The Charlie Kirk Show
Episode: Pete Hegseth vs. The Democrats, Again
Date: December 2, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode dives into the escalating controversy surrounding Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and the Democrats' campaign to oust him, framed within the broader themes of U.S. intervention in Venezuela, military chain of command drama, allegations of war crimes, and political messaging. Host Charlie Kirk (represented here by his team) is joined by Michael Knowles and his regular crew to dissect the news, contextualize left-right narratives, and offer unapologetically conservative takes on America’s cultural and geopolitical tensions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Pentagon Briefing, Pete Hegseth, and Alleged War Crimes
Timestamps: 01:09 – 10:09
-
Recent Pentagon briefings became more significant due to new media presence (Jack Posobec, James O’Keefe), as legacy media reduced access.
-
Main controversy: Pete Hegseth is accused (per Washington Post reporting) of authorizing lethal strikes on Venezuelan drug boats, including a follow-up (“double tap”) strike on survivors, raising war crime allegations.
-
The New York Times pushes back on the original narrative, clarifying that while Hegseth initiated the lethal order, Admiral Bradley conducted the follow-up strikes without further orders from Hegseth.
-
Insight: This information war is positioned as a coordinated Democrat attempt to undermine not just Hegseth but the entire Trump administration, signaling broader objectives of government delegitimization.
“It’s much more than that. It’s an attempt to bring down the administration because they don’t want Hegseth’s scalp here... What they want, they actually want that whole defy orders thing. They want to delegitimize and break down the apparatus of government for this administration.”—Andrew Colvitt [06:12]
2. Political Messaging & “Color Revolution” Concerns
Timestamps: 06:50 – 10:09
-
Senator Eric Schmidt likens the media/Democrat efforts to fomenting a “color revolution,” preparing ground for mass defiance of Trump’s administration.
-
Democrats (e.g., Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin) produce evasive, suggestive media warning of “illegal orders,” yet fail to specify any, feeding a narrative of pending executive lawlessness.
“Mark Kelly and Elisa Slotkin... are the ones that started it with their insane video.”—Andrew Colvitt [08:30]
-
The panel argues Trump’s statements about the consequences of sedition are factual, not targeted threats.
3. U.S. Policy on Venezuela – Intervention or Restraint?
Timestamps: 11:02 – 16:53
-
Venezuela remains on the edge: USS Ford positions near its waters, fears of imminent U.S. moves to oust Maduro, claims of Cuban mercenaries bolstering Maduro’s security.
-
Debate: Should the U.S. get involved in regime change? The team is skeptical, referencing failed interventions elsewhere (Libya, Afghanistan) but notes Venezuela (with real opposition leader Maria Corina Machado) may differ.
-
Recognition that most conservative/MAGA voters are wary of new entanglements, but “reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine” is cited as a Trump administration rationale.
“I do think... we have seen a reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine, right? This Western hemisphere centric foreign policy...”—Andrew Colvitt [14:16]
4. Connections Between Cuba and Venezuela
Timestamps: 15:49 – 16:53
- Cuba’s role: Their intelligence apparatus supports Maduro, and regime change in Venezuela could theoretically weaken both governments.
- Admiration for Maria Corina Machado (opposition leader) and her strategic alignment with the U.S.
5. The Democrats’ Fixation on Pete Hegseth
Timestamps: 18:28 – 23:28
-
Michael Knowles underscores that Democrats have targeted Hegseth since his Fox News days, interpreting the attacks as evidence he’s “over the mark” in terms of effective policy.
-
Hegseth’s record: Improved recruitment, shed “woke” elements from military, continued foreign policy successes.
-
The argument: If “they” want to take him down so badly, conservatives should rally around him.
“If all I knew is that this guy was the chief target in the cabinet for the Democrats, I would be defending him wholeheartedly.”—Michael Knowles [19:11]
6. MAGA Foreign Policy Dilemma: Interventionism vs. Nationalism
Timestamps: 21:09 – 25:22
-
While regime change wars are not in favor, the panel notes operations in Latin America are closer to home, fit the Monroe Doctrine, and directly combat drug trafficking—key MAGA concerns.
-
Ideal outcome: Destroy narco-terrorists, remove a hostile dictator, install a friendlier regime, and possibly improve energy markets.
-
Uncertainty remains: Can the U.S. plan for stable outcomes, or will it repeat CIA/blowback mistakes?
“The only question is, does the military, CIA, whatever the U.S. government, do we have a serious plan in place to, to replace Maduro if they actually want regime change?”—Michael Knowles [22:20]
7. Migration, Foreign Policy, and Domestic Politics
Timestamps: 23:28 – 26:40
- Concern that toppling Maduro could cause another migration crisis at the U.S. border, as earlier interventions did.
- The Trump administration is positioning itself to control any resulting flow, with the panel predicting less of a migration surge compared to previous Democratic regimes.
8. The Hardline on Immigration
Timestamps: 26:40 – 30:41
-
Trump’s proposed clampdown on third world migration is considered his most popular plank, even eclipsing the border wall.
-
Knowles argues that Americans intuitively support immigration controls but feel forbidden from saying so outright.
“Everyone knows this. Everyone feels like they can’t say it. And so if Trump is the one who’s gonna finally articulate it, it’s gonna be a winner.”—Michael Knowles [28:24]
9. Tennessee Special Election & Get-Out-the-Vote Messaging
Timestamps: 30:41 – 31:17
- Urges Tennessee listeners to mobilize for Republican Matt Van Epps in the local special election, portraying the contest as crucial to larger Republican fortunes.
10. The First American Pope—Six Months In
Timestamps: 31:27 – 34:45
-
Michael Knowles and Blake Neff analyze Pope Leo’s (the “first American pope”) tenure—less notorious than Francis, broadly satisfactory for U.S. conservatives since “nations are allowed to have borders.”
-
Some lingering liberal policies, but hope for tradition remains.
“For people who want to have a problem, including especially traditional conservative American Catholics, they’re always gonna find something to have a problem with. But broadly speaking…hopers have been quite vindicated so far…”—Michael Knowles [34:19]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Orchestrated Media Campaigns:
“This isn’t orchestrated op, and it’s a PR op. It’s also deadly serious…” —Andrew Colvitt [06:50]
-
On Democratic Messaging:
“They are the ones that started it with their insane video.” —Andrew Colvitt [08:30]
-
On Foreign Policy Blowback:
“20 years in Afghanistan, we have to fight them over there so we don’t fight them over here. And in fact, we are fighting them two blocks from the White House now.” —Blake Neff [24:07]
-
On Immigration Realities:
“We want to live in an America that feels like America again...it simply, more and more does not. And there’s a reason for that.” —Andrew Colvitt [28:24]
-
On Conservative Unity Behind Hegseth:
“If he’s the guy they want to take out, he’s probably the guy I’m going to be defending.” —Michael Knowles [19:11]
-
On Papal Politics:
“There’s always something to complain about...But compared to the last pontificate, I think a lot of people are breathing not just a sigh of relief, but a sigh of joy.” —Michael Knowles [32:49]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 01:09 Pentagon briefing, Hegseth strike controversy introduced
- 03:27 NYT & WaPo reports on Hegseth orders
- 06:50 Framing of a “color revolution” and Democrats’ PR campaign
- 11:02 Venezuela, Maduro, and Cuban involvement
- 17:47 (Ad break skipped)
- 19:11 Michael Knowles on why Democrats target Hegseth
- 21:09 MAGA’s foreign policy challenge: Latin America operations
- 23:28 Regime change and migration
- 26:40 Trump’s hardline immigration policy
- 30:41 Tennessee special election call to action
- 31:27 Discussion of Pope Leo’s first six months
- 34:19 Papal policies on borders and migration
Conclusion
This episode of The Charlie Kirk Show frames the latest drama around Pete Hegseth as a concentrated, coordinated left-wing campaign rooted in deeper fears of effective conservative governance. The discussion ties in Venezuela, migration, and the broader culture war, weaving in audience mobilization and a nod to current Catholic politics. The prevailing message is rallying the base, defending embattled allies, and asserting clear boundaries—whether at America’s literal borders, within media narratives, or in the halls of the Vatican.