Summary of "Saving The Border in One Month" Episode of The Charlie Kirk Show

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Charlie Kirk Show
• Host: Charlie Kirk
• Episode: Saving The Border in One Month
• Release Date: March 3, 2025

Introduction

In the episode titled "Saving The Border in One Month," host Charlie Kirk delves into pressing national and international issues, focusing primarily on U.S. border security and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The episode features insightful discussions with Molly Hemingway from The Federalist and Todd Bentzman, author of Overrun. Throughout the episode, Charlie offers his unmistakably conservative perspective, critiquing current administrations' policies and highlighting efforts to restore security and sovereignty.

Zelensky's Controversial Meeting with President Trump

Charlie initiates the conversation by addressing a contentious meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and former President Donald Trump. He questions whether Zelensky entered the meeting with "intentional sabotage" (00:00).

Molly Hemingway's Analysis

Molly Hemingway provides a detailed breakdown of Zelensky's behavior during the meeting:

• Hostility and Strategy: Hemingway observes that Zelensky displayed unexpected hostility, possibly fueled by strategic advice from U.S. Congressional members. She notes, “Zelensky was getting a lot of advice to behave at least somewhat in the manner that he ended up behaving” (01:41).

• Democratic Accountability Concerns: She raises concerns about Zelensky's lack of recent democratic elections in Ukraine, suggesting his actions may be driven by a desire to maintain power without electoral accountability (02:35).

Lindsey Graham's Reaction

A recorded clip of Senator Lindsey Graham criticizes Zelensky's approach, urging him to "profusely apologize" and show gratitude towards the American people (04:10).

• Charlie’s Commentary: Charlie responds by branding Lindsey Graham as a "chief neocon" and accuses him and others of being entrenched in a "war mongering machine," questioning Graham's motives and suggesting personal affronts led to his quick condemnation of Zelensky (04:47).

Susan Rice's Statements

Charlie plays another clip featuring Susan Rice condemning the U.S. leadership’s performance, stating it has "humiliated the United States on the world stage" and damaged trust with European allies (10:44).

• Hemingway's Perspective: Molly Hemingway interprets Rice's comments as part of a longstanding pattern of disinformation and information manipulation, referencing her previous roles and actions, such as during the Benghazi incident and the Russia collusion investigations (06:22).

European Involvement in Ukraine

Charlie queries Molly about Europe's stance on defending Ukraine, to which Hemingway emphasizes the complexity and historical fraught nature of U.S.-European relations with Ukraine. She posits that a positive outcome would involve Europe enhancing its defense spending and ultimately seeking a sustainable peace agreement that aligns with U.S. interests (08:17).

Southern Border Security: Insights from Todd Bentzman

Transitioning to domestic issues, Charlie welcomes Todd Bentzman to discuss the significant improvements in southern border security under the new administration.

Drastic Reduction in Illegal Crossings

Bentzman notes a dramatic decrease in illegal crossings:

• Statistics: Illegal crossings have dropped from nearly 400,000 during the Biden administration’s peak to approximately 8,326 apprehensions in February 2025—the lowest in U.S. history (17:06).

• Comparison to Previous Administration: He contrasts the current figures with the typical 7,000 to 14,000 daily crossings under Biden, highlighting the effectiveness of the new policies (18:32).

Strategies Implemented

Bentzman outlines the strategies that led to this reduction:

• Military Collaboration: Deployment of Mexican military forces to assist in border security, leveraging trade tariffs as leverage (23:33).

• Legal Frameworks: Utilization of section 212F of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to enforce instant expulsions without asylum (26:11).

• Infrastructure Enhancements: Rebuilding detention and deportation facilities dismantled during the previous administration, with a significant budget allocation of $175 billion (28:54).

Ongoing Challenges and Future Plans

Bentzman acknowledges ongoing challenges, such as rehabilitating the immigration enforcement infrastructure and addressing the remaining millions of undocumented immigrants within the country. He emphasizes the administration’s commitment to maintaining low crossing numbers and continuing the rigorous application of immigration laws (28:54).

Deportation and Immigration Policies

Managing Underground Populations

Bentzman provides estimates on the undocumented population within the U.S., discussing the complexities of deporting individuals with criminal backgrounds and those who have not yet been processed through the legal system.

• Numbers: Approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants are currently in the country, with an additional 650,000 classified as criminal aliens eligible for immediate deportation (28:54).

• Deportation Efforts: The administration has deported 50,000 criminal aliens in the latest month, with plans to expand these efforts as detention capacities increase (31:37).

Sanctuary States Conflict

The episode addresses the tension between federal immigration laws and sanctuary states like California:

• Policy Enforcement: Bentzman criticizes sanctuary policies, arguing that local law enforcement’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities hampers effective deportation efforts (31:49).

• Federal Response: The administration plans to withdraw federal funding from jurisdictions that do not comply with federal immigration laws, pressuring these states to align with national policies (31:49).

Conclusion

Charlie Kirk wraps up the episode by reaffirming the significant strides made in securing the southern border and critiquing political figures who have opposed stringent immigration measures. He underscores the necessity of continuing these efforts to ensure national security and uphold the rule of law. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to support initiatives aimed at maintaining border security and resisting policies that enable illegal immigration.

Notable Quotes:

• Molly Hemingway (01:41): “Zelensky was getting a lot of advice to behave at least somewhat in the manner that he ended up behaving.”

• Lindsey Graham (04:16): “I told him, don’t take the bait. Don’t let the media or anybody else get you into an argument with President Trump.”

• Susan Rice (10:44): “This was a disgraceful performance by the President of the United States, a disgraceful performance by the vice president.”

• Todd Bentzman (17:06): “What we're seeing is the lowest number in U.S. recorded history.”

• Todd Bentzman (26:30): “The wall will be built. They're already getting it, getting things ginned up for that. That will be built too.”

Timestamps

• Introduction: 00:00 – 00:47
• Zelensky's Meeting Analysis: 00:28 – 04:47
• Susan Rice's Statements: 10:44 – 11:24
• European Involvement: 08:17 – 09:24
• Southern Border Insights: 17:06 – 33:37
• Conclusion: 33:37 – 33:59

This summary encapsulates the critical discussions from the "Saving The Border in One Month" episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the full episode.