The Charlie Kirk Show
Episode: "An Olympic Triumph and Mexican Mayhem"
Date: February 23, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Charlie Kirk Show revolves around two central themes:

• The U.S. men’s hockey team’s gold medal triumph over Canada at the 2026 Olympics—a moment the hosts see as a watershed in American sports and patriotism.
• The escalating drug cartel violence and political upheaval in Mexico, following the death of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader "El Mencho,” as well as the broader implications for U.S. border security and American domestic policy.

Later, guest Steve Dace joins to discuss generational dynamics on the right, the crisis of young men, the impacts of foreign and domestic policy, and the ramifications of rising nihilism and violence in American political culture.

Olympic Triumph: U.S. Hockey Gold Over Canada

Discussion Highlights

• The hosts celebrate Team USA’s overtime victory against Canada in men’s hockey, calling it a top-10 American sports moment.
• The game is framed as symbolizing deeper, ideological clashes: defeating "Canadian turbo-wokeism" the way the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team beat Soviet communism.
• The emergence of Jack Hughes as a national hero—highlighting his performance, his resilience after a bloody penalty, and his family’s deep roots in USA Hockey.
• Emotional stories, including the team honoring the late Johnny Gaudreau’s family.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “In 1980, we defeated Soviet communism; this time we defeated basically the 2026 version of Soviet communism, which is basically hyper gay, hyper wokeism. Canadian turbo wokeism.” — C (02:08)
• “So proud to be American today. He said, you know, that's a great Canadian team over there, but this is American hockey. We did this for the country.” — B (03:10)
• “I'm lucky I'm from the best country in the world. We got great dentists there, too. So I'm lucky I'm American and they're gonna fix me right up.” — Jack Hughes, quoted by D (05:40)

Timestamps

• [02:55] Jack Hughes post-game: “This is all about our country right now…”
• [05:40] Jack Hughes jokes about American dentists after losing teeth in the game.
• [06:00–06:51] The team honors Johnny Gaudreau’s (Johnny Hockey) family.

Cultural & Political Resonance

• Team USA's success is celebrated as a "patriotic" antidote to the negative coverage around some "woke" Olympic athletes.
• The moment is seen as a rare unifying event offering “hope and national pride” in contrast to political divisions.
• Controversy discussed around Cash Patel (FBI director) celebrating with the team—some argue it's unorthodox, but hosts defend it as patriotic bonding.

Notable Quotes

• “Let them celebrate the way they want to celebrate.” — B (08:25)
• “The moment you put on the Team USA jersey, it is about duty, responsibility, obligation to the nation and victory.” — Charlie Kirk, archival audio (09:44)
• Framing Olympic sports as “peaceful geopolitical combat.” — B (09:52)

Mexican Cartel Violence and U.S. Security

Key Highlights

• The killing of "El Mencho," leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), triggers violence and upheaval across Mexico.
• The debate over the importance of strong borders and the risks posed by drug cartels infiltrating the U.S.
• President Trump’s policies—praised for making cartel operations harder and prompting joint operations with Mexican authorities.
• The hosts worry about cartel power spreading within the U.S., connecting policy debates on DHS funding and border enforcement.

Timestamps

• [13:03] Announcement: “All hell broke loose in Mexico. Here's the deal…They killed a massive kingpin...El Mencho.”
• [14:50] “Borders are where bad ideas, bad policy, bad governance end, and good ideas, good governance and good policy begin.” — B

Insightful Analysis

• The CJNG is depicted as a paramilitary group with sophisticated weaponry and vast criminal enterprises (drugs, human trafficking, fraud).
• U.S. intelligence cooperation cited as pivotal in the takedown, reflecting the Trump administration’s efforts to curb cartel activity.
• Reflection on cartel-driven societal collapse: “There’s nothing about destiny that keeps America from being like that.” — C (14:30)

Memorable Quotes

• “We are not like that because we have different people, different laws, different values.” — C (14:37)
• Speculation about the operation—hints that Mexican officials may have intentionally killed El Mencho in transit to avoid further violence. (15:35)
• “President Trump's policies are making their life a living hell.” — B (16:19)

Cartel Takedown: "On The Ground" (Interviews & Reactions)

Timestamps/Quotes

• [16:46] CNN: “Think what President Trump has been doing has been making your job tougher?”
  • (Cartel member, via D): “Oh, yeah. Yes.”
• [16:59] Trump: “We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. … The cartels are running Mexico…killing 250, 300,000 people in our country every single year.” — D

Interview with Steve Dace: Generational Crisis & Political Nihilism

Context

• Steve Dace (BlazeTV) joins for an extended discussion on young men, political leadership, and the spread of nihilism and violence across right and left.

Key Points & Quotes

• Dace's thread: Disillusionment on the right shouldn’t be dismissed as mere weakness but traced to structural change—economic, cultural, and political.
• The crisis for young men: fewer role models, difficulty buying a home, competition from mass immigration, and lack of purpose.
• “They don't want to be another generation of wimpy dudes...they skipped a generation of masculine modeling and leadership, so they're kind of searching…” — Steve Dace (20:30)
• Dace draws a parallel to the War on Iran: lack of transparency in motives leaves disaffected young men vulnerable to extreme, conspiratorial narratives.

Timestamps

• [19:46] Dace: "I just think when we tell everybody last June that we obliterated Iran's nuclear capability...and then we're being told a mere eight months later that nope, it's back..."
• [22:42] C points out "Iran buildup" happens with little mainstream discussion, inviting confusion and suspicion.
• [26:15] Dace: Who takes over in Iran if regime change happens? Warns of unforeseen consequences.

The Social Fallout

• Case study: Austin Tucker Metcalfe, young man radicalized by “Epstein files” conspiracies, dies in violent attack at Mar-a-Lago.
• Dace emphasizes: technology enables disconnected, poisonous forms of masculine energy. The need for elder generations to provide positive modeling grows urgent.
• “We skipped a generation of masculine leadership and modeling in the home, in the pulpit, and in too much of our body politic and cultural institutions. And so now the repercussions for that are here.” — Steve Dace (32:30)
• Hosts and guests agree: faith, family, and nation-building at home are key antidotes to rising nihilism.

Radicalization & Assassination Culture

• The hosts caution against both left and right talking up violence, noting the troubling emergence of “assassination culture.”
  • “This is a, you know, a fascist takeover… and mentally imbalanced people are pushed over the edge by that sort of rhetoric.” — C (33:37)
• Dace: nihilism is contagious and must be confronted directly with grounded values and positive visions for American youth.

Conclusion

The episode concludes by reaffirming the show’s message:

• Take pride in American exceptionalism.
• Prioritize national renewal—faith, family, opportunity—over fruitless “nation building” abroad.
• Cautiously address the root crises among young men to prevent further descent into nihilism or violence.

Notable Quote

• “We have to make sure they can buy homes. We have to be nation-building here at home.” — B (36:53)

For more stories and commentary, listeners are encouraged to visit charliekirk.com.

This summary covers all key segments, omitting ads and promotional material. All timestamps and attributions reflect in-content discussion, and notable quotes preserve speaker tone and intent.