonna lose and we're going to end up with Gavin Newsom for president.” (04:30)
• Eric (on clicks and partisanship):
  “They're clicks, Jillian. The more outrageous you get, the more following you get, the more clicks you get and the more popular you get...” (07:29)
• Andrew Cuomo, on Mandani’s Qualifications (direct quote from debate):
  “You have never had a job. You've never accomplished anything...you don't know how to run a government. You don't know how to handle an emergency...You gave yourselves the highest raise in the US...And then you never showed up for work and you missed 80% of the votes. Shame on you.” (40:17)
• Jillian (on the state of welfare):
  “40% of Coca Cola's income is from the food stamps program...when you try to remove soda and candy, you're racist. You're ableist. You're all these hideous, pejorative. It's a racket. It's a scam.” (31:50)
• Bolling (reflecting on American trends):
  “I did very well on Wall street because I saw the trend happening before others...and the trend is not our friend right now. These next, this next year for Trump...really, really important.” (43:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Subject Matter | Timestamps | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------| | Extremism / Media | Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes | 01:44–12:45 | | Partisan Shift | Influence of Trump, youth/academia | 08:59–14:19 | | Political Violence| Assassination, radicalization | 12:45–16:23 | | Gov't Shutdown | Blame, EBT, food stamps | 18:49–34:53 | | Welfare Abuse | EBT fraud, food lobby, bipartisan failures | 30:52–34:53 | | Elections | Socialist rise, Mamdani, Cuomo debate | 35:48–46:46 | | Islamophobia | Accusations against critics, identity | 46:46–54:17 | | Gerrymandering | Prop 50, Schwarzenegger’s comments | 55:53–61:09 | | China/Tariffs | Trump’s strategy, market impacts | 62:05–73:26 | | Ballroom “Scandal”| Media double standard, Trump’s project | 73:28–79:22 |

Tone & Style

• Honest, unfiltered, and passionate: Both hosts do not mince words, delivering both personal anecdotes and policy analysis with intense energy.
• Urgent and at times alarmed: Jillian openly uses phrases like “my head hurts,” “I am super distressed,” and “I just, I can't stop my head from hurting today,” amplifying the episode’s emotional immediacy.

Final Thoughts

• Bolling closes with optimism about his podcast and the need for healthy masculine role models for young people: “I’m so proud of you, the success you’re having...I do a podcast now, it’s called the Eric Bolling the Edge ... it’s all about male grit, being able to stand up...” (79:54)
• Both express concern for the direction of American culture, the power of centrist politics, and the risk of extremism driving the national agenda.

Recommended Episodes:

• Previous guests like Tony Robbins, Dr. Peter Attia, Lindsay Vonn, and Gary Vaynerchuk have all appeared for similarly probing and grounded dialogue.

For More:

• Find Eric Bolling on “The Edge” on YouTube.
• Jillian’s links and resources can be found in the show notes of this podcast episode.

This summary was created by an expert podcast summarizer.