The Breakfast Club – Donkey of the Day: Sen. Eric Schmitt Draws Criticism For Seemingly Racist, Controversial Speech At NatCon

Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Main Theme: This episode’s “Donkey of the Day” segment highlights Missouri Junior Senator Eric Schmitt’s recent speech at the National Conservatism Conference, where his exclusionary rhetoric stirs controversy and prompts an examination of coded language in American political discourse.

Overview

The focus of the episode is Charlamagne Tha God’s critique of Senator Eric Schmitt’s speech at the National Conservatism Conference. The speech draws backlash for its repeated use of “us” and “our” when referring to America, leaving many to interpret his language as racially exclusive and echoing white replacement theory. Charlamagne unpacks Schmitt’s words, exposing the underlying coded racism and discussing why such rhetoric is dangerous to an inclusive definition of what it means to be American.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Senator Schmitt’s Speech Excerpt

• Schmitt’s speech references the Continental Army, pilgrims, pioneers, and Kentucky settlers, painting a picture of a homogenous American heritage passed “from our ancestors” to “us.”
• He warns against “new people” and “new myths,” asserting “America doesn’t belong to them. It belongs to us.”
• He closes with, “If we disappear, then America too will cease to exist.”

Notable Quote:

“America in all its glory is their gift to us, handed down across the generations. It belongs to us. It’s our birthright. It’s our heritage, our destiny.”
— Eric Schmitt [03:32]

2. Charlamagne Tha God’s Unpacking & Critique

• Charlamagne sharply critiques Schmitt’s language, arguing it relies on deliberate vagueness—never defining who “us” is—to signal to like-minded individuals while maintaining plausible deniability.
• He connects this tactic to “white replacement theory,” citing demographic projections and political trends that fuel fears among some white Americans.
• Charlamagne points out that the lack of inclusivity is intentional, targeting certain “others.”

Key Insights:

• The phrase “America doesn’t belong to them; it belongs to us” is racially coded and exclusionary.
• Such language passes as patriotism but is rooted in a desire for cultural and racial homogeneity.

Notable Quotes:

“When a politician leaves us undefined, it’s because they know exactly who they’re talking to. And the people he’s talking to, they know that message is for them as well.”
— Charlamagne Tha God [06:07]

“Spoiler alert, if you’re Black, brown, legal immigrant, LGBT, Jewish, Muslim, chances are you not in that either… you not in that.”
— Charlamagne Tha God [06:53]

“What happened to America being conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal? What happened to America being inclusive? I mean, it never really was, but damn it, at least we was fake trying.”
— Charlamagne Tha God [07:21]

• Charlamagne reiterates that using “us” versus “them” is antithetical to America’s supposed ideals. He calls the rhetoric “coded racism wrapped up in patriotism.”
• He points out that America’s strength is its diversity, lamenting attempts to rewrite or exclude uncomfortable parts of its history.

Memorable Moment:
Charlamagne requests a replay of Schmitt’s exclusionary line to emphasize how overtly it frames America as the property of a select in-group, not for everyone.

“If America is not everything and everyone, then it’s nothing at all, okay?”
— Charlamagne Tha God [08:36]

3. The Dangers of Racially Coded Patriotism

• Charlamagne links this kind of rhetoric to early signs of segregationist thinking, warning it sets a precedent for divisive politics.
• He insists that America is a “melting pot” and attempts to erase that with “us” language are both dishonest and dangerous.

Key Insight:

“America ain’t supposed to be about us versus them. It’s supposed to be about we, the people. But some folks like Eric don’t want we. They just want us.”
— Charlamagne Tha God [09:50]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Eric Schmitt [03:32]:
  “America in all its glory is their gift to us, handed down across the generations. It belongs to us. It’s our birthright. It’s our heritage, our destiny.”

• Charlamagne Tha God [06:07]:
  “When a politician leaves us undefined, it’s because they know exactly who they’re talking to.”

• Charlamagne Tha God [06:53]:
  “Spoiler alert, if you’re Black, brown, legal immigrant, LGBT, Jewish, Muslim, chances are you not in that either.”

• Charlamagne Tha God [07:21]:
  “What happened to America being inclusive? I mean, it never really was, but damn it, at least we was fake trying.”

• Charlamagne Tha God [08:36]:
  “If America is not everything and everyone, then it’s nothing at all, okay?”

• Charlamagne Tha God [09:50]:
  “America ain’t supposed to be about us versus them. It’s supposed to be about we, the people. But some folks like Eric don’t want we. They just want us.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:43: “Donkey of the Day” introduction
• 03:32: Eric Schmitt’s speech excerpt
• 05:02: Charlamagne’s breakdown begins
• 07:02–09:50: Detailed critique of coded language and exclusion; focus on the impact for America’s notion of ‘we the people’
• 10:22: Close of “Donkey of the Day” segment

Tone & Style

The discussion is sharp, reflective, and pointedly humorous in Charlamagne’s signature style. He infuses his critique with sarcasm and cultural references, ensuring the audience understands both the gravity and absurdity of the exclusionary logic in Schmitt’s speech.

Conclusion

Charlamagne Tha God names Senator Eric Schmitt “Donkey of the Day” for using thinly-veiled exclusionary language in a public political speech—rhetoric that, while not explicitly racist, draws on white nationalist talking points. The hosts emphasize that American identity should be inclusive and call out dog-whistle politics that threaten the diversity foundational to the nation’s strength. The segment is a clear call to recognize and reject coded racism in public life.