#455 — More From Sam: Guns, Propaganda, AI, and Power Unbound

Summary

Making Sense with Sam Harris

Episode #455 — More From Sam: Guns, Propaganda, AI, and Power Unbound
Release Date: January 30, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode of “Making Sense”, Sam Harris and his guest host conduct a sweeping, candid examination of the state of American gun culture, the ramifications of recent federal law enforcement violence, propaganda in the media, geopolitical crises, and the fading sense of existential urgency about climate change. With signature skepticism and dry wit, Harris scrutinizes not only political actors and media personalities but also the collective silence of groups supposedly dedicated to core constitutional principles.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Federal Killing in Minneapolis & the Second Amendment (01:26–07:43)

• Incident Discussion: The episode opens with a dissection of the killing of Alex Preddy by poorly trained ICE officers in Minneapolis and the surprisingly muted response from American gun owners.
• Sam’s View on Gun Culture:
  • Harris is dumbfounded by the lack of outrage:

    “I’m as astonished by this lack of outrage as by anything that’s happened in this last year or so. Because this, more than anything that has happened in my lifetime, is a complete repudiation of the Second Amendment.” (02:42)

  • He points out that many gun owners claim to own firearms to protect against government tyranny, but their silence now undermines their own rationale:

    “They’ve been preparing for this moment their entire lives, or so they’ve said. And where the hell are they, right?” (03:13)

  • Suggests that if this killing had happened under a Democratic administration, gun activists would have responded with open hostility toward federal agencies.
• On Political and Media Response:
  • Harris criticizes the “full court press” from political leaders and right-wing media, who instead of defending gun rights, align with the agencies’ use of violence.
  • The government’s swift vilification of Preddy is labeled “insane” and deeply troubling.

Notable Quote

• Sam Harris on government and gun rights:

  “If you are carrying firearms in any kind of proximity to federal law enforcement, that is very likely a death sentence and should be. Right? … Where is gun culture on this? It’s completely insane.” (04:01)

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2. Media Propaganda and Megyn Kelly’s Reaction (04:34–06:26)

• Media Coverage & Public Narrative:
  • The hosts discuss and play a clip representing mainstream media’s framing of Preddy, with BBC facial recognition confirming his identity near ICE agents weeks before his death.
  • The guest host shares Megyn Kelly’s commentary blaming Preddy for “provoking” authorities and framing him as reckless.
• Sam Harris’s Response:
  • Harris dismisses any justification for killing a disarmed, restrained individual, regardless of prior provocation or criminality:

    “It doesn’t matter what happened 11 days before. It doesn’t matter who he is … Once he is restrained … they don’t kill him.” (05:25)

  • He challenges the logic that even problematic protest behavior could remotely justify a fatal outcome.

Notable Quote

• Sam Harris on due process:

  “Even if he was the worst person on Earth, the way he was killed, the fact that he was killed and the subsequent statements about that killing are shocking. … That half of America that cares so deeply about gun rights … where the hell are they?” (06:52)

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3. Rapid Update on Iran and U.S. Foreign Policy (07:43–08:48)

• Deaths in Iran:
  • The number of people killed reportedly surpasses 30,000, up from previous estimates of 12–15,000; sources are unclear.
• Harris’s Perspective:
  • Decries U.S. inaction:

    “…Trump’s demand that they not kill their protesters went unheard, and perhaps we’re getting ready to respond to that atrocity.” (08:00)

  • Advocates for toppling the Iranian regime, acknowledging uncertainty about aftermath but calling the status quo “in no sane person’s interest”.

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4. Candace Owens, Climate, and Public Perception (08:48–09:42)

• Candace Owens’s Weather Confusion:
  • Host recounts a viral tweet in which Owens is baffled that ice isn’t melting at 30°F (below freezing).
  • Harris lampoons her history of climate denial:

    “She never understood much about climate. … there’s a famous clip where she was on Joe Rogan’s podcast many years ago pretending to be a Climatologist.” (09:15)

• Existential Climate Risk:
  • Harris notes that concern for climate risk has “fallen out of the top 10” existential threats:

    “Nobody’s got time to worry about that. It’s too slow moving and it’s too hypothetical. It would be great if we lived in a world where we could look at things that subtle, but it’s like the house is on fire and worrying about the climate is … I can’t even imagine.” (09:42)

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5. Satirical Political Banter & Cultural Moments (10:07–11:13)

• Gulf of America Joke:
  • The hosts joke about Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico and personally “eliminating” hurricanes with a Sharpie, mocking political absurdities around science.
• Pop Culture Meets Politics:
  • Reference to Nicki Minaj appearing with Trump at a public event, demonstrating the blending of celebrity and political cults of personality.
• Sam as ‘Prognosticator’:
  • The host teases Harris about a 2016 prediction, drawing parallels to modern-day conspiracy theorists.

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:26–04:34] — Minneapolis Killing and Gun Rights
• [04:34–06:26] — Media Narratives and Megyn Kelly Reaction
• [07:43–08:48] — Iran Death Toll & U.S. Response
• [08:48–09:42] — Candace Owens, Weather, and Climate
• [10:07–10:38] — Satirical Political Commentary
• [10:45–11:13] — Celebrity Politics & Podcast Meta-Humor

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On American gun culture’s silence:

  “Where is gun culture on this? It’s completely insane. … I’m as mystified by this as anything I’ve seen so far.” (04:01)

• On rationalizing state violence:

  “It doesn’t matter what happened 11 days before. … Once he is restrained … they don’t kill him.” (05:25)

• On existential risk shifting priorities:

  “Nobody’s got time to worry about [climate]. It’s too slow moving and it’s too hypothetical. … It’s like the house is on fire and worrying about the climate is … I can’t even imagine.” (09:42)

• On political absurdity:

  “If push comes to shove, [Trump] can just draw a different path to the hurricane and save many, many lives that way.” (10:29)

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Conclusion

This episode is a brisk and wide-ranging critique of modern American discourse, blending outrage, dismay, and mordant humor as Sam Harris skewers the inconsistencies of political and cultural reactions to power, violence, and truth. With a keen eye for hypocrisy and a relentless focus on rationality, Harris continues to provoke listeners to re-examine cherished ideas—especially when the stakes are highest.

Transcript

[Sam Harris]

Welcome to the Making Sense Podcast. This is Sam Harris. Just a note to say that if you're hearing this, you're not currently on our subscriber feed and will only be hearing the first part of this conversation. In order to access full episodes of the Making Sense podcast, you'll need to [e-mail] we don't run ads on the podcast, and therefore it's made possible entirely through the support of our subscribers. So if you enjoy what we're doing here, please consider becoming one.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Okay, we're back with another episode of More from Sam. Hi, Sam. Hey, how you doing?

[Sam Harris]

Good to see you.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Good to see you, too. Before we begin, I just want to quickly run through yet again your upcoming shows. LA was amazing, by the way.

[Sam Harris]

Yeah, that was a good crowd.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Yeah, it was a great one. Again for the audience. Sam will be giving a talk in a number of cities in North America this year. Next week we are in Dallas and Austin and March, we're in Portland and Vancouver and then May we're in Toronto, D.C. and wrapping up things again in New York. If you'd like tickets, you can find all the [e-mail] and also, I just have to announce that yesterday the Waking up app was named App of the Day in the Apple Store.

[Sam Harris]

Oh, yeah, that's great.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Yeah. Like all overnight sensations, it only took us seven years.

[Sam Harris]

Yeah.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Yeah. In the making.

[Sam Harris]

Yeah. I don't know what took so long, but that was. Hopefully that's helpful. Graphically, it looks great.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

It looks amazing. I think they did a great job. The app is bigger than ever, and I can only imagine it's at least due in part to many of the things we discuss here on the podcast. So if you're listening right now and been meaning to try it out, you can find Waking up in the App Store. But now with a big, shiny Apple endorsement. All right, last week we began in Minneapolis, and this week we're unfortunately back in Minneapolis again with another utterly depressing killing, this time of Alex Preddy, again by what appears to be the very poorly trained ICE officers. What's happened there?

[Sam Harris]

Oh, yeah, beyond. I don't even know. I mean, this is poorly trained, poorly vetted. I mean, this is just people who are not behaving like law enforcement officers that are recognizable. The most amazing thing about this killing, apart from how pointless and horrible it was, is the response, or lack of response from the gun owners of America. I mean, there's been a few tepid complaints from gun organizations, but we would be in a Completely different world. If this had happened under Biden or a Kamala Harris presidency. I'm as astonished by this lack of outrage as by anything that's happened in this last year or so. Because this more than anything that has happened in my lifetime, is a complete repudiation of the second Amendment. We have millions of Americans who have been telling us for, for their entire adult lives that the second Amendment is basically the central precept of their civic religion. And unlike some gun owners like myself, the real reason to care about it and to own firearms is on the account of these people. Not for home defense, but for the remote chance that we're going to find ourself in the presence of a federal government that is acting tyrannically. They've been preparing for this moment their entire lives, or so they've said. And where the hell are they, right? I think if that Preddy killing had happened under Kamala Harris, the next ICE deployment or the next border patrol, even more relevantly in this case, cuz they're the ones who killed him would be shadowed by 500 guys with AR15s. Right? I mean it's just, it's unimaginable to me that they're having this lack of response. Because what we saw from the President and Vice President to Kristi Noem to Kash Patel, to Stephen Miller, the odious Stephen Miller, we had a full court press in one direction denying the reality of the second Amendment. I mean, just simply saying that if you are carrying firearms in any kind of proximity to federal law enforcement, that is very likely a death sentence and should be. Right? I mean it's just add to that the fact that they called him a terrorist and an assassin who's clearly bent on massacre and just automatically lied once again in impossible ways. Cuz we all saw the footage. He, he never reached for his gun. He was fully disarmed, restrained, and then they shot him. They put 10 rounds in his body and killed him for no apparent reason. Where is gun culture on this? It's completely insane. I'm just, I mean again, I'm as mystified by this as anything I've seen so far.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

I want to discuss a different reaction online that I saw. I want you to watch a bit of this clip and then I'll share Megyn Kelly's takeaway and then I want to get your reaction to all of this. Can you play that clip please?

[News Reporter or Narrator]

This is a moment the news movement filmed on January 13th in Minneapolis, showing a man who appears to be Alex Preddy interacting with Federal immigration agents 11 days before border Patrol shot and killed him. Our footage was analyzed by the BBC, whose facial recognition technology confirmed his identity to a 97% degree of accuracy.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Okay, so here's what she said. Alex Peretti was itching for another confrontation with Border Patrol, whom he'd been stalking, harassing, and terrorizing. He had been victimizing them. His felonies are on tape. He was reckless, and it cost him his life. Find another poster boy. Illegal loving leftist. So why can't she be mostly right, but entirely wrong?

[Sam Harris]

It doesn't matter what happened 11 days before. It doesn't matter who he is. I mean, honestly, he could have been some kind of hardened criminal that they knew they were apprehending for cause, right? And they find a gun on his belt, they disarm him. That's it. They don't kill him once he is restrained. And again, he never reached for his gun. They found it on his belt when they were wrestling with him. And, I mean, that engagement, the fact that they went hands on at that point seemed totally illegitimate. But let's just say it was fine. Let's just say they had reason to force him to the ground, pepper spray him, et cetera. Again, the video doesn't suggest that. But even if you're going to price all of that in and give them the benefit of the doubt, what then happened is they discovered a gun on his belt. You see one cop grab it and walk away, and then you see him shot by I don't know how many guys. I think it was at least two for no reason, there's nothing about this video that changes that picture.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Well, I'm saying. But even if he did those things in real time, which is what you're saying, and he kicked the cop car and he grabbed the cop, all of those things. So what I'm saying that is that even if he did all those things in the video and he did it in real time to the cops, Megyn Kelly can be right about saying, you don't behave this way. You. There are better ways to protest. You can do all those things. But I guess I'm just utterly shocked that the conclusion would be the cost of any of this would be losing your life.

[Sam Harris]

Yeah, well, the thing I'm focusing on here, though, the thing that truly astounds me is that, I mean, yes, all of this is true. This is not the way you want to behave as a protester. I have no idea who this guy was. I mean, obviously he was immediately vilified by the federal government at Every level. Which is insane. Right. We shouldn't have a government that does that. But even if he was the worst person on Earth, the way he was killed, the fact that he was killed and the subsequent statements about that killing are shocking. Right. And they're especially shocking for how completely they repudiate the Second Amendment. I mean, that's the thing that I just cannot get my head around. That half of America that cares so deeply about gun rights or whatever it is. Let's say it's 25% of America that really cares deeply. Let's just say it's 10 million people for whom it's their. Their single issue. Where the hell are they?

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Yeah, well, I'm sure we'll continue to talk about this on future episodes, unfortunately, but we got to move on to another topic. Iran. It seems that last time we said it was 12 to 15,000 people who had maybe killed. Now that number looks to be closer or over 30,000. Anything new to add to this?

[Sam Harris]

Yeah, well, I don't know how reliable these numbers are, but, you know, obviously, Trump's demand that they not kill their protesters went unheard, and perhaps we're getting ready to respond to that atrocity. You know, I've heard some news that we're moving, you know, necessary equipment into the region, so it remains to be seen what's going to happen there. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if we respond. And again, I do think it's sad we didn't do it earlier, but I do think we should give whatever help we can give to toppling this regime and rolling the dice with whatever is the aftermath. Again, this is kind of up to the Iranian people to figure out what the aftermath will be. And I don't know what to hope for there, but, you know, preserving this regime as it is seems to be in no sane person's interest, so.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Well, we don't need to spend too much time on this next topic, but Candace Owens was apparently confused this week when she tweeted back online after Internet blackout. I grew up in Connecticut and have truly never seen an ice like this ever. The temperature is 30 degrees, but the ice on our treetops is not melting at all. Never seen anything like this. Anybody else?

[Sam Harris]

So 30 degrees.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

30 degrees, and the ice is not melting. All right, Candace, that's what you're dealing with there.

[Sam Harris]

She never understood much about climate. I remember going round around with her around climate change, and there's a famous clip where she was on Joe Rogan's podcast many years ago pretending to be a Climatologist. So for that week, I guess the weather, the weather is also mystifying.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Yeah. Well, while we're on the topic of climate concerns, is there anything you want to update here? I feel like there are so many things to worry about these days. That existential climate risk has fallen out of the top 10.

[Sam Harris]

Oh yeah, nobody, nobody's got time to worry about that. It's just is too slow moving and it's too hypothetical. It would be great if we lived in a world where we could look at things that subtle, but it's like the house is on fire and worrying about the climate is. I can't even imagine. The climatologists have got all their bandwidth for the climate these days.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

We can't worry about emergencies six months away. Forget about anything beyond that. I do want to add some good news here. I saw that We've had over 150 hurricanes on record make landfall in the Gulf of Mexico through 2024. Since they've been keeping track. But last year after Trump changed the name to Gulf of America. Ask me how many hurricanes we've had since then.

[Sam Harris]

How many have we had exactly?

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

None. Let's give credit where credit is due.

[Sam Harris]

Got to celebrate those sharpie. I mean if push comes to shove, he can just draw a different path to the hurricane and save many, many lives that way.

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Well, and while we're on Funny Things, I saw a clip this morning of Nicki Minaj walking out on stage with President Trump at some event. I don't know if you saw.

[Sam Harris]

No. Really?

[Guest Host or Interviewer]

Yes. We gotta. Let's play a bit of that clip for a few seconds. I am probably the President's number one fan and that's not going to change. It reminded me of something in many, many are claiming that you might be the next great prognosticator, right up there with Alex Jones. Because I want to play this clip of you from 2016 on Rogan's podcast.

[Sam Harris]

Let's say if you'd like to continue listening to this conversation, you'll need to [e-mail] Once you do, you'll get access to all full length episodes of the Making Sense podcast. The Making Sense podcast is ad free and relies entirely on listener support and and you can subscribe [e-mail].