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- [00:00]
Ben Shapiro
Norm MacDonald was right. If you're going to fight the war
- [00:03]
Zoran Mamdani
on terror, a good place to start
- [00:05]
Ben Shapiro
would be this nation's haunted houses. According to the experts, the actual scary part about Islamic terror attacks isn't what happens to the victims. The real victims of terror attacks in the United States are Muslims. Our toxically empathetic, even sinister democratic and media elites are so scared of the truth about radical Islam that every single time a terrorist shouts Allahu Akbar, they immediately respond by shouting Islamophobia. Well, folks, this here is reality. The real problem with radical Islamic terrorists is the radical Islamic terrorism. So let's stop them in their tracks. Let's denaturalize and deport the terrorist supporters who are here, and let's kill terrorists abroad. Welcome back to the Ben Shapiro Show. Radical Islam isn't a threat to the United States. I see millions of Americans being destroyed, and none of it is at the hands of radical Islam. Is radical Islam a danger than onlyfans? It's not even close.
- [01:02]
Zoran Mamdani
It has been an overwhelming propaganda campaign to smear Muslims in this country.
- [01:07]
Ben Shapiro
You are an Islamophobia who hates Islam. You basically think all Muslims are to blame.
- [01:12]
Zoran Mamdani
We've seen you on video saying it. And what you're doing now is deliberately inflammatory. It is deliberately poisonous.
- [01:18]
Ben Shapiro
How's this? Sharia law is bad, Seth. I don't know if you've heard that it's bad. It's worse than what's happening in New York and Detroit. It's just bad. I don't know why.
- [01:29]
John Spencer
Just like years of brainwashing.
- [01:31]
Ben Shapiro
I just like. And you can tell when you go to a place like Abu Dhabi or Riyadh, like, oh, man, I hope we don't ever wind up with a society like this with a rape rate of zero, where you leave your keys in your Lamborghini and don't ever worry about it being stolen. And to all Muslims growing up during that time in America, I am sorry on behalf of America. Yeah, I'm sorry for the way that you were treated. It is so unacceptable when I go back and I re examine that propaganda, that brainwashing that took place in the classroom to make me scared of something I didn't even know what a Muslim was. The real problem in the United States is not radical Islam. It is Islamophobia.
- [02:09]
Zoran Mamdani
I want to speak to the memory of my aunt. Who stopped taking the subway after September 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab. But if Muslims are right, that's what American media does.
- [02:26]
Ben Shapiro
That's what American politicians do. I'm so sick of our lives not mattering.
- [02:30]
Zoran Mamdani
I think of on 911 when my teacher pulled me out of school, pulled me out of class, rather a classmate of mine, myself, and told us that we may get bullied because of what had just happened.
- [02:41]
Ben Shapiro
The past few days and weeks have brought about all too familiar fears. Fears that they will be targeted, profiled or attacked simply because of who they are, how they worship or how they look.
- [02:56]
Zoran Mamdani
Many of you in the Muslim American community, the Arab American community, the Palestinian American community, and so many others are outraged and hardy, saying to yourselves, here we go again with Islamophobia and distrust. We saw after 9 11. I get messages that say, the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim. I get threats on my life,
- [03:26]
Ben Shapiro
Worried about Islamic terrorism. That is a false flag or an op. Now, if you believe the people who tell you all these things, you are the sucker. And if America ignores the very real problem of radical Islam and you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you'll end up dead. That is the message across America for the last couple of weeks, and it's coming in loud and clear. Yesterday alone, there were two Islamic terror attacks. The first happened at Old Dominion in Virginia when ISIS linked Muhammad Baylor. Jalo, 26, stormed a classroom asking if it was an ROTC class. He then shouted, wait for it. Allahu Akbar. I know you're shocked. And shot the professor, Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shaw, several times before a group of heroic cadets jumped into action and stabbed Jalo to death. Here's the FBI explaining how it was an act of terrorism. I can tell you that we have confirmed reports that prior to him conducting this act of terrorism, he shouted, stated Allah Akbar. And he was formerly a subject of a FBI investigation in material supporting terrorism. So who was the terrorist? Who was Jala? According to the New York Post, he was a naturalized citizen from Sierra Leone and a former Virginia National Guard member. Were there any red flags? Just a few. Fox News reports that Jala was forced to leave the military after he tried to provide material support to isis. He was a follower of Anwar Aliki, the now dead leader of Al Qaeda, the Arabian Peninsula, the DOJ. Prosecution documents show that Jalo praised a July 2015 terror attack in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in which a radical Islamist killed four Marines and a Navy sailor. He was actually arrested in 2016 after attempting to buy an assault rifle in Northern Virginia and then sentenced to 11 years in prison. Then he was released just 15 months ago for good behavior. You know, good behavior. So we released an actual honest to God ISIS affiliated terrorist into the population for good behavior? Did he drop his terror support somehow? If so, what was the evidence that he had? Why did America owe him a free run of the country after he decided to side with an actual honest to God terrorist group? And now an American hero is dead because of it. Lt. Col. Shaw, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Atlantic Resolve and also a teacher when he was arrested. It should be noted Jalot received the victim treatment from leftists in the media. This is back in 2016, the Intercept, a far left publication, printed a sympathetic piece quoting Jalo's family who said he was set up by the FBI. Jalo's brother, one Chairner Jalo, told the Intercept that his brother was just another Muhammad that got set up. The problem you see was really Islamophobia. Never radical Islam, just Islamophobia. So was that attack at Old Dominion the only radical Islamic terror attack of the day? Of course not. Halfway across the country at one of the biggest reformed Jewish synagogues in America. And radical Muslim suspect named Ayman Khalazi, a naturalized US citizen from Lebanon who received a visa as the spouse of a US citizen and was naturalized under the Obama administration, tried to drive an explosive laden car into the entrance of a preschool with 140 students in attendance. According to the New York Post, he quote, barreled down the hallway before security opened fire, killing the suspect. That attack started a fire in the building. The driver was killed while he was in the car. Police found in the car a rifle and mortar shells. It is worth mentioning at this point it was indeed a good guy with a gun that stopped the terrorist. That good guy with a gun was a trained security force that has become necessary at nearly every Jewish institution in America thanks to the rise of anti Semitism on all sides. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard explained.
- [07:09]
Zoran Mamdani
We've got a ton of people here. As I said, West Bloomfield got on scene in a heartbeat. Everybody else came from everywhere. Actually, the chief and I been communicating for almost two weeks. Every time I've gotten some intelligence from the national level, I've been sharing, we've been talking for two weeks about the potential sadly of this happening. So there was no lack of preparation. In addition, all Jewish facilities in the area are going to have a lot of extra presence around it until we figure this out.
- [07:40]
Ben Shapiro
Now the suspect allegedly came from Dearborn Heights, Michigan. This synagogue was located 20 miles north of Dearborn, an Islam dominated city represented in Congress by radical Islamic and terror apologist Rashida Tlaib. How radicalized Is Dearborn. In recent days some Dearborn mosques have been preaching in favor of Ayatollah Khamenei.
- [08:00]
Zoran Mamdani
We are gathered here today to commemorate the martyrdom of the great leader of our time, Sayyid Ali Al Hussein Al Khamenei. We might think this was an attack led by Zionist Jews. But the commander of their mission is the very one who is trying to prove that Adam was not worth prospering to. Iblis is the one behind the scenes leading their camp in the shadows lurking irking and their symbology, their ideologies, their psychology, their economy. Claiming they follow the laws of Moses and Deuteronomy at least is the hidden commander of today's society. Regardless of the stooge we put at the desk of the Oval Office. Republican or Democrat or even if a thousand elections come to pass, it is clear that this country was built for and built by the Epstein Flights. And that just like Palestine, we live on stolen land. When the devil worshipping Freemasons reached these shores and the Zionist minded Christopher Columbus who came to explore and they genocided the natives and put the one eye of the devil on their currency to put their plans in full sight. While the statue of Limmery is actually loustaform demonic bearer holding a torch of light.
- [09:33]
Ben Shapiro
Wow, I didn't realize that Candace Owens did a show from Dearborn. In any case, in 2025 the city decided to honor terrorist supporting activist Osama Siblani with a street sign. Sublani is a radical Muslim who openly speaks of his pride in terror leaders like deceased Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah, whom he called a great leader, saying he was proud of him. He also advocated for Hezbollah to make Israel quote, taste the Lebanon poison. When a resident of Dearborn showed up at a city council meeting to protest naming street after this radical Islamist, the mayor of Dearborn, one Abdullah Hamoud, told him to get out of the city and then called him. Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it.
- [10:08]
Zoran Mamdani
An Islamophobe Hezbollah, you know, bombed the embassy in Beirut, including many Americans. So I just feel it's quite inappropriate. You are an Islamophobe and although you
- [10:22]
Ben Shapiro
live here, I want you to know
- [10:24]
John Spencer
as mayor you are not welcome here.
- [10:26]
Zoran Mamdani
And the day you move out of the city will be the that I launch a parade celebrating the fact that
- [10:30]
John Spencer
you moved out of the city because you are not somebody who believes in coexistence.
- [10:36]
Ben Shapiro
That is the mayor of a city in the United States. You don't believe in coexistence if you think that actual streets should not be named after actual terrorist supporters. Now, unsurprisingly, there were some people in the media who found excuses for the terror attack at the synagogue. Over on GB News, one commentator explained that this was an Israeli temple and thus presumably deserving of its fate thanks to Israel's actions. And this was an Israeli temple.
- [11:03]
Zoran Mamdani
It was aligned with Israel.
- [11:04]
John Spencer
I will say that a Jewish temple, a Jewish, Jewish synagogue, is not an Israeli temple.
- [11:09]
Ben Shapiro
It's called the real Israel Temple. They're Jewish, okay?
- [11:13]
John Spencer
They're the people of Israel.
- [11:14]
Ben Shapiro
How do you just finish my point?
- [11:16]
John Spencer
So it's. It was wrong from the premise they're
- [11:19]
Ben Shapiro
not Israeli, they're Jewish, so they're called the real Israeli temple. Yes. And they do align with Israel and their beliefs. Of course, the argument here seems to be that if you are a pro Israel Jew in the United States, then it's totally fine for a terrorist to drive a car laden with explosives into your synagogue. Then there was Ryan Grimm, formerly of the Intercept, who reported that the terrorists had family members recently killed by Israel in its current action against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Even if that's true, it makes for a rather strange defense of this terrorist actions. The mass murder of 1,200 Jews on October 7 in Israel has caused precisely zero Jews zero. To drive an explosives laden car into a mosque or near a Muslim school. There's just something about radical Islam that isn't quite the same, of course, as we have been following. The two attacks. Yesterday were not the first attacks of the last few weeks. Last week we reported on a radical Islamic terror attack in Austin, Texas, in which a 53 year old Senegalese immigrant to the United States killed three people and wounded 13 more. He happened to be wearing a sweatshirt that read Wait for it. Wait for it. Property of Allah. I know you're shocked. And over the last weekend, we saw two ISIS affiliated radical Muslims throw IEDs at a rally outside Gracie Mansion. All of which led the mayor of New York to spend extraordinary efforts condemning. Wait for it. Wait for it. You're not going to believe it. I know Islamophobia.
- [12:43]
Zoran Mamdani
On Saturday, a protest was held outside Gracie Mansion, where I live with my wife Rama. Neither of us were home at the time. This was a vile protest rooted in white supremacy entitled Stop the Islamic takeover of New York City. I'm the first Muslim mayor of our city. Anti Muslim bigotry is nothing new to me. Nor is it anything new for the 1 million or so Muslim New Yorkers who know this city as our home.
- [13:13]
Ben Shapiro
Now, of course, Mamdani is expressing his deep and abiding sorrow at the anti Semitic terror attack in Michigan. He tweeted, quote, the attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan is horrifying. My thoughts are with the congregation and all who are shaken by this act of anti Semitic violence. Let's just say I find Zorn Mamdani's newfound unease with anti Semitism a little unconvincing, especially given the fact that his wife is a gigantic fan of terrorist activity against Jews and recently illustrated an essay book for an author who rants about Jewish vampires, demons and ghouls. That author wrote shortly after October 7, quote, whether or not Israel indeed knew of the plans in advance, those few freedom fighters inspired not only the whole of Palestine, but the oppressed masses worldwide to imagine what freedom looks like, what resistance is possible, and what life is attainable. So, yeah, I'm going to withhold my kudos to New York's terror supporting mayor. And the recent history of radical Islamic terror in the United States is unfortunately quite rich. Between April 2021 and December 2025, according to the House Committee on Homeland Security, quote, more than 60 cases of individuals linked to or inspired by foreign terror organizations were recorded in the United States. How does this radical ideology spread in America? Well, the answer is twofold. First, we import people who are sympathetic to terrorism, and then addle pated Americans argue that they ought to be mainstreamed. That's how you end up with Zoran Mamdani. Yes, he is a terrorist supporter as mayor of New York. It's how Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar end up in Congress. So what should we do about it? Well, first off, we can stop future immigration from radical Islamic countries and other third world areas where we can't vet our immigrants at the source. You cannot import problems from other parts of the world, require zero assimilation, and then pretend that the big issue is Islamophobia. I mean, here's video from just last year from the southern border. This is from 2024,
- [15:06]
Zoran Mamdani
by the way. If you are smart enough, you would know who I am. But you are really not smart enough to know who I am. But soon you're gonna know who I am.
- [15:14]
Ben Shapiro
Very. Wow. Very easy. The entitlement. The entitlement. Soon you're gonna know who I am. Well, this seems like a poor way to ensure the safety of Americans. And. And unfortunately, there are people dedicated to opening our border wide. The Daily Wire reported yesterday on new tactics being used to end around President Trump's deportation policies. By the way, you should subscribe to Daily Wire. We are doing investigative reporting. We obviously have our hosts. We have tons of fantastic content coming. We need your help. So become a subscriber over at dailywire.com/subscribe. According to the Daily Wire, illegal immigrants have been filing habeas petitions that force their release at rates never before seen. Reporter Jenny Tare writes, quote, illegal immigrants have filed more than 18,000 habeas petitions since Trump's return to the White House last January. That is more than all of the habeas petitions from the past three administrations put together, U.S. attorney Timothy Courtchain told the Daily Wire, quote, in most of them, they are granting bonds. We've been losing almost all of these. And folks will be released. Habeas petitions move detainees court cases out of immigration court and into the district court docket. And once they're there, judges can offer migrants a lot more relief than they would ever get in immigration court. And here's the Once citizenship is granted, it is very difficult to revoke. But that brings us to yet another solution. We ought to enforce the law to revoke the citizenship of people who associate with terrorist groups or who favor totalitarian forms of government. That is, in fact the law under Title 8, US Code Section 1484. Quote, no person shall hereafter be naturalized as a citizen of the United States who advocates the establishment in the United States of a totalitarian dictatorship, or who advocates or teaches the overthrow by force or violence or other unconstitutional means of the government of the United States or of all forms of law, or the duty, necessity or propriety of the unlawful assaulting or killing of any officer or officers, either of specific individuals or or of officers generally, of the government of the United States or of any other organized government because of his or their official character or the unlawful damage, injury, or destruction of property or sabotage. In fact, under the law, citizenship can be revoked under section 1451 if it was, quote, procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. If enforced properly, this would mean revocation of citizenship for a wide variety of radical Islamists living in the United States right now. Now listen, this law is difficult to enforce. It requires a high degree of evidentiary demonstration. But that degree ought to be met when you affiliate with an actual terrorist group. And if it is not, then the law itself ought to be changed to allow for revocation of such such citizenship. America does not owe a duty to people who seek to destroy America in the name of radical Islam. Until the law is either enforced to the letter or changed, we have an enormous number of people in the United States who are devotees of radical Islam. What's more, we've been told by one entire political party that mentioning this inconvenient fact is tantamount to Islamophobia, fear of Islam itself that is insipid. Calling out radical Islam need not entail attacking every Muslim as a radical American. Muslims are indeed far more moderate in disposition overall than Muslims in Europe or the Middle East. But there are mosques that provide material support to terrorist organizations, and they ought to be shut down in accordance with the law, as should all organizations that do the same. We'll get to the bigger problem, the much bigger problem, in just a moment. First, today's episode is sponsored by American Beverage. Think about iconic drinks you grew up with and still love today. Whether it's a soda, a sparkling water, my kids call it the bubbly water, a tea or sports drink. The companies behind those beverages, Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi products, they've always made them right here in America. So while there's a lot of talk about bringing jobs back, America's beverage companies never left in the first place. These are American companies making American products with American workers in America's hometowns, 275,000 men and women across all 50 states who show up every day, do the work, and help keep the country moving. 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If you use my special link, you can get four extra months of service@expressvpn.com Ben that's expresvpn.com Ben for four extra months of service There is a bigger problem than even radical Islam Americans toleration and indeed celebration of radical Islam. Zoran Mandani was elected to the mayoralty of New York while preaching exactly the same messages as Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. Mantani's solidarity with open terror supporters like Mahmoud Khalil, who is at Gracie Mansion days ago, speaks volumes about the political left's unwillingness to come to grips with with radical Islam's predations. On the same day that there were two radical Islamist terror attacks, Senator Chuck Schumer spent his time tone policing Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. He posted quote, muslim Americans are cops, doctors, nurses, teachers, bankers, bricklayers, mothers, fathers, neighbors, mayors and more. Islamophobic hate like this is fundamentally un American and we must confront it whenever it rears its ugly head. To which Senator Tuberville quite properly responded. Quote, calling radical Islam out for being a cult doesn't make you an Islamophobe. Radical Islamists chant Death to America and would love to see every Christian and Jew murdered under Sharia law. If you are not a Muslim, you are the enemy under Sharia law. Minorities are persecuted under Sharia law, women are sold, raped and trafficked. Don't believe me? Read it for yourself. Radical Islam is not compatible with the Constitution and has no place in America. I won't be silenced about this. Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens famously tore into the very concept of Islamophobia now in 2009.
- [22:17]
Zoran Mamdani
Resist it while you still can and before the right to complain is taken away from you, which will be the next thing you will be told you can't complain because you're Islamophobic. The term is already being introduced into the culture as if it was an accusation of race hatred, for example, or bigotry. Whereas it's only the objection to the preachings of a very extreme and absolutist religion. Watch out for these symptoms. They are the symptoms of surrender, very often ecumenically, offered to you by men of God in other robes, Christian and Jewish and smarmy. Ecumenical. These are the ones who hold open the gates for the barbarians. The barbarians never take a city till someone holds gates open for them. And it's your own preachers who will do it for you and your own multicultural cultural authorities who will do it for you. Resist. Resist it while you can.
- [23:12]
Ben Shapiro
The very unwillingness of the west to speak openly about the evils of radical Islam leads to its importation and its promotion, and then to its fruit, terrorism and murder. I'm not sure, honestly, there has ever been a better visual representation of this phenomenon than this video from outside Gracie Mansion last weekend of a left winger shouting about the wonders of open borders, only to be used as a human shield by an ISIS affiliated terrorist throwing an ied. But for those who have decided that America's institutions are fundamentally flawed, the real enemy is not radical Islam. It's America and our allies. This is why, presumably, so many leftists are raging at President Trump like idiot woman, child and official Lord Farquaad from Shrek lookalike. Greta Thunberg. We need to talk about what's happening in Cuba right now.
- [24:02]
Zoran Mamdani
As the Trump administration is waging illegitimate
- [24:05]
Ben Shapiro
wars across the world, killing countless of people, it is also strangling the Cuban people deliberately, methodically and openly. We should mention that the Cuban people have been under the thumb of a communist dictatorship for, you know, 70 years. This is also why Nick Fuentes, a true hater of the country, says he is rooting for Iran, rooting for Iran to survive. I'm rooting for Trump to walk away. I'm rooting for deterrence to be reestablished. This is not a war, ironically, that we want to win. This is maybe a war that it's better if we lose. Now, I'm not sure about you, but I have never identified a war that I want America to lose. A West that hates itself is a civilization that imports ideological cancer to its shores. Now, radical Islamic states have learned already they can exploit the West's own stupidity and blindness for their own ends. Iran has imported cells of terrorists throughout Europe and Latin America and South America. And yes, into the United States. And now they're trying to use those terrorists as leverage to stop the United States from finishing off the regime. This, by the way, is literally the purpose of sleeper cells. Leverage and useful idiots help Iran in their quest. Yesterday, one CNN analyst, Juliette Kayam, blamed the Trump administration for the synagogue terror attack. I think it's absolutely that he said specifically in the last two weeks he has been in contact with federal authorities as well as the Jewish community about the heightened threat level. It is something that all of us
- [25:38]
Zoran Mamdani
have been warning about that this may
- [25:41]
Ben Shapiro
be a regional war, but it's going to have global conflicts. And one of them is going to be incitement, radicalization in particular, as Islamic terrorist groups are utilizing the war like ISIS to go, to go online and to lure people to violence. Again, the idea here seems to be that everything is blowback to America. But the reality is that Iran and other countries like Iran set up such cells. And the fact that radicalized terror supporters are going active in support of Iran, they do this because they wish to push us off the ball. That is the actual goal. And in fact, that is another reason why the regime ought to be defenestrated. In fact, many of the arguments adduced against President Trump's action in Iran are actually arguments for action. Take for example, the argument that Iran can shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Here is Senator Chris Murphy, who, I don't know why this guy thinks he is going to run for president. I really, really don't. He looks like a character from Rocco's Modern Life. Here we go.
- [26:45]
Zoran Mamdani
Well, I mean, first is what we're watching right now, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran can keep that strait closed essentially for as long as they want. We can't necessarily get into it outside a classified setting. But this is maybe the primary reason why we have not been willing to open up a full scale war with Iran. Because they can control that strait. They can move energy prices from $100 a barrel to $200 a barrel. They could essentially shut down the global economy, which in there, which they are in the process of doing.
- [27:18]
Ben Shapiro
Well, yes, Iran is indeed attacking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. They are bragging about their ability to spike the price of crude oil. They are threatening to choke off the global economy. The new supreme Leader of Iran, Moshtaba Khamenei, who's not making any public appearances since he may be actually missing a leg or in a coma or dead, they're putting out like cardboard cutouts of him and then written statements. Well, he put out a written statement or someone near him put out a written statement explaining that the Strait of Hormuz should be used as a tool to pressure the enemy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen says that right now it's not possible for the Navy to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, but we may do so shortly to reopen it.
- [27:56]
Zoran Mamdani
Is it your belief that the volume of ships going through the Strait of Hormuz will be improving immediately from now? My belief that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy and perhaps with an international coalition will be escorting vessels through.
- [28:19]
Ben Shapiro
So here is my question. Why would we possibly want a regime that threatens to shut off global trade every time they murder 35, 000 of their own citizens? Why would we want that regime to. To continue to maximize its power? If such a regime went nuclear, then they would have more leverage. If they had a full complement of ballistic missile capacities, they would be far less vulnerable to the sort of military strikes that could break their stranglehold on global trade routes. It turns out easy rule. When we allow our enemies to grow stronger, our life gets harder. By stopping the Iranians, we actually strengthen our position in the world. I've been very critical in the past of the President's trade advisor, Peter Navarro, but he is totally right when he wrote in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, quote, if the geopolitical risk associated with Iran were reduced, oil prices would fall toward their underlying supply and demand equilibrium. Market evidence suggests equilibrium prices could be well below $60 a barrel. Confronting Iran's destabilizing behavior is first and foremost a matter of national security, but it also promises to reduce the persistent geopolitical risks surrounding Persian Gulf energy flows and, and bring down the Iran terror premium. This, of course, is exactly right. You know, where we typically don't worry about oil flows being choked off by tyrannical regimes, where there aren't tyrannical regimes, or where are the regimes allied with the United States? All of which brings us to the current update on Iran. So, tragically, yesterday the United States lost a military aerial refueling tanker. Four service members were reportedly killed. The tanker went down over Iraq in an incident that did not involve friendly fire or enemy fire. It seems it involved a crash between two US Aircraft. The other aircraft landed safely in Tel Aviv. Obviously, our prayers go out to our heroes on the front lines and their families. Meanwhile, Israeli drone strikes have been taking out specific IRGC positions inside Tehran. The goal presumably is to clear the way for Iranians to take to the streets and then overthrow the regime. According to the Jerusalem Post, information has been sent by Iranians on the ground to the Israelis. Quote, Iranians on the ground have been transmitting information in Persian through Israeli social media accounts. According to the report, the information is first verified and vetted by Israeli authorities. Action is taken only after it is found to be accurate. Iranians are also striking right now. Nobody is at work. The country is essentially shut down. According to Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, as many supporters in country, things ought to stay that way until the Iranian people are unleashed on the tyrannical government. Here was Palavi yesterday. Says the regime uses schools, mosques and other public places to hide its repressive forces and create human shields. For your own safety, stay away from such locations and my special message to bureaucratic employees. Under no circumstances report to your workplaces. Do not sacrifice your lives and safety for the survival of the Islamic Republic. Do not allow yourselves to be used as human shields. Do not let your work and activities become tools for the repression of your fellow compatriots. Use your resources and access to disrupt the process of repression. Well, meanwhile, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was crystal clear about the state of the Iranian regime at a presser this morning. Here's what he had to say.
- [31:48]
Zoran Mamdani
We know the new so called, not so supreme Leader is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday, a weak one actually, but there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written statement. He called for unity. Apparently killing tens of thousands of protesters is his kind of unity. Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why.
- [32:21]
Ben Shapiro
And moreover, when the press corps inquired whether the administration even thought about the chokehold at the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary Hegseth stated the obvious. Yes, duh, we thought about that,
- [32:33]
Zoran Mamdani
we planned for it. We recognize it, because ultimately we want to do it sequentially in a way that makes the most sense for what we want to achieve and ensure that we're sending the right signals to the world when we do so. So when Chris Wright speaks or we speak, it's based on a full assessment of what we're up against, what we want to say to the world, how we want them to see and understand the conflict. It's like this whole idea of the war widening. That's what the press wants to make it look like. Like it's widening and chaos is ensuing. No, but we're actually closing in on grabbing hold of and controlling what objectives we want to achieve. And how we want to achieve them. It's called shaping operations and setting the conditions. But when you shape the environment, you don't always tell. I mean, foolish political leaders and foolish military leaders of the past will hang an exact deadline on it. Or here's exactly when we'll do what we're going to do or here's how long it's going to take us. And then if you meet that, maybe you meet it. But if you don't, you fail. And if you're far beyond we know exactly what we're shaping and why.
- [33:32]
Ben Shapiro
And in case you're still not convinced that our military knows what it's doing, Secretary Hegseth was asked specifically about Tucker Carlson objecting to the war, calling it disgusting and evil. Here was the secretary, particularly from your
- [33:45]
Zoran Mamdani
fellow Fox News alum Tucker Carlson. He called the war disgusting and evil and then said of unconditional surrender, which the president has called for means foreign troops get to rape your wives and daughters.
- [33:55]
Ben Shapiro
Have you heard these comments and what's
- [33:57]
Zoran Mamdani
your reaction to them? We're busy executing on behalf of great patriotic Americans with a clear mission that's 47 years overdue and we're going to execute on that regardless of what people say about it.
- [34:10]
Ben Shapiro
So essentially we now have a battle of wills. The will of President Trump and his administration and our military against the will of the Iranian ayatollahs and the irgc. Iran is hoping that the west will crack and simply back away. But if the west doesn't, the regime is in serious, serious trouble. And there are, as we have been discussing continuously, levers that can still be pulled. Iran's capacity to attack shipping can be stopped. Kharg island, the choke point for the entire Iranian oil industry, can be taken with special operations. Iran nuclear materials can be captured as well. In fact, as Iran ups the ante, the goals of the war must shift as well. Iran's willingness to mine the Strait of Hormuz and attack shipping directly means this must now be considered a terror capacity of the regimental and must be dismantled. The war in Iran isn't over yet, but Iran's government has only one strategy and one strategy only. The strategy is to increase pain and their ally fifth columnists and panic ins in the west who will trade a little temporary relief for long term insecurity. Thank God for the President who doesn't seem inclined to acquiesce to this weakness. He posted overnight on Truth Social, quote, we are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran militarily, economically and otherwise. Yet if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think we are not winning. Iran's Navy is gone. Their air force is no longer missiles, drones, everything else are being decimated. Their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time. Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They've been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years. And now I, as the 47th President of the United States, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter. That's what my president sounds like. Well, folks, a lot of hot topics in the news. What better time than to join me, Michael Knowles and Andrew Clavin for a live afternoon edition of Friendly Fire Conversations about the biggest stories in the headlines, the media narrative surrounding them, and of course, we will talk a little bit of Oscars. Watch Friendly Fire Live today, 2pm Eastern on DailyWire.com and the Daily Wire plus app. Joining me on the line to discuss the status of the US Iran conflict is John Spencer. He's a combat veteran, military analyst, and one of the world' leading experts on urban warfare and modern military strategy. He also serves as the executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute. John, thanks so much for the time. Really appreciate it.
- [36:23]
John Spencer
Thanks for having me, Ben.
- [36:25]
Ben Shapiro
So why don't we begin with where you think the war currently stands, what the United States goals should be in this war and how close are we to achieving those goals?
- [36:34]
John Spencer
Sure. So I think at this point we're historic. Really. There's no comparison to even how this operation opened. I do believe this might be the first war where no matter how many times our senior leaders say what the goals are, the media runs with what they think they are. As of 30 minutes ago, the Secretary of Defense went on TV again to say the the objectives are very clear. Deny nuclear capability, destroy the missile shield and all of its parts and components and destroy the Navy. If you take those goals, not what people think they are, that it's not a regime change war, then we're doing ahead of schedule extremely well. Soon the Iranian military will not have a navy, they will not have an air force. They will not only not have missile launchers, missiles, the ability to manufacture more missiles, they will also be continuing their weekend at Bernie's leadership style where we don't know if he's alive or dead and just in a hole like a rat sending out telegram notes. I guess so. You know, from a military analysis, I think they're ahead of schedule, measurably achieving the objectives. War is always uncertain, so nobody knows where to actually end. But as of this morning, 16,000 targets, 90 ships. I mean, just incredible. A lot of historic first moments. The first time we've ever sunk a submarine with a precision ATACM or basically a ground based system. There are so, so many successes here. And it's weird because if you go to any media channel, it seems to, besides, you know, most of them, it seems like that we're not achieving anything, even the 90% launches. So the, I don't know if it's called the, the bar fight tactic, but you know how Iran's not striking the US or Israel, it's just slapping everybody around them. 90% of missiles down, 90% of drone launches down. I think it's going extremely well.
- [38:36]
Ben Shapiro
So let's talk about the sort of shadow purpose. So a lot of people are speculating that this is, this is about regime change. Obviously it would be very good for the region and the world if the regime were to change in Iran, the regime lashing out. It does feel like it is, it is in serious, serious trouble, which is why it is using, as you called it, the bar fight tactic, firing more ordnance at UAE than it has fired directly at Israel by a multiple. And not only that, now just shooting random ships in the Straits of Hormuz in an attempt to stop the flow of oil and put pressure on the United States to stop its own action. We should talk about the Strait of Hormuz because obviously 20% of global oil transits the Strait of Hormuz. An enormous amount of that oil actually heads for China. And the Iranians continue to allow oil that is directed toward China out through the Strait of Hormuz with that without shooting it. The big question becomes this is an Iranian offensive capacity to shut the Strait of Hormuz to prevent the flow of oil. Should it be on America's target list to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? And how would you go about doing that? How should America see the Strait of Hormuz situation?
- [39:38]
John Spencer
Absolutely it should be. And that's why the destruction of the navy was one of the goals set on the opening day. And again, every leader every day is going out and saying the goals. But that the keeping the strait to Hormuz and more importantly taking away that threat that Islamic regime of Iran has been doing for 47 away from holding the world economy at hostage so it can continue. Terrorism is a major goal. How can it be done so? It's not like we haven't done it before. If you remember the end of the Iran Iraq war In the late 1980s, President Reagan, another great president, did Operation Earnest Will because they were attacking the tanker. It was called the tanker war. And we, the US Navy started escorting ships. Phase one was to destroy everything that was moving along the shoreline. Now of course today there's more stuff, but the immense amount of destruction that the United States Navy, United States military is doing right now to destroy anything that could deny traffic, disrupt traffic through the straits of our palm moves. That's what's happening right now. The sinking of those 90 vessels, the attack of the mine lane ships, anywhere they might be hiding anything. And then the next phase is you escort and even the Secretary, both secretaries involved in the US operations said that militarily, when it's convenient or not convenient, when it's possible with the lowest amount of risk, the US Navy, like in 1988, will start escorting the frigates and the commercial supplies through there. And remember that operation went for a year and there was actually a US Navy vessel that was basically hurt, it was hit. And then we did Operation Praying Mantis where we unleashed un gothel hell on the coastline. And I think that would happen again. It's absolutely should be an objective. I think it absolutely is with that. That's why the Navy is continued to be that one of the objectives absolutely possible. It's been done in the past. That does not say you rush to it. I know Everybody likes their 30 second clips. They want all information now. They want nothing secret and they want their, you know, the breakfast right now, it takes time. But I absolutely think it's a necessary objective and it will happen.
- [41:52]
Ben Shapiro
So meanwhile, obviously one of the big concerns is the possibility that the Iranian regime does in fact survive all of this. They've been extraordinarily damaged. It appears that lines of communication have been broken between the central government in Tehran and various IRGC facilities throughout the country. Israel has destroyed an enormous number of IRGC facilities. Israel is now sending suicide drones into the streets of Tehran to take out actual checkpoints that are run by the irgc, presumably in the hopes of fostering an uprising in Tehran. Today there was a big march in Tehran with the IRGC escorting top members of the government through the streets in an attempt, I assume, to show some sort of remaining strength. In the background you could see Israel still hitting targets directly in Iran like blocks away, which shows a couple of things. One, that the Iranian government is not in control of its guys and number two, that the Iranian government is very, very confident that Israel and the United States are not in fact targeting civilians. Because if you are marching your top leadership in the streets with a bunch of civilians and the United States and Israel know that, and they could theoretically kill you, and you're relying on civilians to prevent that killing, that is assuming the the humanity of the United States and the Israeli military. So it actually gives the lie to many of the arguments made about the United States and the Israeli military that Iran is deliberately saying we are perfectly happy to walk in the streets knowing there are civilians around because we know the US And Israel won't actually kill us if there are too many civilians around. But back to the sort of generalized topic of what ought to happen next. So if the United States were to try to pursue a faster collapse of the Iranian regime, I've mentioned on the show Kharg island, which is a coral island about 15 miles off the coast of Iran, and 90% of all Iranian crude is processed there, do you see the possibility that the United States military unleashes a special operation to take Harg island, essentially choking off the final vestiges and indeed the entire centralized economy of the Iranian state and essentially ending the IRGC's capacity to do anything? Ben?
- [43:46]
John Spencer
I think it's quite possible, but this is what we've seen. You know, the whole idea of telling the world what the United States won't do and what Israel won't do. I think that's a potentially option as much as special forces operations to secure the 60% enriched uranium that is out there, possibly. The chairman just a few minutes ago said that today will be the biggest day of our strikes. I think the whole purpose of war is not to let your enemy believe that they can continue doing what they're doing. And that is absolutely one of the potential variables. I'm not sure if they will be necessary. And this is what we know about war. As Klausel has said, three fourths of his fog is covered in a fog that we don't know. But we've seen this. A lot of influencers, they want to know everything and they predicting everything. It's potentially absolutely a possibility. As much as we've seen Israel going after all of those levers that the Islamic regime uses to suppress. And the minute they think they can, they'll go out and start killing the population. So they don't get an ideal to do this uprising like attacking the IRGC headquarters, the besieged headquarters, anything. Cyber, all the levers that we saw them use in January to kill over 35,000 civilians. So absolutely a Possibility. But if you tell you, if anybody comes on your show and tells you what's going to happen, you still have them on again.
- [45:14]
Ben Shapiro
So, John, I think that the biggest question here is obviously the end game, how long this is going to last. If the United States leaves with the Iranian regime still in power but tremendously weakened, missing its forward capabilities, unable to support terrorism basically on its last legs, and isolated, sort of like the Cuban government is currently, would you consider that a win? Should Americans consider that a win?
- [45:36]
John Spencer
Absolutely. Measure the win or loss against the objectives that the president set on March 1. And then every leader from Secretary of War to the Joint Chief of Staff has said since then, this is about taking away all of those levers which the Islamic regime wanted to use as an umbrella to continue their plan for the Middle East. And that's been upset since October sevent, a new Middle East. No matter what. I believe after this, if this operation stops tomorrow, the United States is safer, the US Bases in the region are safer, Israel is safer because the goals were set. Deny that nuclear program, destroy that ballistic missile shield that it's clearly wanted to use to terrorize the world and prevent it from using that threat of closing the Straits of Hormuz from us. Absolutely. You could view it as a win. Israel and the United States are winning. I won't tell you what's going to happen, but I believe no matter what, everybody is safer to include the Iranian people.
- [46:33]
Ben Shapiro
Well, that is John Spencer. He is the executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute. John, really appreciate the time and the insight.
- [46:39]
John Spencer
Thank you, Ben.
- [46:41]
Ben Shapiro
All right. Well, meanwhile, the Oscars are happening this Sunday. I know. Lighter news. It's Sunday. I guess 7pm is when it starts. There'll be red carpet and insufferable celebrities wearing stupid bins and all the rest. Well, I watched all 10 best picture nominations, so you didn't have to. My full review of each is going to be released on my YouTube channel tomorrow, 10am Eastern. But for now, let's go through what we can expect at the Oscars. Okay. I'm gonna pull up the Oscar odds over on Calshi Kelshi, of course, a sponsor of the show. All right, so according to the CalSHI markets, 76 of people believe that one battle after another is going to win best picture. 23% believe that sinners is going to win Best Picture, Best Hamnet at 3, Marty supreme at 2, Sentimental Value at at 1. So it is very likely that one battle after another is going to win. I'm gonna say Centers is going to win. I think Sinners is going to win mainly because when it comes right down to it, when it comes right down to it, so many academy voters feel better about voting for the wokest movie as opposed to the movie that really is about the evils of America and white supremacy and illegal immigration crackdowns and all of the rest. I think Sinners is going to pull this one out. I think this will be a big shock of the night is when Sinners wins best picture. Timothy Chalamet has dropped to second place in the Cali markets behind Michael B. Jordan in centers. Michael B. Jordan is fine in centers. Timothy Chalamet ought to be running away with this category. His performance in Marty supreme is easily the best performance of the year. It is not particularly close. He is terrific in the film. His character is utterly unlikable, but somehow also kind of charming. Michael B. Jordan is great. I think he's fine in, in Sinners. But Chalamet should be winning. Apparently he was winning until he announced that film may be a dying industry. He doesn't want to see it be a dying industry. But it may be a dying industry like say opera and ballet. And everybody's been going nuts over that. Which, I mean, listen, as a fan of both ballet and opera, those aren't exactly the big moneymakers. They're essentially driven at this point by, by major donors who want to see the opera continue. And when it comes to best supporting actor, unbelievably, Sean Penn is leading in the best supporting actor category. This is unbelievable to me because I think that his performance in one battle after another as a white supremacist cop who has a sexual fetish for a black revolutionary, I think it's a truly bad performance. I think he's awful in that movie. I think there are some movies like mystic river where Sean Penn is terrific. I think he's truly not good. In one battle after another. Stellan Skarsgard is in second place there. It's. It's a weak category, to be fair. It's a weak category. Best director Paul Thomas Anderson running away with that category. I mean, honestly, I think that Ryan Coogler should probably win this category just in terms of the, the. The directorial skill and entertainment value unleashed. This is not Paul Thomas Anderson's best film by far. This is not even a top five PTA film. Ryan Coogler should be winning this one. Walking away, honestly. And again, I don't like any of these movies. I think that one battle after another is, is not a good movie. I think Sinners is half of an interesting movie, but it is beautifully directed and so it's kind of surprising to me that Coogler is is well behind in the Calciads over there. Then you have for the best actress Jussie Buckley with a wide lead for Hamnet that that's fine. I mean I think that she is the the only star who is in a in a best picture nominated film that actually has a shot of winning and got any sort of coverage. And I didn't really like Hamnet very much. With that said, Jesse buckley is at 96% in the California Best Original Screenplay. Apparently Centers is way ahead, which I find insane since Sinners is basically just a ripoff of from dawn to Dusk, the Tarantino film, but with a bunch of racism attached. But we will see how exactly all of this goes in the Oscars. If you want to see my full breakdown of all of these movies again, I watched every single Oscar nominated film this year. I watched all of them, so you don't have to. My full review will be released on my YouTube channel tomorrow. So if you want to prep for the Oscars, but you don't actually want to watch so many of these movies the way that I had to for you, the people head on over to YouTube. Check out my channel tomorrow, 10am Eastern. Alrighty folks. Coming up, there is more show but the show is only available to those of you who subscribe. And this is where I answer your most Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big Wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate
- [51:39]
John Spencer
first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.
- [51:42]
Ben Shapiro
See full terms@mint mobile.com Burning questions so you and I behind the paywall. We could be best friends. You never know. If you're not a member, become a member. Use Coach Shapiro Checkout to try 2 months free on all annual plans. Click that link in the description and join us. Legal sent this list of everything we're not allowed to do in season two. We're gonna do all of it. We've got games, more celebrity guests, and yes, the mailbag is somehow worse. If you thought season one was extra, season two, we're doubling down. We're not supposed to be doing this. Exactly. Ben After Dark, Season 2 streaming on daily Wire Plaza.