Podcast Summary: Mark Levin Podcast
Episode: 11/25/25 - The Hidden Truth: Foreign Accounts Manipulating American Politics
Date: November 25, 2025
Host: Mark Levin
Episode Overview
Mark Levin delves into a "massive scandal": the influence of foreign accounts on American social media and political podcasts, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). The episode critiques prominent influencers for allegedly garnering significant foreign attention and revenue, especially from adversarial nations. Levin connects these online manipulations to broader issues—misinformation, anti-American sentiment, and the integrity of U.S. political discourse. Later, he shifts focus to recent political controversies regarding military loyalty and congressional calls to defy the President, dissecting media coverage and Democratic messaging.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Elon Musk’s X/Twitter Policy Change Exposing Foreign Accounts
[00:57–12:00]
- New Feature: X/Twitter reveals the geographical origin of accounts, exposing many "US political influencers" as being based overseas.
- Levin’s Take: Praises Elon Musk’s move as a "stupendous act of patriotism," seeing it as proof of foreign influence in U.S. political discourse.
- Foreign Influence Details:
- Many accounts branded as pro-Trump or MAGA, especially those linked to Nick Fuentes (“Little Adolf”), are actually operated out of places like Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan.
- Numerous "pro-Palestinian" accounts purporting to be in Gaza or the U.S. are actually in Australia, Indonesia, Greece, and the UK.
- Impact: This foreign engagement distorts perceived support for various U.S. political viewpoints.
- Quote:
- “Elon Musk… rolled out a new feature showing the global location of accounts, revealing many influencers in the US politics are actually based overseas.” – Mark Levin [02:47]
2. The Podcast Grift—Who Are the Real Audiences?
[12:01–18:38]
- Critique of Podcasters: Levin contends that certain political podcasters (referring to Tucker Carlson as "Katarlson," Nick Fuentes, Steve Bannon, Candace Owens) court foreign eyes and dollars, influencing their content.
- Monetary Motive: Online popularity, sponsors, and ad revenue are tied to "hits" or "eyes," but many of these come from abroad—not genuine American listeners.
- Manipulation of Analytics:
- Points out that media analytics rarely break down the origin of podcast audiences, which allows the inflation of domestic popularity via foreign views.
- Quote:
- “It’s unbelievable... 20 million, oh, 20 million. Where are they from?” – Mark Levin [15:42]
- Notable Moment: Suggests influencers who thrive on antisemitism and racism do so because "they’re playing to bigots and racists abroad." [10:24]
3. Real-World Impact: Foreign Narratives in U.S. Discourse
[20:07–22:48]
- Media Repercussions: Outlets like CNN, The Guardian, and The New York Times have quoted or relied on "Palestinian" X accounts later revealed to be fake or foreign-operated.
- Astroturfing Allegation: Many influential views and trends may be entirely manufactured by coordinated, non-American actors.
- Levin’s Warning:
- “You’ve been manipulated for over two years. And some of these accounts… have been used by major corporate media.” [20:12]
4. Political Hypocrisy, Grift, and Audience Manipulation
[22:49–32:05]
- Targeting "America First" Influencers: Argues that many loudly "America First" voices—especially those who disparage Israel or the U.S. military—are only doing so for foreign popularity and cash.
- Levin’s Distinction: Points out that while America does have homegrown extremists, much of the vitriol, especially antisemitism, is imported.
- Challenges Platform Integrity: Calls for more transparency from all platforms (including those owned by Zuckerberg) and podcast services.
- Quote:
- “Elon Musk, if this is the only thing you do the rest of your life, you are a great patriot.” [17:47]
5. Listener Engagement: Real Examples of Foreign Trolls
[32:05–33:53]
- Producer’s Experiment: Found 35-40% of negative comments on Levin’s posts originated from foreign countries (Greece, India, Canada, etc.), often hateful or conspiratorial.
- Levin’s Suggestion: X should openly flag the country of origin, making these influences immediately visible.
Major Political Segment: U.S. Military, Congress, and Allegations of Disloyalty
[38:52–66:45]
1. Democrats’ Video Urging Military Disobedience
[38:52–54:00]
- Context: Six Democratic lawmakers, including ex-military, released a video suggesting U.S. military members should refuse illegal or unconstitutional orders.
- Levin’s View:
- Claims this incites disloyalty and undermines the chain of command without evidence of illegal orders from President Trump.
- Describes it as "dangerous," "unethical," and "unprecedented."
- Key Quote:
- “The whole purpose of this is to stir the pot, create havoc, undermine the military…” [41:24]
2. Media Reaction and Further Analysis
[54:00–59:41]
- Media Interviews: Various Democratic members and left-leaning journalists discuss the meaning and timing of the video.
- Levin ridicules their reluctance to provide any actual examples of illegal orders.
- He accuses the media of focusing on Trump’s comments instead of questioning lawmakers’ motives.
- Notable Quote:
- “You don’t ask this guy about Donald Trump. You ask this guy about this guy, he’s sitting right there…” [52:27], critiquing Margaret Brennan’s interview technique.
3. Pentagon Investigation into Lawmakers
[59:41–66:45]
- Development: The Pentagon is investigating Sen. Mark Kelly (and others) for possibly breaching military law.
- Levin’s Stance: Supports inquiry, asserting that using past military credentials in such a context is especially egregious.
- Pseudo-events: Describes this as a "pseudo-event"—a manufactured controversy used to attack the president without any factual basis.
- Quote:
- “They create a non-event in order to attack the president. There is no illegal order. There is no unconstitutional order. They can’t mention one because there aren’t any.” [61:38]
Other Notable Quotes & Moments
- “The hate is not coming from inside the house, ladies and gentlemen… Now we know what the hell is going on here.” – Mark Levin [10:56]
- “These people are, for the most part, they’re hateful, they’re bigots, they’re racist. But amongst the most important priorities for them is they’re grifters.” – Mark Levin [22:36]
- “I push back harder than they push, don’t I, Mr. Producer? It doesn’t matter to me.” – Mark Levin [32:23]
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 00:57 | Introduction of main topic: foreign influence | | 02:47 | New X feature exposing account locations | | 10:56 | On foreign hate and manipulation | | 15:42 | Calling out inflated podcast numbers | | 20:07 | Foreign accounts shaping media narratives | | 38:52 | Reaction to Democratic military video | | 41:24 | Critique of video’s intent and messaging | | 52:27 | Critique of “Deface the Nation” (CBS) interview | | 61:38 | Explanation of pseudo-events in media | | 77:44 | Recap: Musk’s revelations and podcasting world |
Flow & Tone
Levin’s delivery is fiery, sarcastic, and direct, lacing his critique of specific individuals (e.g., Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, Steve Bannon, Candace Owens, Democratic lawmakers) with characteristic nicknames and pointed asides. He balances detailed argumentation (especially regarding media and political influence operations) with off-the-cuff, sometimes comedic, commentary. The episode is dense, fast-moving, and focused on equipping listeners to “see through” both online and media deceptions.
Conclusion
Mark Levin underscores the threat posed by foreign influence in American political discourse, particularly on social media and podcasting platforms. He lauds Elon Musk for enabling greater transparency but calls out both Big Tech and the podcast industry for failing to reveal the true origins of their audiences. Levin warns that manipulations from abroad are distorting not just conversations but also the American conservative movement itself. In the political segment, he denounces what he sees as manufactured Democratic outrage and defends the principle of civilian control over the military, demanding accountability for lawmakers who, in his view, cross ethical or legal lines. The episode ends with listener calls and Thanksgiving well-wishes, reinforcing his appreciation for his audience’s vigilance and patriotism.
For listeners new or returning: This episode is a deep-dive into the contemporary problem of foreign manipulation of U.S. politics online, featuring extensive critique of both media and political figures, all through Levin’s confrontational and unapologetic lens.