The Glenn Beck Program — Best of the Program | 1/5/26

Date: January 5, 2026
Network: Blaze Podcast Network
Host: Glenn Beck
Main Guests/Speakers: Glenn Beck (A), Jason (B), Stu (E), additional contributors

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela: the raid resulting in the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Glenn Beck and guests analyze the motivations behind the operation, its broader geopolitical ramifications, military prowess, implications for American values, and the launch of Glenn’s new content platform, The Torch. The tone blends urgency, candid wit, and critical introspection — characteristic of Beck’s show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Venezuela? The Many Layers of the Maduro Raid

[00:00–07:34]

• Complex Motivations:

  • The operation wasn’t just about oil, drugs, or terrorism — it involved all these factors and hemispheric influence.
  • Glenn Beck: "It's not about oil for us. But it is about oil. It's not about drugs. But it is about drugs. It's not about terror. Oh, yes, it is about terror." [03:19]

• Cartel of the Suns:

  • Venezuelan military leadership is implicated as cartel leaders, with significant involvement in drug trafficking.

• Terrorism Links:

  • A notorious Venezuelan island is allegedly a hub for Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and Hezbollah influence and training.
  • FARC operatives and Marxist elements add to the complexity and the regional instability.

• Regime Change Debate:

  • Beck stresses that this isn’t "classic regime change"; the goal was to provide a chance for honest elections — hence the vice president, not aligned with U.S. interests, was kept in place.
  • "We left somebody who [is] not a fan of Donald Trump ... in as the president. He did not regime change this." [00:31]

2. The U.S. Military: Message to the World

[07:34–12:32]

• The Operation’s Brilliance:

  • Described as a "two-hour war," the U.S. neutralized Venezuela's sophisticated Chinese and Russian air defenses.
  • Jason highlights advanced technology and cyber warfare—potentially including Space Force for the first time.
  • "They made it look like it was... ordered off a Teemu. It was absolutely insane." — Jason [07:59]

• Global Implications:

  • The operation sends a stark message to adversaries like China and Russia regarding U.S. capabilities.
  • The successful extraction of Maduro from the "Pentagon of Venezuela" with no U.S. casualties is hailed as unprecedented.

• Kill Count Revealed:

  • 34 killed—Cubans, not Venezuelans, leading to speculation about foreign military involvement in support of Maduro.

• Strategic Doctrine:

  • Beck calls the operation "radical surgery" to excise a growing malignant system.
  • He references Trump’s focus on strategic assets like the Panama Canal and Greenland as components of a broader doctrine.

  “This is the most America First thing I have ever seen.” — Glenn Beck [14:37]

3. Media Reactions & Public Perception

[16:16–20:44]

• Clip Analysis:

  • Beck critiques mainstream media confusion and their accusations of “regime change.”
  • He plays an exchange between Margaret Brennan and Marco Rubio, dissecting how the mission’s complexities and rationale are misunderstood.

  "If we would have gone in in World War II and taken Hitler, how come you only took Hitler? Well, it'll probably fall apart once Hitler's gone. What do you think?" — Glenn Beck [18:03]

• No-Win with the Press:

  • Stu notes the press will always criticize: "You shouldn't have intervened, but while you were intervening, why didn’t you intervene more?" [19:13]

4. Was This Really Regime Change?

[20:44–27:17]

• Trump’s Calculations and Soft Power:

  • Beck explores Trump’s motives, suggesting removal of Maduro was a “proof of concept” for U.S. military, a play on hemispheric control, and potentially a leverage point for further action elsewhere (e.g., Cuba, Iran).
  • The vice president remains in power as a calculated move to avoid overt regime change, but with clear U.S. influence looming.

  "We’re taking the kingpin out. That’s how you do things." — Glenn Beck [17:47]

• Public and Political Fallout:

  • Discussion of how the vice president of Venezuela, who stays in power, is under immense pressure following such a show of force.
  • Illustration: If Glenn were “removed” live on air, would colleagues continue as usual?

5. Founders’ Perspective: AI Analysis

[30:58–33:25]

• New AI Tool, 'Glenn AI' and 'George AI':

  • Beck debuts an AI trained on 30 years of his content to answer historical and political hypotheticals.
  • Example: Asking "What would the founders say about going into Venezuela?"

  "If I told Thomas Jefferson ... that one day America would launch a surprise military strike to capture the president of a South American country ... Jefferson would probably raise an eyebrow, sip his Madeira and say, ‘Explain yourself.’" — George AI [31:04]

• Barbary Pirates Precedent:

  • The AI draws analogies to the Barbary Pirates intervention, weighing constitutional legitimacy and unintended consequences.
  • Both sides of the justification are thoughtfully presented.

6. New Content Platform: The Torch

[Various Segments]

• Launch Announcement:

  • The Torch aims to provide deeper, commercial-free content, including shows like 'The American Story' and 'Days of Ash.'
  • Early access to special reports (e.g., 'Capital Controls'), exclusive series, and AI-driven features promised.

• Mission Statement:

  • Beck positions this as a movement to revitalize American discourse and empower audiences with unfiltered information.
  • "This isn't a podcast. This is a movement. And you're part of it, a big part of it. So if you believe in what we're doing, you want more people to wake up, help us push this podcast to the top... Together, we'll make a difference." [01:18]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the rationale for Venezuela operation:

  "This is not a Trump problem. This is a systemic failure and it has gone back decades." — Glenn Beck [02:26]

• On military prowess and strategy:

  "I’ve never seen effectively a two hour war be pulled off before. But that’s exactly what happened." — Jason [07:37]

• On technological advantage:

  "If you listen to what Donald Trump talked about…this was the first time space force was involved." — Glenn Beck [08:34]

• On world-changing implications:

  "If America can restore the rule of law, honest capitalism, national sovereignty and freedom here in America, we will set more people free than any other power that could possibly replace us." — Glenn Beck [05:16]

• On press criticism:

  "There’s no place for him to actually land this. That makes them happy. We all know that going into this." — Stu [19:21]

• On the future of The Torch:

  "I kind of feel in some ways I’m running out of time and there’s a lot I have to do yet. And so all of the shows, everything… I’m doing it because I want to do it." — Glenn Beck [38:59]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–07:34 — Venezuela: Motives, context, and historical precedent
• 07:34–12:32 — Military operation debrief with Jason: Tactics, technology, implications
• 16:16–19:33 — Mainstream media reaction and Marco Rubio interview deconstruction
• 20:44–27:17 — Regime change debate, soft power, and future scenarios
• 30:58–33:25 — AI analysis: Founders on intervention; Barbary Pirates
• 34:53–39:56 — New content: American history stories, dystopian series previews
• 39:56–41:41 — Upcoming features: 'Capital Controls' special and subscription model

Conclusion & Takeaways

This episode is a dense, multi-layered exposé on U.S. foreign policy’s evolution, military innovation, and media spin, all contextualized through Beck’s signature storytelling and ideological lens. The Venezuela affair is portrayed as a watershed “America First” moment, both a military tour-de-force and a strategic doctrine. Meanwhile, Beck unveils a new era in independent media with The Torch, promising more in-depth, interactive, and historically grounded content — all in defense of constitutional values and public enlightenment.