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Charlie Kirk
Hey, everybody. Someone who knows Cash patel best. Robert O'Brien talks about why he should be FBI director. And then Eric Metaxas talks about his new Bonhoeffer film. Get tickets to America Fest today. AmFest.com that is AmFest.com. buckle up, everybody. Here we go. Charlie, what you've done is incredible here.
Robert O'Brien
Maybe Charlie Kirk is on the college campus. I want you to know we are lucky to have Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk's running the White House, folks. I want to thank Charlie. He's an incredible guy. His spirit, his love of this country. He's done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organizations ever created, Turning Point usa.
Charlie Kirk
We will not embrace the ideas that have destroyed countries, destroyed lives. And we are going to fight for freedom on campuses across the country. That's why we are here. Noble Gold Investments is the official gold sponsor of the Charlie Kirk Show, a company that specializes in gold IRAs and physical delivery of precious metals. Learn how you could protect your wealth with Noble gold investments@noblegold investments.com. that is noblegold investments.com. it's where I buy all of my gold. Go to noblegold investments.com Cash Patel seems poised to become FBI director, but there is a major effort by the left to try and stop him and thwart him. Who is Cash Patel? Let's talk to somebody who worked with him closely in the first Trump administration. Robert O'Brien, former national security Adviser Donald Trump joins us. Robert, great to see you again. Thank you for the time. Robert, who is Cash Patel and is Cash qualified to be FBI director?
Eric Metaxas
Well, it's great to be with you, Charlie. Thank you. And thanks for all the work you did. I haven't stopped smiling since the election. And you were a big part of that. Saw you at all the rallies. And you just. You and your whole team just turned out millions of voters for the president. So thank you. And that led to Cash Patel being nominated as FBI director. And so, you know, I wanted to. There's a character of Cash Patel that the left has tried to portray, which this isn't true. And I can tell you, Cash worked for me. He was my senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council for two years. Did a great job, brought hostages home, helped us get out Baghdadi, the mastermind of ISIS who killed Kayla Mueller and so many other Americans, and James Foley and others. He's a highly qualified. I don't want to say young man, now we're all getting older, but he's one of the most qualified people ever to be Nominated as FBI director. There's this myth out there. He's unqualified. Cash Patel is a public defender. He was on the criminal defense side of it. You'd think Democrats would like that the President has nominated someone who's got actual criminal defense experience. He was a prosecutor. He was at the nsc. He ran counterterrorism for us. He got Baghdadi. He was personally involved in rescuing hostages from abroad. Then he went to the DNI and worked for Rick Cornell as his chief of staff. And then he went over to the Pentagon at the end of the administration and worked for Chris Miller. So here's a guy who's got prosecutorial experience, defense experience, House intelligence experience under Devin Nunes, NSC experience, running counterterrorism and DoD and ODNI experience. So he's a superbly qualified man to take this job. And I'm really excited the President nominated him.
Charlie Kirk
What was he like to work with? Mission focused, professional, capable. Describe more about some of the intimate dealings with Cash Patel.
Eric Metaxas
You know, it's all those things, Charlie. But let me tell you a story that not all people know. Cash wouldn't tell it because he's too modest. And Cash has never been accused of being modest, but in this sense, he really is. We had a hostage named Austin Tice, and unfortunately, he's still hostage in Syria, and we believe the Syrian regime has him. He's a former Marine reporter. It was taken 12 years ago. And one of the things that When I was a hostage envoy, before I became national security advisor, we heard from the Syrians that they wanted a senior US Official to come negotiate with them in Damascus. But we had a policy of not sending US Officials there for various reasons, one of which was security. There was no real easy way to get to Damascus. You had to drive overland for Beirut. You had to get in a car and go across the Syrian desert. In other words, Al Qaeda was there, ISIS was there, the Syrian regime was there. And I tried to get into Syria as a hostage. I couldn't do it. The Syrians wouldn't have me. But then when I was national security advisor, the Syrian said, okay, send an official. And we sent Cash Patel and Roger Carson's our hostage envoy. And those guys got in an SUV in Beirut and they drove across that, you know, very, very dangerous, brutal landscape. And they got to Damascus, and they could have been taken by the regime. They could have been taken by hostage by Al Qaeda, by Al Nusra, any of these bad actors that are in the region. And they negotiated to get Austin out And now, unfortunately, we didn't get Austin home. But the. The mission was so dangerous that Secretary. Secretary Pompeo did not want them to go, and up until the last minute, was opposed to it. But Cash went to the president and said, look, we got to get this kid out. He's an American. We've got to take. It may or may not work, but we got to take every opportunity we can to get it. Free him. And so he went on that dangerous mission. Personal risk, never talked about it, never made a big deal about it, but it was something that always impressed the heck out of me. I can tell you. When I heard he was back in Beirut and back at our embassy, I got called in the middle of the night and was told he was back safely. And Roger, his compatriot, were back safely, I was thrilled. But, you know, when people tell me about Cash Patel and what. Who Cash Patel is, I want to look at him, say, hey, why don't you do what Cash Patel did and go into Syria and negotiate with Bashir Al Assad's bad guys and drive through Indian country, you know, to get there, and then tell me about Cash Patel.
Charlie Kirk
That is a very powerful story. Why do you think that there is so much institutional backlash against Cash Patel? Let me just play a little bit of the sampling here. I mean, there's so much. It's just almost hard to believe. There's montage after montage. Let's go to this one. Play cut 13.
Robert O'Brien
Yeah.
Charlie Kirk
I think, though, when you put, like.
Robert O'Brien
A partisan hack in place of the FBI, that doesn't restore faith with the general American public.
Charlie Kirk
Not just people who voted for Donald.
Robert O'Brien
Trump, but the people that he has to represent, which are all Americans.
Charlie Kirk
This is kind of the authoritarian approach.
Robert O'Brien
Approach of come in, disrupt without a real plan forward. We'll see.
Charlie Kirk
Let me just play one more here. It just. It's just a repeated narrative. This is Andrew McCabe, who's a criminal, by the way. Play cut three.
Eric Metaxas
It's a terrible development for the men and women of the FBI and also for the nation that depends on a highly functioning, professional, independent Federal Bureau of Investigation. The fact that Cash Patel is profoundly unqualified for this job is not. Not even like a matter for debate. The installation or the nomination, I guess we should say, at this point, of Cash Patel as FBI director can only possibly be a plan to disrupt, to dismantle, to distract the FBI and to possibly use it as a tool for the president's political agenda. Robert, your reaction from McCabe. I mean, here's A guy who did more damage to one of the great institutions of America, the FBI, which I believe in. The FBI is one of the things that makes america Great. And McCabe and Strzok and Comey, these people ruined the FBI. They turned it into a partisan branch of the Democrat National Committee, the police force of the Democrats. But they were so inept. They were so inept at what they did. They even took time. Hillary Clinton by mistake. I mean, these people are terrible. They're. They're untrustworthy, they're liars. And for them to come after someone with integrity like Cash Patel has got a better resume by far than McCabe has. It's, it's just an embarrassment. That guy should not be on tv. Yeah.
Charlie Kirk
And can, can you just speak for a second? You were the former national Security adviser for President Trump. You did a wonderful job. One of your predecessors actually was a victim of an illegal FBI entrapment plot. By the. By Peter Strzok from the FBI. Can you speak about that intersection here and remind people Andy McCabe launched an illegal FBI entrapment plot in the halls of the White House. Please remind our audience of how your predecessor, Michael Flynn, was a target of McCabe's FBI.
Eric Metaxas
Yeah, so I wasn't. I was at the State Department at that time as a hostage on. When I was not the, at the nsc. But, but what happened is they sent FBI agents over and, and General Flynn's a patriot and the National Security Advisor. You think the FBI is coming over to brief you? And I think they use the subterfuge of it being a briefing for Flynn. So he went and met with these agents. They, they entrapped him. He didn't do anything wrong. Then they, they changed the report later that said he didn't do anything wrong and changed it and said he said he did lie to him. Totally untrue. He had no lawyer present. They, in fact, Jim Comey laughed about it later and said how funny it was that he entrapped the National Security Advisor. I mean, can you imagine an FBI director, this, this guy with a godlike complex. Comey, who, who destroyed the institution. FBI. You know, Chris raised, the current director is a good man. I, I know. I mean, he's trying to do his best to clean up the, the culture of corruption that Comey put into place. The partisanship that come and put into place and McCabe and struck and, and these people that just ruined the institution, but he wasn't able to. And then, and they, but Comey laughed about getting Mike Flynn to bringing charges against Mike Flynn and thought it was funny that they entrapped the national security advisor. What a horrible person that is. I mean, even if there was some basis for the crime, to laugh about it, it is just absurd. So these are not good people. The reason they're so distressed, it's not because Cash Patel isn't qualified. They know he's qualified. He's a career government attorney. He had the same jobs they did. He was a. Bingo. Senior House staffer. He's a senior White House official. He's a senior Pentagon official. He's more qualified than they are. But the reason they're so upset, Charlie, is because he. He unrooted the Russia gate, you know, hoax. And he's gonna. He's going to come to the FBI and clean out all the. All the partisan, you know, crooks and corrupt officials there. Because the rank and file, this is what people need to understand. I saw this when I was a hostage on my. Charlie, the rank and file guys are great. It's. It's this corrupt senior management that he's going to clean out. And they're scared to death.
Charlie Kirk
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Eric Metaxas
Cash will be super because he's going to expose the corruption and the partisanship at the top of the FBI. Charlie, what we need, we need the FBI to get back to going after, you know, crooks and criminals and thugs and cartels and fentanyl pushers. And look, we've had 30,000 Chinese agents come over the border over the last two years, military age, males unaccompanied. Among that number, there's, there's got to be at least, you know, half or more of them are spies or saboteurs or People's Liberation army soldiers. They're running around our country. Who's monitoring them? And instead we've got FBI agents going to PTA meetings or going to Latin masses where practicing Catholics, you know, hey, enjoy the Latin mass. Or going after a Republican presidential candidate and former president. Let's get them off the partisanship and going after GOP activists and parents and have them round up the Chinese spies that have come over our border. I mean, let's get someone like Cash Patel who's going to restore the luster of the FBI and make it the great institution it once was.
Charlie Kirk
Yeah, I agree. So, Robert, I want to now just finish our conversation here on the national security threats. What you touched on it beautifully. What domestic national security threats are there that the FBI hasn't been focusing on? You mentioned one. Chinese spies. When the FBI is worried about stupid stuff, not national security, list off what some of the priorities should be. As you were, the national security adviser.
Eric Metaxas
Well, look, the number one challenge we have, Charlie, and you know this, and I've talked about it in your show a lot, is the People's Republic of China, the Communist Party. And they've got massive numbers of espionage agents here. And they're not just, you know, spies in the traditional sense. Some of them are propagandists and they're people who are trying to influence our politics. Definitely anti Trump, for sure. They've got people who are, you know, agents who are sleeping with the city council, people around the country. I mean, it's a bad situation. So that's number one. Number two, we've got a lot of Russians here and we've got to be on top of the Russians and make sure they don't get the upper hand. But what really worries me are the, the, all the jihadis, all the terrorists that have come over. We know we've got people on the terror watch list that have come over our open southern border. I mean, that's been a huge domestic national security threat. And when you include the Godaways, we don't even know who got, who's here. You know, I'm terrified of an attack like October, October 7th that took place in Israel, taking place here. Can you imagine, even if you get 10 jihadis who stole deer guns, deer rifles and, and Handguns out of homes and then descended on a small Midwestern town. The damage that they could do to a town that maybe has one or two sheriffs, total population. And so the FBI has got to get out there and they've got to round these people up, and that's what the FBI should be doing. And leave the PTAs alone, leave Catholic mass alone and go get the Chinese spies, the Russian spies and the terrorists who are here. We've got known Hezbollah cells in America. We've got Iranian agents all over the place. There's plenty for the FBI to do that's productive and helps all Americans. They don't need to be a branch of the Democrat National Committee.
Charlie Kirk
I totally agree. And I just want to kind of get a final thought here. The world has kind of been melting prior to President Trump's triumphant election. The rise of China, the ongoing war between Russia, Ukraine, what's happening in the Middle East. Are you confident that President Trump is going to be able to restore deterrence and tranquility to the free world?
Eric Metaxas
100%, Charlie. And you know, one of the things President Trump just said, and I, I've been talking about this since the hostages were taken in Israel. American hostages and Americans killed in the October 7th attack. President Trump came out with a very strong truth social post yesterday, saying if the hostages aren't, aren't released, you're gonna have hell to pay. And the American people aren't going to put up with it. I'm not going to put up with it. Peace through strength works. I mean, this is what people don't understand. Peace and strength isn't about building the most aircraft carriers and having the most number of fighter jets. It's about what American strength, economic strength, military strength, diplomatic strength, cultural strength. It's what that shows the rest of the world. And when America is strong, the world's safe. When America's weak. That's very provocative. And you have events like the Ukraine war, you have the attacks on Israel, you have the attacks on Taiwan and the South China Sea by China. But when President Trump was in office, we didn't have these things. We were Indian forever wars. We beat isis. We had a victory which was very rare in the Middle East. And we didn't get any new wars because our adversaries knew not to cross the red line for President Trump. And that's coming back. And I'm telling you, the world's pretty excited about what's happening on January 20th.
Charlie Kirk
I think our enemies are going to fear us once again and our Allies will respect us. Thank you so much, Robert O'Brien. Really appreciate it. Thank you.
Eric Metaxas
Hey, thank you, Charlie. Good to be with you.
Charlie Kirk
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Robert O'Brien
Always great to be with you, Charlie. Thank you.
Charlie Kirk
You know, Eric, only you would I just say, eric, just host the show. So next time you come to Phoenix and I'm not there, you should just host the show for a day.
Robert O'Brien
I would, I'd be thrilled. Listen, you, you know, you mentioned this Bonneville. I want to be real clear up front. The film is fantastic, but it's not officially based on my book. The people who read my book like 12 years ago said we got to make a film on Bonhoeffer. It took 12 years. It's an amazing film and I'm doing everything I can to get the word out because you know how it is, like people are distracted. This is a, this is an opportunity. It's a faith based film. It's a film that points to God about a hero. It's, it's just, it's so rare that you can you get a film like this, you know, and it's like a big film like with, with major Hollywood players who've put it together. So I'm just screaming to the world to you Got to see the film. And you got to see it, like, this week because it's been out, like, three weeks already.
Charlie Kirk
Well, let's play the trailer then. Let's play this. It's cut 56. This is the Bonhoeffer film. Angel Studios helps deliver it. Play cut 56.
Robert O'Brien
We will go to England as our spy.
Eric Metaxas
Churchill sees Germany as a home.
Robert O'Brien
He's afraid that a bomb traced to England, it would be invasion or worse.
Eric Metaxas
Invasion.
Robert O'Brien
Invasion. My country was invaded from within and.
Eric Metaxas
The people bowed and rage.
Charlie Kirk
To the.
Eric Metaxas
Neon God and the words on it.
Robert O'Brien
Were hardest for me.
Eric Metaxas
In the signs and the words on the ground it's all written on the subway walls and tenement halls in whisper in the sun.
Robert O'Brien
I'm ready.
Eric Metaxas
To meet my destiny.
Charlie Kirk
So apparently, I don't know, there was another group called Disturbed that remade the Simon and Garfunkel song. Anyway, I love Simon and Garfunkel, so that's a very powerful trailer. Eric, for those that don't know why, is Bonhoeffer one of the most heroic and underappreciated figures of not just the 20th century, but of Western civilization?
Robert O'Brien
Yeah, that's exactly what I would say, Charlie. It's. I'll tell you, a lot of people have heard of Bonhoeffer. A lot of people haven't heard of Bonhoeffer. But when I wrote my book, it came out in 2010, I had no clue how the story would speak to people. I mean, the book changed my life. It sold over a million copies. You said it was translated into 20 languages. There's something about his story that is unique. You can't really think of a story quite like it. And when I wrote the book, I was myself, astonished because I kind of knew the basics, but I had no idea what I would uncover. What I uncovered is amazing. And you cannot really fail to be inspired by his story. That's, to me, why it's so powerful is that anybody who comes in contact with it, you will be inspired to be like him and to want to stand up against evil and to put aside your dead religious faith and to live out your faith heroically in the real world. That was Bonhoeffer's central message. And so, you know, that's all through my book. But to see it, to see his story as a film, it's unbelievable. I mean, the nutshell version, people say to me, what's it about? Well, Bonhoeffer is a German pastor who, because of his faith in Jesus, spoke up for the Jews, spoke against Adolf Hitler, and called the church of his day to stand up politically. That's why the whole movie, the whole story is a message for today. It's as if. I mean, anybody who watches it, you're going to see present events in the film. You're going to say, this is happening now. That's what people said when they read my book. It's an extraordinary story, specifically because it speaks to where we are now and because you partnered with us in making the film Letter to the American Church that spells out the Bonhoeffer story is happening now. And the question is, will we get it right? And, you know, it's one thing if most of us get it right, but what about everybody? I mean, I think about all the people that they don't know the Bonhoeffer story, or they kind of think like, well, you know, I just go to church and we just preach the gospel we preach. No, no, no. The story of Bonhoeffer makes clear that the Bible calls us to stand in the face of evil, not just to be religious, not just to do church. And to see it summed up in a person's life. And to see Bonhoeffer, brilliant as he was, he wasn't merely brilliant. He lived out what he professed to believe. He actually lived it out. So he's a model for every Christian today. And it's. It's just. It's so powerful. But the fact that they made a mainstream film, this is not a cheesy Christian film, you know, made by people who got, like, laid off from the Hallmark Channel. Like, this is a major, major film with, you know, people that have worked closely with Mel Gibson, with Clint Eastwood, on and on and on. It's spectacularly shot, brilliantly acted. It's a major cultural moment. And I say this because I think sometimes we forget they don't make films like this. Like, the last one I can remember was, like, Chariots of fire, which is 40 years ago. They haven't made films like this. They don't make films like this. It's an opportunity for a cultural shift where people would say, we want films like that. So, you know, everybody's. There's tons of advertisements for Wicked and Gladiator and whatever else. Folks, you gotta see this film. And it's an evangelistic opportunity. You can bring anybody who doesn't agree with you politically or theologically and just say, hey, it's a great film. I guarantee you, they'll love it. Variety magazine. Variety magazine raved about the film. Like, mainstream people are saying, this is a great film. What's the last time a Mainstream film points to God. I mean, it's kind of unbelievable. And of course, I gotta mention, the lunatic progressive Christians have written all these articles, like, denouncing the film, denouncing me, denouncing. But, like, it's just. It is really, if you need proof that people are crazy, like, this film appeals to everybody. If you take your liberal friends, they will love the film. There's no doubt about it. But, you know, they have to just say things about Christian nationalism, whatever. No one seeing the film is going to think about any of that stuff. It's just a great film. But the lunatics on the left, including Christianity Today, which has gone over to the dark side, totally funded by Soros, they denounced it. It's kind of bizarre. It's kind of like denouncing, like, a beautiful tree. Like, what problem could you have? Like, it's just. Everybody just looks and sees something wonderful. So it's kind of. It's kind of crazy. But I had to mention that because they've just been saying vicious things. It's kind of blows my mind, actually. As crazy as things are, I never thought that they would do that. But many of them have done that.
Charlie Kirk
Yeah. And so, Eric, we're coming out of an election season where we wish the church would have done more, but some pastors did speak out, and they deserve credit. But the fight is far from over. And the Bonhoeffer courage was really won when he was in the resistance and did not control political power. And I think these last couple of years under the Biden regime, Bonhoeffer spoke to us in a very personal way to not give up and to rally the church. However, if we're honest, though, Eric, just because we won an election does not mean that we have a spiritual majority amongst the people of the country. Can you speak to that?
Robert O'Brien
Oh, my gosh. Look, Charlie, this is why I love you. Because what you just said, I'm saying it everywhere I go. There are tons and tons and tons of Christians who do not understand that your faith requires you to act heroically, that your faith requires you to put your faith into action. And if you don't, I believe God looks at that and says, well, then obviously you don't have faith. You think you're saved by faith. Good. Do you have faith? If you're not acting heroically, if you're not putting your life on the line for beautiful things, for liberty, for truth, if you're not doing that, why do you claim to have faith? And there are many people in churches where the pastors are basically they're not preaching this Bonhoeffer message. They're preaching this. You know, it's kind of like this. This. This thin rule. It's about evangelism. It's about sharing the love of Christ. The love of Christ is obvious. When you lay your life on the line, when you lay your career on the line, when you stick your neck out for truth, that's when people see something compelling and beautiful, and they think there is truth, there is goodness and beauty in the world. And I see it in people who live that out. Bonhoeffer, to me, he's the ultimate example of that. And so there's so many Christians and so many churches that I would not darken their door. I mean, a few years ago, I would have thought, oh, yeah, we're on the same page. And I realized, no, we're not on the same page. And so, to me, part of the Bonhoeffer story's power is to wake up people. I mean, by the grace of God only, we won this election by the grace of God. Donald Trump is not dead, and this nation is not dead. God saved Donald Trump, and God saved this nation. We didn't deserve to be saved, but he saved us for his purposes in history. And he wants Christians to be at the center of that, not to be peripheral. But here's the thing. If Christians do not step up, and again, I hope this film will inspire people. But if they don't step up, God sometimes does his best work outside the church, and he can find people don't tick all the theological boxes. Believe me, God doesn't care. He looks at the heart. And so I just think we're in an amazing moment in history and that right now we have an opportunity in the culture. I mean, even the film is just an example to me. Like, when would we see a film like this? This is an amazing opportunity. We want to shift the whole culture, not just politics, everything.
Charlie Kirk
Just really quick, Eric, remind people of the call to action again, please.
Robert O'Brien
Well, the call to action is people need to see the film this week. It's going to go out of theaters. It's been in 1800 theaters. That goes away. The theaters, they want to make money. They'll put in a Disney film. People need to see the film this week. It's not been promoted well. And you've got these sniping liberals saying nasty things about it. So anybody, please see the film this week? Tell your friends. You can go to angel.com they're discounted tickets at angel.com/eric. But angel.com all the information is there. I really hope people will see this film and make it the hit it deserves to be. It's a great film.
Charlie Kirk
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Robert O'Brien
Yeah, please.
Charlie Kirk
First floor is yours.
Robert O'Brien
First of all, here's what anybody says. The fact is that there are people that I know who have said that and I, you know, I don't say this lightly, like when somebody speaks prophetically or says, God said, I take that very seriously. Because if God didn't say, then you should shut up. But there are people I know who hear from God and to some extent I do. And you try to see what is God saying. Some people kind of hear directly, but I will just say bluntly, Donald Trump, a flawed vessel, a human being like you, like me, has been prepared by God for this moment in history. He is outrageously talented and gifted, and God has prepared him for this moment. And not just that, but I believe has his hand on him. I believe has anointed him to do God's work. And so that's not really a religious thing to do God's work to do, good to do, right to do. I have a keen sense of that, and I have known that for some time. And I also know Charlie. And, you know, we're in a war. It's a spiritual war. It's. It's a war on every level, but at its heart, it's spiritual. It's between good and evil. And God has chosen Trump to be his principal warrior in this season. And I rejoice. And the fact that he won, I knew he would win, but we're in a war, so it would. I didn't know whether he would win, whether it would take weeks to determine it, how much they would try to steal. We know that they stole other elections. So we continue to be in a war. And as you say, and as I say, constantly, we have to keep fighting and fighting and fighting. But the good news is we get to fight. If he had lost, it's over. It's over. God preserved this nation, just as God preserved Donald Trump's life for God's purposes. And those of us who claim to care about what's good and true and beautiful, who came to, who claimed to love America and freedom, we have to do everything we can. But it is a holy privilege that we get to fight. It would be like fighting with George Washington for the cause of liberty. What a glorious thing that we could fight for such a thing as liberty and America. It's a privilege. And so, you know, to me, part of the Bonhoeffer film is to exhort people like, you got to put your faith into action. You've got to live out your faith. You've got to stop talking about it and ignoring it in the real world. God wants you to live it out. And so I think because of this election, we have an opportunity to do that, and we're going to spend the next years doing that. And we'll see what God has. Frankly, I'm excited.
Charlie Kirk
And what a time to be alive. Just remind the audience one more time about the film, Eric, how people can watch it, see it. The call to action, please.
Robert O'Brien
It's in theaters everywhere across this country. That will probably end after this weekend. So I am begging people to see it this week. See it this weekend. Tell everyone. You know, you can go to angel.com they didn't make the film. They're the distributors of the film. Angel.com and I know there are still discount tickets@angel.com, eric, but it is all over the country. And while it is in theaters, take advantage of it, drag people who aren't on the same page as you are and tell the world on social media very, very important that this film would succeed.
Charlie Kirk
Eric, God bless you, my friend. You're welcome back anytime. Thanks so much.
Robert O'Brien
Thank you.
Charlie Kirk
All right, I want to remind you guys to get your tickets to America Fest. Let me just list off these incredible speakers. Here we have Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump Jr. Ben Carson, Tim Pool, Josh Hawley, Matt Walsh, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Michael Knowles, Nicole Shanahan, Anna Paulina, Matt Gates, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Danica Patrick, Brett Cooper, Jack Posovic, Benny Johnson, Riley Gaines, Brandon Tatum, Alex Clark, Tom Homan, my wife Erica, George Janko, Roger Stone, Allie B. Stuckey, Paul Saladino, Harmeet Dhillon. And huge speakers to be announced tomorrow. It's only going to get better. The good tickets are running out, everybody. AmFest.com that is AmFest.com AmFest.com it is going to be the event of the year. Am Fest.com A M F E S T.com Email us as always, Freedomarliekirk.com and subscribe to our podcast. Open up your podcast application and type in Charlie Kirk Show. That is the Charlie Kirk Show. You can listen to it on demand anytime. While you're on the move in the car working out Charlie Kirk show. Make it a go to destination. As always, thank you guys for listening. Get your tickets to America Fest. That's amfest.comamfest.com thanks so much for listening, everybody. Email us as always, freedom@charliekirk.com. thanks so much for listening and God bless.
Robert O'Brien
For more on many of these stories and news you can trust, go to charliekirk.
Podcast Summary: The Charlie Kirk Show - "The Real Kash Patel: Capable, Qualified, and Ready"
Release Date: December 4, 2024
Introduction and Guest Overview
In this engaging episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, host Charlie Kirk delves into the potential nomination of Kash Patel as the FBI Director. Joining him are prominent guests Robert O'Brien, former National Security Adviser to President Donald Trump, and Eric Metaxas, renowned author and commentator. The discussion navigates through Patel's qualifications, the challenges he faces from institutional backlash, and broader national security concerns.
1. Endorsement of Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA
Timestamp: [00:00 - 00:35]
The episode opens with Robert O'Brien lauding Charlie Kirk's contributions:
"Maybe Charlie Kirk is on the college campus. I want you to know we are lucky to have Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk's running the White House, folks. I want to thank Charlie. He's an incredible guy. His spirit, his love of this country. He's done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organizations ever created, Turning Point USA."
— Robert O'Brien [00:16]
2. Kash Patel's Nomination as FBI Director
Timestamp: [00:35 - 03:25]
Charlie Kirk introduces the central topic: Kash Patel's potential appointment as FBI Director and the opposition he faces from the political left. Kirk emphasizes Patel's qualifications and counters claims about his suitability for the role.
"Cash Patel seems poised to become FBI director, but there is a major effort by the left to try and stop him and thwart him. Who is Cash Patel? Let's talk to somebody who worked with him closely in the first Trump administration."
— Charlie Kirk [00:35]
3. Eric Metaxas Praises Kash Patel's Credentials
Timestamp: [03:25 - 08:42]
Eric Metaxas provides a robust defense of Patel, outlining his extensive experience in national security:
"Cash worked for me. He was my senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council for two years. Did a great job, brought hostages home, helped us get out Baghdadi... He's a highly qualified. I don't want to say young man, now we're all getting older, but he's one of the most qualified people ever to be nominated as FBI director."
— Eric Metaxas [01:36]
Metaxas details Patel's roles, including his work with the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), underscoring his multifaceted expertise.
4. Cash Patel's Hostage Negotiation Efforts
Timestamp: [03:32 - 05:54]
Metaxas shares a compelling story illustrating Patel's dedication and bravery:
"Cash and Roger Carson were sent as hostage envoys to Damascus. They drove across the Syrian desert in a dangerous SUV to negotiate the release of Austin Tice, a former Marine reporter still held hostage. Despite the mission's peril and initial opposition from Secretary Pompeo, Cash took personal risk to attempt the rescue."
— Eric Metaxas [03:32]
This narrative highlights Patel's hands-on approach and commitment to American lives, painting him as a fearless and effective leader.
5. Institutional Backlash Against Kash Patel
Timestamp: [05:54 - 08:10]
Charlie Kirk addresses the ongoing opposition to Patel's nomination, criticizing the portrayal of Patel by entrenched partisan forces within the FBI:
"This is an authoritarian approach of come in, disrupt without a real plan forward."
— Robert O'Brien [06:16]
Kirk and O'Brien argue that replacing the FBI Director with a partisan figure like Patel undermines public trust in the institution, extending the damage beyond partisan lines.
6. Criticism of the Current FBI Leadership
Timestamp: [08:10 - 10:51]
The conversation shifts to a critique of former FBI officials, with Metaxas condemning their actions and lack of integrity:
"Andrew McCabe is a criminal... The installation or the nomination of Cash Patel as FBI director can only possibly be a plan to disrupt, to dismantle, to distract the FBI and to possibly use it as a tool for the president's political agenda."
— Eric Metaxas [07:54]
Metaxas contrasts Patel's qualifications with the alleged misconduct of predecessors like McCabe, Strzok, and Comey, asserting that Patel embodies the integrity needed to restore the FBI's reputation.
7. National Security Threats and FBI Priorities
Timestamp: [10:51 - 16:25]
Charlie Kirk and Eric Metaxas delve into pressing national security issues that they believe the FBI is currently neglecting:
"We've had 30,000 Chinese agents come over the border over the last two years... There's gotta be at least half or more of them are spies or saboteurs or People's Liberation Army soldiers."
— Eric Metaxas [11:47]
Metaxas emphasizes the threat posed by Chinese and Russian espionage, as well as domestic terrorism, arguing that the FBI should prioritize these dangers over politically motivated investigations.
8. The Role of President Trump in National Security
Timestamp: [16:25 - 28:36]
The discussion broadens to the global stage, with Metaxas expressing confidence in President Trump's ability to enhance America's deterrence and tranquility:
"Peace through strength works. This is what people don't understand... When America is strong, the world's safe."
— Eric Metaxas [15:12]
He reflects on the relative stability during Trump's administration, attributing it to strong leadership and clear boundaries drawn with adversaries.
9. Promotion of the Bonhoeffer Film
Timestamp: [17:54 - 29:17]
The conversation transitions to promoting a film about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor known for his resistance against Hitler:
"The film points to God about a hero... Bonhoeffer is a model for every Christian today."
— Robert O'Brien [20:39]
O'Brien passionately advocates for the film, highlighting its cultural and spiritual significance, and urging listeners to watch it to inspire faith-driven action.
10. Faith and Action in Contemporary America
Timestamp: [29:17 - 34:21]
Charlie Kirk and Robert O'Brien discuss the imperative for Christians to actively live out their faith, drawing parallels to Bonhoeffer's legacy:
"Your faith requires you to act heroically, that your faith requires you to put your faith into action... When you lay your life on the line... that's when people see something compelling and beautiful."
— Robert O'Brien [26:09]
They emphasize that mere belief is insufficient without tangible actions that uphold liberty and truth, positioning the Bonhoeffer narrative as a catalyst for this movement.
11. Final Call to Action
Timestamp: [34:17 - 34:21]
In closing, Robert O'Brien reiterates the importance of viewing the Bonhoeffer film:
"It's in theaters everywhere across this country... Please see it this week. See it this weekend. Tell everyone."
— Robert O'Brien [33:41]
He urges listeners to support the film as a means to foster a cultural shift towards active faith and resistance against evil.
Conclusion
Charlie Kirk wraps up the episode by promoting America Fest, listing an impressive lineup of speakers, and encouraging listeners to subscribe to the podcast for more insightful discussions.
Notable Quotes
Robert O'Brien on Charlie Kirk’s impact:
"He's done an amazing job building one of the most powerful youth organizations ever created, Turning Point USA."
— [00:16]
Eric Metaxas on Cash Patel’s qualifications:
"He's a highly qualified man to take this job."
— [01:36]
Eric Metaxas on national security threats:
"We've got people who are... spies or saboteurs... People’s Liberation Army soldiers."
— [11:47]
Robert O'Brien on faith and action:
"When you lay your life on the line... that's when people see something compelling and beautiful."
— [26:09]
Key Takeaways
Kash Patel's Nomination: Patel is presented as a highly qualified candidate for FBI Director, with extensive experience in national security and counterterrorism. His nomination faces significant opposition from partisan elements within federal institutions.
Institutional Integrity: The guests argue that current FBI leadership has been compromised by political biases, hindering the agency's ability to address genuine national security threats.
National Security Priorities: Emphasis is placed on external threats from China and Russia, as well as domestic terrorism, suggesting the FBI should realign its focus to address these critical issues.
Faith and Public Action: Inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s legacy, the discussion underscores the necessity for active faith expression through heroic and purposeful actions in defending truth and liberty.
Cultural Influence: Promotion of the Bonhoeffer film serves as a call to inspire and mobilize Christians to engage more profoundly in societal and political arenas, reflecting the virtues of courage and integrity.
Conclusion
This episode of The Charlie Kirk Show intricately weaves discussions on political appointments, national security, and faith-based activism. Through the insights of Robert O'Brien and Eric Metaxas, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of Kash Patel's qualifications, the current challenges within the FBI, and the imperative for active Christian involvement in shaping America's future.