Mark Levin Podcast – January 27, 2026

Episode Title: Inside the Chaos: How Agitators Mobilize for Protest

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mark Levin explores the recent violence and chaos surrounding protests and confrontations with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in Minnesota, analyzing the deeper structures and influences mobilizing these protests. Drawing sharp historical parallels, Levin positions contemporary events within the legacy of radical activism, the radicalization of the Democratic Party, and the influence of organized left-wing, Marxist, and Islamist groups. The episode further delves into the media’s role, foreign funding, the situation in Iran, and the current status of power in China with guest Gordon Chang.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historical Context of Radical Protests

• Minnesota as "Ground Zero": Levin opens the episode by highlighting Minnesota’s history as a center for radical protest, citing the famous "Bloody Thursday" at Berkeley in 1969 as a precursor to current events.
  • “The Democrat Party and the radical left is involved in an awful lot of it. Ever hear Bloody Thursday, May 15, 1969?” (03:00)
• Evolution of Protest Tactics: He draws direct lines from the “new left” of the 1960s to today's protest movements, noting the increasing violence and organization.

2. Radicalization and Organization Behind the Protests

• Shift in Political Alignment: Levin claims the Democratic Party has evolved into a “Marxist Islamist party,” fundamentally at odds with American constitutionalism and law and order.

  • “It is a party that rejects Americanism. It is a party that rejects constitutionalism. It's a party that rejects law and order except their own protection...” (06:14)

• Obstruction of Federal Law Enforcement: He alleges active direction by Democratic governors and mayors to obstruct ICE, citing refusal to cooperate with federal authorities and the rise of "sanctuary" policies.

• Financial and Foreign Backing:

  • Asserts that these protest networks are not only aided by billionaire benefactors such as George Soros but are also funded by foreign actors, particularly through Marxist networks.

3. Anatomy of the Minneapolis Incident

• ICE Shooting Incident: Levin dissects the incident in Minneapolis involving the death of Alex Preddy, an ICU nurse turned protester killed during a confrontation with ICE.

  • Key facts:
    • Protesters were tracked via encrypted chats and database monitoring ICE activity.
    • Protesters, described as "rapid responders," actively confronted law enforcement, escalating into violence.
    • Supplies, masks, and refreshments were organized and distributed to sustain the protest.

• Coordinated Mobilization:

  • “A coordinated web of encrypted chats, street alerts, and tracking of ICE [...] agitators were already mobilized at the scene where 37-year-old Alex Preddy was killed minutes before any shots were fired.” (15:07)

• Tactical Propaganda:

  • Networks use short videos, emojis, and fast messaging to propagate their narrative and recruit further support.
  • "Offers a window into the disciplined logistics, messaging, and coordination of far-left warriors fomenting insurgency-like confrontation with authorities." (16:58)

• Quick Response and Media Amplification:

  • Within minutes, socialist and communist groups surge protesters to sites nationally, coordinated via signals, and flood social media.
  • “Within hours, socialist leaders turbocharged their rapid responders in Minneapolis, mobilized street protesters from New York City to Los Angeles.” (23:59)

4. Media Coverage and Narrative Manipulation

• Selective Reporting/Information Suppression:
  • Levin claims mainstream media like the NYT, WaPo, CNN, and Reuters ignore the role of radical networks and foreign funding behind these protests.
  • “And yet isn't it the full story that the war against ICE is being funded and organized by a billionaire in Communist China, among others?...And that's not part of the story.” (33:43)
• Impact on Public Perception:
  • The true nature of these organized, well-funded actions is obscured, allowing the narrative to shift blame away from the instigators and towards law enforcement.

5. Political and Societal Implications

• Legitimizing Violent Opposition:

  • Levin warns that extreme rhetoric by officials (comparisons to Nazis, Anne Frank, etc.) dangerously legitimizes violence against law enforcement, citing recent remarks by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
  • Memorable quote:
    • “When elected officials portray police or federal agents as Nazis, they create an environment where protesters can convince themselves that violently confronting law enforcement is not only justified, but morally required.” (61:03)

• Insurrection Act and Use of Force:

  • Levin notes that historically presidents have used the Insurrection Act to quell riots, implying current leadership is failing to uphold tradition by not intervening decisively.

6. Foreign Affairs: Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Islamist Threats

• Massacre in Iran:

  • Levin paints a dire picture of Iran’s regime, paralleling its slaughter of civilians with ignored historic genocides.
  • “We know what's going on in Iran today...more people have been slaughtered in a shorter period of time than really any time I can think of in modern history.” (40:31)

• Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey:

  • Warns of these states' attempts to destabilize allies and their influence on Western policy.

• Failure of the West:

  • Critique of passive Western response, especially from the US, to authoritarian violence in Iran.

7. China Power Struggles & Geopolitics (with Gordon Chang)

Segment starts at 83:21

• Xi Jinping’s Consolidation:
  • Chang and Levin discuss the recent purge of China’s top military general, speculating on loyalty, corruption, and Xi’s absolute grip.
• Rumors of Instability:
  • Internal power struggles, rumors of coups, and elite dissatisfaction suggest Xi’s position, while dominant, is fragile.
  • “Xi Jinping, his motto is, I live, you die. And sometimes that very well may be literal.” – Gordon Chang (90:31)
• China’s Military Readiness:
  • Despite saber-rattling, turmoil and inexperience at the top make a Taiwan invasion unlikely in the near term.
• Global Threats:
  • China’s efforts to dominate Taiwan, threaten Japan, the Philippines, and Australia.
  • Ongoing economic struggles and loss of cheap foreign energy supplies are pressuring China’s ability to project power.

8. Listener Engagement and Continuing Rhetoric

• Callers’ Frustration:
  • Levin’s audience expresses concern about the infiltration of anti-American, radical ideologies and the lack of action against those who “want to overthrow” America.
• Agitprop and Language:
  • Levin highlights the Leninist concept of “agitprop” — propaganda designed to agitate and mobilize action.
• Warning Against Weakness:
  • Criticizes officials (notably Oklahoma’s governor) for suggesting a softer approach to federal immigration enforcement.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“A coordinated web of encrypted chats, street alerts and tracking of ICE abductors…shows that agitators were already mobilized at the scene where 37-year-old Alex Preddy was killed minutes before any shots were fired.”
— Mark Levin [15:07]

“When elected officials portray police or federal agents as Nazis, they create an environment where protesters can convince themselves that violently confronting law enforcement is not only justified, but morally required.”
— Levin quoting John Nagle [61:03]

“Xi Jinping, his motto is, I live, you die. And sometimes that very well may be literal.”
— Gordon Chang [90:31]

“Is the world losing its conscience, its morality? Is that what's happening?”
— Mark Levin [43:00]

“They are owned by the Islamist Marxists. That's their new base. You can see, that's their militia wing. Just as had a militia wing during the George Floyd and BLM riots.”
— Mark Levin [57:32]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:20] – Historical framing of Minnesota protest—Berkeley 1969 comparison
• [06:14]–[09:06] – Claims of party radicalization and law enforcement obstruction
• [11:59]–[16:36] – Detailed breakdown of Minneapolis shooting and protest coordination
• [17:36] – Evidence of organized database tracking of ICE in real-time
• [23:59] – National rapid response driven by socialist and communist networks
• [33:31]–[36:18] – Media’s failure to report protest organization and funding
• [40:31]–[49:52] – Slaughter in Iran, Western moral inertia, and critique of Saudi, Qatar, Turkey alliances
• [51:49]–[55:54] – Critique of US political response, role of Islamic and Marxist migration in policy
• [59:23]–[61:06] – Rebuke of Holocaust/Nazi analogies by MN governor and others
• [83:21] – Interview: Gordon Chang on Chinese power struggle and global ambitions
• [92:17]–[101:51] – China’s military readiness, economy, and regional geopolitics
• [104:49] – Listener calls: Frustration with government inaction on radical infiltration

Tone and Language

Mark Levin’s language throughout is combative, direct, and urgent, often infused with historical references and invective against perceived political adversaries. Levin’s analysis is passionate, occasionally dark, and deeply skeptical of mainstream media and establishment politics. The tone during Gordon Chang’s segment is inquisitive and analytical, yielding to Chang’s expert insight into Chinese power dynamics.

Summary

This episode offers a sweeping, polemical analysis of contemporary protest movements against ICE, linking them to deeper patterns of leftist mobilization, foreign interference, and media cover-up. Mark Levin situates the violence in Minnesota within a broader ideological and historical struggle, warning of the dangers posed by the fusion of Marxist and Islamist elements and the Democratic Party’s alleged complicity. The episode concludes with a sobering assessment of America’s geopolitical adversaries, especially China and Iran, emphasizing the need for clarity, unity, and principled leadership.