**Podcast Summary: The Ben Shapiro Show
Episode: 2183 - "Pope Francis Dead, What Comes Next?"
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Host/Author: Ben Shapiro, The Daily Wire

1. Introduction and Pope Francis’s Passing

Ben Shapiro opens the episode by addressing the recent death of Pope Francis, noting that it was long expected due to the Pope’s ongoing health issues. Shapiro emphasizes the Daily Wire’s commitment to delivering unfiltered news, contrasting it with what he describes as the biased and spun narratives of legacy media.

Notable Quote:

• [00:00] Ben Shapiro: “While legacy media filters the truth through bias and spin, we deliver it unfiltered, ad free.”

2. Media Portrayal of Pope Francis

Shapiro critiques the left-leaning media’s portrayal of Pope Francis, suggesting that the media highlights his opposition to President Trump to frame him as a significant leftist figure. He argues that this focus overshadows the Pope’s traditional stances on various social issues.

Notable Quotes:

• [00:45] Ben Shapiro: “The left media are playing it all the way this weekend... suggesting that his sole importance lies in the fact that he opposed many of the Trump administration agenda items.”
• [01:25] Candace Owens: “Many on the hard right inside the church were shocked that this folk would actually borrow from Jesus Christ and living that simple life.”

3. Pope Francis’s Dual Legacy

Shapiro delves into Pope Francis’s complex legacy, highlighting his liberal economic and social policies influenced by liberation theology while maintaining traditional positions on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion. He contends that media narratives often ignore these traditional aspects, focusing instead on his progressive initiatives.

Notable Quotes:

• [01:39] Ben Shapiro: “Pope Francis actually was still traditional. On issues ranging from same sex marriage to abortion to transgenderism, he said many of the same things that Pope Benedict had said before Pope Benedict resigned back in 2013.”
• [02:15] Ben Shapiro: “Many people believe Francis reached out to migrants, the poor, the destitute, the victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy members, and to alienated gay Catholics.”

4. The Catholic Church’s Future and the Conclave

With the passing of Pope Francis, Shapiro discusses the upcoming conclave—the process by which the College of Cardinals will select the new Pope. He reviews potential candidates, highlighting the divide between conservative and progressive contenders, and expresses hope that the next Pope will bring moral clarity and uphold traditional Catholic values.

Notable Quotes:

• [10:30] Ben Shapiro: “The Conclave, a gathering whose name stems from the Latin for ‘with key,’ will decide who sits in power at the Vatican.”
• [15:22] Ben Shapiro: “Peter Erdo from Budapest... He’s one of the more conservative members of the College of Cardinals... sort of more traditionalist.”

5. U.S. Economy and Trade Policies

Shapiro shifts focus to the U.S. economy, criticizing President Trump’s tariff policies and the lack of preparation for a trade war with China. He highlights the resultant stock market volatility, gold’s rise, and the broader economic instability, arguing that the administration’s approach was poorly calibrated and detrimental to American economic interests.

Notable Quotes:

• [20:45] Ben Shapiro: “The stock market had a pretty terrible day. It was down by a thousand points in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.”
• [25:10] Ben Shapiro: “Launching a trade war on the entire world all at once turns out not to be something that helps the American economy.”

6. Immigration Policy and Democratic Responses

The episode critiques Democratic handling of immigration issues, particularly highlighting incidents like Senator Chris Van Hollen’s erroneous meeting with an alleged MS-13 member. Shapiro argues that Democrats politicize and sympathize with criminals, undermining effective immigration enforcement and due process.

Notable Quotes:

• [30:05] Ben Shapiro: “Chris Van Hollen... can’t answer the question... when he met with an alleged MS-13 member.”
• [30:54] Dan Caldwell: “I was out there advancing things a lot of people in the foreign policy establishment didn’t want... That’s the nature of the games played in D.C.”

7. Defense Department Turmoil: Secretary Pete Hegseth

Shapiro addresses internal conflicts within the Defense Department, focusing on Secretary Pete Hegseth’s challenges from isolationist factions. He supports Hegseth’s “peace through strength” approach and criticizes the isolationist elements as counterproductive to national defense policies.

Notable Quotes:

• [40:03] Michael Knowles: “Secretary Hegseth was nominated for this position because he is standing up for the warfighter... people who don’t like the change he is trying to bring.”
• [42:03] Michael Knowles: “The President stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.”

8. Foreign Policy: Ukraine and Russia

Shapiro critiques the Trump administration’s foreign policy towards Ukraine and Russia, particularly the negotiations led by Steve Witkoff. He argues that the administration’s approach is ineffective, lacking clear consequences for Russian aggression and failing to pressure Russia adequately. Shapiro predicts a protracted conflict similar to the Korean War armistice, emphasizing the need for a stronger stance to deter further aggression.

Notable Quotes:

• [45:30] Ben Shapiro: “Vladimir Putin made the cynical move of declaring a 24-hour ceasefire around Easter, which he then violated by launching missile and drone attacks.”
• [46:10] Ben Shapiro: “If you’re Vladimir Putin, why don’t you just wait out the United States? I just wait them out? Seriously, just wait them out.”

9. Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Shapiro concludes the episode by expressing concern over ongoing policy failures but remains hopeful that future leadership within both the Catholic Church and U.S. politics will address the moral and economic challenges he identifies. He underscores the importance of maintaining traditional values and effective policy-making to ensure long-term stability and prosperity.

Overall Insights:

• Media Bias: Shapiro emphasizes the perceived bias of left-leaning media in portraying both Pope Francis and President Trump, suggesting that the media selectively highlights traits to fit their narratives.

• Policy Critique: A significant portion of the discussion centers around criticizing Trump’s tariff policies and their impact on the economy, advocating for more strategic and well-planned economic measures.

• Immigration and Defense: The episode underscores the tension within U.S. politics regarding immigration enforcement and defense strategies, advocating for strong enforcement and a robust defense posture.

• Foreign Policy Stance: Shapiro advocates for a more assertive and clear foreign policy stance towards adversaries like Russia, warning against appeasement and highlighting the need for strategic deterrence.

Conclusion:

This episode of The Ben Shapiro Show provides a comprehensive critique of current events surrounding the Catholic Church’s leadership transition, U.S. economic policies, immigration enforcement, defense department dynamics, and foreign policy challenges. Through detailed analysis and pointed commentary, Shapiro aims to offer his audience a perspective that emphasizes traditional values, strategic policy-making, and skepticism of mainstream media narratives.