The Best of Mark Levin – January 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this “Best Of” edition, Mark Levin delivers his trademark incisive commentary on a tumultuous week in global and U.S. politics. Central themes include the escalating crises in the Middle East—especially Iran, Syria, Turkey, and the Kurds—the American response to these events, the importance of strategic alliances, and reflections on immigration, law enforcement, and domestic political leadership. Levin also takes pointed aim at high-profile media commentators and the criminalization of political dissent, especially in the wake of election challenges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Ongoing Crisis in Iran and U.S. Policy

• Mass Slaughter and Repression in Iran:

  • Levin repeatedly describes the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters, with chilling details of violence against young people and women.
  • He likens present events to a “holocaust” (06:32), insisting the scale of atrocities will not be fully known until the regime falls.

• U.S. and Western Hesitancy:

  • Levin criticizes Western and especially U.S. policy for insufficient action, blaming “isolationist” advice and diminishing media attention for the victims’ plight.
  • He recalls President Carter’s inaction during the fall of the Shah and sharply distinguishes Persian people from the current regime:

    “Iran today is a concentration camp… The Persian people are Western people. That’s what they are.” (08:22)

• Calls to Action:

  • Repeated advocacy for aiding the Iranian opposition, including strong suggestions for regime change:

    “The Islamo-Nazi who runs Iran, in my humble opinion, needs to be taken out.” (56:55)

• International Complicity:

  • Criticizes Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey for aiding or appeasing the Iranian regime, and denounces their involvement in international diplomatic efforts regarding Gaza.

2. Kurds, Syria, and Regional Turmoil

• Abandonment of Kurdish Allies:

  • Levin recounts the betrayal of the Kurds, long U.S. allies against ISIS, highlighting recent massacres and the release of thousands of ISIS prisoners from Syrian jails.
  • Direct blame is placed on Erdogan (Turkey) and the Syrian leadership for attempts at ethnic cleansing:

    "Erdogan... is behind this effort, working with this phony reformer, this terrorist who runs Syria to ethnically cleanse the Kurds.” (01:55)

  • Expresses outrage at “reform narratives” about the Syrian regime and ongoing U.S. diplomatic engagement.

• Strategic Value of Allies:

  • Stresses the importance of alliances with minoritized groups in the region: Persians, Kurds, Jews, Christians.

3. U.S.-Israel Relations and Technology

• The Iron Dome:
  • Levin discusses Israel’s technological advancements, particularly regarding the Iron Dome and new laser defense systems.
  • Emphasizes the symbiotic nature of U.S.–Israel cooperation, stating,

    “We get back ten times the value that we spend on these things. Ten times the value.” (01:13:40)

4. National Security and Defense – Greenland & Strategic Chokepoints

• Greenland’s Strategic Importance:

  • Reviewing editorials critical of America’s Greenland ambitions, Levin asserts the necessity of U.S. presence for countering Russian and Chinese advances.
  • Proposes a 99-year lease to ensure U.S. military control, comparing its importance to Israel’s strategic posture:

    "The President is rightly concerned we cannot defend our country if Russia or China... takes Greenland... and uses it as a launching base against the United States..." (42:50)

• Historical Mistakes:

  • Criticizes past decisions like the Panama Canal handover, warning against repeating strategic errors.

5. Immigration, ICE, and Law Enforcement

• Relentless Assault on ICE:

  • Levin deplores what he sees as a coordinated campaign by “the Soros crowd, the Islamist crowd, the Marxist crowd” to demonize law enforcement and undermine ICE operations.
  • Warns that if ICE is dismantled or birthright citizenship is broadened, “it’s over” for border enforcement (01:25:35).

• Sanctuary Policies and Welfare:

  • Shares statistics on Afghan and Somali welfare use, arguing this contradicts America’s traditional self-sufficiency expectations for immigrants.

6. Critique of Domestic Political Leadership

• State-Level Governance:

  • Blasts California’s Gavin Newsom and Virginia’s governor for high taxes, voting changes, and policies favoring undocumented immigrants over citizens.

• Election Legitimacy and Prosecutorial Overreach:

  • Outlines the constitutional history of alternate slates of electors—the 1960 Hawaii case, 1876 precedent—stating that challenging elections is not criminal.
  • Condemns Jack Smith’s (the prosecutor’s) logic and the Democrats’ broader assault on political dissent.

7. Media and Influencer Critique

• Targeting Podcasters and Commentators:
  • Criticizes Joe Rogan as “uninformed” and “low IQ,” and lambasts Tucker Carlson for suggesting an Iranian nuclear arsenal might be stabilizing:

    “That’s a traitor. Let’s cut to the chase. That’s a traitor. If you think a country that wants to blow us off the face of the earth ought to have nuclear weapons... why are you here?” (01:21:45)

  • Contrasts podcast “cesspool” discourse with his own commitment to clarity and principle.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Iranian Atrocities:

  “You go online and you look at these photos, you see 19 year olds, 18 year olds dead, their eyes wide open, looking into the sky. They had to wonder, my God, what's happening to me?” — Mark Levin (08:46)

• On the Iranian Regime:

  “Iran today is a concentration camp. The lights are off, the electricity is off. It's dark.” — Mark Levin (09:02)

• On Responsibility and Action:

  “How much more of this crap are we going to take from these terrorists? ... We said, protest. We're coming to the rescue. Well, that's what we Americans do when we can.” — Mark Levin (10:45)

• On the Release of ISIS Prisoners:

  “About two hours ago, the main prison in which about 5,000 ISIS prisoners are held… they're gone now. They've been released. That's right, gone and been released.” — Mark Levin (02:20)

• On Allies in the Middle East:

  "The Persian people are our friends. The Kurds are our friends. The Jews are our friends. The Christians there as well as the Jews, a lot of these minorities there. They're our friends, they're our allies." — Mark Levin (19:18)

• On Media Attention Span:

  "The urgency of it wears down, doesn't it? Not for the people in Iran, but for our media, which has the attention span of a snail." — Mark Levin (35:52)

• On Greenland’s Strategic Importance:

  “I have an idea… 99 year lease of Greenland to the United States where we control the military aspects and have access, and we’ll share it with them and the Dutch… with an automatic right of renewal…” — Mark Levin (46:47)

• On Domestic Political Debates:

  “Look at this Newsom. What a schmuck. What a phony fraud. What a buffoon. What a drama queen.” — Mark Levin (01:29:52)

• On Podcasting and Influence:

  “When the golden age of radio is over, Mr. Producer, when I leave, and I’m not leaving anytime soon—I just signed the contract about a year ago. So we’re going to be here a while.” — Mark Levin (01:34:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:55] Critique of U.S. envoy and the release of ISIS prisoners in Syria
• [08:22–11:10] Description of atrocities in Iran, impact on young people, and appeals to American conscience
• [19:18] List of reliable U.S. allies in the Middle East
• [35:52] On the waning urgency of international crises in U.S. media
• [42:50–46:47] Greenland and U.S. national security strategy
• [56:55] Advocacy for removal of Iran's supreme leader
• [01:13:40] The benefits of U.S.-Israel defense cooperation
• [01:21:45] Condemnation of public figures/“traitors” advocating for Iranian nuclear weapons
• [01:29:52] Harsh criticism of domestic political leaders
• [01:35:37] Mark’s affirmation of commitment to radio, planned podcast expansion

Tone and Style

The episode is marked by Mark Levin’s characteristically passionate, combative, and often blunt style. He frequently uses vivid, emotionally charged language (“holocaust,” “slaughter,” “traitor,” “Islamo-Nazi”) to emphasize the stakes of the issues discussed. His tone oscillates between urgently outraged, biting humor, and reflective, reinforcing a sense of high stakes and moral clarity.

Summary

For listeners, this episode provides Levin’s deep-dive on why he believes principled, decisive American leadership—especially regarding allies, enemies, and constitutional governance—is more critical than ever amid worldwide and domestic turmoil. He challenges not only global adversaries and their enablers but also domestic policies and voices he deems dangerous to American security, identity, and tradition.

Note: For a complete experience and the full context of Levin’s arguments, refer to the original episode.