Trump’s Peace Push & Media Power Recalibrates | 8.11.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary
Episode: Trump’s Peace Push & Media Power Recalibrates | 08.11.25
Release Date: August 11, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Contributors: Megan Basham, Cabot Phillips, Tim Piercey

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I. President Trump’s Peace Initiatives

A. High-Stakes Meeting with Vladimir Putin

The episode opens with significant news about President Trump’s diplomatic efforts. John Bickley announces that Trump is preparing for a crucial meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for later in the week in Alaska.

• John Bickley [00:34]: "President Trump says he's gearing up for a high stakes meeting with Putin later this week in America."

• Cabot Phillips [00:39]: "We're going to try to find some negotiated settlement that the Ukrainians and the Russians can live with, where they can live in relative peace, where the killing stops." [00:39]

B. Trump’s Diplomatic Achievements and Nobel Peace Prize Nominations

Georgia Howe elaborates on Trump’s ongoing peace negotiations, highlighting his confidence in brokering agreements between conflicting nations. She mentions recent ceasefires and peace deals, including the latest between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

• Georgia Howe [05:32]: "Nearly every week for the last month, it seems we've seen a new ceasefire or peace deal brokered by Trump." [05:32]

These efforts have led multiple world leaders to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing his role as a peacemaker on the global stage.

• Cabot Phillips [06:19]: "Trump deserved to have a Nobel Peace Prize, and we will promote for that." [06:19]

II. Media Landscape Shifts Towards Conservative Voices

A. Decline of Traditional Left-Wing Talk Shows

The podcast discusses a seismic shift in the talk show industry, marked by the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show and rumors surrounding Howard Stern’s future with Sirius.

• Megan Basham [07:27]: "Here to discuss is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham." [07:27]

• Kevin [07:42]: "Paramount... has said that this was purely a financial decision." [07:42]

B. Rise of Conservative Figures in Mainstream Media

In contrast, conservative voices like Greg Gutfeld are making significant inroads into traditionally liberal platforms. Jimmy Fallon’s recent appearance by Gutfeld on the Tonight Show is highlighted as a pivotal moment.

• Kevin [10:40]: "Gutfeld's appearance on the Tonight show represents a pretty significant sea change." [10:40]

• Cabot Phillips [11:03]: "I'm psyched about it, cuz Fallon comes across as a great guy... he's not worried about upsetting his peers." [11:03]

C. Impact on Late-Night Television

This shift suggests a broader recalibration of media power, with late-night shows traditionally dominated by Democratic perspectives beginning to incorporate or even pivot towards conservative viewpoints.

• Megan Basham [11:34]: "The era of those one sided monologues seems to be coming to an end." [11:34]

III. Investigations into Prominent Democrats

A. Letitia James Under Scrutiny

The discussion moves to investigations targeting Democratic figures, specifically New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is facing subpoenas related to alleged civil rights violations and corruption cases against the NRA.

• Letitia James [12:22]: "Trump was accused of falsifying business records to get better terms on loans... guilty. And Trump has been penalized..." [12:52]

B. Adam Schiff’s Mortgage Fraud Allegations

California Senator Adam Schiff is also under investigation for alleged mortgage fraud, mirroring the accusations against James. Both officials dismiss these investigations as politically motivated retribution.

• Letitia James [13:53]: "Attorneys for both Schiff and James have said that their mortgage fraud cases are political retribution." [13:53]

C. Political Implications

These investigations are portrayed as part of a broader effort by Democrats to undermine opposition figures, with Republicans highlighting the irony and perceived bias in targeting their allies.

IV. Russiagate Developments

A. Tulsi Gabbard’s Continued Scrutiny

The podcast addresses ongoing investigations related to Russiagate, focusing on Tulsi Gabbard’s disclosures about connections between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. A federal grand jury investigation is now probing these revelations, potentially implicating former Obama administration officials.

• Letitia James [14:50]: "We've seen reports of a federal grand jury investigation now into some of those revelations from Gabbard." [14:50]

B. Potential Legal Consequences

Vice President J.D. Vance emphasizes the necessity of the law following the facts, suggesting that the information revealed by Gabbard and Cash Patel indicates aggressive violations warranting legal action.

• Cabot Phillips [15:07]: "What they basically did is they defrauded the American people... I don't know how anybody can look at that and say that there wasn't aggressive violations of the law." [15:07]

C. Republican Stance on Russiagate

Republicans express determination not to let Russiagate investigations fade, positioning themselves against what they perceive as Democratic attempts to erase these controversies.

• Letitia James [15:47]: "No chance." [15:47]

V. Conclusion

The episode of Morning Wire provides a comprehensive overview of President Trump’s active role in global peace initiatives and the shifting dynamics within the media landscape towards more conservative voices. It also delves into the politically charged investigations targeting prominent Democrats, framing them as efforts to suppress opposition. Additionally, the continued focus on Russiagate underscores the enduring tension between Republican and Democratic factions. Throughout the discussion, notable quotes and timestamps offer listeners clarity and context, making the complex interplay of politics and media both accessible and engaging.

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Notable Quotes:

• Cabot Phillips [00:39]: "We're going to try to find some negotiated settlement that the Ukrainians and the Russians can live with, where they can live in relative peace, where the killing stops."

• Trump [06:02]: "As president, my highest aspiration is to bring peace and stability to the world... We got saved a lot of lives."

• Cabot Phillips [06:19]: "Trump deserved to have a Nobel Peace Prize, and we will promote for that."

• Kevin [10:40]: "Gutfeld's appearance on the Tonight show represents a pretty significant sea change."

• Cabot Phillips [15:07]: "What they basically did is they defrauded the American people... I don't know how anybody can look at that and say that there wasn't aggressive violations of the law."

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Morning Wire episode, providing a detailed and structured overview for those who haven't listened to the podcast.

Transcript

[Megan Basham]

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[John Bickley]

President Trump says he's gearing up for a high stakes meeting with Putin later this week in America.

[Cabot Phillips]

We're going to try to find some negotiated settlement that the Ukrainians and the Russians can live with, where they can live in relative peace, where the killing stops.

[Megan Basham]

The announcement comes as multiple world leaders say they'll now nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Monday, August 11th, and this is MORNING Wire.

[Megan Basham]

The media landscape is shifting quickly as several mainstay left wing shows prepare to shudder while conservative voices ascend.

[Cabot Phillips]

Talk about this coincidence. Jimmy Fallon's contract has just been renewed by NBC through 2028. You see that Colbert? You should have had me on.

[John Bickley]

And a series of investigations are launched into powerful Democrats who tried to take down Trump.

[Cabot Phillips]

When we see mortgage fraud, we are going to report. We see mortgage fraud, we are going to prosecute it within the confines of our duties.

[Megan Basham]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

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[Megan Basham]

President Trump announced a high stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin this week after brokering yet another peace deal, this time in Asia.

[John Bickley]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips joins us with the latest. Hey, Cabot. So a lot of news since we last talked, none bigger than this meeting with Putin this Friday. Tell us about this.

[Georgia Howe]

Yeah. On Friday, President Trump announced that he would sit down with his Russian counterpart for the first time since retaking office. Remember, they've already spoken on the phone, but this will be face to face in Alaska. This coming Friday comes after a month in which the US has really ramped up their pressure on Russia to take a peace deal and end this war. First, Trump increased weapons sales to NATO. Then he slapped tariffs and even more sanctions on Moscow. And then he added secondary tariffs to any country, mainly India, that continue to do business with Russia. But with none of that seeming to work, Trump is now going to try and secure a deal the old fashioned way, face to face. Now, skeptics say that Putin will only use this meeting to drag out peace talks even more and buy time, which he'll then use to gain as much territory as possible to hopefully improve his leverage before these peace talks inevitably resume. But after brokering a string of ceasefires and peace deals over the last few weeks, which we've continued to cover on the show, Trump is clearly feeling confident that he can persuade Putin himself.

[John Bickley]

I certainly never doubted his ability to win in these sort of situations with an adversary. Now, what are we expecting to get out of this meeting?

[Georgia Howe]

Well, it's important to note this will almost certainly be step one in the Trump Putin negotiating process. Even the White House is tempering expectations here. They've been tight lipped about what exactly the two men will discuss, but it'll certainly involve potential security guarantees for Ukraine after the war and more importantly for Putin, land swaps. Speaking from the White House, Trump again implied that any peace deal would require Ukraine ceding at least some of the territory they've lost so far in this war.

[Cabot Phillips]

We're actually looking to get some back and some swapping. Complicated. There'll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, at the moment, Volodymyr Zelensky is not set to be at this meeting, but the White House said he could be invited later on in the week. And if not, he will be included in a separate meeting with Putin later on. For his part, Zelensky really bristled at the idea of ceding any of his territory, saying he will, quote, not give Russia any awards for what it has done. But elsewhere, we did see a number of European leaders express optimism at the fact that Putin, you know, was agreeing to sit down with Trump. Here's NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, for example, saying that Trump has broken the deadlock with Putin.

[Cabot Phillips]

Starting the dialogue with Putin, I think that was crucial. We had a great NATO summit under his leadership, and then he opened the floodgates three weeks ago of American lethal weapons to be delivered into Ukraine.

[John Bickley]

So Ruda giving Trump a lot of credit.

[Georgia Howe]

Yeah. After criticizing him for years, it's worth adding now.

[John Bickley]

This announcement came after yet another peace deal negotiated by Trump. Tell us about that.

[Georgia Howe]

Yeah. Nearly every week for the last month, it seems we've seen a new ceasefire or peace deal brokered by Trump. This time, it was between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The two countries have been engaged in a bloody feud for decades. But on Friday, leaders from each country joined Trump at the White House to sign a historic new treaty. In exchange for an end to hostilities, the two sides will enter into new energy and trade deals with the US And a number of defense restrictions on Azerbaijan specifically will be lifted by the US for the first time in decades. And here's Trump announcing the deal.

[Cabot Phillips]

As president, my highest aspiration is to bring peace and stability to the world. Today's signing follows our success with India and Pakistan, also the Congo and Rwanda, also just recently, Thailand and Cambodia. We got saved a lot of lives.

[Georgia Howe]

And then in response, the president and prime minister of the two countries announced that they would be formally nominating Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

[Cabot Phillips]

This is tangible result of President Trump's leadership, and no one could have achieved that. Trump deserved to have a Nobel Peace Prize, and we will promote for that. And today's event, I think, is a very bright expression of that.

[Georgia Howe]

So, big picture. This deal not only bolsters Trump's claim that he is the peacemaker in chief, but also provides the US With a very important foothold in the Caucasus region, long dominated by, you guessed it, Russia.

[John Bickley]

Yeah. Certainly notable given these tense talks with right now. Kevin, thanks so much for reporting.

[Georgia Howe]

Absolutely.

[John Bickley]

A seismic shift is rocking the talk show world with Stephen Colbert's cancellation, rumors swirling about Howard Stern's future, and now Jimmy Fallon welcoming Fox News host Greg Gutfeld to the Tonight Show. The apparent vibe shift has sparked questions about whether broadcasters are are pivoting to appeal to conservative audiences.

[Megan Basham]

Here to discuss is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham. So, Megan, this all really got going with Colbert, which we reported here on this show, but there's since been some new developments there. Has it been confirmed that he was canceled for being too partisan?

[Kevin]

Well, you know, Paramount, which owns cbs, has said that this was purely a financial decision. And to be fair, Colbert show was reportedly losing around $40 million a year. But Colbert has encouraged viewers to protest his firing, and he's even suggested that Paramount did this in an attempt to appease Trump. And he's had some choice words for the president himself.

[Cabot Phillips]

On Friday, Donald Trump posted. I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I did. How, how, how dare you say, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism? Go yourself. Anyway, anyway, anyway, thank you. Thank you very much.

[Kevin]

But the numbers here tell a pretty stark story. So his show's ratings peaked in the 2018 season with 3.1 million viewers, but today he averages only about 1.9 million.

[Megan Basham]

Well, now we're also hearing that Howard Stern might be on the way out. Where are those rumors coming from?

[Kevin]

Well, it's not clear yet that his show is canceled, but there are reports that Sirius is planning to offer him a lowball offer when his contract comes up for renewal this fall, essentially trying to rid themselves of him in a roundabout way. And while it's hard to track serious ratings, there's a lot of evidence that Stern show has been losing audience, too. According to social media data tracker tubular labs, his YouTube channel lost more than 30% of unique viewers from 2024 to 2025. And the new York Post has reported that his audience has gone from 20 million a day to only 125,000. Now, of course, if that's even partially true, that represents a pretty steep drop off for the king of all media. And a lot of analysts are pointing to commentary like his response to being called woke as the culprit here.

[Cabot Phillips]

I kind of take that as a compliment that I'm woke. I'll tell you how I feel about it. To me, the opposite of woke is being asleep. And if woke means I can't get behind Trump, which is what I think it means, or that I support people who want to be transgender or. I'm for the vaccine, dude. Call me woke as you want. I'm not for stupidity.

[Megan Basham]

Now, let's talk about Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, because he's consistently had the best ratings in late night tonight, show host Jimmy Fallon welcomed him as a guest last week. Is that significant? And if so, what does it tell us?

[Kevin]

Well, I think it tells us that Jimmy Fallon can read the tea leaves and he's not willing to go down with a partisanship. And there's no question that Gutfeld's appearance on the Tonight show represents a pretty significant sea change. And even the legacy media is recognizing that. New York magazine, for instance, described it as Fallon kissing the ring of conservatives. And Gutfeld himself seemed to see it that way.

[Cabot Phillips]

I am doing Jimmy Fallon next week. Yes, I'm psyched about it, cuz Fallon comes across as a great guy, nice guy, and also me going on his show shows him he's not worried about upsetting his peers. Remember, he got a lot of stick for humanizing Trump when he tossled his hair, but didn't come from anybody but the people on the left who wanted to teach all entertainers a lesson that if you dare show that Trump is a human, then you're toast. And so it's kind of nice that he's taken this risk.

[Kevin]

And then the even bigger picture here, Georgia, is that these late night shows have long been a Democratic stronghold. They could rely on these hosts to push liberal talking points and to skewer Republicans. And now you have to imagine that the Dems are going to be lamenting the fact that the era of those one sided monologues seems to be coming to an end.

[Megan Basham]

Well, of course, the next big question is what's going to happen with Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers. Megan, thanks for reporting.

[Kevin]

My pleasure.

[Megan Basham]

Two of President Trump's top antagonists are now under investigation by the Department of Justice, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and California Senator Adam Schiff.

[John Bickley]

Here to tell us more about the investigations is Daily Wire reporter Tim Piercey. Tim, so how much trouble are Schiff and James in here?

[Letitia James]

Yeah, I'll start with James, who has long been seen as a politically driven prosecutor. And as far as the DOJ is concerned, she's got a bit more going on than schiff. So the U.S. attorney in Albany issued a couple subpoenas recently against James over potential civil rights violations. One was related to James's 2023 civil case against Trump and the Trump Organization. And the other was related to a corruption case against the National Rifle Association.

[John Bickley]

Now, obviously, the most infamous of those cases is the one involving Trump. Remind us what that was about.

[Letitia James]

Sure. So essentially, Trump was accused of falsifying business records to get better terms on loans. But it was an odd case. First of all because it was a bench trial, not a jury trial. And it was decided by Justice Arthur Engoron. Second, nobody ever claimed harm. So Gerron found Trump guilty. And Trump has been penalized more than half a billion dollars and was barred from running a company in New York for three years, all for a case with no victims. Trump is appealing the ruling on the basis that his civil rights were violated as James ran for office on the platform of prosecuting him. And the case she picked was previously passed over by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. No friend of Trump's, obviously.

[John Bickley]

Yeah, definitely not.

[Letitia James]

The other subpoena into James has to do with the nra. That case is related to the corruption case James launched against the gun Group in 2020. Last year, a Manhattan jury found the NRA guilty of financial misconduct and corruption, and a couple of its former leaders were ordered to pay back millions to the group.

[John Bickley]

All right, now we also have this separate mortgage fraud claim that involves Schiff. What's going on with that case?

[Letitia James]

So James and Schiff are both being looked at for mortgage fraud, and both of their cases are somewhat similar. In James's, the DOJ probe came from a prior criminal referral made by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The agency alleged James claimed a home in Virginia as her primary residence to SC better terms on a loan. And Schiff, a noted promoter of the Trump Russia collusion conspiracy, may have done something similar with a home in Maryland. According to another referral from the agency, Schiff claimed a Maryland home as his primary residence several times between 2009 and 2013, when he sought to refinance. At the time, he was an elected U.S. representative of California. He allegedly never claimed the Maryland home as a secondary residence until 2020. Attorneys for both Schiff and James have said that their mortgage fraud cases are political retribution.

[John Bickley]

And Republicans obviously calling out the irony there in those situations. Now, Tulsi Gabbard has had a lot of high profile releases revolving around Russiagate. What's the latest there?

[Letitia James]

Well, we've seen reports of a federal grand jury investigation now into some of those revelations from Gabbard. And that investigation could sweep up a few top people from the Obama administration. But that aside, it's clear the White House thinks that there was criminality here that needs to be addressed. Here was Vice President J.D. vance over the weekend.

[Cabot Phillips]

Look, of course, you've got to have the law follow the facts here. You don't just indict people to indict people. You indict people because they broke the law. But if you look at what Tulsi and Cash Patel have revealed in the last couple of weeks, I don't know how anybody can look at that and say that there wasn't aggressive violations of the law. What they basically did is they defrauded the American people in order to take Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign talking points and turn them into intelligence.

[Letitia James]

So the vice president clearly expects that some charges will be brought over this.

[John Bickley]

Well, Democrats may want Russiagate to sort of disappear, but Republicans making clear they're not going to let that happen.

[Letitia James]

Yeah, no chance.

[John Bickley]

Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Letitia James]

Thanks for having me on.

[Megan Basham]

Thanks for waking up with us. And if you're watching on YouTube, please like and subscribe. We'll be back later this evening with more news you need to know.

[Cabot Phillips]

These are questions that take cultures thousands of years to answer.

[Letitia James]

During Answer the Call, I take questions from people just like you about their.

[Cabot Phillips]

Problems, opportunities, challenges, or when they simply need advice.

[Letitia James]

How do I balance all of this grief, responsibility? How do you repair this kind of damage?

[Cabot Phillips]

My daughter, Michaela guides the conversations as we hopefully help people, people navigate their lives. Everyone has their own destiny. Everyone.