The Glenn Beck Program

Best of the Program | Guest: Bryan Stern | December 15, 2025
Blaze Podcast Network

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program features a compelling blend of cultural commentary, a captivating recount of a high-stakes rescue operation, and urgent reflections on the state of antisemitism and ideological challenges in the West. Glenn Beck delivers powerful stories, from the origins of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" to an exclusive interview with Bryan Stern, the rescue expert who orchestrated the daring extraction of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The episode concludes with Beck’s pointed warning about rising antisemitism and the danger of ideological complacency in Western societies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Real Story Behind Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

• [04:00–13:50]
  Beck shares the touching backstory of Rudolph, highlighting themes of hope, personal struggle, and corporate generosity.
  • Robert May, grieving the terminal illness of his wife and struggling financially, was asked by his employer (Montgomery Ward) to write a cheerful Christmas story.
  • The story of Rudolph was inspired by May’s own experiences of feeling different and wanting to bring hope to his daughter.
  • Montgomery Ward, in an uncharacteristic act of compassion, gave May all rights to Rudolph, transforming his life and that of his family.
  • The song, later popularized by Gene Autry, became a cultural and financial phenomenon, evidencing how joy can be born from heartbreak.
• Notable Quote:

  "Behind the red nose and behind the jingle bells and the puppets and the fat snowman, is this a single man who, in a very small office, rode his way through heartbreak." — Glenn Beck [13:25]

2. Interview with Bryan Stern: The Extraction of Maria Corina Machado

• [17:17–28:52]

Introduction to Bryan Stern and the Mission

• Beck introduces Bryan Stern, founder and CEO of Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, who led the mission dubbed “Operation Golden Dynamite” to extract Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and get her safely to the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.

How the Mission Began

• Stern recounts how the mission started with a cryptic phone call at Miami airport, initially shrouded in secrecy.
  • Grey Bull Rescue has completed 800 missions in 4 years, specializing in high-risk extractions worldwide.
  • After initial vetting, Stern confirmed the mission was authentic and began rapid coordination.
• Notable Quote:

  "What's interesting is this is our 800th mission that we've done as a team. 800 missions in four years." — Bryan Stern [18:11]

The Planning and Orchestration

• Stern describes the operation as similar to “an orchestra”—many moving parts, each with specialized roles (“the violin people don’t know how to play a saxophone, and the saxophone people don’t know how to play a violin”).
  • For security, most participants were kept in the dark about their exact contribution or the mission’s true nature.
  • Maria Corina Machado became “the most wanted person in the Western Hemisphere.” Multiple hostile intelligence agencies (Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, China, Hezbollah, cartels) sought her capture.

The Extraction: Nighttime at Sea

• Without revealing sensitive operational details, Stern recounts the peril of moving Machado to a remote, marshy shore and onto a small boat, which then rendezvoused with Stern’s team in high seas under cover of night.
  • The mission’s risk was compounded by live military operations in the area, including US forces.
  • Stern leveraged a vast personal and professional network to alert “good guys” in the US military to the presence of a friendly team, mitigating the risk of friendly fire.
  • Through complex deception and misdirection (including fake leads to other countries), hostile forces were distracted.
• Notable Quote:

  "Maria Karina Machado, from the Maduro perspective, is like what Osama bin Laden was for us… She is the most wanted person in the Western hemisphere." — Bryan Stern [22:12]

• Memorable Moment:

  Beck: “Did anyone above… did you have to basically plead, don’t bomb us? Just don’t bomb us…”
  Stern: “When we call and say hey look, here’s a lat long… Number one: don’t get excited. That’s us. Don’t kill us…” [25:12–25:38]

The Importance of Deception and the Human Element

• Stern emphasizes the importance of deception—creating false trails, manipulating what the adversaries believe, and pooling resources without revealing the true purpose even to many involved.
  • The mission succeeded through manipulation, deep understanding of adversarial intelligence culture, and operational discipline.
• Notable Quote:

  "It’s a little bit of deception. It’s a lot of manipulation, and it’s a lot of really understanding how the bad guys function… We create that tip for a reliable source from a reliable source, and they go for it. What happens? They’re dedicating resources to a figment of my imagination." — Bryan Stern [27:28]

3. Antisemitism and Ideological Violence in the West

• [29:00–43:36]

Sydney Hanukkah Shooting & Global Incidents

• Beck recounts the shocking attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach where two gunmen fired into the crowd, killing 15 and wounding dozens more—including well-known Jewish community members.
  • Acts of individual heroism included a fruit vendor tackling one of the shooters.
• Beck links this atrocity to a wider wave of attacks on Jewish communities across the US, Europe, and Australia.

The Existential Warning

• Beck analyzes the pattern of antisemitic violence, connecting it to the political ideology of Islamism (explicitly distinguishing it from the faith of Islam).
  • He discusses the reluctance of Western governments to name the threat, instead resorting to euphemisms.
  • Beck positions the Jewish community as the “canary in the coal mine” for Western civilization, warning that complacency will ultimately endanger all free societies.
  • He calls for moral clarity and the courage to defend Western values, warning that freedom is at risk more from ideological erosion than from invasion.
• Notable Quotes:

  "Let me do it precisely, precisely truthfully: Islamism. Islamists. Not Islam. Not Muslim. If you're a Muslim… you're not an enemy of the West. I'm totally good with that... But Islamism is a political ideology. It's not about faith. It is about power." — Glenn Beck [35:43]
  "Jewish communities always pay the price first. They always do. And believe me, you are on the list… When a society begins to rot from ideological cowardice, the Jews are always the early warning system." — Glenn Beck [39:44]
  "America, you are closer than you think to losing not only our country, but countries that took centuries to build. Not through invasion, but through erosion. Through silence." — Glenn Beck [43:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Behind the red nose and behind the jingle bells... is this a single man who, in a very small office, rode his way through heartbreak." — Glenn Beck [13:25]
• "What's interesting is this is our 800th mission that we've done as a team. 800 missions in four years." — Bryan Stern [18:11]
• "You have all these different people... it's all music, and we're all on the same team. But the violin people don't know how to play a saxophone." — Bryan Stern [21:14]
• "Maria Karina Machado, from the Maduro perspective, is like what Osama bin Laden was for us." — Bryan Stern [22:12]
• "It's a little bit of deception. It's a lot of manipulation, and it's a lot of really understanding how the bad guys function." — Bryan Stern [27:28]
• "Freedom is costly, and it requires moral clarity. If we refuse to do that work now, our children are going to have to do it later, under far worse conditions." — Glenn Beck [43:22]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Story: [04:00–13:50]
• Bryan Stern Interview – Planning the Mission: [17:17–22:00]
• Bryan Stern Interview – Extraction Operation Details: [22:00–28:52]
• Antisemitism & Sydney Attack Commentary: [29:00–43:36]

Tone and Style

The podcast balances Glenn Beck’s signature warmth, nostalgia, and narrative flair with moments of intensity and urgency, especially as he navigates serious geopolitical and cultural subjects. His interview with Bryan Stern is filled with mutual respect, touches of humor, and real-world gravitas. Beck’s commentary on antisemitism is blunt, direct, and evocative, urging listeners toward moral clarity and action.

Summary

This episode encapsulates The Glenn Beck Program's strength in storytelling, contemporary commentary, and highlighting exceptional individuals. Whether tracing the tragic origins of a Christmas classic or chronicling a modern rescue mission amidst political violence, Beck invites the listener to reflect, empathize, and stay vigilant about the challenges facing Western society today.