The Ben Shapiro Show

Ep. 2402 – NOTE TO AMERICA-HATERS: Sorry, We’re Busy Kicking A*
Date: April 7, 2026
Host: Ben Shapiro

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben Shapiro frames America’s present as an exceptional moment, both technologically and militarily. He highlights the Artemis 2 astronauts’ historic lunar journey and America’s aggressive military posture against Iran. Shapiro sharply rebuts critics of American strength and intervention, condemns anti-American narratives, and scrutinizes left-wing responses to current events—especially the Democratic Party’s legislative priorities and media commentary. The show intermixes these core topics with reflections on morality, the laws of war, and cultural skirmishes, while also calling out what he sees as hypocrisy or naivete among prominent critics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America’s Historic Achievements and Global Power

Timestamps: 02:10 – 06:00

• Artemis 2 Lunar Mission:
  Shapiro opens with enthusiasm over the Artemis 2 mission, where American astronauts traveled further from Earth than any humans before—over 248,655 miles.

  • “America is in a totally exceptional moment. We’re sending human beings around the moon for the first time in decades… All incredible stuff.” (02:04)

• Presidential Congratulatory Call:
  The Artemis 2 crew expresses awe at seeing the moon’s dark side, a “different perspective.”

  • Artemis astronaut: “We started to get a glimpse of... sights that no human has ever seen before, not even in Apollo.” (03:45)

• Shapiro’s Interpretation:
  He sees these feats as both representative and symbolic of American strength and innovation, connecting space achievements to broader notions of national greatness.

  • “America rocks. This country just kicks ass... Not just because we can put human beings 250,000 miles away, but also because people are inspired to create and to build better lives here.” (04:34)

2. The U.S.–Iran Conflict: Strategy, Morality, and Criticism

Timestamps: 06:00 – 28:00

• Summary of U.S. Actions:
  Shapiro argues the U.S. has unparalleled military success against Iran—disabling its navy, air force, missile infrastructure, and nuclear capacities.

  • “We are kicking the hell out of the Iranian military. There is no standard in military history by which we are not.” (06:33)

• On Regime Change vs. Weakening the Regime:
  Discusses the lack of articulated “final goals” from President Trump, suggesting the strategy is purposeful ambiguity, aiming either for regime collapse or a weakened adversary.

• Economic Strategy:
  Emphasizes economic targeting as the next U.S.–Israeli strategy:

  • “To take out the final pillars of the Iranian government, you have to permanently damage their economic status.” (25:00)
  • Discusses U.S. and Israeli strikes on petrochemical sites and infrastructure.

• Human Shields and Moral Arguments:
  Iran’s mobilization of students as human shields is compared to Nazi Germany’s last-ditch efforts in WWII.

  • “This is not something strong countries do… That is where Iran is.” (36:00)
  • Shapiro underscores that using human shields is the real war crime—not targeting infrastructure when shielded.

• On Bombing Civil Infrastructure & International Law:
  He rebuts claims that striking bridges/power plants is automatically a war crime, breaking down Geneva Conventions language about “military necessity.”

  • “It is not automatically a war crime to say that we’re going to blow up bridges and power plants… That is not a war crime.” (41:50)

• Presidential Rhetoric and Media Response:
  Trump’s blunt statements (“the entire country can be taken out in a night”) and his refusal to cater to critics.

  • Trump: “If that’s the case, you’re going to have to have more people like me.” (23:47)

3. Responses From Critics: Media, Politicians, and Public Figures

Timestamps: 38:00 – 50:00

• Ro Khanna and the NYT Accusations:
  Shapiro criticizes Rep. Ro Khanna and the New York Times for labeling Trump’s threats “war crimes” and for being unwilling to fund military readiness.

  • “There’s a group of people... who would rather starve the military.” (39:55)

• Tucker Carlson’s Critique:
  Carlson accuses Trump of mocking Islam and stoking religious war; Shapiro calls him hypocritical, citing Carlson’s prior comments about Christians and other faiths.

  • Tucker: “No decent person mocks other people’s religions… to mock other people’s faith is to mock the idea of faith itself.” (44:29)
  • Shapiro: “The hypocrisy might cause an aneurysm here.” (44:52)

• Cultural & Spiritual Rhetoric:
  Carlson speculates on spiritual battles and the notion of Trump as an anti-Christian actor, which Shapiro dismisses with sarcasm.

• Comedian Tim Dillon’s Reaction:
  Dillon is quoted for his explicit indifference to Iran, summarizing a segment of the American public’s war fatigue.

4. Domestic Politics & Cultural Division

Timestamps: 50:00 – 60:00

• Election Impacts and the Political Climate:
  Shapiro minimizes predictions that Iran will decide the 2026 midterms, offering polling data and media commentary suggesting Democrats are not as far ahead as they should be.

• Radicalism in the Democratic Party:
  Shapiro points to rising figures like Gavin Newsom, AOC, John Ossoff, and Hasan Piker as evidence of a hard-left turn.

• NYC’s 375-Page “Racial Equity” Manual:
  Shapiro lampoons New York’s new plan as an excessive, race-obsessed bureaucratic overreach, reinterpreting poverty and government’s role.

5. Media & Daily Wire Updates

Timestamps: 62:48 – End

• Wired In Live Segment:
  Cabot Phillips joins to promote the new Daily Wire live news show, highlighting the brand’s growing editorial presence and real-time reporting.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On American “Exceptionalism”:

  • “America rocks. This country just kicks ass.” – Ben Shapiro (04:33)

• Presidential Threats:

  • Trump: “The entire country could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night.” (15:09)

• Morality and Warfare:

  • Trump: “They would be willing… to suffer that in order to have freedom.” (15:50)
  • Shapiro: “The reason that terrorists use human shields is because they believe it will deter Western powers from hitting the targets.” (36:55)

• On Critics’ Double Standards:

  • “The hypocrisy might cause an aneurysm here. This is the same person who was mocking… dispensationalists, and mainline evangelical Protestants.” – Shapiro on Tucker Carlson (44:52)

• On Left-Wing Economic and Racial Policies:

  • “So now we’re just doing Ibram X. Kendi now… The equity plan talks about Wall Street as ‘powered by slavery.’ Not true.” (58:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Topic | Time | |---|---|---| | Artemis 2 Mission & American Power | National achievement, moon mission | 02:10 – 06:00 | | U.S. Military Strategy vs. Iran | Tactics, regime change debate, Trump’s ambiguity | 06:00 – 18:00 | | Morality, Laws of War, Human Shields | Just war, international law, Iranian tactics | 18:00 – 40:00 | | Critiques by NYT, Ro Khanna, Tucker Carlson | Media/political opposition, spiritual/cultural framing | 38:00 – 50:00 | | Domestic Politics & Democratic Party | Polls, “radicalism,” NYC equity plan | 50:00 – 61:00 | | Daily Wire Updates & ‘Wired in Live’ Launch | Media expansion, promoting new live show | 62:48 – 65:55 |

Distinctive Moments & Speaker Attribution

• Astronaut’s Perspective:
  “We saw sights that no human has ever seen before… that was amazing…” – Artemis 2 Crew (03:45)

• President Trump’s Defiance:
  “If that’s the case [mental health scrutiny], you’re going to have to have more people like me, because our country was being ripped off… until I came along.” (23:48)

• On Human Shields:
  “This is something the Nazi regime does in the final days in Berlin… That is where Iran is.” – Ben Shapiro (36:10)

• Tucker Carlson’s Rebuke:
  “Who do you think you are? You’re tweeting out the F word on Easter morning... Praise be to Allah...” (44:04)

• Ben Shapiro’s Rejoinder:
  “If America first means you can’t joke about radical Islam… and we need to cede power to China and Russia… I have some questions.” (45:30)

Conclusion

Ben Shapiro’s episode is a forceful defense of American assertiveness—on the battlefield, in technology, and in the cultural and political arenas. He connects the triumph of the Artemis 2 mission with the aggressive U.S. campaign against Iran, drawing a line between American innovation, military might, and moral purpose. Dismissing critics on both the left and right, he charges the Democratic Party and prominent media figures with undermining American interests, over-indulging in grievance politics, or outright misunderstanding strategic realities. The episode ends with Daily Wire self-promotion and a reaffirmation of conservatives’ need to “never give an inch” in what he frames as an era-defining struggle.