On the Media – Trump’s “Madman Theory” Is on Full Display in Iran

Podcast: On the Media (WNYC Studios)
Date: April 11, 2026
Hosts: Brooke Gladstone (Micah Loewinger absent)
Featured Guests: Bill Scher, Katie Thornton, Alan Weiner

Episode Overview

This episode of On the Media explores two interwoven threads:

1. President Trump’s recent handling of the conflict with Iran, focusing on his use of the “Madman Theory” in foreign policy and its echoes of Richard Nixon's tactics during the Vietnam War.
2. An in-depth feature on WBCQ, a Maine-based shortwave radio station that has become a global megaphone for hate speech, conspiracy, and extremist content under the guise of free speech—you’ll hear about its founder Alan Weiner, its roster of controversial broadcasters, and the financial backers helping it reach listeners around the world.

The hosts provide historical context, media analysis, and a close examination of the choices and consequences behind both political and broadcasting provocateurs.

1. Trump’s Madman Theory and the Iran Conflict

Context & Escalation

• Trump declared a tenuous victory after striking a ceasefire deal with Iran, following days of threatening rhetoric and nuclear saber-rattling ([00:00]-[01:47]).

• Notable escalation included threats to “wipe out” Iran’s civilization and statements like:

  “The entire country could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night.” – Alan Weiner quoting Trump ([00:11])

• The President’s posts intensified:

  “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will.” — Quoting Trump on Truth Social ([01:49])

Ceasefire and Global Reaction

• A last-minute deal sees Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz; the U.S. pauses its attacks for two weeks ([02:26]-[02:41]).
• The ceasefire’s fragility is immediately apparent as Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon threaten to unravel it; Iranian state media signals willingness to exit the agreement ([02:51]-[03:07]).
• The situation is volatile, with no clear objectives achieved, and Iran largely retaining control of the Strait ([03:07]).

The Madman Theory: What Is It?

• The theory recalls Nixon’s efforts during Vietnam: cultivate an image of unpredictability and volatility to intimidate adversaries ([00:16], [07:17]).

  “I call it the Madman theory, Bob. I want the North Vietnamese to believe that, for God's sake, Nixon is obsessed about communism. We can't restrain him when he's angry and he has his hand on the nuclear button.” – Nixon to H.R. Haldeman (recounted by Bill Scher, [07:27])

• Bill Scher: Nixon’s application of the strategy failed; adversaries saw through the bluff ([08:07]).

  “The whole thing doesn’t work. Still, madman theory gets talked about as if it is a reasonable strategy to employ.” – Bill Scher ([08:32])

Trump’s Application: Strategic or Genuine Madness?

• Scher asserts that Trump has consciously cultivated a persona of being dangerous and unstable, both publicly and privately—as a deliberate negotiation tactic ([04:39]).

• Trump’s first term saw him mixing menacing threats (e.g., “fire and fury” with North Korea) with handshake diplomacy; results were ambiguous or negative ([09:02]).

• In his second term, escalation with Iran (Operation Midnight Hammer) led to heavy casualties without strategic gain ([06:55]).

  “We've already lost the lives of nearly 4,000 people, injured 40,000 people, without achieving any actual strategic objective.” – Bill Scher ([06:55])

• Scher points out the flaw:

  “The problem with madman theory, if your bluff gets called, you're left with two very unpalatable choices: do an incredibly crazy thing, or surrender and throw your word out the window.” ([07:05])

Is Trump's Behavior Political Theater, or Evidence of Instability?

• Brooke Gladstone: “Then there's the alternate theory that he's truly as crazy as a soup sandwich. Nuttier than a squirrel turd.” ([10:48])

• Scher: Regardless of diagnosis, Trump's erratic public proclamations, policy reversals, and high-stakes threats signal he is “not fit to be Commander in Chief” ([11:21]) and represent “manifestly crazy” behavior.

• On the invocation of the 25th Amendment and political consequences:

  “We have every reason to say publicly, whatever's going on with Trump, he ain't right…someone is in charge of the military that should not be in charge of the military.“ – Bill Scher ([15:26])

Media’s Role and Accountability

• Scher criticizes the mainstream media for “sane-washing” Trump: covering his alarming threats as business-as-usual partisan rhetoric, rather than calling out their abnormality ([14:12]).

  “The story is that Trump did something that is manifestly crazy.” – Bill Scher ([14:12])

• Electoral consequences: Trump’s popularity is dropping, and special elections break for Democrats; the public, Scher argues, remains cognizant of the stakes ([15:26]).

2. Shortwave Extremism – The Story of WBCQ

Reported by Katie Thornton ([19:42] onward)

The Pirate Roots of American Shortwave

Alan Weiner: Pioneer and Pirate

• In 1987, Weiner launched Radio New York International, a pirate operation run from a freighter off Long Island ([19:42]-[22:54]).
• After four days, the FCC and Coast Guard raided the ship; Weiner was arrested, spurring his eventual quest for legal broadcasting ([22:09]-[23:02]).

WBCQ: Free Speech From the Wilderness

• In 1998, Weiner received a license and opened WBCQ in Monticello, Maine ([23:51]).
• WBCQ is positioned as a “free speech” haven, selling one-hour slots for as little as $50, reaching globally via powerful shortwave transmitters ([28:35]).
• Weiner:

  “We're a free speech radio station on shortwave and we lease airtime to anyone. 50 bucks an hour.” ([28:35])

When Free Speech Means Hate Speech

• The affordable, open model attracted hate groups and extremists:

  “The American Nazi Party. Do you know they were one of the first people to sign up with us? … I said, yep, no problem.” – Alan Weiner ([29:55])

• Program hosts included the KKK, American Nazi Party, and Hal Turner, a notorious white supremacist who used the platform for violent rhetoric ([33:55]).

• Weiner claims principled First Amendment absolutism, only pulling a Nazi show after repeated explicit calls for violence ([30:20]-[33:15]).

• Weiner later welcomed the KKK onto WBCQ ([33:23]):

  “The KKK contacted us and they were really pleasant and nice and I said, sure, we'll put you on the air.” ([33:27])

• Violent hate speech, conspiracy, and Christian nationalist “prophets” become WBCQ mainstays.

Economics of Extremism

• The decline of shortwave and the rise of the internet squeezed WBCQ’s finances, prompting Weiner to offer bulk discounts and seek high-volume clients ([34:47]).

• Religious extremists and conspiracy ministries became vital to the business—including Hal Turner and Brother Stair, a doomsday preacher ensnared in sexual abuse and cult allegations ([35:27]-[38:00]).

• Weiner defended airing cultists and hate speech:

  “We felt people need to have a right to know, you know, I mean, it's shedding light.” – Alan Weiner ([48:30])

The World's Last Chance Windfall

• In 2018, WBCQ’s fortunes radically changed via a multi-million dollar investment by World's Last Chance, an end-times Christian sect that preaches flat earth, anti-Catholic conspiracy, and anti-globalism ([39:40]-[42:27]).

• WBCQ gained a 500-kilowatt, fully rotatable antenna (possibly the only one outside government or Vatican hands), able to target broadcasts worldwide ([41:09]).

  “By the time we got done with it, it cost about $8 million. Was it 8 million? Yeah, I think it was 8 million.” – Alan Weiner ([41:35])

• World's Last Chance content includes: flat earth doctrine, doomsday prophecies, anti-vaccine narratives, and anti-globalist conspiracies—presented in a “slickly produced, super-listenable” program ([45:55]).

WBCQ in the Modern Era

• World's Last Chance bankrolls the station, cross-subsidizing the “free speech” frequencies where hate groups and conspiracy hosts still buy time ([46:04]).
• Weiner and wife Angela also aired “Radio Trump International” as Trump 2024 campaign supporters ([46:24]-[47:01]).
• Weiner continued running reruns from Brother Stair even after his death amid multiple abuse charges, dismissing well-documented allegations ([47:11]-[47:24]).
• Hate speech continues, justified as thought-provoking or necessary for public awareness:

  “He [Hal Turner] gets you thinking without being specific.” – Alan Weiner ([49:02])

• Recent targeted critiques of rap music by Alan and Angela drift into racialized tropes ([49:09]-[49:35]).

Global Reach and Impact

• WBCQ broadcasts are heard worldwide, even in Antarctica and China. Listener feedback comes in globally ([50:59]-[51:30]).

  “Just got one from China. Came in this morning. Yeah, on email. They picked up the station. They really like the programming.” – Alan Weiner ([51:06])

• The concluding point: WBCQ, under the banner of “free speech,” has become a main vector for exporting American fanaticism, hate, and doomsday theology to the world—largely unchecked by any regulatory body.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Trump has always deliberately cultivated a Persona that he is crazy. He wanted his foreign adversaries to look at him as someone who could do something insane…” – Bill Scher ([04:39])

• “The problem with madman theory, if your bluff gets called, you're left with two very unpalatable choices. Do an incredibly crazy thing...or surrender and throw your word out the window.” – Bill Scher ([07:05])

• “The story is that Trump did something that is manifestly crazy.” – Bill Scher ([14:12])

• “We're a free speech radio station on shortwave and we lease airtime to anyone. 50 bucks an hour.” – Alan Weiner ([28:35])

• “The KKK contacted us and they were really pleasant and nice and I said, sure, we'll put you on the air.” – Alan Weiner ([33:27])

• “By the time we got done with it, it cost about $8 million. Was it 8 million? Yeah, I think it was 8 million.” – Alan Weiner ([41:35])

Key Timestamps

• 00:00-04:00: Framing the Iran crisis; Trump’s threats; ceasefire announcement.
• 04:00-10:30: Bill Scher on Trump’s madman persona and its real-world consequences.
• 10:30-15:30: Debates over Trump’s fitness; comparison to Biden; news media “sane-washing.”
• 19:42-38:00: Katie Thornton’s documentary on WBCQ shortwave radio, its pirate origins, and entry into hate speech.
• 39:40-47:00: World's Last Chance bankrolls WBCQ, new power and reach, influx of apocalyptic and conspiratorial programming.
• 47:11-51:30: Continuity of hate speech, global reach, and ethical debate on free speech versus harmful speech on the airwaves.

Conclusion

On the Media paints a dire portrait of two “madmen theories” at work: one, in the hands of the president, risks global catastrophe; the other, in the hands of a radio pioneer, has amplified American extremism globally in the name of “free speech.” The episode is a sobering look at how media and rhetoric—unchecked, unfiltered, and sometimes unhinged—shape the world well beyond the fleeting news cycles.