2/12/26 - Immigration, Funding, and Political Power

Summary

Mark Levin Podcast: "Immigration, Funding, and Political Power"

Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Mark Levin
Guest: Melania Trump (First Lady), Donald P. Hodel (Former Reagan Cabinet Official)
Podcast Network: Cumulus

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Overview

In this dynamic, passionate episode, Mark Levin dissects the latest political battles over immigration policy, federal agency funding, and the ambitions of the Democratic party. With his signature no-holds-barred style, Levin frames the current disputes not merely as legislative or administrative, but as a fundamental struggle over political power and the future makeup of the American electorate. The episode features pointed commentary on congressional hearings, in-depth critique of key Democrats, exclusive interviews with Melania Trump and Donald Hodel, and strong historical perspective on governance—all delivered with Levin's trademark mix of constitutional expertise and rhetorical fire.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Immigration-Funding Showdown

• Democrats Block DHS, FEMA, TSA Funding:
  Levin claims Democrats have voted against funding core security agencies, with the intent to cause public disruption and blame Republicans. He accuses Democrats of “total lawlessness,” citing “sanctuary cities and states” as deliberate subversions of immigration enforcement.
  Quote:

  "They treat illegal aliens like first-class citizens. This is why they oppose the SAVE Act." [03:20]

• SAVE Act and Voting Integrity:
  Levin argues that the requirement for voter ID is essential to fair elections and that Democratic opposition signals a broader scheme:
  Quote:

  "This is the greatest power grab in American political history, letting in 20, 25 million illegal aliens trying to prevent them from being deported." [04:30]

• Manipulation of Representation and Electoral Advantage:
  Levin expresses outrage at efforts to count the population (citizens and non-citizens) for congressional seats and Electoral College votes, citing recent developments in Virginia where he believes the system is rigged for permanent Democratic dominance.

2. Congressional Hearings: Keith Ellison Under Fire

• Exchange on Antisemitism:
  Levin features a Senate hearing where Minnesota AG Keith Ellison is pressed to condemn Louis Farrakhan’s antisemitic rhetoric, but deflects, leading Levin to indict the Democratic Party for tolerating extremism and bigotry.
  Notable Moment:

  Senator: "Will you condemn Louis Farrakhan's comments saying that Judaism is a dirty religion?"
  Ellison: "I thought I was coming here to talk about immigration policy." [08:26] Levin: "He doesn't want to criticize Farrakhan, does he?" [08:48]

• Claims of Foreign Influence in US Politics:
  Levin alleges that groups like Democratic Socialists of America are “…an influence operation by communist China, Communist Cuba, and Venezuela…” [10:04]
• Comparing ICE to the Boston Massacre:
  Ellison compares federal immigration enforcement to historical acts of oppression, prompting a fierce rebuke from Levin about the constitutional role of federal immigration authority.
  Quote:

  "How stupid is this guy? Immigration in our country is controlled by the federal government under the federal Constitution..." [11:42]

3. Immigration Law, Due Process, & Enforcement

• Debate on Civil vs. Criminal Violations:
  In exchanges between Ellison and Senators, Levin seizes upon the attempt to muddy distinctions between civil removal and criminal prosecution, insisting that illegal presence is sufficient grounds for removal under federal law.
  Quote:

  "The idea that you get due process isn't exactly right." [37:45]

• Safe Third Country and Asylum:
  Senators challenge Ellison’s expansive definition of asylum and his apparent unwillingness to support the removal of illegal entrants absent individualized hardship.

4. Allegations of Corruption & Political Vendettas

• Senator Josh Hawley vs. Keith Ellison:
  A heated exchange unfolds regarding campaign donations from indicted individuals and handling of massive welfare fraud in Minnesota; Ellison denies wrongdoing while Senators read from transcripts.
  Notable Quote:

  Hawley: "You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion. And you got a fat campaign contribution out of it. You ought to be indicted." [43:35]

5. Mark Levin’s Media Plans & Podcast Philosophy (Interspersed)

• Launching ‘Liberty’s Voice’:
  Levin announces his forthcoming video podcast, distancing himself from what he perceives as vulgarity and anti-American rhetoric pervading digital media today.
  Quote:

  "I want to stand up to this and I want you to help me do that. This is going to be pro-American, about Americanism." [16:55]

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Extended Interview: Melania Trump (First Lady)

[17:42–33:20]

Reuniting Displaced Children & Advocacy

• On Russian and Ukrainian Child Reunification:
  Melania details her ongoing work to reunite children separated by conflict, celebrating recent successes:

  "Today marks the third reunification since I have been working strategically with both nations… I helped facilitate the return of children to their families..." [18:12]

• Documentary “Melania”:
  She discusses motivations and behind-the-scenes stories:

  "I'm very proud to share never seen before moments... only 20 days leading to the presidential election inauguration and they will see what it require and what planning goes in to becoming ... First Lady again." [19:29]

• Children & Online Protections:
  Focus on legislative successes such as laws against deepfake exploitation:

  "Take a Down act was signed into a new law to enhance federal online protections for the children from online deepfakes. That is a big win." [23:13]

• Personal Reflections:
  On balancing public scrutiny, parenting, and partnership with President Trump:

  "I stay true to myself … I know what I like and what I don't like ... My family, it's my priority." [25:57, 29:21]

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Judicial Critique: Mark Levin on Federal Judges

[45:34–54:07]

• Attack on Judge Richard Leone:
  Levin lambasts federal district judge precedent for blocking disciplinary action against lawmakers who encourage military personnel to refuse “illegal orders,” arguing this undermines military discipline and constitutional order.
• On First Amendment, the Military, and Political Action:
  Critiques what he calls a “partisan political” ruling and faults dual standards between courtrooms and chain of command, drawing on his own experiences in administration.

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US Policy Towards Iran

[55:31–69:48]

• Advocacy for Military Action:
  Levin presses for regime change in Iran as a national security and moral imperative, warning against repeating failed “deals” akin to those with North Korea.

  "Our obligation, yes, our obligation, our generation, to help save those people over there, to take out Khomeini and his thugs..." [55:31] "If we don't take them out… the question is, do we take the path of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher… or do we take the path of Joe Biden, Barack Obama?" [60:07]

• Highlight: Praise for John Fetterman:
  Applauds Democratic Senator Fetterman for supporting military strikes when most Democrats demur:

  "As far as I know, John Fetterman is the only Democrat senator to say, and I quote, if Iran’s strikes are needed, I'll be the only Democrat who backs them." [68:12]

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Second Hour Highlights & Interview: Donald P. Hodel

[81:57–99:28]

• Interview with Donald Hodel:
  Former Reagan cabinet secretary, reflecting on faith, public service, loss, and executive leadership.
  • Faith After Tragedy:
    Hodel details how losing his son to suicide solidified his faith and perspective on adversity.

    "We found how hopeless we were without Christ in our lives..." [84:02]

  • Lessons from the Reagan Administration:
    Emphasis on the possibility of environmental stewardship and prosperity—“We could have both.” [94:04]
    • Praise for Reagan’s principle-based leadership:

      "He was a man of integrity. He had a clear vision for America..." [95:19]

    • Importance of family and his late wife in his career and faith journey.
  • Book Plug:
    “Call to Serve: My Path to President Reagan’s Cabinet and Beyond”

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Return to Immigration: Caller Reflections

[102:53–104:43]

• Comparing US and Mexican Policy:
  A caller highlights the irony of strict identity checks in Mexico vs. US, backing the need for voter ID and enforcement.

  "My grandmother can't buy a bottle of Mogan David wine without showing her id. But then other people… don’t have to show [ID] when it comes to voting..." [104:34]

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Levin:

  "They treat illegal aliens like first class citizens. This is why they oppose the SAVE Act." [03:20]

• Sen. to Ellison:

  "Will you condemn Louis Farrakhan’s comments saying that Judaism is a dirty religion?" [08:26]

• Levin:

  "He doesn’t want to criticize Farrakhan, does he?" [08:48]

• Sen. Hawley:

  "You helped fraudsters defraud your state and this government of $9 billion. And you got a fat campaign contribution out of it. You ought to be indicted." [43:35]

• Melania Trump:

  "I'm very proud to share never seen before moments in my life..." [19:29]

• Donald Hodel:

  “We found how hopeless we were without Christ in our lives…” [84:02]

• Levin (on Iran):

  "Our obligation, yes, our obligation, our generation, to help save those people over there, to take out Khomeini and his thugs..." [55:31]

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Structure & Tone

Levin’s tone throughout is direct, combative, and patriotic—equal parts legal reasoning and rhetorical broadside, alternately incensed and sentimental, especially during interviews and segments on faith and family. The podcast is fast-paced, with frequent transitions between news commentary, curated audio clips from congressional hearings, and longer-form interviews.

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Key Takeaways

• Levin frames current immigration/funding battles as a coordinated Democrat gambit to cement power through electoral manipulation.
• He portrays the left as embracing lawlessness, identity politics, and foreign influence.
• Congressional hearings, especially around Keith Ellison, are used to illustrate ideological extremism within Democratic leadership.
• Guest interviews offer humanizing balance—Melania Trump as a poised, mission-driven advocate; Donald Hodel as a testament to principled conservative public service.
• Calls for assertive US action on the world stage, especially towards Iran, and for redoubled efforts to foster patriotism and integrity in American media.

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For listeners who missed this episode:
This podcast is a vigorous two-hour tour through the week’s biggest political fights, offering both granular policy scrutiny and old-school, Reagan-era idealism. Expect provocative argument, occasionally bracing language, and both a defense and a celebration of American tradition and conservative values—seasoned with exclusive insights from household political names.

Transcript

[Mark Levin]

He's here.

[Show Announcer]

He's here now. Broadcasting from the underground command post deep in the bowels of a hidden bunker somewhere under the brick and steel of a nondescript building, we've once again made contact with our leader, Mark Le Ven.

[Mark Levin]

Hello, America. Mark Levin here. Our number, 8773-8138-1187-7381, 3811. The first lady Melania Trump will be.

Here at the bottom of the hour. Look forward to talking with her.

Well, the Democrats have voted against funding FEMA, TSA, the Secret Service and other elements of DHS. ICE continues to get funded through 2027, as it should. But they are in a big propaganda effort, agitprop, in which they want people to believe, and they'll get the help of their media, that the Republicans are creating these inconveniences for people who seek to fly, for people who need federal help when there's natural disasters, for the TSA and so forth. When it is they, and I read to you, I believe it was last night, the list of demands that the Democrats have made. And the demands would result in ICE being absolutely unable to identify, apprehend, detain and deport virtually anybody, virtually anybody. It would increase protections, I didn't say liberties and rights protections for illegal aliens, making it more difficult to identify them, to apprehend them, to detain them and deport them. This is the same Democrat Party that brought many of these people into the country illegally. Same Democrat Party that has created segregated cities and states, they called them sanctuary cities and states where they have declared utter lawlessness. And they treat illegal aliens like first class citizens. This is why they oppose the SAVE Act. One Democrat in the House voted for the SAVE Act. That is the act that requires identification if you're going to vote. And that was Henry Cellular of Texas, but he was neutralized. His vote was by Massie of Kentucky. A nut job. I wouldn't even call him a libertarian at this point. He's just a nut job. I passed the House last Evening, as you know, 215 to 214. It will be brought up at some point in the Senate. They have certain rules in and it needs to. I suspect the Democrats might filibuster it because keep in mind what I've been saying. This is the greatest power grab in American political history, letting in 20, 25 million illegal aliens trying to prevent them from being deported. Backdoor amnesty, if not front door amnesty. Hakeem Jeffrey said yesterday that other than the most violent, there should be a pathway to citizenship that was always the plan. Then they have children, birthright citizenship, and then they have chain migration. And then it's over. It's over. The Democrats, one party rule, they can't lose. In the meantime, they're creating more congressional seats for themselves. In the meantime, they're creating more Electoral College votes for themselves. Remember, they count people, which they shouldn't, but that's what they do rather than citizens. And then you have an individual states, individual governors like Spanberger, a liar, a fraud and a phony who claimed to be a moderate. She was never a moderate. They're destroying the voting system in Virginia and they're destroying representative government. She just signed a bill that would give the Democrats nine seats and the Republicans one one. Now, keep in mind, Virginia is not that Democrat, even though it's become Democrat to have a 9 to 1 number. Actually, I think it's 11 to. Excuse me, 10 to 1. 10 to 1. So 7% of the seats, one would go to the Republicans, 47% of whom voted for Donald Trump. And we just had a Republican governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. So they are totalitarians. They act like totalitarians. That is what they do. And they want to do nationally what they've done in California and New York and Illinois and now in Virginia and other states, change the citizenry so they don't have to persuade the American citizen today to vote for their radical, radical agenda. This is happening right in front of your eyes. Right in front of your eyes. And so there will be inconveniences. The House is taking off for about a week or so. So when the Democrats voted not to fund these other elements of the Department of Homeland Security, they voted to shut it down for a week to 10. I feel sorry for these TSA folks, I really do. They get caught up in this every single time. Every single time. Now I keep reading that we're going to get slaughtered in the midterms. We could, no question about it. It seems to me it's the Democrats who should get slaughtered. Look what they do. Look what they've done. Keith Ellison used to be a big, big radical leftist. Still is, but he used to be a follower of Farrakhan. He called himself at one time, you may recall, Keith X. I call him Keith A Hole, but that's a whole nother story. He's a radical leftist Islamist, that's what he is. And he ran cover for the Somali community in Minnesota, ran cover for them as they were ripping off the taxpayers in Minnesota and the United States. And Ellison was testifying Today at a hearing in the Senate. I'm going to play you just a few clips of this. We have Bernie Moraner, the new senator from Ohio. He's terrific, absolutely terrific. Cut four, go.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

What have you actually done differently to help fight antisemitism in Minnesota?

[Keith Ellison]

I speak against anti Semitism. I condemn it as repugnant and wrong.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

Let's pause there. You speak against antisemitism. Will you condemn Louis Farrakhan's comments saying that Judaism is a dirty religion?

[Keith Ellison]

You know, sir, I thought I was coming here to talk about immigration policy.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

That was a layup question, by the way.

[Keith Ellison]

No, no, no. I thought I was talking about immigration policy. I didn't know that we were going to be talking about all these matters.

[Mark Levin]

He does want to criticize Farrakhan, does he?

That's the bottom line. He's right. Senator Moreno is right.

It's a layup question.

Layup question. Yes.

I condemn Louis Farrakhan for calling Judaism a dirty religion.

He couldn't say it. He wouldn't say it. Folks, the Democrat Party is filled with these cancerous politicians, these Islamists and these Marxists.

It is a hate filled evil party. If you're a Democrat, get the hell.

Out of there as fast as you can.

Go ahead to just sort of.

[Keith Ellison]

I mean, we already had one thing where we didn't mention immigration policy at all. I'm fine with you asking about questions around asylum and things like that. That makes a lot of sense to me. But now we're going off in all kind of different directions. I think there should be some scope to this hearing. And so thank you for your interest. And we both share a need to condemn anti Semitism.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

A few of my colleagues have gone over time, Mr. Chairman, I find it disgusting that we would have a witness who's the Attorney General of the state that will not condemn the fact that somebody said that Judaism is a dirty religion. The fact that we have a witness of that low caliber here before the United States Congress is an insult to this institution.

[Mark Levin]

Beautiful. Exactly. Exactly. And now we know in significant detail that the Democratic Socialists of America, AOC's Party and the rest of those stooges and Bernie Sanders and so forth is an influence operation by communist China, Communist Cuba and was communist Venezuela with Maduro. Now we know it for sure, 100%. And on life, Liberty and Levin on Saturday, if they run it, I get into this in great detail. Great detail. We have the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee who held a hearing on Wednesday on this. Jason Smith, good man among Others. Here's Keith Ellison. He compares ICE enforcement to the Boston Massacre. See, these leftists are either ignoramuses or they're just propagandists. Or they're both. In the case of Keith Ellison.

Cut five.

Go.

[Keith Ellison]

It felt like our state was targeted, blanketed with paramilitaries everywhere who were approaching citizens, non citizens, whoever. It felt like we were being occupied by the federal government. And I started returning, Senator, to reading about how the Boston Massacre. How did those Bostonians feel when a faraway government in England had imperial troops marching all over their city?

[Mark Levin]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. How stupid is this guy? How stupid? Immigration in our country is a matter that is controlled by the federal government under the federal Constitution. The federal constitution was adopted by the states. And any state that came into the. Into the nation newly. Territory that came into the nation newly had to embrace the Constitution of the United States. That's what the Constitution compels. I have no idea what this moron is talking about. He's trying to make a case that this is the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party was about a lack of representation. We're talking about massive fraud and illegal conduct by illegal aliens. Massive fraud and illegal conduct by illegal. Illegal aliens. The Boston Tea Party. Those are our tax dollars, yours and mine, that are being squandered. We're the ones that ought to have a tea party. We are the Tea Party. Ron Johnson, cut six. Go.

[Senator Ron Johnson]

Now. We can investigate, but I can't imagine being a law enforcement official where I know my colleagues have been shot at, their vehicles rammed, but they are trained activists deployed. And by the way, we know at least one of those activists had a semi automatic pistol with extra clips. So now you're an ICE officer. You're doing enforcement action. You've got a team behind you trying to protect you. You've got all these trained activists behind you. Is it any wonder they're at hair trigger alert? A tragedy was going to happen and you encouraged it. And you ought to feel damn guilty about it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yeah, sit there and smirk.

[Mark Levin]

Smirk.

[Senator Ron Johnson]

Sick. It is despicable.

[Keith Ellison]

Are you asking me for comment, Senator? Because everything you said was untrue. It was a nice theatrical performance, but it was all lies.

[Mark Levin]

Now they're not lies, you clown. They're not lies at all.

I'm not done with this. We'll be right back.

Tuesday's the big day, America. Liberty's Voice with Mark Levin will have our new video podcast.

Vodcast, they call it. You'll be able to find it on YouTube.

And rumble.

Just looking for Liberty's Voice. This coming week, we will launch it on Tuesday and we will also have it on Wednesday and Thursday. Normally to be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, but we didn't want to launch it on President's Day. So it will be available starting next Tuesday. I'll talk to you more about it, but all you'll need to do, because we'll be downloading it immediately, is to check it out on YouTube and rumble. We will eventually be going on other platforms as well. Liberty's Voice. We're going to do things a little differently. You're not going to hear F bombs, so you can listen to it and your kids can listen to it. Just not going to do that. I'm not going to smoke pot. Never have, never will even a cigarette or a cigar. Not going to do that either.

I'm not interested in the antics.

I'm not interested in the drama. What you see is what you'll get.

I do get passionate times.

You'll see that. We do get, you know, into very heavy issues, too.

But one of the things you haven't.

Seen is me when I'm doing it. And so there will be that video aspect to it. And I feel a lot of you folks on radio will want to watch it in addition to listening to the radio program. That's why we're launching it on noon Eastern time on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So in no way does it interfere with the radio program. That's the mothership, the radio program. And as I said, I view them as overlapping. They overlay. And we want to bring one audience into the other because right now there's not a lot of that going on. So I feel like I can bridge that. The reason I'm doing this is to a couple of reasons. I find that the podcast world, except for some very significant exceptions, many of my friends, but there are thousands of them, has become in many ways a cesspool. Racism, bigotry, anti Semitism, Christian bashing, American bashing. It's being used by foreign governments and bots to advance an agenda. I want to stand up to this and I want you to help me do that. This is going to be pro American about Americanism. 250th anniversary. I want you to listen to the show and when you're done, learn things, maybe laugh and understand that you And I, we Mr. And Mrs. America, we love our country and we're not going to trash it. And we're certainly not going to advance.

The Cause of Qatar or Saudi Arabia.

Or Russia, any foreign governments or any foreign ideologies.

When we come back, scheduled the first Lady, Melania Trump. We'll be right back. It's a great honor to have the.

First lady with us. Melania Trump. How are you, ma'? Am?

[Melania Trump]

I'm very well. Good evening. How are you?

[Mark Levin]

I'm doing great.

Good evening.

Thank you. And thank you for being here. You know, I want to talk a little bit about your movie, but before we do, you're very much focused on reuniting these Russian kids with their parents and these Ukrainian kids with their families, too. And you accomplish that again today. Can you explain to us what's taking place here?

[Melania Trump]

Yes. Today we had another success, and I'm very happy about it. Today marks the third reunification since I have been working strategically with both nations, Ukraine and Russia, and I helped facilitate the return of children to their families after they were separated because of the conflict. And I have no doubt that we will have more progress to come in the very near future.

[Mark Levin]

Which is a wonderful thing to do. I mean, these kids get caught up in this. They have nothing to do with it, and they miss their families and so forth. And unfortunately, they're very much targeted and become sort of pawns of these wars, this war in particular as well. So this is very, very important, what you're doing. I want to talk about your movie. And by the way, the movie obviously is called Melania. You can check it out in your local theaters, theaters across the country. It's doing very, very, very well for a documentary also. What gave you the idea to do this? Because it's very intriguing to me. The first 20 days leading up to the inauguration, there's a tremendous amount to, isn't there?

[Melania Trump]

It is. And I had that idea for a while. And after I solidified my creative concept, I talked with my agent and he went out and pitched the idea to two senior ranking officials from Amazon, mgm, Disney, Paramount, Netflix and other prospective partners. But I selected MGM because of several reasons, including, but not limited to the fact that company was willing to launch my film in theaters only. And then later on it will become on streaming on Prime, Amazon Prime. So we accomplished what we wanted. The film, it's a great success. It I'm very proud to share never seen before moments in my life, including my family and my business. And only 20 days leading to the presidential election inauguration and they will see what it require and what planning goes in to becoming from private citizen to a first lady again.

[Mark Levin]

And were the first 20 days this time different than the first 20 days. The first time, I mean, the first time obviously was quite unique, but what were the real differences?

[Melania Trump]

It was different because the first time you learning on the go. I was never in politics. I always was interested in politics. But in private, I always followed what was going on around the world, but this time I was in it. And the first time, when we moved to the White House and when my husband was elected, was very different. I didn't have as much knowledge as I had the second time. Also, I was hiring people that I didn't know. And you need to be very careful who you hire, because people have an agenda. And, you know, you hire people who work for me, for my office, for my East Wing first Lady office, but also for the American people, for our country.

[Mark Levin]

You're very classy. I'm just going to say it. You're very classy. The way you hold yourself, the clothing that you wear, the things that you say. And yet you're very natural. You're very normal. What is it like being under the spotlight all the time? I know you were in the fashion world and so forth, but this is different because politics can be fun and it can be evil and brutal.

[Melania Trump]

You are correct. And, you know, I grew up since my young age. I was in fashion business and I traveled the world. So nothing gives you so much education as, you know, traveling, experience different cultures, meeting a lot of people and being judged all the time. Fashion business, it's very cruel and not so pleasant. So it looks very glamorous. But behind the scene, it's a lot of work and nothing prepares you for it. And politics is the same. You judged all the time. Also there are, you know, different parties. You have a lot of opposition. So. And I, you know, you grow up very fast. And it's very interesting how everything progressed from first time in the White House, first administration, and now we are second time here. And it's kind of incredible. We have an amazing success. I had an amazing success the last, first. The last few months in the White House with my East Wing. And I accomplished a lot. As, for example, Take a Down act was signed into a new law to enhance federal online protections for the children from online deepfakes. That is a big win. We are protecting children also in the future. The ones that they. Starting with the technology and the ones, they are already in it.

[Mark Levin]

You focus a lot on children. A lot on children. Is it because you have a wonderful son and you think about this and you think about what other mothers, what fathers are going through and so forth.

[Melania Trump]

I'm very proud of Baron. We are very proud of him. He's an incredible young man. But also we need to, as a parent and as an adult, we need to protect our children and we need to guide them. We need to give them the tools that they could succeed in life. We need to be there for them. That's why I'm focusing on them. They are our future. Once they work on themselves, they are successful. They could give back to communities and to the world. So it's very important that they have us as a teacher, as a guidance, and that's why it's very important. I'm focusing also now on the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge. We had a great success. Over 20,000 students and educators sign in and you know, it's a new world out there. So that is my priority.

[Mark Levin]

20 days leading up to the 2025 inauguration. The movie's called Melania. You definitely want to see this movie. You really get to. You feel like you really know the first lady when you're watching this. You have a great sense of humor. That's one of the things I got out of this movie too. You're smiling, you're winking, you got all these pressures going on, but you kind of keep your head above it, don't you?

[Melania Trump]

I do. I stay true to myself. I know what are my priorities and what other people think about me. It's not any of my business. I do what is right and I'm focused on. I'm very selective what I do. I know what I like and what I don't like. And I'm focused on my work. And that is what is very important.

[Mark Levin]

During that 20 day period, did anything particular really surprise you or shock you?

[Melania Trump]

Not really, because it was my life. The only thing was very challenging because the schedule can change the last minute and you have a lot of people behind it and a lot of people to manage. And so the last moment changes can be a little bit hectic. But the rest of it was that's my life from morning till evening. The camera followed me and they caught everything what they could. Some of the scenes, they are still not in the movie. We are planning to release docu series later for the streaming and it's really busy life. So we don't take a second takes because it's too many people involved. I have a secret service detail and when you take one time, you go. And that was all filmed for the movie Melania.

[Mark Levin]

I also got out of the movie and I've seen it. You know, there are People that want to hang around mar a lager in the White House. I try not to bother people, you know, I try not to bother the president or you or anything like that. It's very fun. You both are fun to be around. You're both very knowledgeable. I just want the nation to know you're a wonderful couple. And the times I've been with you both, not a lot, but the times I have been with you both, you're very supportive of each other, aren't you? We are.

[Melania Trump]

Of course. It's very important. And you know, I give my husband advice. Sometimes he asks for it, sometimes he doesn't, but I give him anyway. I am not afraid to say and what I feel and what I think. So sometimes he listens, sometimes he doesn't. And that's okay. I think the communication in the relationship, it's very important. Also, we are so busy as he has a west wing, I have an east wing, and we are both so busy, you know, sometimes, sometimes the family and like family dinners and could be not as usual as it was before because we are working non stop and the schedule, it's intense and yet you.

[Mark Levin]

Do work at that. I know with your son, Baron. It's very important to you to be a mother and to be a wife, right?

[Melania Trump]

Yeah, correct. My family, it's my priority.

[Mark Levin]

And you get that out of the movie too. I mean, it's a lot of work being a first Lady. You know, people know there's a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scene. And you're gonna see it the 20 days before the inauguration, just how much there is to do. In addition to being your own Persona as the first lady, there's a lot of management, there's a lot of orchestration, there's a lot of administration, just a lot that goes on behind the scene. And this is very, very important. I've never realized it till I saw this movie. Did you like making a movie like this? Being involved in a movie like this?

[Melania Trump]

Yes, it's very productive. It's. It's incredible when you have an idea and then that idea comes to life. And you know, I shared that with the whole United States, with the American people, but also people across the world. I show them my story. It's very historic, it's important, it's groundbreaking and it's for all of us. We are in this together and you know, it's something that will go in the history. And I wanted to people to see what it takes to become a First lady. And I think they Might be interested to see how it is my life now in the White house because it's 10 times more intense and you work from so many different. On so many different projects and it's a non stop work. And many people rely on. They rely on me, they rely on my husband. And it's very, it's incredible work. We are very proud of it. For example, yesterday I was in the NIH visiting the children that they have rare diseases. We celebrated early Valentine's Day. So that was very exciting. Was great to see them again. And tomorrow we are traveling to say thank you to the Special Forces in North Carolina. So it's really incredible work and we are very proud of doing it.

[Mark Levin]

And first lady, obviously, most ladies don't become a First Lady. You've been a First lady twice now. That's historic as well. And you come from another country originally. You're a naturalized citizen. You're the first lady of the United States. You're like the American story, wouldn't you say?

[Melania Trump]

My story is incredible. Yes, it's incredible journey. And to come from Slovenia and become a United States citizen, it's something very special. And you know, I don't take for granted now.

[Mark Levin]

Well, I know you have to go. We appreciate your time.

I want to tell the audience there's a lot of people out there. Folks, go check out this movie. You're gonna really love it, Melania. You're gonna get to see the first lady like you've never seen her before. And you're also gonna get to see really a lot of what it takes to put together an inauguration. And that inauguration was fantastic. Despite the freezing weather and the snow and all the rest, it was pulled off beautifully. And I want to thank you for your service and for your kindness whenever you see my wife and me. And I want to bless you, God bless you and hope you're safe.

[Melania Trump]

Thank you so much. Thank you, all of you. And thank you all for your support and your prayers and wish everybody a healthy and prosperous year.

[Mark Levin]

Wonderful. Thank you. Give the President our best and God bless you. You bet. She's such a sweet lady, I'm telling you. Tough as nails, but sweet as can be. Check out this movie, Melania. I would encourage you to see it over the weekend. Check your local theaters, Melania. It is one of the hottest documentaries ever to be produced, as a matter of fact. We'll be right back. What a wonderful guest. Easy interview. Because she's so easy to talk to. What a wonderful guest.

Well, that was a quick hour. We got a big Hour coming up, hour two. We'll be right back. This segment of the podcast is exclusively sponsored by PureTalk. PureTalk offers great coverage and can save your family money on your wireless bill every single month. Go to PureTalk.com to find the plan that's right for you. Thank you again for listening, and thank you so much for this sponsorship. PureTalk. He's here.

[Show Announcer]

He's here now. Broadcasting him from the underground command post deep in the bowels of a hidden bunker somewhere under the brick and steel of a nondescript building, we've once again made contact with our leader, Mark Levin.

[Mark Levin]

Hello, America. Mark Levin here. Our number, 8767-3813-8118-7738-13811. All right, I haven't lost my place. This hearing in the Senate with Keith X. Farrakhan.

I don't know, follower for a long period of time. Real bigot in many respects. He's the Attorney General of Minnesota. He came into the defense of the Somali community, even advised them, some people argue on how to skirt, you know, accountability and so forth. So here he is, Bernie Moreno, senator from Ohio. A wonderful, wonderful senator. Taking him on again. Cut seven, Go.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

If you enter the country illegally or you overstay a visa, should you be deported?

[Keith Ellison]

My simple answer is, sir, it depends.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

Okay, so if somebody breaks into your home, should they be arrested for breaking, entering, or does it depend.

[Keith Ellison]

It's an entirely different scenario.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

How's that?

[Keith Ellison]

Because immigration is essentially a civil. And the breaking into my home is a criminal matter.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

Oh, okay, gotcha. So if there's. So there's laws that should be enforced. So we shouldn't enforce civil violations.

[Keith Ellison]

We absolutely should enforce them.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

So. But you just said that it's a civil matter, so it's different. So if somebody.

[Keith Ellison]

You enforce civil matters.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

So if somebody commits a civil infraction, it shouldn't be enforced.

[Keith Ellison]

It should be.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

Okay, so they should be deported.

[Keith Ellison]

No, they should have due process that is associated with their petition.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

So, for example, the act of entering the country illegally, you think we should say, well, did you really do it or not do it? It's pretty obvious that they did, right?

[Keith Ellison]

Well, I mean, it would depend on the facts of the situation.

[Mark Levin]

Didn't you. Hold on now, hold on.

Now. This word due process is thrown around, and they try to confuse you, Mr. And Mrs. American, to thinking that you get some kind of due process, the sort that you get in a criminal case. These are not criminal cases. In fact, they're not even technically civil federal cases. They're immigration cases that are civil in nature. And the due process process in some cases doesn't apply at all. For instance, if you've been here less than two years. I've just studied all this. If you've been here less than two.

Years.

And you're here illegally, and it's obvious you're here illegally, there's no due process. They can detain you and then remove you. Again, it's not a criminal matter, it's a removal matter.

You don't have a property right or.

Some other right to be in the United States. There are other circumstances where you get due process, but not criminal due process. Maybe you get a hearing, maybe there's some questions that are asked. It just depends.

But the idea that you get due process isn't exactly right.

Go ahead.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

The country without permission.

[Keith Ellison]

But, Senator, what if they had a good faith basis to say they would be persecuted in their home country?

[Mark Levin]

Then they have to go through the process.

They have to make the case. We have a whole bunch of folks.

This isn't new. This has been going on since the beginning of this Republican, particularly over the last 80 years or so. This isn't new.

There are processes in place for this sort of thing. Go ahead.

[Keith Ellison]

A little pressure in there. Under international law, there are provisions for them to make case.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

That's a phenomenal, phenomenal point. Mexico and Canada, do you consider those to be safe countries or. No?

[Keith Ellison]

Generally I do, but there are certainly.

[Interviewer or Host]

You do.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

Well, you border Canada. Don't insult your neighbors to the north.

[Keith Ellison]

No, I love my neighbors to the north.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

So is it a generally safe country?

[Keith Ellison]

Generally, yes.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

So that somebody seeking asylum could certainly be safe in Canada and Mexico?

[Mark Levin]

No.

[Keith Ellison]

Now. So, like, if somebody. We do know that in Mexico, which is another country, I truly admire and think it's a wonderful country, but they have been cases of persecution, people who have legitimate fear.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

If people aren't safe in Mexico, refugees cannot be safe in Mexico.

[Keith Ellison]

Some might not be.

[Mark Levin]

Mm. He's got a very broad definition. Very broad definition. There are rules in place for all kinds of circumstances. And the senator is getting to a very, very important point. He doesn't believe in any of these rules. I think the most important thing that he discerned from this questioning was that this attorney general, who's supposed to uphold both federal and state law, has come to the conclusion that if somebody's here illegally, that's not in and of itself a basis for deportation. And yet, under the federal immigration law, it absolutely is. It absolutely is. This is the mentality we're dealing with. Now back to Ellison and Senator ron Johnson. Cut nine. Go.

[Senator Ron Johnson]

Are you aware of training for activists, Mr. Ellison, in Minnesota, that some of these. These protesters literally went through training there. There are groups out there providing training. Are you aware of that?

[Keith Ellison]

Yeah, I'm aware of that. I mean, it's. It's common for people to use their first amendment right to protest things that they don't believe are right. Were you aware of the first amendment activity, sir?

[Mark Levin]

Yeah.

[Senator Ron Johnson]

Were you aware of the signal chats? I believe. I believe it was the lieutenant governor of Minnesota was actually helping manage one of those signal chats that were deploying those trained activists to the legal law enforcement actions, or were you where that signal trap chat that was being used to deploy those people?

[Keith Ellison]

I'm aware it exists, but this is first amendment activity, sir.

[Mark Levin]

All right, let's stop.

Let's stop.

Foreign money coming into the country.

To create violent mobs is not first amendment activity.

Number one, Foreign money should not be.

Coming into this country to do any of this. None of it. Number two, Interfering with law enforcement is not a protected first amendment activity. It's not free speech. Go ahead. All right. And let us go to one final back and forth between senator Josh Hawley and Keith Ellison. Cut eight. Go.

[Keith Ellison]

Mr. Chairman, I didn't come here to be insulted. I came here.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You came here for the truth. Let's have it. Why did you help? They're in black and white and every member of this audience, and they're chilling. Listen to the recording. It's 54 minutes long. It's all in public. You can Google it right now and listen to it.

[Keith Ellison]

And listen to it.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

Why did you help them?

[Keith Ellison]

First of all, I didn't help them.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You did.

[Keith Ellison]

No, I did not.

[Mark Levin]

I certainly didn't.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You're saying you didn't do anything for him? You didn't. You didn't.

[Keith Ellison]

Well, wait a minute.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

I already have my team working on this again. That's not you.

[Keith Ellison]

I have my team. My team assisted with the information that led to the prosecution and conviction of these people.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You didn't. You didn't look at your finger to prosecute them?

[Senator Ron Johnson]

No.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You did not. No, because they were federal.

[Mark Levin]

You had.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

Oh, B.S. you had whistleblowers.

[Keith Ellison]

You're the one talking B.S.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

Hey, listen. It's my time.

[Keith Ellison]

Doesn't know what you're talking about, sir.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You now have encountered the. You don't like it, why you take your money? Why'd you take their money?

[Keith Ellison]

I didn't.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You took $10,000.

[Keith Ellison]

That's a false statement.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

$10,000. Nine days after the meeting.

[Keith Ellison]

False statement.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

You took $10,000. Here's what happened. They went to your office. They solicited money from you. They solicited help from you.

[Keith Ellison]

That's also wrong.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

They came to your office. It was your official office. You met with them for 54 minutes.

[Keith Ellison]

No.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

They asked you for help. You pledged it to them. And they talked repeatedly about money. In fact, it's all they talked about. Money, money, money, money. They said, we will put our dollars in the right place. We will support candidates that will fight to protect our interests. You replied, that's right. They said, if you are securing your donor base and securing your power base, you can act the way you want. You replied, money is freedom. They said, the amount of money circulate. I'm reading the transcript. The amount of money circulating in our community today is powerful, and we haven't realized it in a meaningful way. And you said, give me the specifics. And nine days later, you took $10,000.

[Keith Ellison]

That's a lot.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

From people who were then indicted. It's in your reports.

[Keith Ellison]

Why'd you do it, Sir? This.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

Was it worth it?

[Keith Ellison]

You know what this is? A theatrical 10,000.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

This is the truth. It has what accountability looks like, of which you've had none. You helped fraudsters defraud fraud your state and this government of $9 billion. And you got a fat campaign contribution out of it. You ought to be indicted.

[Keith Ellison]

True. Well, that's the truth.

[Mark Levin]

I think we've made the point. Let's keep the 10.

[Senator Josh Hawley]

Well, just for the record, I'll ask how I was.

[Mark Levin]

I don't blame Hawley. Guy's line through his teeth. In my humble opinion. He's reading from the transcript. He's laying it out. And I think Hawley was fed up with him. And he's fed up with all of this, as the rest of us are. So I think he was certainly representing my views on this, too. We've got a lot more. We'll be right back.

[Show Announcer]

Mark le Ben.

[Mark Levin]

You know what pure talk's favorite holiday is?

President's day.

Because they believe wireless service should only cost you a couple of presidents. Just a Jackson and a Lincoln, to be exact. For $25 a month, Pure talk gives you unlimited talk text, plenty of data. Now, compare that to big wireless. They'd rather celebrate Benjamin Franklin day so they can charge your family hundreds every month. And he wasn't even a president. That's not right. You deserve better. Puretalk is an American wireless company that supports our veterans and invests in a US Only customer service team. When you call, you're talking to someone right here at home. Pure Talk uses the same towers as the big carriers, so enjoy super coverage without the inflated price. Just $25 a month for talk text, plenty of data, no contract, no cancellation fee. Don't wait any longer, folks. Go to PureTalk.com Levin PureTalk.com L E V I N. You'll get 50% off your first month. Again, that's PureTalk.com Levin to make the switch to Pure Talk.

I want to read you something because some of these judges are truly outrageous. Happen to know them from their past lives like federal district appointed Judge Richard Leone, Bush appointed. He was a staff on the Judiciary Committee for a few years. I knew him. We weren't best friends, of course I knew him. He was a very nice guy, affable, intelligent. But he's also become a blowhard while sitting on the bench. I don't know what happens to these people. I don't expect them to be political partisans, but I do expect them to comply with the Constitution and the law. You have a number of members of Congress who put out a videotape urging, urging members of our armed forces, our service personnel, to turn against the commander in chief literally for no reason. He hasn't done anything that would justify that kind of a position. You're talking about senators and congressmen. You're talking about individuals who've served in the military and individuals who've served in intelligence agencies. And Pete Hegset being the secretary of war, he's not going to ignore it. He's trying to address it and to punish these people for what they've done because things can get out of hand, what we consider normal and a custom.

Or traditional and so forth and so on. If you just let these things pass, they get worse and worse and worse.

And I guess Richard Leone doesn't get it, particularly in the military where you have very definite requirements and compliance standards.

And so the Daily Mail, bit of.

A what can I call the Daily Mail? Sometimes they have good stories. Other times it's very tabloid like Republican.

Judge torches Pete Hegseth and Savage ruling.

That he threatened to strip senators rank.

Our veterans deserve more. That's pretty pathetic.

Richard Leone, Our military deserves better than Kelly and these others encouraging them to.

Defy the commander in chief. And I guarantee you that most of our veterans agree with me and not you. Richard Leone, Bush appointed federal judge for the District of Columbia, slapped the defense secretary with the blunt ruling after the Pentagon tried to Strip Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, of his rank and pension. And to me, ladies and gentlemen, it's more appalling that he was a Navy captain, that he says what he says.

And did what he did.

And we don't need judges second guessing a secretary of war. There was no great constitutional issue here. Don't tell me it's a First Amendment issue. He's free to say whatever he wants is Mark Kelly, but that doesn't mean there isn't certain consequences for it, depending on what you say and in what context you say it. This is basic First Amendment stuff, He says, rather than trying to shrink the First Amendment liberties of retired service members. This is a very partisan political statement. Secretary Hagseth and his fellow defendants might reflect and be grateful for the wisdom and expertise that retired service members have brought to public discussions and debate on military matters in our nation over the past 250 years. Oh, what bullcrap. Of course, we all know this. What does it have to do with when an individual conducts himself the way Mark Kelly did? And he's not the only one. And Pete Hegseth is a combat veteran, too. You need to have good order in the military. And just because somebody becomes a politician and runs for the House and Senate, gets elected and served in the military, doesn't mean they have a right to trash the military, undermine the military and the command structure. Judge, imagine if somebody did it to Judge Richard Leonel said, you know what? Everybody do not. I have an idea. Why don't all we lawyers get together and say, look, do not honor what Judge Leone says. We have a First Amendment right, First Amendment right to condemn him, to reject him, to call him, yes, a judge. But you, you defendants, you're not required, if you're found guilty, to listen to him, defy him. Would you like that, Judge? You think that makes sense? And what if they were a veteran and said that? Would that make any difference to you? These judges, let me be clear, are mostly prima donnas. They demand absolute compliance with everything. They burp up every single syllable, anything they write. And you damn well better listen to what they say and comply with it. They run that courtroom, baby. They run it. Even wear robes, you might notice. They even have a hammer, a wooden hammer. Don't they, Mr. Producer? It's called a gavel. And from time to time, they bang it. Even have somebody to enforce their orders in there, bailiff, other types of security. That's serious business. And if you're a lawyer, you better damn well pay attention. You can lose your Law, license, you could be held in contempt and thrown in jail. Now, if you're the Secretary of war, and you see you've got a few of these politicians who served in the military and the intelligence services, and they're saying, you know what? You can defy the secretary. In fact, you can defy the Commander in chief. Richard Leon's okay with that. In fact, he says there's a 250 year history of this.

Let me tell you something, Dick Leone.

That's what we used to call him.

Let me tell you something, Dick. You wrote a contemptible opinion. You want to get into the business of writing opinion pieces like that, then you get the hell off the bench and write them. And I doubt most people would even read them.

Don't use the patina of the justice system. Dispute your stupidity. That's right. I said it. He goes on. Does the judge. If so, they will more fully appreciate why the founding Fathers made free speech the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights.

What does that have to do with anything? Absolutely nothing. I used to think the guy's smart. Now I'm thinking he's pretty stupid.

Kelly, along with five other Democratic lawmakers, published a video in November encouraging members of the military intelligence community to refuse.

Illegal orders from the White House.

Judge would say that's illegal orders. Well, who determines if they're illegal? A senator, A congressman? What did Pete Hague said that said, you know what? On Capitol Hill, these guys, they're passing these laws. You know what, America? Do not comply with any of their laws. If you think they're illegal, what they've done, if you think they're in violation of the Constitution, don't comply with them. Does that make sense, Judge? If you think the judge's order violates the Constitution, don't. Don't adhere to the order. Don't comply with the order. Is that. Is that okay, Judge? Judge Leone excoriated the Trump administration for not going through the proper channels so the military can have the first crack at adjudicating his First Amendment rights. Oh, isn't that nice? But what you said undermines that entire.

Process argument, doesn't it, Judge? Judge, it's time to retire, pal. That's right. Or at least go to traffic court or something.

I'll be right back. You know what Pure Talk's favorite holiday is?

Presidents Day.

Because they believe wireless service should only cost you a couple of presidents. Just a Jackson and a Lincoln, to be exact. For $25 a month, PureTalk gives you unlimited talk text, plenty of data. Now, compare that to Big Wireless. They'd rather celebrate Benjamin Franklin Day so they can charge your family hundreds every month. And he wasn't even a president. That's not right. You deserve PureTalk is an American wireless company that supports our veterans and invests in a US Only customer service team. When you call, you're talking to someone right here at home. Pure Talk uses the same towers as the big carriers, so enjoy superior 5G coverage without the inflated price. Just $25 a month for talk text, plenty of data, no contract, no cancellation fee. Don't wait any longer folks. Go to PureTalk.com Levin PureTalk.com L E V I N. You'll get 50% off your month again. That's PureTalk.com Levin to make the switch to Pure Talk.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Nobody says it better than Mark Levin. I'll go with what Mark Levin said.

[Mark Levin]

Because nobody could say it better. Call in now at 877-381-3811. Alrighty. Okey dokey. Holy mackerel.

You folks know how I feel about this regime in Iran. Our obligation, yes, our obligation, our generation, to help save those people over there, to take out Khomeini and his thugs, to ensure that our children don't have to be sent over there one day when they have tens of thousands of ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads, because that's what they're going to do if we don't take them out. You're going to hear a lot about this when I do my two shows on Life, Liberty and Levin. You're going to hear from Newt Gingrich, you're going to hear from General Keane, you're going to hear from our buddy Josh Hammer, among others. See, here's the problem. When you're dealing with an Islamist regime, a throwback to the seventh century, and when you listen to what Khomeini, they're different Khomeinis, but Khomeini, I'll call them the first Khomeini said and now this Khomeini. What he says they have no intention of being, quote, unquote, dictated to by the west or by the United States. The two countries they hate the most are the United States and Israel. They say it over and over again. Why? Because Israel is the only democracy in the Middle east and it's a Jewish state. America is the most powerful, so called democracy, really Republic. And the majority faith is Christianity. And so they want to take out.

The Jewish state and they want to take out the nation that is a.

Majority Christian nation and leads the way for other nations. They're not going to adhere to any agreement.

Even if they sign something with President.

Trump when he leaves, they're going to. They're going to reverse course.

One of the countries advising them is North Korea. That's exactly what they did. Now, this regime had its nuclear sites hit, and it's working immediately on new nuclear weapons. It is making as quickly as possible more ballistic missiles. IT now has 2,000 ballistic missiles. These are the sides of a yellow.

School bus.

Loaded with explosives provided primarily.

By the Communist Chinese.

So if that regime survives and we have an agreement, and we have an agreement with an inspection regime and all the rest of it, that's Obama. We're not going to be able to inspect what they do any more than the UN Was able to inspect what they do, or we were able to inspect what they do, or the Europeans were able to inspect what they did. Nobody's going to be able to inspect seriously what they do. Nobody's going to be able to hold their feet to the fire. What are we going to do every two years, go over there and bomb their military sites? This regime needs to be taken out now. Here's the deal. The president is putting in place enormous military power. And if you're going to take this regime out, it's not going to happen overnight. It can't be some specific strike. It's going to have to be overwhelming force over a. Not a long period of time, but.

Maybe over a week or two.

They're going to have to take out Khomeini. They're going to have to take out the circle around Khomeini. So they're probably gathering intelligence in that.

Respect with the help of the Israelis.

And they're going to have to have a death blow to the Iranian guard and create a situation where when the people rise up this time, they will be rising up against a regime that is crumbling.

That is crumbling.

So for every reason I can think of, moral, humanitarian, our national security.

To.

Ensure that our children and grandchildren don't have to go to war with a regime that has nuclear warheads and tens of thousands of ballistic missiles.

Missiles.

It needs to be done now.

Now.

Why now? Because they're on their back economically.

Because.

They have no air force to speak of right now.

You can thank the Israelis.

They have no navy to speak up right now. They don't have ground air defense systems.

You can thank the Israelis for that.

Their radar systems, not all of them, but most of them have been taken out.

You can thank the Israelis for that.

Their nuclear sites have been taken out. You can thank us, we the Yanks, for that.

And that was no easy task.

The people have risen up. The economy's dead. They don't have a Navy minimal. They don't have an air force. A fact. They're never going to be weaker. Never. Never. So the question is, do we take the path of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher? Do we take the path of Winston Churchill and Harry Truman or do we take the path of Joe Biden, Barack Obama?

Those are the choices. Those are the choice.

Now, I fully understand that the, the isolationists want you to put your head in the sand, start attacking us like.

The Marxist Islamists do.

Oh, we're imperialists. Oh, we're colonialists. Oh, we're warmongers. Forever wars, they're morons. The forever wars, the 47 year war that regime has been launching against us.

And they've made it clear what they.

Will do with nuclear weapons. Now you doubt them? They just killed 50,000 of their own people and they're killing more every single day. Every single day that goes by. They won't have a second thought again. You're going to learn a whole lot more about this over the weekend on.

Life, Liberty and levin. Set your DVR, 8pm Eastern Time. I can't imagine that we'll be preempted this Saturday and Sunday, but you never know.

I hope not.

There's no reason we can't have the news reports plus a program like my program. But what do I know? I'm not a manager. That's just my thinking.

And again, another reminder.

And we're very excited about this. Liberty's Voice with Mark Levin. That will be our video podcast. They call them Vodcasts. It starts this coming Tuesday at noon Eastern time. You can get it on Rumble and you can get it on YouTube. You just enter Liberty's voice and you'll be able to find us. And we're going to do things a little differently than most of these characters. A lot of these guys are middle age and a lot of these women are middle aged and they think dropping F bombs and so forth makes them cool. It doesn't make them cool, makes them foul mouth or smoking pot on the air. That makes them cold, doesn't make them cool, makes them a pothead. Or spewing racism and bigotry and Christian bashing and Jewish bashing and American bashing. There'll be none of that on my program. In fact, there'll be bashing of those who do that bashing.

But I really want to bring patriotism.

Back where these podcasters have basically trashed our country. Again, not all. I've got good friends who are podcasters, but I'm not talking about them. There's millions and millions of young people who watch and listen to these people who are brainwashing them against our country.

There's got to be pushback.

There's got to be more pushback. So I will join the ranks of the Patriots. No, not the New England Patriots.

The Patriots.

And we will push back. And we've timed it so it doesn't conflict with my radio program. And as far as I'm concerned, this will help build the radio program even beyond our wildest dreams, and vice versa. Nobody's really done this before. We have the second biggest radio show in America. And when we do this video podcast, I'm hoping that we can expand on all platforms. Hey, I just heard one of my friends is going to do a podcast now. Now that I've announced that I'm going to do mine. Did you hear that, Mr. Producer? I'm not going to get into, but it's very funny.

I'll be right back. You know what PureTalk's favorite holiday is?

President's Day.

Because they believe wireless service should only cost you a couple of presidents. Just a Jackson and a Lincoln, to be exact. For $25 a month, PureTalk gives you unlimited talk text, plenty of data. Now compare that to big wireless. They'd rather celebrate Benjamin Franklin Day so they can charge your family hundreds every month. And he wasn't even a president. That's not right. You deserve better. PureTalk is an American wireless company that supports our veterans and invests a US Only customer service team. When you call, you're talking to someone right here at home. Pure Talk uses the same towers as the big carriers, so enjoy superior 5G coverage without the inflated price. Just $25 a month for talk text, plenty of data, no contract, no cancellation fee. Don't wait any longer, folks. Go to PureTalk.com Levin PureTalk.com Levin you'll get 50% off your first month again. That's PureTalk.com Levin to make the switch to Pure Talk. You know, ladies and gentlemen, I don't.

Push my social sites. I mention them in passing from time to time. But I Notice on Twitter, aka X Ark, Levin show has now surpassed the 5 million mark. Now, if I were like a lot of these other hosts and podcasters and so forth, I'd be pushing the hell.

Out of it, right, Rich? We'd probably be at 10 million by.

Now, but I Don't do that. But we are at over 5 million now. I thought I would mention that. And that's thanks to you.

And tomorrow, I hope you'll be on.

The lookout on X and really all of our social media platforms. I'll be putting out a video about the launch of Liberty's Voice, our video podcast. I told you years ago I was thinking about doing this, that we need to have a video and we're going to do it. And I'm very excited because this, this resonates through our radio program. It resonates through our Fox program. It resonates through all things we're doing. And so we will put that video out. And there we go. We look forward to it. Hope you do, too. And these will be totally different substantively, not my principles and my belief systems, but they'll be separate one from the other, the video podcast from the other platforms and the other things we do here. So I think you're going to enjoy it. I know you're going to learn from it. It's the 250th anniversary. We're going to spend some time on that. We're going to push back against the reprobates. There's a lot we have to do and only a limited amount of time that we can do it. John Fetterman.

What do the Democrats say.

When it comes to Iran? Well, most of them don't say anything, but if they say anything, they say don't get involved. And the reason is they side with the enemy. They always side with the enemy.

They were siding with Maduro when President.

Trump removed him from office.

They side with the illegal aliens, they side with the criminals. They always side with the wrong side. And so as far as I know, John Fetterman is the only Democrat senator to say, and I quote, if Iran's strikes are needed, I'll be the only Democrat who backs them.

That's right. John Fetterman stated on a NewsMac program.

That if a second round of strikes on Iran like Operation Midnight Hammer are needed, he will be the one Democrat.

To absolutely say that's entirely appropriate.

He said, absolutely. I was fully supportive and was cheering for that Midnight Hammer. And now if that's required for a second round, I'll be the one Democrat.

To absolutely say that that's entirely appropriate.

And he added, I don't believe you can't really trust the last time there.

Was a treaty with Iran, they ended up with 900 pounds of just a.

Steep, below nuclear weapon grade enrichment.

I'm with him there's no deal that's going to last. None. And I think the president really knows that. I think he does. He said, I will vote.

Not just like I did the first time.

You will vote no, just like I did the first time they brought that up. In other words, he will vote for the effort if it comes up.

No.

Against the War Powers Bill to try and prevent the president from doing it. Now, this is the kind of Democrat when I was young, now, there were radical kooks, too, please don't get me wrong. But this was the kind of Democrat that I remember, Joe Lieberman. Many of you know who he was and there were others, too. They were simply moderate. They were solid on foreign policy. And there's really none of them left. A couple of these guys, that's it. Even when it comes to an Islamic.

Radical regime threatening to blow us off the face of the earth, acquiring nuclear weapons, who's killed a thousand Americans? The Democrats are against military action to eliminate that regime. Now, what are they for? They're for funding that regime. They funded that regime. Biden funded that regime to the tune of billions and billions of dollars. Think about that. The Power Hour is next. We'll be right back. With Donald Trump back in office, one of his biggest adversaries, top Democrat Dick Durbin of Chicago, is leading the charge to derail President Trump's agenda at every turn. And now Senator Durbin has a new scheme, a government takeover of your credit card. Right now, Americans have thousands of credit card options, all with equal strong security. But Durbin's plan could result in less security. That means more risk for your credit, your identity and your financial future. Durbin's bill isn't about helping consumers. It's a giveaway to corporate megastores, which could shift costs onto you while putting your rewards and fraud protections in jeopardy. We've seen Durbin's failed policies before. His last big banking regulation backfired, leading to higher costs and fewer benefits for American families. Tell Republican senators, stop Durbin's government takeover of your credit card before it's too late. Learn [e-mail] that's guardyourcard.com paid for by the Electronic Payments Coalition.

[Interviewer or Host]

He's here.

[Show Announcer]

He's here now. Broadcasting from the underground command post deep in the bowels of a hidden bunker somewhere under the brick and steel of a nondescript building, we've once again made contact with our leader, Mark Levin.

[Mark Levin]

Hello, America. Mark Levin here.

Our number.

Hello, hello. 877-3813, 811-877-3813, 811. Don't forget Saturday night, Sunday night, 8pm Eastern, Centra DVR. You're going to love our shows.

Really, really good shows, good guests, great discussions. Let's listen to some of the questions presented to the president today. I think we'll start with cut two, Mr. Producer. Cut two, go.

[Interviewer or Host]

You know, you have a president that refuses to give him a pardon.

[Mark Levin]

All right, let me set this up properly. He's talking about President Herzog of Israel. This is largely a ceremonial post, but they do have some authorities. I mean, you have a prime minister and a president. That's always struck me as kind of strange, but there you have it. And the president's really quite frustrated that they won't pardon Netanyahu. They have these Mickey Mouse, you know, charges. I sat in there and my wife and I, Julie, for a little bit, three, four hours watching one of these trials, and it was ridiculous, absolutely absurd. There must have been 20 prosecutors. And it's not a typical courtroom like we have in the United States. Look like in the basement, it looked like the desk that he was sitting at was a third for third graders. I mean, the war in Gaza was going on and they had to bring him. He had to take a break, sit there as they brought him an envelope. He had to open it, read it, and then write down orders, put it back in the envelope and give it to them.

It's just. It's just the screwiest system.

And it's the left.

Their Supreme Court is a politburo. Mark, you never criticize Israel. I despise their judicial system.

[Senator Ron Johnson]

Them.

[Mark Levin]

It's what our judges want to be, but thank goodness, not yet. Like a praetorian or politburo, I should say. All right, let's start at the top now. Cut to go.

[Interviewer or Host]

You know, you have a president that refuses to give him a pardon. I think a man should be ashamed of himself. A pardon over this trial that's going to on the president of Israel. The primary power he's got is the power to give pardons, and he's not, you know, he said he's given it five different times, but he doesn't want to do it because I guess he loses his power. I think the people of Israel should really shame him. He's disgraceful for not giving it. He should give it. But Bibi has been a great wartime prime minister and I've been the best friend to Israel, I think that they've ever had. A lot of people say beyond precedence that they've ever had and we will continue to be.

[Mark Levin]

He's one of a kind. Trump truly is. And when his time is up, we're going to miss him greatly. Not just related to international affairs and this sort of thing, but domestic affairs. How he fights for America. He fights for Mr. And Mrs. America. You may not agree with everything. It doesn't matter. The man loves this country. He fights for this country. And compare that to the Democrats who trash us, who sell us out, who try to change the citizenry. And he's very bold and he's courageous, and enjoy him and embrace him while you can. I really believe this. I really believe this. This is a historic figure you're watching, and he becomes more historic and more iconic the more the media tried to destroy him, the more the Democrats tried to destroy him. I really believe this. That doesn't mean I have to agree with the Iranian thing, but I don't disagree with him on the Iranian thing yet, because nothing's happened. I just feel like we need to get this over with. If our forces are in place, we should not drop this in the lap of our children and grandchildren. We have to take care of this just like other generations have before us. You have to take care of business. Cut 3. Go.

Following your meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Yesterday, has your thinking changed at all?

Is it related to. To these negotiations with Iran or the timeline with Iran?

[Interviewer or Host]

We have to make a deal. Otherwise it's going to be very traumatic. Very traumatic. I don't want that to happen, but we have to make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time, and they got Midnight Hammer instead. And this will be very traumatic for Iran if they don't make a deal. Look, if they don't make a deal, then it'll be a different story. But we had a very good meeting yesterday with Bibi Netanyahu, and he understands. But it's ultimately up to me. If the deal isn't a very fair deal and a very good deal with Iran, then it's going to be, I think, a very difficult time for them.

[Mark Levin]

Okay. Okay. I'm counting on them being the ignoramuses they always have been, that is the cockroaches they've always have been. I'm serious about this. And they're not going to go away peacefully. They're not going to do it. They're not going to honor any agreement, certainly not in the mid and long term. They may honor it for three years, but after that it's over. I don't even think they'll honor it for three years. What do you think of that? They'll build up their ballistic missiles, they'll continue to slaughter anybody who they think is looking at them cross eyed and they're weaker than ever before. So I mean, to me, whether you're looking at this from a moral perspective, you're looking at this from a national security ours perspective, you're looking at it from a generational perspective. I just don't think there's much of a debate. A deal, a very good deal. It could be the greatest deal since deals of deals. Could be a Monty hall deal, let's make a deal. But it won't matter because they're not going to live with won't matter like the North Koreans did. They made deal after deal, man, with us, the Europeans, the UN Security Council, it didn't matter. Everybody was doing the peace in our time stuff. Evil is evil. Some of these regimes are just plain evil. And I think we delude ourselves if we actually believe that it can be done. Paper agreement to Islamist terrorists means nothing. Remember we talked about Taqiyyah. Takiya is a word that represents a belief system that you can lie, you can deceive, you can connive. In fact, it's compelled by faith, by Islam, if the goal ultimately is to advance the ideology. Now Khomeini, the first Khomeini took it to a new level because it was viewed as a defensive strategy. He said it should be an offensive strategy. And so whatever they negotiate and the manner in which they negotiate, delaying it, throwing up obstacles, just, you know, taking you through the wringer. If they sign something, they have no intention of complying with it. Now we have a recent example, the Obama Iranian deal that even ensured that in a little over 10 years they.

Would have a nuclear weapon.

But it wasn't good enough for them. They violated the deal, they violated the inspection regime that was put in place.

They violated the whole damn thing. The President got rid of it because.

He knew it, he thought it was stupid. So just because we might call a new deal the greatest of deals, doesn't make it the greatest of deals. Remember, their mindset is not our mindset. It's not a Western thinking process. It's a primitive, barbaric thinking process that goes back to the seventh century. That's what it is. And they have no intention of complying. If they intended to comply, Mr. Producer.

You know what would happen?

They'd cease to exist.

They exist as a death cult. They exist as a blood cult.

That's their purpose for existing, is to Destroy the West. And that means, if necessary, killing anybody who stands in the way or they think stands in the way.

And that's what they're doing, and that's.

What they keep doing.

This isn't theoretical. This is the facts. The facts.

So whether it's a very good deal or a very, very good deal or the greatest deal of deals, the fact of the matter is the party on the other side has no intention of complying. Certainly not after this presidency. They're going to look at long ball, not short term consequences. Well, maybe they will. And if they are, then we need to hammer them. I'll be right back.

[Show Announcer]

Mud loving.

[Mark Levin]

Hey, want a cookie?

[Donald P. Hodel]

Oh, I know you just ate, so.

[Mark Levin]

You'Re craving something a little sweet. Besides, one cookie isn't gonna kill you.

[Donald P. Hodel]

How about half?

[Mark Levin]

Just a bunch of Bite. Bite it. Bite it, bite it.

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[Mark Levin]

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[Mark Levin]

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[Mark Levin]

You know, ladies and gentlemen, you go.

Through life and you meet people and you meet, if you really think about it, some people who are really quite remarkable, they leave a lasting impression on you. And the ones that leave a positive impression on you, that's very, very important. When I served in the Reagan administration, I served in a couple of cabinet departments. As you know. I served as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Mies. But I've mentioned it before. But you may not know that I served as the deputy solicitor to a cabinet secretary by the name of Don Hodel. And Don Hodel was one of the most solid, decent, loyal cabinet secretaries that Ronald Reagan had. And it's just an honor. I don't think I've talked to don Hodel in 20 years or so or whatever. Well, maybe a couple months ago, but beyond that. And it's an honor to have you with us. How are you, Mr. Secretary?

[Donald P. Hodel]

Mark, it's an honor to be with you. I have. I have never dropped my great admiration for you and what you stand for and how you carry out the cause.

[Mark Levin]

Well, you're a good man and you have a wonderful, wonderful family. You're an outstanding Secretary of Interior. But most of all, you're an outstanding person and you've written a fantastic book. It's called Call to My Path to President Reagan's Cabinet and Beyond. And folks, we've linked to it on my social Sites. You can get it at Amazon. I want to encourage you to get it. You'll learn a lot about President Reagan, the Reagan administration. The Department of Interior, which is a massive department and sector hotel Hodel, is.

Also a very faithful Christian. Why don't we start there?

Mr. Secretary, you are a man of deep faith. You've always been a man of deep faith.

What does that mean?

And how did that affect your life?

[Donald P. Hodel]

Well, you know, Mark, I was raised in a Christian family, but I was not a committed Christian until my wife and I lost our older son to suicide on his 17th birthday. And suddenly we found how, how hopeless we were without Christ in our lives. And that changed our outlook. It changed the remaining days of our lives. And it, I think it shows up in the book, too, because I talk about that and how, how things progressed after that.

[Mark Levin]

After that. And, you know, you really never get over that, do you? No matter how much time passes, there's probably not a minute that goes by that you don't think about your son.

[Donald P. Hodel]

It comes up in your own thinking time and time again. Now what happens is the intensity of it diminishes with time. And what you also learn, Mark, is that everybody has crises. Everybody has painful, painful things in their lives that they have to overcome. And, and as I said to my younger son the day that our older son committed suicide, life is for the living. We can't look backward. We can't change what's already happened. We have to go forward. And that's true.

[Mark Levin]

You've also had a number of private sector jobs where you've been very, very successful, both before you came in the Reagan administration and after. Describe that.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Well, before I got to, got to Washington, I had had the privilege of serving as the administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration in Portland, Oregon, which manages the federal transmission grid, builds and manages the federal transmission grid. That's a very big deal in Idaho. It's a, it's a big deal. It transmitted more electricity than any electric system in the world other than the Soviet Union, which was a single entity. And that five, six years as administrator gave me the reputation of being knowledgeable about energy and laid a foundation for my later becoming Secretary of Energy.

[Mark Levin]

Mm. You were Secretary of Energy. You were Secretary of Interior. Which did you enjoy more?

Which did you dislike more?

Either.

[Donald P. Hodel]

I, I, I. The truth is, the Department of Energy was a very straightforward job. The Department made nuclear weapons for the military. It managed a whole lot of national laboratories, which are fantastic technical facilities. And then it did a great deal of data gathering in the energy field and was involved in worldwide energy conferences and the like. So it was a very orderly kind of management job. The Department of Interior, on the other hand, was a can of worms because within the department, we had both developmental and preservation responsibilities. As you know, having been deputy solicitor, we had intense animosity within the department between preservation and development, between conservation and no use. And I used to say the secretary could not do anything right because if he sided with one group, he offended all the others. If he balanced it and came up with a decision that kind of was a compromise, then he offended everybody.

[Mark Levin]

Mm.

[Donald P. Hodel]

So I would say that in terms. If you don't like hostility in your life, Interior was a much more difficult, Much more difficult task.

[Mark Levin]

You had a lot of stuff saboteurs in the bureaucracy there, too. I know we did. In the legal department that really tried to obstruct your agenda and the President's agenda, didn't they? Yeah.

[Donald P. Hodel]

The worst. The worst experience I had was, was a career employee at a fairly high level who wrote a memorandum that ostensibly was sent to the secretary to me, but in fact, no copy was ever found in our system. But she leaked a copy of it to the congressman overseeing our activities. So I was suddenly confronted with this accusation that this. This had happened and that I had ignored it and so forth. And, you know, it's a real sandbagging job when that kind of thing happens. Overall, I will say that what Jim Watt and I found was that if we gave. If we gave clear direction for something that was legal, that was moral and was appropriate, that the vast majority of the bureaucracy attempted to behave in a responsible or professional fashion.

[Mark Levin]

Now, we're running out of time.

This segment, if you can hold on, I'd like to carry over to the next segment. You know, people, particularly young people, need to hear more and more about the Reagan administration. I want to get into that a little bit. I also want to get into you losing, you know, the love of your life, Barbara, who I had met and admired and so forth and so on, and how you carried on, you know, your life after that. So we'll get into this a little bit more with Donald Hotel. He was a fantastic cabinet official to Ronald Reagan. Solid as a rock, man of deep faith. It was an honor to work for him. We'll be right back.

[Show Announcer]

The Mark Levin show, where the Reagan.

[Mark Levin]

Coalition meets every day.

[Show Announcer]

Call now 8 7.

[Mark Levin]

It's a great book called To Serve My Path to President Reagan's Cabinet and.

Beyond by Donald P. Hodel, former Secretary of Energy, former Secretary of Interior. I worked with the Secretary for about six, seven, eight months. Then the Irn Contra matter broke and I was yanked back to the Justice Department. Mr. Secretary, I don't know if you remember that, but I was having a blast as Deputy Secretary.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Yeah, I remember it very well because as soon as we in the executive suite met you, we recognized that you were a good, solid philosophical conservative and we brought you in on discussions that were outside what would normally be your sphere of responsibility in order to get your wise counsel. And I've never forgotten how much we relied on you.

[Mark Levin]

Well, thank you. You're a good, good man. And I remember your wife so well. I'm not trying to upsell you at bringing these things up. They're in the book. Tell the nation a little bit about your wonderful wife.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Well, we met in college, we fell in love, we got married and, and she could not have been a more supportive person. And had she been anything other than what she was, I probably wouldn't even have gone to Washington D.C. and in the book, I try to make the point that all these things that seem to be accomplishments in my life wouldn't have occurred without her total unfailing loyalty, love and support. And I just, I can't say enough about it. We had 50 years of marriage, 51 years of marriage before she fell and became paralyzed from the neck down. She lived five more years, during which time I was a full time caregiver. And it was just, it was a fantastic relationship and the biggest single element in my life.

[Mark Levin]

You've had quite a life, really. You've been significant positions in the private sector, really atop of politics for a long period of time. A man of deep faith, wonderful family. And this book to me is like a book to America about an American story. As I went through this book, it's a fantastic book. You can get it on Amazon.com you can get it through any of my social sites, America Call to, to serve my path to President Reagan's cabinet and beyond. And trust me when I tell you what a fantastic man this is and how outstanding he was as a cabinet secretary. Interior Department's a very tough job. It is a massive responsibility. I don't think people realize all that's involved. And what did you consider? This may not be a fair question. The most difficult part of your job as Interior secretary.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Well, that's a good question. I haven't thought of that. I think, I think the most important thing that we tried to, tried to establish, beginning with Jim Watt, when I was his undersecretary we tried to establish. And Bill Clark carried it on after Jim Watt left, and I carried it on after Bill Clark left. What we tried to establish was that America did not have to choose between an improving environment on the one hand and an adequate energy and mineral supply on the other. That if we proceeded in a responsible and intelligent fashion, we could have both. Now, what's interesting is, under Carter, the idea was you had to choose. We were going to have to learn to live with less. The Club of Growth report said that. The Club of Rome report said that we were running out of all the critical materials and minerals, and we just couldn't. Our kids couldn't expect to live as well as we did. We came in with Ronald Reagan's enthusiasm for America and patriotism and said, that's not right. And by the time we left office eight years later, that was. That had carried the day. And even the Democratic national platform in 1988 contained a plank which basically acknowledged we didn't have to choose. That was a major achievement.

[Mark Levin]

And what did you think of President Reagan in your private meetings and the Cabinet meetings and so forth? What was your. What was your view?

[Donald P. Hodel]

Oh, Mark, he was a. He was a wonderful man. He was a man of integrity.

[Mark Levin]

He.

[Donald P. Hodel]

He had. He had a clear vision for America. He understood the role of a president is to cast a vision for America. He had spoken for years about the direction the country should take. I didn't. I. I knew his background. I had followed what he'd done. I didn't have to go to him and get clearance to do things like. I gave a speech one time as Secretary of Energy, and a reporter came up afterwards and he said, did you clear this speech with the White House? And for a moment, my heart sank because, no, I hadn't even thought about it. And I responded the reporter, I said, no, I don't have to. I know where President Reagan stands on these issues.

[Mark Levin]

Now.

[Donald P. Hodel]

If I wanted to say something contrary to what he believes that I would have to try to clear, and I'd still be in clearance. So he was a great man to work for. He had a great sense of humor. He was a kind, generous man and. And set a great example for the people of the Cabinet. I remember a Cabinet meeting. I think I relate this in the book that he. He was. He would sit through some of the dumbest presentations. I couldn't believe how poorly people prepared for some Cabinet meetings. But anyway, he would sit through these in the most gracious way. But on one occasion, he cut in and did an unusual thing. He stopped the speaker and he said, wait a minute.

[Mark Levin]

It.

[Donald P. Hodel]

You're talking politics, I want to know what you think is right. And I thought what an object lesson that was for all of us in the Cabinet. And frankly, from then on, I made that the stated kind of touchstone for us when we made decisions. First start off asking what's right. Now, being in Washington, D.C. we may not be able to come anywhere near what's right, but at least we know what we should be trying to do.

[Mark Levin]

No, exactly. And of course, you start the book out by explaining that you're a son of an immigrant. So tell us a little bit about that.

[Donald P. Hodel]

My father came to this country as. I think he was 20, maybe 20 years old, and he loved America. He was a patriot through and through. He really believed that we owed something back to a society that gave us so much freedom and opportunity. And. And I think that much of what I did in my life was in part the desire to impress my father even. Even after he was gone, to impress my father that. That I had taken to heart his teachings about this great country of ours.

[Mark Levin]

Mm. Well, I'm sure he'd be very proud of you.

[Donald P. Hodel]

How far along would have been delighted? Unfortunately, before I reached the Cabinet, he had begun to suffer from Alzheimer's disease. And so he never knew, but my mother knew, and she was. She was appropriately proud.

[Mark Levin]

Well, we're all proud of you. And this book you should be very, very proud of. This is a legacy, this book called to my path to President Reagan's Cabinet and beyond. I encourage you to read this. It's a very spiritual book. It's a very American type book. Just the wonderful things that you, Mr. Secretary, did throughout your life, the challenges you had to overcome. And it'll give people a lot of hope. I really do. In a very dark time in our lives, it'll give people a lot of hope. And I want to thank you. And by the way, Don, keep in touch with me. You know, I miss you.

[Donald P. Hodel]

I really would love to keep up the good work you are carrying on.

[Mark Levin]

The.

[Donald P. Hodel]

You're keeping the flame alive, and I appreciate it.

[Mark Levin]

And we appreciate you. There's a great book, folks, called to Serve. Get [e-mail] it's on my social sites. And we'll be right back. And God bless you, Mr. Secretary.

[Donald P. Hodel]

God bless you, Mark. Thank you.

[Mark Levin]

All right, well, I guess we are back, huh, Mr. Producer? Okay, I went too fast. I mean, to go to the break. He. He is such a good guy, folks. He's 90 years old.

There.

Not only do I hope I reach that age, I hope I'm as, as cogent as he is. But that was a tough damn job over there. And he was always level headed, always thinking about what was best for the country. What the President wanted. No games. Very decent and kind man. I remember this. I was only over there six, seven, eight months. I really enjoyed it as deputy Solicitor. But the Iran Contra matter broke and the Attorney General called and asked me to come back. So I did. And I don't regret a minute of that either. Those were remarkable times. Remarkable times. I look at some of the people who endorsed this book. These are great people and two of them are gone. Michael Reagan, who was a friend of mine, and Ed Fullner, the great founder and president of the Heritage foundation who built that institution all those years. Great, great men. I'll be right back.

[Show Announcer]

Mud loving.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

It's tax season and at Lifelock, we know you're tired of numbers, but here's a big one you need to hear.

[Mark Levin]

Billions.

[Senator or Congressional Member]

That's the amount of money in refunds the IRS has flagged for possible identity fraud. Now here's another big number. 100 million. That's how many data points LifeLock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, we'll fix it. Guaranteed. One last big number. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast for the threats you can't control. Terms apply.

[Mark Levin]

We just posted I lost my callers. Mr. Producer, can you send that again? We just posted a little video for you. That's the first video of all related to Liberty's Voice. You might want to check it out. It's on all our social sites like Twitter X. Excuse me, it's X. But all our social sites. And we'll be posting from time to time clips as well. So. So the process begins and I want you to come along with me, I really do. As many red blooded patriotic Americans as possible. We're going to take the country back. We're going to take this whole genre. We're going to take it on and hopefully pull it back from the precipice. We'll be joining a number of patriots who are already trying to do that as well. But we'll do it our way, the way I always do it. But you'll get to see me do it. So I hope you'll join us, my beautiful radio audience and our Fox audience. All of you folks. We appreciate it.

Okie dokie. Let's look at our calls.

Full board.

Let's take some of them. Patrick in Oshkosh Wisconsin. The Great Wosh. Go right ahead, please.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Good evening, sir.

[Mark Levin]

Good evening.

[Donald P. Hodel]

Godspeed to all us Christians and Jewish people in all religions, for the most part, except for the Muslims, however.

[Mark Levin]

You mean the Islamists, but that's okay. Go ahead.

[Donald P. Hodel]

That's. That's true. And I've been traveling to Mexico for over 30 years.

[Mark Levin]

Mm.

[Donald P. Hodel]

I think it's ironic that the United States, with the open borders now, closed borders, were so sufficient to allow illegals in. But in my. All my 30 years of going down in Mexico, I've gotten detained. I had to go through multiple checkpoints just to get to my vacation destination. And then people around, even in Wisconsin or in America, are all up in arms of getting questioned about their identity. This frustrates me to the umpteenth core of my. My. My grandmother can't buy a bottle of Mogan David wine without showing her id. But then other people that, when it comes to voting, don't have to show.

[Mark Levin]

That's ridiculous. It's so pathetic. We all know why the Democrats, you.

Know, they say, oh, they're challenging the.

Election while these people break every barrier.

To securing honest elections. It's just sick. Thanks for your call, brother. We salute our armed forces, police officers, firefighters, emergency personnel, our truckers, the men and women in Ukraine, the men and women in Israel, the men and women in Iran, and of course, you, the men and women of the United States. God bless each and every one of you. Don't forget, get Don Hodel's book, and we will see you tomorrow. God bless you.