The Benny Show | October 21, 2025

Episode Theme:
DHS Responds LIVE to 'No Kings' Protester Threats To SHOOT Ice Agents, CHEERING Trump Assassination…
Host: Benny Johnson
Guest: Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs, DHS

Episode Overview

This episode of The Benny Show delves into escalating threats and acts of violence against ICE agents and prominent conservatives, examining how such rhetoric has been normalized in the wake of the “No Kings” protests. Benny Johnson highlights a perceived double standard in media coverage and political outrage depending on the target, drawing a stark contrast between left- and right-wing protest behaviors. The episode features an in-depth interview with Tricia McLaughlin from DHS, who addresses federal responses to these threats, legal action, and the broader cultural underpinnings of current political violence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Communications and the ‘King Trump’ Meme

• Timeline: 00:01–12:57
• Benny humorously analyzes recent viral White House social media responses, especially the "King Trump in a fighter jet" meme targeting "No Kings" protesters.
• The meme depicts Trump dropping sewage on protestors, riffing on leftist protest hygiene stereotypes (05:00).
• Viral fallout includes a notable exchange where Vice President and other admin figures play along with the meme, contrasting this with previous White House press strategies under Biden.
• Quote:

  "You'd think there'd be a little bit of intellectual consistency here..."
  — Benny Johnson (02:10)

2. Communications Contrast: Current vs. Previous White House Press Secretaries

• Timeline: 12:58–24:50
• Benny analyzes Q&A clips of Trump’s White House press team (Caroline Levitt, Stephen Chung) and compares them to former Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
• Memorable Moment:
  Caroline Levitt answers a reporter's question about why Budapest was chosen for a Trump-Putin summit with, "Your mom did." (15:30)
• Benny highlights how the Trump admin is reframing press relations, contrasting openness and meme culture with what he calls the “scripted, controlled” style of the Biden years.
• Critique of KJP's handling of the White House press corps and her media rounds after the administration, spotlighting Biden’s reliance on cue cards during conferences (18:10–19:41).

3. Protest Violence & Rhetoric Against ICE and Conservative Figures

• Timeline: 24:51–34:34

• Coverage of the "No Kings" protester in Chicago who called for violence against ICE agents—now under federal investigation.

• A compilation of video clips and social media posts showing protestors and teachers openly advocating for, or celebrating, violence against conservatives and Trump allies.

• Rising trend: 8647 shirts (“Kill the 47th President”), Halloween costumes, and celebratory gestures over Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

• Quote:

  "You gotta grab a gun. We gotta turn the guns around on this fascist system. These ICE agents gotta get shot and wiped out."
  — No Kings protester (25:30, paraphrased and then played on air)

• Benny:

  "The left has gone into the phase where they just start killing everyone… It's not only something that's allowed but encouraged." (24:52)

4. DHS Response and Law Enforcement Threats – Guest: Tricia McLaughlin (DHS)

• Timeline: 36:36–53:05

• Tricia McLaughlin describes how DHS is referring violent threats to the DOJ, clarifying these are not protected free speech, but prosecutable acts.

• Rise in violence against federal agents, with references to recent terrorist attacks and cartel bounties on ICE.

• Discussion about increasing professionalization and funding of antifa-affiliated violence, federal focus on tracking funding streams (43:40).

• Quote:

  "Threats of violence are not free speech. As much as the left might want you to believe it is—it's not. These individuals will be referred to the Department of Justice as we see it."
  — Tricia McLaughlin (47:51)

• On Dem politicians’ responsibility:

  "At some point you have to find within yourself that even if you have a policy differential with someone, they should still have the ability to go home at night to their children."
  — Tricia McLaughlin (49:09)

5. Failed States: Portland and the Deployment of National Guard

• Timeline: 44:34–46:53
• Describes the ongoing violence and chaos at the ICE facility in Portland (smoke grenades, war zone conditions) and the successful move to deploy the National Guard after a favorable 9th Circuit ruling.
• The host and guest note media double standards and local authorities’ refusal to take action against left-wing violence.

6. Spiritual and Cultural Aspects

• Timeline: 42:09–43:40
• Benny posits that the decline of faith on the left leads to devaluation of human life, contrasting belief in God rates among Democrats and Republicans.
• Argues that violence is a symptom of a spiritual void, not just political tribalism:

  "If you don’t believe in God, then you just really don’t have any value for his creation... If you don't believe in the Creator, then you won't value the creation."
  — Benny Johnson (42:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Description | |---|---------|----------------------| | 05:00 | Benny | "We've seen them actually throw fecal matter and bottles filled with urine at ICE agents. So this is just your comeuppance, right?" | | 15:30 | Caroline Levitt | "Your mom did." [In response to: Who suggested Budapest as site for Trump–Putin summit?] | | 24:52 | Benny | "The left has gone into the phase where they just start killing everyone. That's become clear..." | | 25:30 | No Kings protester (clip) | "You gotta grab a gun... These ICE agents gotta get shot and wiped out." | | 32:54 | Female protester | "No, Hitler is dead. I'm glad Hitler's dead." [Equating Charlie Kirk’s murder with justified violence] | | 36:36 | Tricia McLaughlin | "We’ve referred him [No Kings protester] to the DOJ for prosecution of threats against our law enforcement..." | | 47:51 | Tricia McLaughlin | "Threats of violence are not free speech. As much as the left might want you to believe it is—it’s not." | | 49:09 | Tricia McLaughlin | "At some point, even if you have a policy differential... they should still have the ability to go home to their children." | | 42:17 | Benny | "If you don't believe in the Creator, then you won’t value the creation...then murder makes a ton of sense if you're a Bolshevik." |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01 — Show open and explanation of episode’s urgency
• 05:00 — Breakdown of 'King Trump' meme fallout
• 15:30 — Caroline Levitt “your mom” quote and discussion on meme culture in the White House
• 18:10–19:41 — Critique of Biden’s press operations and cue card revelations
• 24:52 — Benny’s escalation claim: “The left has gone into the phase where they just start killing everyone.”
• 25:30 — Clip: No Kings protester advocates ICE violence
• 32:54 — Protesters celebrate Charlie Kirk’s murder on camera
• 36:36 — Interview with DHS’s Tricia McLaughlin begins
• 43:40 — Uplift in violence and Antifa professionalization; following the money
• 44:34–46:53 — Portland ICE facility report; National Guard deployment
• 47:51 — DHS’s prosecution response to violent threats
• 49:09 — Appeal to Democrat leaders for moral reflection
• 53:05 — Show close and reflections

Tone and Style

• The tone is combative and irreverent, often punctuated by sarcasm, meme references, and rapid-fire cultural critiques.
• The language is blunt, partisan, and highly critical of left-wing protestors, Democrat politicians, and legacy media, while treating right-wing targets as victims of double standards.

Summary

This episode provides a sharply critical look at threats and violence directed toward federal law enforcement and conservative figures, positioning these acts as systemic, culturally enabled, and largely unaddressed by mainstream institutions. Through interviews and viral media breakdowns, Benny Johnson frames the moment as a test of national values, law enforcement integrity, and the importance of spiritual grounding, closing with calls for leadership accountability and spiritual renewal on the right.