PBD Podcast Ep. 712 – Maduro CAPTURED! Venezuela, China & Iran Respond + Walz Drops Out & Khamenei's Escape Plan

Date: January 5, 2026
Host: Patrick Bet-David (Pat), with Adam, Rob, and Vinny

Main Theme

This episode delivers an action-packed rundown of major international and U.S. political stories, focusing on the stunning U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The hosts dissect the mission’s details, global reactions—including responses from China and Iran—the implications for socialist regimes, ripple effects inside the U.S. (such as protests and political developments), and changing tides in higher education and media. They also touch on domestic fraud scandals, subway fare hikes, and the state of legacy news.

Key Discussion Points

1. Maduro’s Daring Capture: The Operation Unpacked

Operation Highlights and Timeline

• General Dan Kane’s Overview:
  • At 10:46 p.m. ET, the President authorized the military operation to capture Maduro in Caracas.
  • Over 150 aircraft launched from 20 locations, employing bombers, fighters, intelligence and reconnaissance planes, and helicopters.
  • Delta Force and law enforcement executed the ground operation, flying into Venezuela at low altitude, disabling air defenses via space, cyber, and electronic warfare.
  • Result: Helicopters penetrated Maduro’s military base, with one hit but able to travel; Maduro and his wife were seized after he failed to escape to a safe room. Operation concluded by 4:20 a.m. local time, with extraction to the USS Iwo Jima, then to New York for narco-terrorism charges.
  • (See: [07:38–09:40])

Host Reactions and Analysis

• Pat: "What a freaking amazing way of going out there and doing it. By the way, Trump hints support for fringe theory that Venezuela rigged the 2020 election." [03:52]
• Tom: “The technology… the more you sat back, the more overwhelming it was. They call it closing their eyes. That’s radar and everything. The technology underneath there, it’s multi-layered… They got in, got their target, got out. And the preservation of life, even citizens—unlike how Maduro treats his own.” [12:12]
• Rob: “Nobody cares about the left’s complaints. The signal is the people of Venezuela. The noise is all the paid, inorganic protesting.” [18:54]

Notable Moments

• Hosts point out celebrations by Venezuelans in Miami and globally (juxtaposed with protestors in the U.S. defending Maduro, often lacking facts).
  • “Imagine how far your head has got to be up your ass to be cheering against the Venezuelan people for Maduro.” —Vinny [21:35]
• Discussion of lopsided media coverage and faulty logic from protestors.
  • Interview clip:
    • Protestor: “I have yet to see one Venezuelan… upset. It’s all leftist white liberal women and people getting paid to do it… All horse crap.” —Rob [18:54]

2. Global Fallout: China, Iran, and the "Multipolar World" Power Play

International Responses

• China: Slammed U.S. “hegemonic acts,” called for UN intervention.
• Iran: Accused U.S. of aggression, Khamenei called for resistance; reports surfaced he may flee to Russia as unrest grows.
• Mexico: President Sheinbaum calls on the UN, expressing fear for her security and nation’s stability.
• Russia, Cuba, Iran: All condemned the operation, signaling deepening divides.

Strategic Analysis

• Vinny: “China is our biggest threat. They’re not just adversaries, they’re enemies. And they’re funding these protests from New York to Venezuela.” [20:27]
• “China, Russia, Iran—they’re there for the oil, the gold, the leverage. Monroe Doctrine matters as much as ever. They’re not coming for sightseeing — they’re coming to challenge U.S. dominance in its own hemisphere.” [33:14+]
• Pat (on the Monroe Doctrine): “China wants to run the world. Do you want us running the world, or China? Look at who’s defending Maduro.” [34:09]

Notable Contrast

• Comparison of U.S. interventions:
  • The hosts contrast the swift, precise operation with prolonged, costly wars under previous presidents, noting:
    • “Eight years, 500,000 troops, $2 trillion in Iraq… three hours, a few helicopters in Venezuela.” [32:34, 36:35]

3. Protests, Media Spin & Hypocrisy at Home

Venezuelan and Iranian Voices

• Masses in Miami erupt in celebration; protestors in the U.S. struggle to articulate their points (hilarious, awkward street interviews at [16:47] and [18:03]).
• Iran: Protests grow; powerful “Tank man” style visual moments; Khamenei lashes out—“We will bring the enemy to its knees”—to which Pat retorts: “You are the enemy of your people.” [42:27]
• Emotional clip of a young Iranian explaining to his mother why he must join the protests:
  • “Why shouldn't I go, brother?... If my child asked, ‘what did you do?’ I won’t say I couldn’t do anything.” [48:43–49:25]

Leadership Vacuum & Future of Iran

• Discussion of exiled opposition, with Reza Pahlavi highlighted as reluctant and absent despite being romanticized:
  • “He just said, he does not want to go back… Iran’s biggest opportunity—don’t screw it up.” —Pat [58:14+]
• No clear leader emerges—many suitable candidates are silenced, imprisoned in Iran.

4. Domestic Scandals and Political Upheaval

Minnesota Fraud & Nick Shirley

• Tim Waltz (MN Governor/Vice Presidential contender) targeted by young whistleblower Nick Shirley for massive daycare and welfare fraud involving the Somali community and alleged campaign finance ties.
• Waltz drops out of the Governor’s race amid federal scrutiny and media pressure:
  • “The machine around Tim Waltz fired him; he’s a liability they can’t keep.” —Adam [70:51]
• Host message: “A 23-year-old just exposed their entire state.” [72:16]
• Message to the young: “Look at this guy, 23, making a massive difference. You can too.” —Vinny [80:15]

NYC Fares Rise & “Collectivist” Property Push

• Subway/bus fare rises to $3; city officials sell utopian promises, deliver hikes:
  • “How many times did we warn you? This is exactly how a con artist works. They sell the fantasy; now, everyone pays.” —Vinny [126:40]
• State advisor on property: “Especially white families… will have a different relationship to property now.” [128:13]
• Host response: “They’re seizing the means of production… How many times do we need to hear this?” —Vinny [129:49]

5. Media, Universities, and Culture Wars

Harvard Professor’s Resignation

• Dr. James Hankins resigns, citing a DEI culture that bars white males from consideration, calls it “open, anti-white, anti-male environment.” [91:52]
• Adam: “Getting away from merit is where it all goes wrong.” [93:16]
• Vinny: “Can we stop with the debate about capitalism and communism already? Why are people fleeing Venezuela, Cuba, Iran? It’s not working.” [97:22]

Legacy Media Declared Dead

• Megyn Kelly calls CBS “irrelevant”; Barry Weiss attempts revival.
• Hosts agree: “Nobody believes these networks anymore. It’s like putting a new captain on the Titanic.” [106:10]
• Rise of independent journalism; Nick Shirley—“He doesn’t need you, CBS, Fox, or CNN.” [111:35]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [03:52] Pat: “What a freaking amazing way of going out there and doing it.”
• [12:12] Tom: “The technology… they call it closing their eyes. That’s radar and everything. The more you dig, the more amazing it is.”
• [21:35] Vinny (On U.S. protestors): “Imagine how far your head’s gotta be up your ass to be cheering against the Venezuelan people for Maduro.”
• [42:27] Pat (Responding to Khamenei): “You are the enemy of your people.”
• [48:43–49:25] (Young Iranian protester): “What am I going to tell my children? That I stayed at home? … If you don’t want to come, just don’t forget me.”
• [70:51] Adam (on Waltz): “The machine around Tim Waltz fired him; he’s a liability they can’t keep.”
• [80:15] Vinny: “Look at this guy, 23, making a massive difference. You can too.”
• [97:22] Vinny: “Can we stop with the debate about capitalism and communism? Why are people fleeing Venezuela, Cuba, Iran? It’s not working.”
• [106:10] Rob: “It’s like the Titanic and you put a new captain on—‘I can do it.’ No, you can’t.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Maduro Operation Recap: [07:38–09:40], [11:27–14:36]
• Trump/Trump Administration Reaction and Political Angle: [14:53–16:33]
• Protests/Street Interviews: [16:47], [18:03]
• China, Global Reactions & Monroe Doctrine: [32:34–36:35]
• Iran Unrest & Khamenei Fleeing: [41:11–45:01], emotional protestor clip [48:43–49:25]
• Minnesota Fraud, Tim Waltz Fallout: [69:40–80:15]
• Harvard/DEI Culture Shift: [91:52–99:56]
• CBS/Media Future: [102:04–111:35]
• NY Transit Fare Hikes, Collectivism: [125:01–131:11]

Additional Highlights

• Gold/Jewelry Viral Story: A viral exposé in NYC’s Diamond District leads to physical assault and criminal charges, reflecting the importance of transparency, reputation, and authenticity in business. [114:55–124:39]
• Mar-a-Lago Dinner: Elon Musk and Trump share dinner; hosts see this as a sign of renewed unity among big-name influencers and major political forces heading into 2026. [80:39–84:04]
• Rubio vs. Vance 2028: Spontaneous audience poll; both candidates praised for emerging leadership potential, with Rubio taking a slight lead. [86:55–90:10]

Conclusion

The episode encapsulates a dramatic pivot in both U.S. global standing and domestic politics, highlighted by the surgical removal of an entrenched dictator, turbulent international ramifications, and grassroots-driven political change stateside. Meanwhile, the survival of traditional institutions—from Ivy League academia to legacy media—is openly questioned, as individual initiative and adaptability (embodied in figures like Nick Shirley and entrepreneurial disruptors) become the new American standard.

Hosts’ Tone:
Conversational yet passionate, humorous, occasionally irreverent, but focused on big-picture stakes—with a clear slant toward skepticism of the “woke” left, deep state bureaucracies, and “legacy” institutions. Celebration of American assertiveness and innovation, both at home and abroad, underpins the episode.

For listeners seeking a firsthand, behind-the-headlines view—from the world stage to the streets of NYC and Minnesota’s corridors of power—this episode brings the energy and insight that defines the PBD Podcast.