The Glenn Beck Program – Best of the Program | Amb. Monica Crowley & Rep. Chip Roy | 2/18/26

Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Glenn Beck
Guests: Ambassador Monica Crowley, Rep. Chip Roy
Podcast Description: Glenn Beck delivers candid commentary on American culture and politics, engaging well-known guests in deep-dive discussions.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program features two prominent guests: Ambassador Monica Crowley and Rep. Chip Roy. The discussions center on recent revelations about Richard Nixon and the 'deep state,' the evolving cultural and political landscape in Texas, challenges facing the Republican Party, and an insightful reflection on the meaning of Ash Wednesday.

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Texas Politics, Islamism, and the Republican Agenda

Guest: Rep. Chip Roy
Timestamps: 03:04 – 15:33

Highlights:

• Texas Attorney General Debate Recap (03:11)

  • Chip Roy discusses his approach during the recent Blaze debate for Texas Attorney General, shooting for a focus on critical issues like the growing presence and influence of Islamist movements in Texas, particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
  • "We were out at your studios...with a lot of folks in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex who are attuned to what's happening with the advance of Sharia law." [03:57]

• Concerns over 'No-Go Zones' and Cultural Conflict (04:45)

  • Roy expresses concern about areas in Dallas becoming unsafe for women and accuses some Democrats of ignoring or minimizing the threat posed by Islamist organizations.
  • Frames the issue as not about religious freedom, but about real threats to Western civilization:
    "Anyone who believes that Sharia law and the Quran usurp the United States Constitution, then I got a problem with you. And you don't belong in here because you are warring against our culture and Western civilization." — Glenn Beck [05:24]

• Action as Attorney General — Targeting Organizations (06:13)

  • Roy outlines his plan to use the Attorney General’s office to investigate organizations like CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, already designated by Gov. Abbott as terrorist organizations.
  • "We need to look at all of these organizations and see what their plan is...that's not faith, that's not religion that the First Amendment contemplates." [06:13]

• Foreign Policy & Avoiding War (07:42)

  • Roy cautions against U.S. engagement in another Middle East conflict, supports ‘peace through strength,’ and urges strategic—not interventionist—action with Iran.
  • "I don't believe that we ought to be looking to engage in getting involved with war...There's a war raging right here in America." [08:04]

• ICE Shutdown and Political Maneuvering (09:29)

  • Discusses the ICE funding standoff and its impact, alleging Democrats are risking national security to gain political leverage.
  • Outlines how prior Republican appropriations secured ICE/Border Patrol funding, potentially making Democrats look responsible for any interruptions in services like TSA or FEMA.

• Talking Filibuster and Legislative Reform (11:41)

  • Roy and Beck detail the ‘talking filibuster’—a reform they say would restore Senate tradition and make obstruction more transparent:
    "We're not changing the rules...we're saying use the rules, use the Senate, do your job, speak." — Chip Roy [12:18]
  • Beck jokes about the age and stamina of Democratic senators: "Most of them are over like 97...Like, half of them, like it's a nursing home." — Glenn Beck [14:22]

2. Reassessing Richard Nixon: Deep State, Watergate, and Contemporary Parallels

Guest: Ambassador Monica Crowley
Timestamps: 17:04 – 32:45

Highlights:

• Crowley's Relationship with Nixon (17:20)

  • Crowley describes her unique perspective from working directly with Nixon during the last four years of his life.
  • "He served as a grandfather to me...I pledged to you that I will spend the rest of my life advancing and protecting and defending your legacy." — Monica Crowley [17:51]

• Nixon, Deep State, and the Birth of Distrust (18:20 – 21:03)

  • Nixon understood Eisenhower’s warnings about an unaccountable ‘deep state’ but couldn’t bring it to public attention in the 1970s.
  • His move to centralize foreign policy with Kissinger, excluding many traditional power centers, enraged and alarmed elements of the military and intelligence agencies.

• Military & Intelligence Agencies Spied on Nixon (21:03 – 23:38)

  • New documents reveal a "military spy ring" within the White House, with Bob Woodward (future Watergate reporter) linked as a Naval Intelligence officer and CIA asset.
  • "Bob Woodward...was a Naval Intelligence officer who was read in on this military spy ring. And then...was planted as a 'journalist' at the Washington Post being fed all of the Deep State plans." — Monica Crowley [22:26]

• Nixon's Choices: Selflessness Over Scandal (24:13)

  • Nixon chose not to expose the military’s involvement in the Watergate scandal to avoid broader institutional damage during the Cold War.
  • Crowley draws a comparison between Nixon falling on his sword for the country (both in 1960 and 1974), and Trump’s experience with the so-called deep state.

• From Nixon to Trump: Lessons and Strategy (24:50 – 28:56)

  • Crowley argues that Trump’s last term was hampered by inexperience with the DC establishment, but his time out of office allowed him to return with a plan to ‘dismantle the deep state brick by brick.’
  • "This man is dismantling our deep state and the globalist deep state brick by brick. And he's doing it by pulling the funding, pulling their money." — Monica Crowley [26:37]
  • Trump is working with like-minded international leaders to create alternative networks to the UN and WHO.

• Celebrating America's 250th: Freedom250 Initiative (29:38 – 32:45)

  • Crowley details Freedom250, a series of events celebrating America's 250th:
    • National prayer event (May 17)
    • UFC 250 fight on President’s birthday (June 14)
    • Glenn Beck’s Ellis Island legal immigration event (May 2)
    • International naval review and massive fireworks on July 4th
    • IndyCar Grand Prix in DC (August)
  • "We are planning the Great American State Fair on the national mall...national prayer event...UFC 250 fight...IndyCar Grand Prix. We want everybody coming out for that. This is going to be a truly national and global celebration." — Monica Crowley [30:10]

3. Ash Wednesday: History, Meaning, and Cultural Significance

Host Commentary: Glenn Beck
Timestamps: 32:50 – End

Highlights:

• The Power and Humility of Ash Wednesday (32:50 –)

  • Beck explores the origins and symbolism of Ash Wednesday, reflecting on its role as a global equalizer and a "radical corrective to human arrogance."
  • "No law forces humility like mortality. When you hear from ashes you came and to ashes you'll return...The message is not you're nothing. The message is you are temporary." — Glenn Beck [approx. 34:46]

• Historic and Personal Reflections

  • Links the evolution of Ash Wednesday from a punishment for the worst sinners to a collective acknowledgment of shared human fragility and the universal need for repentance.
  • Explains the tradition of making ashes from previous year’s Palm Sunday branches, and relates the ritual's endurance to its ability to confront people with mortality and prioritize character over transitory legacies.

• A Call to Clarity and Humility

  • Beck sees Ash Wednesday as "an annual corrective to human amnesia," encouraging listeners to focus on what matters:
    "Your life is short, dude. What are you going to do with the very limited time you have...before you return to dust and ashes? History waits for your answer."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Anyone who believes that Sharia law and the Quran usurp the United States Constitution, then I got a problem with you. And you don't belong in here because you are warring against our culture and Western civilization." — Glenn Beck [05:24]

• "We're not changing the rules...we're saying use the rules, use the Senate, do your job, speak." — Chip Roy [12:18]

• "Bob Woodward...was a Naval Intelligence officer who was read in on this military spy ring. And then...was planted as a 'journalist' at the Washington Post being fed all of the Deep State plans." — Monica Crowley [22:26]

• "This man is dismantling our deep state and the globalist deep state brick by brick. And he's doing it by pulling the funding, pulling their money." — Monica Crowley [26:37]

• "Ashes have always been the universal language of mortality." — Glenn Beck [33:25]

• "No law forces humility like mortality. When you hear from ashes you came and to ashes you'll return...The message is not you're nothing. The message is you are temporary." — Glenn Beck [~34:46]

Important Timestamps

• 03:11 — Chip Roy on the Texas AG debate and Islamist influence
• 05:24 — Beck distinguishes Islamists from mainstream Muslims
• 06:13 — Roy details plan to investigate suspect organizations
• 08:04 — Roy advises caution regarding war with Iran
• 09:29 — Discussion on ICE funding and Democrat strategy
• 11:41 — Talking filibuster: its history and proposed revival
• 17:20 — Monica Crowley recounts working with Nixon
• 21:03 — Nixon's foreign policy and the military/CIA response
• 22:26 — Bob Woodward’s alleged role in the 'spy ring'
• 24:13 — Nixon’s self-sacrifice and parallels to Trump
• 26:37 — Trump’s new deep state strategy
• 29:38 — Crowley lists planned events for America's 250th anniversary
• 32:50 — Glenn Beck on the meaning and history of Ash Wednesday

Episode Takeaways

• Texas Politics: Ongoing concerns about demographic and ideological shifts; Roy pushes for vigilance and transparency regarding Islamist networks.
• Deep State and History: Crowley presents new material on Nixon’s Watergate ordeal as a cautionary tale for modern ‘deep state’ narratives, drawing direct parallels to Trump’s presidency.
• American Tradition: Crowley and Beck stress the importance of upholding and publicly celebrating American values through large-scale national events.
• Faith and Reflection: Beck’s closing soliloquy on Ash Wednesday offers a poignant reminder of human impermanence and the need for humility.

For more:

• Rep. Chip Roy: roy.house.gov | @ChipRoyTX on X | chiproy.com
• Ambassador Monica Crowley: freedom250.org
• Full replays available on GlennBeck.com or wherever you get podcasts.