Mark Levin Podcast Summary

Episode: How Trump and Reagan Approach Foreign Policy

Date: September 4, 2025
Host: Mark Levin (Cumulus Podcast Network)
Featured Guest: Ben Shapiro (01:57:21–01:12:48)

Overview

In this episode, Mark Levin draws parallels between the foreign policy stances of Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan, emphasizing America's adversaries, the criticisms leveled at current conservative leadership, and the internal threats facing the nation. Levin also hosts Ben Shapiro to discuss Shapiro’s new book, Lions and the True Story of America, examining cultural divides and the existential struggle between American “lions” and “scavengers.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump's Foreign Policy: Action vs. Criticism

(02:12–07:22)

• Trump’s dealings with foreign leaders: Trump voices disappointment that U.S. sacrifices in WW2 to help China were not acknowledged by President Xi, suggesting current diplomatic gestures are shallow without respect for American history.
  • Trump: “I thought that the United States should have been mentioned last night during that speech because we helped China very, very much.” (03:16)
• Handling of Russia and India: Trump rebuffs accusations of inaction, highlighting sanctions on India for purchasing Russian oil, suggesting further escalations are possible if Russia defies U.S. interests.
  • Trump: “...when you say there's no action, I think you ought to get your a new job.” (04:32)
• Media & ideological attacks: Levin notes Trump faces criticism from both isolationists (“nut jobs who would have us surrender”) and interventionists, yet is more active in supporting NATO, Ukraine, Israel, and U.S. military than Biden (05:29–06:09).

2. The “Peace Through Strength” Doctrine

(07:05–08:13)

• Trump and Reagan both believed in assertive, but not reckless, use of American power.
  • Levin: “He's not an isolationist, but he's not an interventionist and neither was Reagan. Peace through strength means peace through strength.” (07:05)
• Skepticism about India’s alliances, China’s enduring enmity, and the folly of viewing Trump as either too aggressive or not assertive enough.

3. Judicial Activism and Internal Threats

(09:00–15:26)

• Levin rails against Democrat-appointed judges blocking Trump from enacting immigration and trade policies, suggesting courts are staffed with “radicals in robes” undermining presidential power and law enforcement.
  • Levin: “This is a grave threat to the republic. Grave threat to this republic. Terrible.” (15:26)

4. Epstein Case & “Democrat Hoaxes”

(15:29–22:49)

• Levin and callers discuss the ongoing interest in Epstein, dismissing it as partisan theater due to lack of evidence against Trump or Clinton.
  • Trump: “So this is a Democrat hoax that never ends. ...thousands of pages of documents have been given. But it's really a Democrat hoax because they're trying to get people to talk about something that's totally irrelevant...” (20:46)
• Levin asserts media and leftist critics will never credit Trump’s successes because of their opposition to his policies and persona.

5. Corruption Allegations Against Ilhan Omar

(23:19–36:16)

• Intensive segment on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s dramatic increase in net worth; Levin catalogs suspicious business dealings, settlements, and the apparent conflict of interest between Omar’s advocacy and her husband’s business fortunes.
  • Levin: “That's enough of this fraud, this Islamist Marxist fraud.” (35:07)
• Levin calls for federal and House Ethics investigations into Omar.

6. Israel, Hamas, and Media Misinformation

(39:29–55:44)

• Levin exposes violence by Hamas against Gazan civilians and criticizes the media for not covering such incidents, bringing attention to a new study debunking claims of Israeli genocide in Gaza.
  • Levin: “More food entered Gaza during the war than before the war.” (43:51)
• UN, NGOs, and media accused of distorting casualty and aid data, creating a “humanitarian bias” that perpetuates anti-Israel narratives.
• Levin: “It undermines the narrative of genocide and famine being committed by the Israelis. ...This report will not be noted in Mediaite... Neither is the Drudge Report. Nobody.” (52:44)

7. Ben Shapiro Interview — “Lions and the True Story of America”

(57:21–72:49)

• Book concept: Shapiro defines “lions” as builders and “scavengers” as those who tear down civilization without building anything. He identifies a coalition of scavengers threatening the West, visible in radical activism and street protests.
  • Shapiro: “Lions are people who seek to build, who believe they have a duty in the world... Then there are the scavengers who don’t produce anything themselves and who resent the dominance of the lions.” (58:00)
• Cultural vulnerability: Shapiro claims Western civilizations are “guilt-based,” making them uniquely susceptible to manipulation by shame-based cultures and movements.
  • Shapiro: “The problem is that the scavengers are waiting. They're waiting to pounce and to claw at the neck of the lions.” (59:29)
• Political implications: Both Levin and Shapiro discuss how elements on both left and right adopt grievance-based politics, which pose a risk to America’s unity and optimism.
  • Shapiro: “The grievance-mongering can really overtake the optimism, innovation and upward-looking mobility that really characterizes Americanism.” (64:06)
• Moral and religious foundations: Shapiro emphasizes the need for a God-centered view and moral clarity to maintain America's strength.
• Women’s groups & cultural contradictions: Both criticize the silence of women’s groups in the face of Islamist abuses and the contradiction of left-wing alliances with reactionary movements.

8. Corruption & Judicial Activism Revisited

(72:56–85:43)

• Levin again warns about the threat of judges in blocking Trump's executive actions (e.g., freezing Harvard funds over anti-Semitism), casting it as further evidence of leftist influence in critical institutions.

9. Urban Decline & Democratic Mismanagement

(86:58–94:04)

• California used as a case study in decline due to progressive policies; high taxes, crime, and mismanagement cited.
• Levin cites “issues insights” data: Of 20 cities with highest homicide rates, 19 are Democratic-run, regardless of red-state vs. blue-state status.
  • Levin: “If Democrats run them, it’s more likely than not the residents are stuck with prosecutors who won’t prosecute crimes, police departments that are understaffed and demoralized, criminals who... get released on cashless bail.” (92:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mark Levin:

  • “Peace through strength means peace through strength.” (07:10)
  • “Radicals in robes...they’re not going to adhere to the Supreme Court any more than they're going to adhere to federal law and the Constitution.” (15:26)
  • “That's enough of this fraud, this Islamist Marxist fraud.” (35:07)
  • “This is a grave threat to the republic. Grave threat to this republic. Terrible.” (15:26)

• Donald Trump:

  • “...when you say there’s no action, I think you ought to get your a new job.” (04:32)
  • “So this is a Democrat hoax that never ends... they're trying to get people to talk about something that's totally irrelevant to the success that we've had as a nation since I've been president.” (20:46)

• Ben Shapiro:

  • “Lions are people who seek to build, who believe they have a duty in the world... The scavengers don’t produce anything themselves and who resent the dominance of the lions.” (58:00)
  • “The scavengers are representatives of what we would call shame cultures...what lions do when they are confronted with a flaw is they immediately admit the flaw. The problem is that the scavengers are waiting.” (59:29)
  • “In every human heart there's a lion and a scavenger... we decide to get up and solve those problems ourselves or blame systems and shadowy conspiracies.” (64:06)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:12 | Trump on China, WW2 legacy, and being snubbed by Xi | | 04:32 | Trump defends sanctions and actions on Russia and India | | 07:05 | “Peace through strength”—similarity between Trump and Reagan | | 09:00 | Levin’s critique of left-wing judicial activism | | 15:29 | Epstein matter—dismissed as political distraction | | 23:19 | Levin on Ilhan Omar’s personal fortune & potential ethics violations | | 39:29 | Hamas abuses & Western media coverage; Gaza genocide study | | 57:21 | Ben Shapiro interview begins: “Lions vs. Scavengers” | | 64:06 | Shapiro: The inner lion vs. scavenger, both left and right grievances | | 86:58 | California’s decline as a liberal-run state | | 92:03 | Data on homicide rates and Democratic-run cities |

Tone & Language

• Passionate, combative, polemic: Levin is sharply critical of left-wing institutions, the media, and establishment figures. Tone is urgent and often scornful, especially toward perceived enemies of conservatism.
• Defensive and validating: The defense of Trump’s record is unwavering, attributing all criticism to partisan or ideological bias.
• Scholarly but accessible: Both Levin and Shapiro marshal detailed facts and philosophical arguments but explain them in everyday terms and analogies.

Conclusion

This episode offers a sweeping defense of Trump’s and Reagan’s shared “peace through strength” foreign policy, warns of threats from both without and within (judiciary, radical politicians, and progressive activists), and offers cultural commentary through Ben Shapiro’s “lions vs. scavengers” lens. The tone remains combative and unflinching, with a consistent rallying cry for conservative listeners to remain vigilant and assertive in defense of American values.

For listeners seeking a comprehensive, insiders’-view conservative critique of U.S. foreign and domestic challenges, as well as insight into the “culture wars,” this episode provides a highly detailed and opinionated analysis.