The Charlie Kirk Show
Episode: Should Donald Trump Destroy the Filibuster?
Date: October 31, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, hosted by executive producer Andrew Colvett (with Mikey McCoy, Blake Neff, and guest Michael Knowles), dives into the heated debate over whether a potential President Trump should “destroy” the Senate filibuster as political pressure mounts amid a government shutdown and party divides. The team also unpacks themes of political violence in the U.S., generational shifts in attitudes towards extremism, and the culture war around faith in public life. The tone remains unapologetically conservative, frequently warning about the potential perils and perceived hypocrisy of the left, and championing the virtues of robust debate, tradition, and faith.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Call to End the Filibuster (05:09–14:11)

• Background: President Trump, frustrated with a prolonged government shutdown and Democratic opposition, posts on social media urging Republicans to invoke the “nuclear option” and eliminate the Senate filibuster (60-vote threshold) to achieve conservative priorities.
• Immediate Reactions:
  • Blake Neff summarizes Trump’s posts and notes this idea “flared up overnight.” (05:09)
  • The panel analyzes Trump’s motives, suggesting he’s focused on the immediate win: “Trump generally is a guy who’s very much what is immediately in front of me... he wants wins.” (Andrew, 11:28)
• Debate: Tactical vs. Long-Term Consequences:
  • Blake: If you eliminate the filibuster, “do it as a day one thing” to maximize policy wins. Otherwise, “Democrats could inherit that power and run wild.” (Blake, 05:09–07:45)
  • Andrew: Immigration reform is the only cause warranting such a drastic step; using it just to restart government would be a waste.
    • “If you, if you take this away, then we might not ever have a majority in the U.S. senate again.” (Andrew, 07:45)
• Risks Highlighted:
  • Permanent changes like statehood for DC and Puerto Rico could dramatically shift political power for decades.
  • “You can’t really get rid of it and then put it back because it could just be voted away again. What has kept it in place is the fact that it is in place.” (Blake, 12:12)

Notable Quote

“We have to be very, very cautious... Mike Johnson has come out against blowing up the filibuster. I don’t know if you have final thoughts there, Blake, but it’s a hornet’s nest, that’s for sure.”
—Andrew Colvett (09:39)

Timestamps:

• Trump’s posts: 05:09–06:30
• Panel reaction: 06:30–14:11

2. The Filibuster’s Impact on Governance (17:04–19:12)

• Gridlock and Congressional Impotence:
  • The filibuster causes legislative paralysis, leading to an “imperial presidency” that governs largely by executive orders.
    • “Senate is permanently paralyzed... Congress can hardly pass any laws at all. That's why we have bad Republicans... because, well, can’t pass this, we don’t have 60 votes to do it.” (Blake, 17:04)
• Historical Context:
  • The passage of the 17th Amendment (direct election of Senators) eroded Republican power:
    • “If we didn’t have the 17th amendment... we would have 70 Republican senators right now.” (Andrew, 20:04)
• Norms and Tradition:
  • Filibuster’s endurance is rooted in tradition—once gone, it is unlikely to return.

Notable Quote

“Once the filibuster is destroyed, it will be gone. That’s the way of it. Yet there is this power it exerts as long as it exists.”
—Blake Neff (12:12)

Timestamps:

• Filibuster and governance breakdown: 17:04–19:58

3. Political Violence and Senate Testimony (21:03–33:48)

• Testimony Before the Senate:
  • Michael Knowles recounts his invitation to the Senate for a subcommittee hearing on political violence, chaired by Sen. Eric Schmidt.
  • Democrats cited January 6th but allegedly dodged serious discussion of left-wing violence; some even failed to attend the hearing. (Michael Knowles, 21:03)
• The Cory Booker Incident:
  • Knowles criticizes Sen. Cory Booker for hypocrisy—publicly condemning violence but endorsing a candidate calling for violence against Republicans, then leaving the room. (Michael Knowles, 22:55)
• Data on Political Violence:
  • Polls show self-identified “very liberal” young people are up to 8x more likely to justify political violence compared to conservatives.
    • “Young liberals spike in their support up to 26% for political violence. So not only is this today a major problem on the left. It's getting worse.” (Michael Knowles, 26:06)
  • Violent incidents at pro-life centers and political events often not counted as left-wing violence in official stats.
• Cultural Rot & Hypocrisy:
  • The guests describe systemic left-wing violence and alleged double standards in media and academia.
    • “The left doesn’t commit a lot of political violence when you don’t count the political violence the left commits.” (Michael Knowles, 28:47)

Notable Quotes

“85% of Americans think political violence is getting worse in our country. When 85% of Americans agree on anything, I think you can acknowledge that it’s happening.”
—Michael Knowles (21:03)

“It's a crystal ball for the future."
—Michael Knowles on youth violence trends (26:06)

Timestamps:

• Senate hearing recap: 21:03–23:49
• Political violence polling: 25:15–28:47

4. Culture Wars: Faith, Family, and Openness to Debate (34:38–39:11)

• J.D. Vance’s Comments on Faith:
  • Viral controversy over Vance’s statement wishing his wife would one day convert to Christianity sparks debate about religious conviction and public life (34:38).
• Panel Response:
  • Mikey McCoy: Framing Christianity as “the missing piece” that brings peace and happiness. (34:57)
  • Michael Knowles: Criticizes secular reactions, praising open faith as an act of love, not coercion. (36:09)
• Welcoming Dissent:
  • J.D. Vance’s openness to take challenging questions at events is lauded as a model for politicians.
    • “I just keep telling everybody, you can’t even find a senator, a congressman... that would welcome disagreements to the front of the line, let alone the Vice President of the United States.” (Mikey, 38:09)

Notable Quotes

"It's much ado about something. It's just something good."
—Michael Knowles on the Vance controversy (36:09)

“That's like the whole point, guys.”
—Michael Knowles on sharing religious beliefs with loved ones (36:09)

Timestamps:

• J.D. Vance faith discussion: 34:38–39:11

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• On Filibuster & GOP Weakness:
  “We do not have a strong enough GOP or anywhere close... There’s zero reason to even consider that right now.” —Andrew Colvett (14:48)

• On Democratic Party Statehood Agenda:
  “Those are two lasting, permanent changes that they could affect within the body politics.” —Andrew Colvett (14:41)

• On Left-Wing Violence Data:
  “The only conclusion you can reach is that the left doesn’t commit a lot of political violence when you don’t count the political violence the left commits.” —Michael Knowles (28:47)

• On Cultural & Political Shift:
  “As if the Rubicon has been crossed... It’s a lot bigger than one podcaster making nasty comments.” —Michael Knowles (30:45)

• On Religious Belief in Public Life:
  “He recognizes that religion is not just like a taste... It’s a question of truth or falsehood.” —Michael Knowles (36:09)

Key Timestamps at a Glance

• 05:09 — Trump’s posts about ending the filibuster
• 07:45 — Panel discusses immigration as a filibuster-worthy issue
• 14:11 — Why lasting Democratic policy change is riskier
• 17:04 — How the filibuster paralyzes governance
• 21:03 — Michael Knowles on Senate hearing, political violence
• 25:15 — Data on liberal/conservative youth & violence justification
• 34:38 — J.D. Vance faith controversy
• 36:09 — Michael Knowles on real meaning of religious witness

Episode Tone & Takeaway

The episode embodies a combative yet sometimes introspective conservative spirit, warning about the unintended consequences of breaking political norms and the deepening divides in American culture and politics. The filibuster issue is presented as a cautionary tale—short-term gains could lead to long-term losses, especially with Democrats’ ambitions for irreversible structural changes. Meanwhile, the specter of escalating political violence is framed as a warning about the left's direction and the erosion of civil discourse. The faith segment applauds public conviction and stresses the need to reclaim space for religious values in political life—with the hope that open, honest, and even adversarial dialogue can prevail.

For expanded details or more discussion on these topics, visit charliekirk.com.