Podcast Summary: Pablo Torre Finds Out

Episode: "Donald Trump's Secret Weapon Is a Quarterback"

Host: Pablo Torre
Guest Correspondents: Devin Gordon; interview subject: John McEntee
Release Date: January 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this talkumentary episode, Pablo Torre delves into the improbable rise of Johnny McEntee—a former UConn trick shot quarterback and early viral YouTube star—who emerged as one of Donald Trump’s most trusted confidants and a key player in his administration. With journalist Devin Gordon on reporting duty and Johnny McEntee himself joining the conversation, the episode explores how McEntee went from college athlete to “the secret weapon” behind Trump’s government staffing projects, notably Project 2025, and now to CEO of a right-wing dating app.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Viral Origin Story ([02:50]-[10:16])

• Pablo Torre is reminded of Johnny McEntee due to news of Trump’s civil fraud trial, drawing parallels between trick shots and political upsets.
• Johnny McEntee's viral 2011 trick shot video: Among the first big sports YouTube sensations (before Dude Perfect’s rise), it garnered 7 million+ views—huge for its time.
• Inspirational lineage: McEntee credits a UConn women’s basketball player for sparking the trick shot trend on campus.
• McEntee’s college persona defies some stereotypes—"teetotaler, designated driver, disciplined."
• Quote ([06:19]):
  "If you're trying to get a basic sense of him, close your eyes and picture an all-American quarterback... he's as gorgeous as your calves, let's put it that way."
  – Devin Gordon

2. Pivot to Politics ([11:16]-[14:19])

• After college, McEntee starts at Fox News, working on the digital team and witnessing Trump’s entry into the 2016 race.
• Unlike peers who mocked Trump’s candidacy, McEntee “gravitated towards him,” drawn to message, celebrity, and “anti-political correctness.”
• Quote ([13:30]):
  "It had the total opposite effect on me. I thought he had a great chance and I knew I wanted to work for him."
  – John McEntee

3. Breaking In: From Gopher to Body Man ([14:42]-[21:28])

• McEntee harasses Trump campaign with emails until he’s brought onboard as a volunteer.
• Starts at the bottom but quickly ascends—his “calm demeanor” and “central casting” good looks appeal to Trump.
• Body man role: The President’s constant companion and gatekeeper.
• Quote ([17:03]):
  "He probably liked that I looked the part of what an aide should look like."
  – John McEntee
• Proximity to power included helping Trump with everything, up to being the last to see him at night ([22:01]).

4. Life Inside Trump’s Inner Circle ([22:09]-[26:57])

• Day-to-day: Manages Trump’s fast-food orders (always Original Recipe KFC), forges Trump’s signature for office pranks ([22:55]).
• Picks up the ropes from Keith Schiller, prior chief body man and Trump’s longtime security, inheriting both duties and the ethos:
  Quote ([24:50]):
  "Whales that surface get harpooned."
  – John McEntee quoting Keith Schiller

5. White House Drama, Firing, and Unexpected Promotion ([27:05]-[31:46])

• Under Chief of Staff John Kelly, McEntee is ousted due to suspicious gambling winnings.
• Hours after being fired, is rehired on Trump’s campaign, showing Trump’s unambiguous preference for him.
• Returns to the White House not as a body man but as Director of Presidential Personnel, responsible for staffing key government roles.
  Quote ([30:44]):
  "When you hear someone on the news talk about a person being handpicked by Donald Trump, Johnny was doing the picking."
  – Devin Gordon

6. The Loyalty Test & Shadow Administration ([32:45]-[34:37])

• McEntee admits he’d never hired anyone before, but emphasizes the value of “mission alignment” over conventional qualifications.
• Instrumental in enforcing loyalty within the administration; described as “Trump’s enforcer” or even “shadow president” in media coverage, unfazed by comparisons to secret police tactics ([35:46]).
• Quote ([33:42]):
  "You can learn policy; you can't learn loyalty."
  – Andrew Kloster, via McEntee

7. January 6th & Media Perceptions ([36:05]-[37:49])

• When asked where he was on January 6th, McEntee says he was out getting dry cleaning, downplaying any direct involvement.
• On riot:
  Quote ([36:32]):
  "I don't know if I would call them anything other than curious, enthusiastic people that took things too far."
  – John McEntee

8. The Right Stuff: From Staffing to Dating ([38:19]-[41:17])

• Now CEO of The Right Stuff, a dating app for conservative singles—meant as a “safe space” amidst supposedly “woke” mainstream apps.
• Registration includes belief-alignment questions, e.g., "January 6th was..." and “Favorite liberal lie.”
• McEntee’s favorite liberal lie ([41:48]):
  "Diversity is our strength."

9. Project 2025 & What Comes Next ([42:57]-[44:39])

• In addition to his dating app, McEntee is a consultant for Project 2025, assembling names to staff a possible second Trump administration; is described in media as Trump’s “secret weapon.”
• Quote ([43:47]):
  "These are his two jobs. And in some ways, that's perfectly fitting who Johnny McEntee is."
  – Devin Gordon

10. The Central Metaphor: Trick Shots, Politics, and the American Dream ([44:16]-end)

• Pablo and Devin muse on whether McEntee might one day be President, given his improbable ascent.
• When asked about the allure of working at the White House, McEntee doesn’t mention service or civic duty:
  Quote ([45:03]):
  "Working at the White House is exactly like the movies ... it's fast paced ... you're watching history unfold."
  – John McEntee
• Pablo:
  "He's literally asking, what can my country do for me?" ([46:00])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Devin Gordon on McEntee’s look:
  "[Johnny McEntee] is as gorgeous as your calves." ([06:19])
• McEntee on why he joined Trump’s campaign:
  "It had the total opposite effect on me. I thought he had a great chance and I knew I wanted to work for him." ([13:30])
• On being close to Trump:
  "He probably liked that I looked the part of what an aide should look like." ([17:03])
• The Keith Schiller motto:
  "Whales that surface get harpooned." ([24:50])
• On “mission alignment” over competence:
  "You can learn policy; you can't learn loyalty." ([33:42])
• On January 6th:
  "I don't know if I would call them anything other than curious, enthusiastic people that took things too far." ([36:32])
• On creating The Right Stuff:
  "With the dating app ... we thought, why not there be one for Republicans?" ([39:44])
• On a favorite “liberal lie”:
  "Diversity is our strength." ([41:48])
• On working at the White House:
  "Working at the White House is exactly like the movies ... it's fast paced ... you're watching history unfold." ([45:03])
• Pablo on McEntee’s self-interest:
  "He's literally asking, what can my country do for me?" ([46:00])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Johnny McEntee’s Trick Shot Origins: [02:50]-[10:16]
• Pivot to Politics: [11:16]-[14:19]
• Inside the Trump Campaign: [14:42]-[21:28]
• Life as Trump’s Body Man: [22:09]-[26:57]
• White House Firing and Personnel Promotion: [27:05]-[31:46]
• Loyalty and Media Coverage: [32:45]-[34:37]
• January 6th Reflections: [36:05]-[37:49]
• The Right Stuff Dating App: [38:19]-[41:17]
• Project 2025 “Secret Weapon”: [42:57]-[44:39]
• Final Reflections: [44:16]-end

Recap: Why Johnny McEntee Matters

Pablo’s takeaway ([46:31]):
"If you wanted to make the ultimate Trump world character you could not do better than Trick Shot Johnny Mac ... In fact, the greatest trick that Johnny Mack ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist."
This episode paints a portrait of a uniquely 21st-century political operative: a viral content star turned background power broker—central to Trump’s operation yet almost invisible to the outside world.

Episode tone: Conversational, sardonic, sharp-eyed, and darkly humorous throughout.