Podcast Summary: The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Replay | Donald Trump Runs the Military & The Role of Militias | Jordan Klepper Fingers the Conspiracy
Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Jordan Klepper (with Jon Stewart’s news team)
Guests:

• Paul Zoldra – Military journalist, editor of The Ruck, Marine veteran
• Dr. Amy Kuder – Middlebury College, militia and extremism researcher

Main Theme

This episode investigates the bizarre yet persistent conspiracy that Donald Trump is still running the US military, unpacking how these beliefs intersect with American ignorance of military functions, the allure and danger of citizen militias, recent conspiracy-fueled violence, and the vulnerabilities all this creates for US democracy and national security. Through dark humor and incisive analysis, Klepper, Zoldra, and Kuder expose both the absurdities and serious consequences of widespread conspiratorial thinking about the military—both among civilians and service members.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Trump Still Runs the Military” Conspiracy

• [00:36–03:32] Klepper recounts being told at a MAGA rally that “Trump is still in charge of the military,” despite having lost the 2020 election.

• Paul Zoldra explains the foundation: an overlap between election denialism and faith in “secret power”—often in the language of QAnon, the “deep state,” and military grandeur.

  • Quote [02:36]:
    “If you believe it, you can achieve it, or convince a bunch of other people you have achieved it.” – Jordan Klepper

• [04:23–05:55] Zoldra further breaks down how QAnon set the stage for such thinking:

  • The belief that someone like “Q” is sharing inside, top-secret info makes “shadow government” or “secret president” scenarios palatable for some.

2. Public Misunderstanding of the Military

• [06:58–09:45]
  • Zoldra details how most Americans simply don’t know how the military works.
  • Hollywood, video games, and public ignorance add to the mythologizing of military power, making conspiracies plausible.
    • Quote [09:45]:
      “If Call of Duty was more realistic, there would be soldiers sitting around really bored, you know, smoking cigarettes, really bitching about their chain of command … 1% sheer terror and 99% boredom.” – Paul Zoldra

3. Militias: Identity, Aspirations, and Tensions

• [10:21–16:02]

  • Amy Kuder distinguishes between the US military and civilian militias: Militias are self-organized, operating outside official state structures, often out of a sense of “civic duty.”
  • Many militia members have prior military training but often joined due to being unable to serve officially, using militias as a kind of “surrogate service.”
    • Quote [11:28]:
      “U.S. domestic militias … see it as their personal civic duty … a civilian line of defense against … invasion, natural disasters, anything in between.” – Amy Kuder

• Militias often “revere veterans” but distrust military leadership, viewing the institution as easily corrupted (“the federal government is prone to corruption”).

• [16:11–18:58] Zoldra:

  • Mainstream military personnel often view militia members as “geeks” engaging in “pretend defense.”
  • However, recruiting (or imitating) actual veterans lets militias borrow legitimacy.

4. Blurring of Lines and Dangerous Escalations

• [18:58–22:48]

  • Militia “cosplay” is not always harmless – the line between “wannabe soldiers” and actual militarized violence can be thin.
  • Militias/nationalists’ fear of government tyranny was on display in January 6th, where militarized civilians faced off against actual state forces.

• Militia culture appeals by providing camaraderie and “purpose” but can also attract angry, disaffected veterans.

5. Wild Conspiracy Theories Spread by High-Level Figures

• [22:48–30:25]

  • Zoldra reviews absurd claims, e.g., “Joe Biden killed SEAL Team 6 to hide that Bin Laden was never killed.”

    • Quote [23:22]:
      “Even Rob O’Neill, credited with killing Bin Laden and a Trump supporter, was like, whoa bro, can you back this off a little bit?” – Paul Zoldra

  • These stories echo for years, painfully impacting the families of real soldiers.

  • The US's vulnerability to misinformation is now an open avenue for adversaries (China/Russia) to exploit.

6. Jade Helm: Conspiracies Moving Policy

• [30:25–35:13]
  • Texas “Jade Helm” rumor: Routine military training was cast as a federal coup, prompting the Texas governor to activate the National Guard.
  • Even policymakers can get swept up in conspiracy hysteria.

7. Charisma, Rank, and the Problem of “Batshit Generals”

• [35:13–42:19]

  • The rise of General Flynn is discussed as a case study: high rank does not equal immunity from wild conspiratorial thinking.

    • Quote [36:02]:
      “He is not the first batshit crazy general the US military has ever had.” – Paul Zoldra

  • Blind faith in rank and “military honor” lets bad ideas ride the coattails of title and legitimacy.

  • Titles like “General Flynn” add a veneer of credibility to wild claims, leveraged by populists for support.

8. Violence: The Wolverine Watchmen, COVID, and Social Division

• [42:19–45:20]
  • The attempted kidnapping of Michigan’s governor by militia members was rooted in conspiracy about pandemic tyranny.
  • The divisiveness of these ideas, spread online, radicalizes average Americans, not just extremists.
    • Quote [45:20]:
      “Most militia members are average people … much of what they believe … is very similar to what a lot of Middle America believes, at least a lot of white Middle America.” – Amy Kuder

9. The Future of Oath Keepers/Militias

• [48:31–50:41]
  • The Oath Keepers as an organization are probably done (structurally, legally) but the ideology survives.
  • Name and branding may change, but the “stolen election” narrative persists.

10. Extremists Within the Military & Insider Threats

• [50:41–55:08]
  • Zoldra recounts serving with a Marine who had Nazi tattoos—demonstrating the nuance and challenge of dealing with extremists in the armed forces.
  • Insider threats are a genuine challenge, as extremism is often harder to root out among trusted group members.
    • Quote [50:41]:
      “Having a person like that in your unit is incredibly dangerous … they basically hate a portion of your platoon.”

11. Susceptibility to Conspiratorial Thinking in the Ranks

• [55:08–57:23]

  • About 15% of January 6th rioters were military or ex-military—unsurprising, since the military mirrors society.
  • Zoldra jokes: “They just have all the guns and tanks.”

• Critical thinking isn’t universal:

  • It’s not always easy to fact-check (Zoldra tries with friends, sometimes successful, often met with hostility).
  • “It almost becomes kind of religious,” he notes.

12. Approaches to Counter-Extremism

• [60:35–61:08]
  • Both Zoldra and Kuder argue for fact-checking, even if immediate success isn’t achieved.
  • Public counters can at least serve as a backstop, halting the spread to new believers.

13. Looking Forward

• [61:31–62:44]
  • Kuder predicts a resurgence of militia and extremist organizing heading into Election 2024—not a direct repeat of January 6th, but a shift into “culture war” fights, school boards, and other hot-button venues.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the “logic” of the Trump military conspiracy:
  “It really boils down to ... a lot of his supporters believe that he did not lose the election ... so if he’s still the President, then he’s still commander in chief ... a whole bunch of the military is supportive of Trump and will go with his every word. I hope the sarcasm is coming through, by the way.”
  – Paul Zoldra [02:47]

• On Americans’ conceptions of the military:
  “There’s a black box in there. Nobody really understands what it’s actually like. And ... most of it’s really boring ... those are the less sexy parts [the public] doesn’t really see. That ignorance really feeds these ideas.”
  – Paul Zoldra [06:58]

• On militia members’ backgrounds:
  “Most militia members are average people. Like, they’re really not social outliers … much of what they believe … is very similar ... to what a lot of Middle America believes, at least a lot of white Middle America.”
  – Amy Kuder [45:20]

• On the power of titles:
  “I’m not walking around, you know, telling everybody I’m Sergeant Zoldra... But ... people hear a lieutenant general or a former colonel ... and they believe it. Because he’s a general.”
  – Paul Zoldra [41:23]

• On extremists in the ranks:
  “Having a person like that in your unit is incredibly dangerous. ... It kind of makes you wonder ... will they do the right thing in combat? ... There's dual loyalty, and the military takes that very seriously when it comes to ... cyber security, but there's not a lot to do for the ... guy like me who's joining the platoon and like this is my senior Marine. ... It shouldn't be a hard ... decision to get rid of ... what I think is a scumbag, you know. ... But it's not always that easy."
  – Paul Zoldra [50:41]

Important Timestamps

• 00:36–05:55 — The “Trump still runs the military” conspiracy explained and unpacked
• 06:58–10:21 — American ignorance about the military; “Call of Duty isn’t enough”
• 10:21–12:40 — What are militias; motivations and backgrounds; the “code name” joke
• 13:20–16:02 — Relationship between militias and actual military; mutual suspicion
• 22:48–27:12 — Trump’s spread of the “Biden killed SEAL Team 6” theory
• 30:25–35:13 — Jade Helm conspiracy leads to real policy actions
• 36:02–42:19 — Generals, authority, and how rank lets conspiracy travel
• 42:19–47:08 — Michigan’s Wolverine Watchmen and the mainstreaming of militias
• 48:31–50:41 — Fate of Oath Keepers and militia movement after January 6th
• 50:41–55:08 — Dealing with extremists inside the military
• 55:08–57:23 — Why the military is not immune to conspiracy thinking
• 60:35–61:08 — Does factual correction work? Sometimes. Sometimes not.
• 61:31–62:44 — What’s next for militias? More culture war, less one-off insurrection

Tone & Language

• Irreverent, sardonic, but deeply informed.
• Jokes about military gear and cosplaying, but respectful of the seriousness at stake.
• Warnings about the real-world impact of conspiracies (“this isn’t just funny; it’s dangerous”).

For Listeners: Why This Matters

This episode offers a frank, funny, but ultimately sobering analysis of how conspiratorial thinking infects both the civilian sphere and the military. The discussion reveals the blurred boundaries between heroic service, cosplay, and radicalization; the normalization of dangerous ideas by mainstream figures; and the vulnerabilities that ignorance and misinformation create for American democracy and security.

Whether you think “it couldn’t happen here,” or just wonder “why do people believe this stuff?”—this is required listening.